This Week's Story
click here to play audioJochebed: As he grew inside of me, I learned to love him and dread the curse of Pharaoh. Lord, keep him alive!
This Week’s Story relives American history and the Bible through brief inspiring stories presented on mp3 audio recordings and text for reading.
Save My Child! part one
“OHHHHHH! Ohhhhhh.” Jochebed’s cry of pain became a soft sigh. She looked into a tiny face with eyes that seemed to be seeing her. It wasn’t possible! Babies’ eyes can’t recognize mamas at birth. If the Pharaoh had his way, this beautiful little boy would never see her.
The midwife holding the newborn had cut his umbilical cord. Jochebed thought, Now he won’t be inside my tummy and connected to me. I cannot protect him. She watched as he was washed and rubbed with salt and oil, and then wrapped in a swaddling blanket.
She prayed, “Lord, can my baby be rescued from Pharoah’s order? All newborn Israelite boys are to be thrown into the Nile River.”
For three months she managed to hide her child from Pharoah’s guards. No Egyptian seemed to recognize that she, a Hebrew slave, was no longer pregnant.
She wondered, What will I do when he sleeps less and is noisier? As he grew inside of me, I learned to love him and dread the curse of Pharaoh. Lord, keep him alive! Nine months inside of me isn’t enough.
She said to her daughter, “Miriam, we will hide your brother in a
small basket and place it among the reeds along the side of the Nile River. The basket will float well.You hide and watch the basket. ”
As Miriam hid, she saw one of Pharaoh’s daughters and her servant girls come to the river. The princess looked around curiously. A baby’s crying could be heard. Ahead a basket was rocking between reeds. “Ketsit, look; there’s a basket. Bring it to me.”
Her servant girl quickly brought the basket. Inside it the princess saw a baby. She felt its helplessness and said sadly, “He must be one of the Hebrew babies my father has ordered to be killed.”
Miriam watched the princess. Could this Egyptian princess care about my little brother? Maybe I can speak to her. She slipped from her hiding place.
“Your Highness, should I find a Hebrew woman to nurse the baby for you?”
“Yes, that is my wish.”
Immediately Miriam went home. “Mother, come to the river. One of the Pharaoh’s daughters is there and found the basket. I don’t think she wants my brother to be killed. She wants the baby to be nursed. Come and you can be the nurse. She doesn’t know you are the mother.”
Jochebed ran and then walked as she approached the river. “God, what is happening? Are you saving my child? You rescued our forefather Joseph from his brothers, a seducing woman, and prison. I trust you with my baby.”
At the river Pharaoh’s daughter told Jochebed, “Take this child home and nurse him for me. I will pay you for your help.”
Jochebed returned home laughing and crying. “Lord, am I truly to be paid by an Egyptian princess to care for my child? My people and I are slaves to the Egyptians for their comfort. How strange! Why does the princess defy her father? Thank you that my son is yet alive.”
A few years passed and Jochebed was required to return her son to the Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him and gave him the Hebrew name Moses. She declared, “It is a good name for him, because it means ‘I drew him out of the water.’”
Moses grew with luxury and the education of a prince of Egypt, as his Hebrew family suffered as slaves of the Egyptians.
This is Barbara Steiner. Soon we will hear more of the life of Moses. Please check out thisweeksstory.com.
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