What does Exodus 2:22 mean?
What is the meaning of Exodus 2:22?

And she gave birth to a son

Zipporah, daughter of Jethro, becomes a mother in Midian (Exodus 2:21).

• Children are consistently presented as a gift from God (Psalm 127:3).

• The birth happens while Moses is in unexplained exile; God works even when life feels “on hold.”

• Like Isaac’s birth during Abraham’s sojourn (Genesis 21:2), this child signals that God’s purposes follow His people wherever they go.

Exodus 18:3 later confirms that this son accompanies Moses back toward Israel, showing continuity in God’s plan.


and Moses named him Gershom

Naming in Scripture often captures testimony (Genesis 41:51; 1 Samuel 1:20).

• Moses personally chooses a name that locks his experience into family memory.

• In Genesis 35:18 Rachel’s dying breath names her son; here, Moses’ living testimony names his.

• The practice reminds us to mark God’s dealings in our own lives—whether triumphs or trials—as Joshua does with memorial stones (Joshua 4:6–7).


saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”

Moses articulates the tension of belonging to God while residing outside the promised place.

Hebrews 11:13 highlights patriarchs who “confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” Moses joins that lineage.

1 Peter 2:11 calls believers “sojourners and exiles,” echoing Moses’ sentiment.

• The phrase underscores that true identity rests not in geography but in covenant relationship (Leviticus 26:12).

• Moses’ awareness foreshadows Israel’s later wilderness journey and the church’s pilgrim status (Philippians 3:20).


summary

Exodus 2:22 captures a quiet yet profound moment: God grants Moses a son during exile, Moses seals the memory with a name, and the name itself proclaims his status as a sojourner. The verse reminds us that God’s faithfulness accompanies His people wherever they are, invites us to memorialize His work in our own stories, and reaffirms that while we live in this world, our ultimate citizenship lies with Him.

What cultural significance does marriage to Zipporah hold in Exodus 2:21?
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