I’ve heard the story of Moses for almost the entirety of my life. Moses is one of the Heroes of the faith that we hear about as children. I’ve cannot remember a time before I had watched “The Prince of Egypt” by Disney or “The Ten Commandments” with Charlton Heston. Moses was always a bigger than life character to me, someone marked from the very beginning as destined to do great things for his people. Yet when I reread his story this time what stood out to me was the faith of his mother, Jochebed. I can’t help but wonder at this woman. In the midst of incredible death and suffering she takes action.  To trust her child to the Nile River is an incredible action. The Nile is anything but a safe place. The risks were numerous, but she was a woman out of options.

Moses and Jochebed by Pedro Americo, 1884

This painting by Pedro Americo shows the angst and fear of a mother at wit’s end. I cannot begin to imagine the pain in her heart. As a hospital chaplain I often minister to mother’s who are at risk of losing their sons, of varying ages, and to those who have lost sons. I can attest that there is no greater grief in this life. Jochebed was surrounded by grieving mothers. She was so scared of losing her son that she placed him in a basket in one of the most dangerous places imaginable. The Nile was home to alligators, snakes and all other manner of dangerous animals. There was the risk of him being discovered, or washed away in an errant wave. It’s difficult to imagine a more precarious place for a newborn, who most certainly could not even swim. I wonder what must have gone through her head to be able to make a leap of faith like this. What was her plan? Did she have any idea that saving Moses’ life would also mean giving him away. Jochebed watched as her son was adopted by a stranger. His new mother even gave him his name. (I’m curious to know what Jochebed called him before this incident.) She gave up all rights to her son in order that he might survive. This woman, who we know almost nothing about, made an incredible sacrifice that benefited an entire nation. The pain in her heart must have been great as she watched Moses grow up with his new family. She almost-certainly would have seen him as a part of the royal family. Perhaps he even passed by her on a daily basis with no knowledge of who she was. I cannot imagine the pain, mixed with pride she must have felt.

I wish I knew more about this women’s incredible decision to entrust her infant to a small “ark” on a dangerous river. How did she come up with this idea? What did she think was going to happen? How did she feel when she saw him plucked from the river by the Egyptian nobility? Did she know the sacrifice she was going to make? Instead all I am left with is a few quick verses that are often overlooked for the more action-packed parts of the story. This infant would go on to save an entire nation. It’s easy to skip quickly past this action by a mother scared to lose her son. I know that I now read these verses and linger, wondering and questioning this brave woman.