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Pharaoh's Sorcerers Saw Moses Coming Before He Was Born

Before Moses was conceived, an Egyptian sorcerer read his fate in a book of signs and told Pharaoh exactly what was coming. The decree followed immediately.

Curated by Arthur · Told by Maggid ·
Table of Contents
  1. What the Book of Signs Said
  2. The Toddler Who Took the Crown
  3. The Coal and the Tongue
  4. Amram in the Palace

What the Book of Signs Said

Moses's father Amram was a physician. Skilled enough that Pharaoh kept him at court, skilled enough that the king trusted him with his own treatment. Amram moved through the corridors of the palace with the particular freedom of someone whose usefulness made him safe, or so it appeared.

Also at court was a sorcerer named Pilti. His tool was not medicine but a book called the Book of Signs, and what he read in it one day changed the history of two nations. He saw a star rising over Israel, a liberator-child not yet born whose life would bring catastrophe to Egypt and freedom to the Hebrews. The child would be cast into water, and through him the entire people of Israel would cross parted water in the other direction. Pilti brought this to Pharaoh.

Pharaoh's response was the decree everyone knows: drown every Hebrew boy in the Nile. But the tradition is precise about why. This was not random cruelty or demographic policy. Pharaoh was trying to prevent a specific birth that had already been described to him in specific terms. The death sentence on an entire generation of children came from a prophecy about one child who had not yet been conceived.

The Toddler Who Took the Crown

Moses survived the Nile in a basket, was found by Pharaoh's daughter Bathia, and was raised at court. Three years into this arrangement, at a feast where Pharaoh was receiving his assembled court, the small child reached across from Bathia's lap and grabbed the crown off Pharaoh's head. He placed it on his own head.

The Book of Jasher describes the silence that followed. Every prince and counselor in the hall went still. Pharaoh's face did something complicated. He turned to his advisors and asked them what was to be done about this Hebrew child. The stakes were not the crown's dignity. The stakes were everything Pilti had read in the Book of Signs: was this the child? Was this what it looked like when a future liberator touched the symbol of the power he would one day break?

The sorcerers in Pharaoh's court said yes. Kill him now, before he grows into what the signs say he will become. Jethro, present in the hall, counseled differently. This was a child's action, Jethro argued. Children grab what is in front of them. Test him first: set out a bowl of gold and a bowl of live coals and see which one the child reaches for. If he reaches for the gold, his action was intentional. If he reaches for the coals, he is innocent.

The Coal and the Tongue

The tradition says that Moses reached for the gold. He knew what it was. He was already, at three, drawn toward the crown and what it represented. An angel redirected his hand to the coals, and Moses grabbed the burning coal and put it in his mouth. He burned his tongue. He carried that impediment for the rest of his life, the hesitancy of speech that he would later describe to God at the burning bush when God told him to go speak to Pharaoh.

This is why Moses told God he was not a man of words. The coal that saved his life at three had taken something from him that never fully healed. The test that was meant to establish his innocence had left a permanent mark. Pharaoh, convinced by the test, let the child live. But the test cost Moses the easy eloquence that leadership usually demands.

Amram in the Palace

The Book of Jasher's account of the period before Moses's birth adds another layer. Jochebed was 126 years old when she and Amram married, a detail that the text presents without commentary as simply the condition of Israelite lives under the compression of Egyptian oppression. Their first child was Miriam, named for the bitterness of that moment in Israel's history. Their second was Aaron, born when the decrees were reaching new severity.

Then came the decree that drowned boys. Amram, who walked the palace corridors every day and heard what was said there, must have known what was coming before it arrived. He had been present when Pilti read the Book of Signs. He understood what he was about to be living through, and why. His daughter Miriam would prophesy that the redeemer was still coming despite the decree. Amram would remarry Jochebed in response to that prophecy, and the child predicted in the Book of Signs would be born seven months later, his birth filling the house with light.

MosesProphecyEgyptPharaohExodusMiracles
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From the tradition

Sources

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The texts this telling draws on, in full. Open a card to read inline, or expand it for a wider, quieter read.

Legends of the Jews 2:261-263Legends of the Jews

Amram, Moses’s father, wasn't just any man. He was a skilled doctor, so renowned that he served Pharaoh himself! The text in Tree of Souls tells us of his wisdom, and of God's hand in his life. But, as always, shadows lurked. A sorcerer named Pilti, skilled in reading the Book of Signs, foresaw a monumental shift. He saw the rise of a child who would liberate the Israelites from their suffering, but also bring turmoil to the Egyptian kingdom. – imagine having the weight of destiny revealed to you in a vision.

