Jochebed: Portrait of a Devout Woman
Scripture Text: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 KJV)
Jochebed was the daughter of Levi. Levi was the third son of Jacob and Leah. ‘’ And the name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, whom her mother bare to Levi in Egypt: and she bare unto Amram Aaron and Moses, and Miriam their sister’’. (Numbers 26:59 KJV) Pharaoh was troubled and afraid of the increasing numbers of the Hebrews. Pharaoh put extreme oppression on and showed cruelty toward the Hebrews. When Moses was born, it was during the time when the Hebrews were slaves in Egypt. Pharaoh ordered all the sons that were born unto the Hebrews to be thrown into the river, and all the daughters that were born could live. But the midwives feared God; these women were well trained to help deliver babies unto the Hebrews. Jochebed hid her son Moses for three months until she could no longer hide him. She made a basket of bulrushes and put Moses on the flags of the river. Pharaoh’s daughter came down with her maidens to bathe herself. She noticed quickly the basket in the flags of the river. Thermuthis (Pharaoh’s daughter) asked the maiden to fetch the basket. When she opened it, the baby began to cry. She had compassion on him even though the daughter of Pharaoh noticed quickly that the baby was a child of the Hebrews. Moses’ sister, Miriam, watched the tiny boat going down the Nile River. In fact, she watched the whole thing with her very own eyes. Jochebed was the chief Jewish nurse of the Hebrews. Thermuthis asked her maidens to find a nurse among the Hebrews. Miriam spoke up: ‘’ Then said his sister to Pharaoh’s daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee? And Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child’s mother. (Exodus 2:7, 8 KJV) Now Jochebed could freely nurture, cuddle, and nurse her son, and she was paid for doing it. We should always trust the Lord no matter what happens to us. Like Jochebed, a true portrait of a devout woman. If we put Jesus first in our lives, he will take care of us. The Lord has opened so many doors for me to encourage others, help others, and be a friend to the elderly and to all the many people He has placed before me each day. Most of all, I am so blessed to have Him in my life. My prayer is to be the best example for Him – that someone that may not know the Lord will see their need to serve Him. Stay Encouraged!
