Story of Jochebed in the Bible
Let me share with you the incredible story of Jochebed in the Bible—a brave mother who risked everything to save her baby boy. Though she's not mentioned often in Scripture, her actions changed the course of history when she placed her infant son in a waterproof basket and set him afloat on the Nile River.
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness: The Wingfeather Saga, Book 1
$18.11 (as of May 19, 2025 16:25 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)
Just in Case You Ever Wonder
$7.27 (as of May 19, 2025 16:25 GMT +01:00 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)Jochebed's faith and quick thinking during a dangerous time protected the child who would grow up to be Moses—the man who would eventually lead God's people out of slavery in Egypt. Her story shows us the amazing power of a mother's love and how God can work through ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.
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Story of Jochebed in the Bible
Chapter 1: Dark Days in Egypt
The Israelites had been living in Egypt for many generations. What began as a safe haven during a famine had gradually turned into a place of oppression. The Bible tells us: "Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt. 'Look,' he said to his people, 'the Israelites have become far too numerous for us'" (Exodus 1:8-9).
This new Pharaoh was afraid of the growing Hebrew population. He worried that these foreigners might join Egypt's enemies in case of war. So he decided to enslave them, forcing them to build cities for him and work in the fields. The Israelites suffered terribly under harsh taskmasters.
But even in these miserable conditions, God blessed His people. "The more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread" (Exodus 1:12). This only made Pharaoh more determined to control them.
His next plan was truly evil. He commanded the Hebrew midwives, Shiphrah and Puah, to kill all Hebrew baby boys at birth while letting the girls live. But these brave women feared God more than Pharaoh and refused to follow this wicked order. They let the baby boys live, telling Pharaoh that Hebrew women gave birth too quickly for them to arrive in time.
When this plan failed, Pharaoh took drastic action: "Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: 'Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live'" (Exodus 1:22). It was into this dangerous world that a Levite couple welcomed their new baby boy.
Chapter 2: A Special Baby
The Bible says: "Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son" (Exodus 2:1-2). We later learn in Exodus 6:20 that these parents were named Amram and Jochebed, and they already had two other children—a daughter named Miriam and a son named Aaron.
When Jochebed saw her newborn son, she knew immediately there was something special about him. The Bible describes it simply: "When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months" (Exodus 2:2). The phrase "a fine child" suggests that he was particularly beautiful, perhaps even visibly marked for greatness.
Hebrews 11:23 adds more insight: "By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict." This tells us that Jochebed's actions weren't just from maternal instinct—they were acts of courageous faith. She and Amram believed God had a purpose for their son.
Hiding a baby for three months would have been incredibly difficult. Imagine trying to keep an infant from crying when soldiers might be patrolling nearby! Every day brought the danger of discovery, and discovery meant death for their precious son.
As he grew bigger, Jochebed must have realized she couldn't hide him much longer. She had to make a heartbreaking decision—but God gave her wisdom for a creative solution that would save her child's life.
Chapter 3: The Basket on the Nile
When she could hide him no longer, Jochebed refused to give in to despair. Instead, she formed a daring plan: "So she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile" (Exodus 2:3).
This wasn't a random act of desperation—it was a carefully thought-out plan. Jochebed chose papyrus, which is light and flexible, perfect for making a small boat. She waterproofed it with tar and pitch, ensuring it would float safely. She placed it not in the main current of the Nile, where it might be swept away, but among the reeds by the bank, where it would be protected from the current and visible to anyone coming to the river.
Most importantly, Jochebed didn't just abandon her baby to fate. The Bible tells us that she stationed her daughter nearby: "His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him" (Exodus 2:4). Young Miriam would serve as Jochebed's eyes and ears, ready to intervene if possible.
Jochebed's plan reveals her resourcefulness, courage, and faith. She did everything humanly possible to protect her son while ultimately trusting God with his future. As she placed that small basket among the reeds, she was putting her precious child in God's hands.
