We all know the broad strokes – the decree, the basket, the river. But have you ever stopped to consider the details, the near-miraculous chain of events that had to unfold just so?
The Book of Jubilees, an ancient Jewish text expanding on the Torah's narratives, offers a glimpse into that pivotal moment (Jubilees 47). It paints a vivid picture of a young Tharmuth, Pharaoh's daughter, coming down to the river to bathe. Imagine the scene: the heat of the Egyptian sun, the life-giving waters of the Nile, the rustling reeds along the bank.
And then… a cry. A baby's cry.
Tharmuth, hearing the sound, instructs her maidens to investigate. They retrieve the small ark, the little basket, and bring it to her. Inside, they find you: the future leader of a nation.
The text tells us that Tharmuth "had compassion" on you. In a kingdom built on slavery, in a household that likely saw Hebrews as nothing more than a workforce, this princess felt compassion for a single Hebrew child. It’s a powerful, almost defiant act of humanity.
But here's where the story takes another incredible turn. Your sister, Miriam, is watching from a distance. She bravely approaches Tharmuth with a proposition: "Shall I go and call unto thee one of the Hebrew women to nurse and suckle this babe for thee?"
Think about the audacity! To suggest bringing in a Hebrew woman, potentially even the baby's own mother, to care for a child she just found floating in the river? It’s a huge risk.
And Tharmuth agrees. "Go," she says.
Miriam wastes no time. She finds Jochebed, your mother, and brings her to Tharmuth. In a stroke of divine providence, your own mother gets to nurse and raise you, and even gets paid for it! The Book of Jubilees says "she gave her wages, and she nursed thee.”
It’s an incredible testament to the power of courage, compassion, and perhaps most importantly, the unseen hand of fate guiding events. It's a story that reminds us that even in the darkest of times, hope – and miracles – can still be found in the most unexpected places. What does this story tell us about the role of women in biblical narrative? What does it suggest about the nature of fate versus free will? These are questions worth pondering long after the story ends.