Pilti warned Pharaoh of an ascending "star of Israel," a sign of impending doom for Egypt. According to this sorcerer’s visions, this "liberator of the Jews" would be cast into the sea, and through him, the entire people of Israel would cross the parted waters. Pharaoh, understandably terrified, flew into a rage. For forty days, he forbade the Israelite men from being with their wives, hoping to prevent the birth of this prophesied liberator.

Even Amram was banished from his own home, forced to remain within the palace. But can human decrees truly stand against the will of God? The answer, as we know, is a resounding no.

One night, Amram and his wife, Jochebed, managed to meet. In secret, they conceived a child. When Pilti saw the signs – a star blazing with the child’s future – he knew that Pharaoh's efforts were in vain. The wheels of destiny were already turning.

Fueled by desperation, Pharaoh issued a horrific decree: every Hebrew boy born should be cast into the Nile River, while the girls would be spared. Talk about a brutal attempt to control fate. But the midwives, fearing God more than Pharaoh, secretly defied the order, allowing the male children to live.

As the Israelites continued to multiply, Pharaoh intensified his oppression. But the people found ways to resist. When a Hebrew woman was about to give birth, she would retreat into the wilderness. If the child was a girl, they would return openly. But if it was a boy, he was left in the wilderness, where, according to the story, God miraculously protected him, even providing honey from the rocks to sustain him. These children, raised in the wild, developed an unwavering faith in God, never forgetting how they were saved.

Finally, in the seventh month, the great prophet Moses was born. And, as the story goes, God declared to the celestial hosts that this was the child for whom the world itself was created! This detail, almost casually dropped, emphasizes the immense significance of Moses's arrival.

It’s a powerful image, isn't it? A baby born into a world of danger and oppression, destined for greatness. A reminder that even in the darkest of times, hope – and the promise of liberation – can be born. What do you think this story tells us about faith, destiny, and the enduring power of the human spirit?

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Jasher 70Book of Jasher

The familiar story centers on his dramatic rescue as a baby, floating down the Nile in a basket. But what happened next, after he was adopted by Pharaoh's daughter? The Book of Jasher, an ancient Hebrew text of uncertain origin, fills in some fascinating details, painting a vivid picture of Moses's early years.

In Jasher, in the third year after Moses's birth, a rather… eventful banquet took place. Pharaoh was holding court, with his queen Alparanith on one side and Bathia, Moses’s adoptive mother, on the other. The young Moses was there, nestled in Bathia's lap. And then, something extraordinary happened: the toddler reached out and grabbed the crown right off Pharaoh's head, placing it on his own!

The scene! The king and princes were, understandably, terrified. What did this mean? Was this an omen? They turned to Balaam, the son of Beor, a well-known magician, for his interpretation. Remember Balaam? He pops up later in the Torah, too.

Balaam, ever the opportunist, seized the moment. He warned Pharaoh that this was no accident. "This is a Hebrew boy," he declared, "in whom is the spirit of God!" He went on to accuse the Hebrews of a long history of trickery, citing Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as examples of those who "deceived kings" to get their way. He even brought up Joseph, saying the Hebrews bought the Egyptians as slaves. Balaam's solution? Kill the boy before he grows up and takes over the kingdom. But Pharaoh, thankfully, didn't immediately order Moses's execution. Instead, he consulted with the wise men of Egypt. Now, here’s where things get interesting. An angel of the Lord, disguised as one of the wise men, suggested a test. They proposed placing an onyx stone and a burning coal before the child. If Moses reached for the onyx, it would prove he acted with knowledge and should be put to death. But if he grabbed the coal, it would indicate he didn't understand what he was doing, and his life should be spared.

So, they presented the items to Moses. He instinctively reached for the onyx, but the angel intervened, guiding his hand to the burning coal. Moses grabbed the coal, burning his mouth and tongue. This explains, according to Jasher, why Moses later had a speech impediment.

The king and princes, seeing this, concluded that Moses hadn't acted deliberately, and spared his life. Moses remained in Pharaoh's house, growing up in royal purple, favored by Bathia and feared by the Egyptians.

But Moses didn't forget his people. He visited them in Goshen, the land where the Israelites were living, and witnessed their suffering under Pharaoh's harsh rule. He learned about the cruel decrees and the evil counsel of Balaam. This, understandably, ignited his anger. He sought to kill Balaam, who, fearing for his life, fled to the land of Cush.

One day, Moses approached Pharaoh with a humble request: "Let there be given unto thy servants the children of Israel who are in Goshen, one day to rest therein from their labor." And Pharaoh, remarkably, agreed! He issued a proclamation granting the Israelites a day of rest every seventh day.

Jasher tells us that "this thing was from the Lord to the children of Israel, for the Lord had begun to remember the children of Israel to save them for the sake of their fathers." This act of compassion, securing a day of rest for his brethren, marked the beginning of Moses's journey toward becoming the leader who would ultimately lead them out of slavery. And it all started with a toddler, a crown, and a burning coal.

