According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, Moses encountered seven maidens at a well. One of them, Zipporah, caught his eye with her modesty. He proposed marriage, but Zipporah wasn't immediately swept off her feet. She told him about her father's unusual "screening process" for potential suitors.
Her father, Jethro (also known as Reuel), had a magical tree in his garden. Any man who dared to touch it, hoping to marry one of his daughters, would be instantly devoured! Talk about high stakes dating!
"Whence has he the tree?" Moses asked.
Zipporah explains that this wasn't just any tree; it was actually a rod! The rod. The one created by God on the eve of the first Sabbath, given to Adam, passed down through generations to Noah, Shem, Abraham, Isaac, and finally to Jacob, who brought it to Egypt. When Joseph died, it ended up in Pharaoh’s palace before Jethro, a sacred scribe, stole it. This rod, Zipporah reveals, had the Ineffable Name of God engraved on it, along with prophecies of the ten plagues to come. (Wow, talk about a family heirloom!) When Jethro planted the rod in his garden, it took root and blossomed. That’s when he decided to use it to test his daughters’ suitors.
Zipporah and her sisters returned home, with Moses following close behind. Jethro was surprised to see his daughters back so early – usually the shepherds gave them a hard time. Hearing about the "wonderworking Egyptian," Jethro wondered if Moses might be a descendant of Abraham, bringing blessing to the world. He scolded his daughters for not inviting him in, hoping he would marry one of them.
Moses, standing outside, let them call him an Egyptian without correcting them. According to the legend, God later punished him for this, causing him to die outside the Promised Land. Joseph, who publicly declared himself a Hebrew, was buried in the land of the Hebrews, while Moses, who didn't object to being seen as an Egyptian, was denied that final homecoming.
Zipporah brought Moses inside, and he immediately asked for her hand in marriage. Jethro proposed a challenge: "If thou canst bring me the rod in my garden, I will give her to thee."
Moses, of course, succeeded. He uprooted the rod – the same sapphire rod given to Adam when he was cast out of Paradise – and brought it to Jethro. Upon seeing this, Jethro feared Moses was the prophet who would destroy Egypt, as foretold by his wise men.
In a panic, Jethro threw Moses into a pit, hoping he would die. Talk about a father-in-law from hell! But Zipporah, resourceful and loyal, devised a plan to save him. She convinced her father to let her take care of the household while her sisters tended the flocks. This allowed her to secretly provide food and water to Moses in the pit for seven long years.
After seven years, Zipporah confronted her father. She reminded him of the man who retrieved the rod and suggested he check on him. If he was dead, they could dispose of the body. But if he was alive, it would prove his righteousness.
Jethro, finally relenting, opened the pit and called out, "Moses! Moses!"
"Here am I!" Moses replied.
Jethro pulled him out, kissed him, and declared, "Blessed be God, who guarded thee for seven years in the pit. I acknowledge that He slayeth and reviveth, that thou art one of the wholly pious, that through thee God will destroy Egypt in time to come, lead His people out of the land, and drown Pharaoh and his whole army in the sea."
Jethro then gave Moses money and his daughter Zipporah in marriage, with one condition: that the children born in Jethro's house would be divided, one group considered Israelite, the other Egyptian.
When Zipporah gave birth to a son, Moses circumcised him and named him Gershom, meaning "a stranger there," to commemorate God's help in a foreign land. After two years, Zipporah bore a second son. Moses, remembering his agreement with Jethro, decided to return to Egypt so he could raise his second son as an Israelite.
But the journey wasn't easy. Satan appeared as a serpent and swallowed Moses! Zipporah, recognizing the danger, quickly circumcised her second son. As she sprinkled the blood of the circumcision on Moses' feet, a heavenly voice commanded the serpent to "Spew him out!" And Moses was saved.
Twice Zipporah saved Moses' life – once from the pit and once from the serpent. What an amazing woman.
Upon arriving in Egypt, Moses was met with skepticism and fear. Dathan and Abiram, leaders of the Israelites, questioned his intentions, reminding him of the Egyptian he had slain. This sent Moses back to Midian for two more years until God revealed Himself at Horeb, commanding him to lead His people out of Egypt.
So, what can we take away from this incredible story? Perhaps it's a reminder that even the greatest leaders need strong partners. Zipporah wasn't just a wife; she was a protector, a strategist, and a woman of deep faith. And maybe it also shows us that even the most unusual beginnings can lead to extraordinary destinies.