It's a compelling story, isn't it? It reminds us that even in the midst of privilege and power, a connection to one's roots and a sense of justice can bloom, setting the stage for extraordinary acts of leadership and liberation. What do you think this story adds to our understanding of Moses's character and his eventual role as the liberator of the Israelites?

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Jasher 67Book of Jasher

There are so many fascinating texts that offer different perspectives and details on familiar narratives. a chapter from one of these books: the Book of Jasher. Specifically, we'll be looking at Chapter 67, which gives us its own take on the events leading up to the birth of Moses.

The chapter begins by setting the stage with Amram, a man from the tribe of Levi, marrying Jochebed. Now, here's a detail you don't often hear: Jasher tells us Jochebed was 126 years old when they married! From this union, Miriam is born, her name a reflection of the bitterness (maror) the Israelites were experiencing under Egyptian rule. Then comes Aaron, born at a time when Pharaoh's cruelty was reaching new heights, with the spilling of Israelite children's blood.

Before we get to Moses, the Book of Jasher takes a detour, introducing us to some other players. We hear of the death of Zepho, king of Chittim, and the ascension of Janeas to the throne. And then – get this – Balaam, yes, that Balaam, the one with the talking donkey in the Book of Numbers, enters the scene. According to Jasher, Balaam flees from Chittim to Egypt and becomes a highly honored counselor to Pharaoh.

It’s in Pharaoh's 130th year that he has a disturbing dream. He sees an old man with merchant's scales. In one scale, the old man places all the elders and nobles of Egypt, bound together. In the other? A milk kid. And the kid outweighs them all! Can you picture the shock?

Naturally, Pharaoh is deeply troubled. He summons his wise men, including Balaam, to interpret the dream. Balaam, never one to miss an opportunity for doom and gloom, tells Pharaoh the dream signifies a great evil that will befall Egypt: a son will be born to Israel who will destroy Egypt and lead the Israelites to freedom.

So, what's a Pharaoh to do? He asks Balaam for advice on how to prevent this prophecy from coming true. Balaam suggests consulting Pharaoh's other counselors, Reuel the Midianite (who some identify with Jethro, Moses' future father-in-law!) and Job the Uzite (yes, that Job!).

Reuel, surprisingly, advises Pharaoh to leave the Hebrews alone, reminding him of the consequences faced by those who harmed Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He argues that the God of Israel fiercely protects his chosen people. He even brings up Pharaoh's own ancestor who took Sarah, Abraham's wife, and was afflicted with plagues as a result! It's a powerful speech, urging caution and respect.

But Pharaoh is unmoved. He turns to Job, who simply says, "Do as you see fit." Talk about unhelpful advice!

Finally, Pharaoh asks Balaam again. Balaam acknowledges that the Israelites have been protected from every previous attempt to harm them. Fire? Think of Abraham surviving the fiery furnace. Swords? Remember Isaac and the ram. Hard labor? Jacob prospered despite Laban's oppression.

Balaam then proposes a truly horrific solution: infanticide. He suggests that Pharaoh order all newborn Hebrew male children to be thrown into the river. This, he argues, is something their ancestors never faced, and therefore the only way to wipe out the Israelites.

And tragically, Pharaoh agrees. He issues a decree that every male Hebrew child born from that day forward must be thrown into the Nile, while the female children are allowed to live.

The chapter then describes the heartbreaking reality of this decree. Some Israelite men separate from their wives to avoid bringing more children into the world. Others remain with their wives, and when the time comes to give birth, the women go to the fields, deliver their babies alone, and leave them there.

But here's where the story takes a turn towards the miraculous. The Book of Jasher tells us that God sends angels to care for these abandoned infants. The angels wash, anoint, and clothe them. They even provide them with two smooth stones, one yielding milk and the other honey! The babies grow miraculously, hidden by their own rapidly growing hair.

When God decides the time is right, the earth opens up and swallows the children, protecting them until they are grown. Then, the earth spits them back out, and they return to their families, flourishing like plants in a field.

The Egyptians, witnessing this miracle, attempt to plow the fields to harm the children, but they are unable to. The Israelites continue to multiply, despite Pharaoh's cruel decree. Yet, Pharaoh's officers continue their gruesome task, snatching babies from their mothers and throwing them into the river.

What a powerful, if unsettling, chapter! It’s a reminder that even in the darkest of times, hope, resilience, and the possibility of divine intervention can persist. The Book of Jasher’s telling of these events adds layers of complexity and wonder to a story we think we know, prompting us to consider the many untold narratives woven into the fabric of our history. How does this version of the story change your understanding of the Exodus narrative? What does it tell us about the nature of evil, and the enduring strength of the human spirit?

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