What happened next shows how God was working behind the scenes, orchestrating events in ways Jochebed could never have imagined.
Chapter 4: A Divine Appointment
Of all the people who might have discovered the baby in the basket, who should come to the Nile that day but Pharaoh's own daughter! "Then Pharaoh's daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it" (Exodus 2:5).
This was no coincidence. God arranged this divine appointment between the Hebrew baby and the Egyptian princess. When Pharaoh's daughter opened the basket, "she saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him" (Exodus 2:6).
In that moment, something remarkable happened—the princess's heart was filled with compassion. She immediately recognized the child's heritage: "'This is one of the Hebrew babies,' she said" (Exodus 2:6). Despite her father's command to drown all Hebrew boys, she decided to save this one.
Watching from a distance, Miriam seized the opportunity. With quick thinking that surely came from her mother, she approached the princess: "Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter, 'Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?'" (Exodus 2:7).
When the princess agreed, Miriam ran to get the perfect candidate—the baby's own mother! "So the girl went and got the baby's mother. Pharaoh's daughter said to her, 'Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.' So the woman took the baby and nursed him" (Exodus 2:8-9).
God had worked everything out perfectly. Not only was the baby saved from death, but Jochebed was actually paid to care for her own son! She would have precious years with him, nursing him and teaching him about the God of Israel before he went to live in Pharaoh's palace.
Chapter 5: A Mother's Lasting Influence
The Bible doesn't tell us exactly how long Jochebed was able to keep Moses before taking him to Pharaoh's daughter, but Jewish tradition suggests it was around two to three years—the typical nursing period in ancient times.
"When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, 'I drew him out of the water'" (Exodus 2:10).
This must have been another painful moment for Jochebed—delivering her son to be raised in an Egyptian palace, surrounded by pagan customs and foreign beliefs. Yet the faith foundation she established during those early years would prove incredibly important.
Though raised as an Egyptian prince with all the privileges of the royal household, Moses never forgot his Hebrew heritage. Hebrews 11:24-25 tells us: "By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin."
How did Moses maintain this strong connection to his Hebrew identity and faith in God? Surely the early teaching and influence of his mother Jochebed played a crucial role. In the brief time she had with him, she must have filled his heart and mind with stories about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—the God who had made promises to their people.
Jochebed's influence extended beyond Moses. Her older children also demonstrated remarkable faith and leadership. Aaron became Israel's first high priest, and Miriam became a prophetess who led the women in worship after crossing the Red Sea. Together, these three siblings—Moses, Aaron, and Miriam—would lead God's people out of slavery and toward the Promised Land.
In Micah 6:4, God reminds the Israelites: "I brought you up out of Egypt and redeemed you from the land of slavery. I sent Moses to lead you, also Aaron and Miriam." All three of Jochebed's children are mentioned as leaders God used to deliver His people—a powerful legacy for a mother who began with an act of desperate courage, placing her baby in a basket on the Nile.
Though Jochebed is mentioned by name only twice in Scripture (Exodus 6:20 and Numbers 26:59), her faith, courage, and influence shaped the history of God's people. Without her brave actions, the deliverer of Israel might never have survived to fulfill his calling.
What Can We Learn About Jochebed?
- Faith overcomes fear - Jochebed faced a terrifying situation, but refused to be paralyzed by fear. Hebrews 11:23 says Moses' parents "were not afraid of the king's edict" because they acted in faith. As biblehelpsinc.org points out, her faith knew no defeat.
- Creative problem-solving - When hiding Moses became impossible, Jochebed didn't give up—she found another solution. The waterproof basket among the reeds was a creative approach that gave her son the best chance of survival while trusting God with the outcome.
- Using your influence wisely - During the brief time Jochebed had to raise Moses, she clearly left a lasting impression about his heritage and faith. As bible.org notes, she made the most of her limited opportunity to shape her son's identity.
- God works through "coincidences" - Pharaoh's daughter "just happened" to come to that spot on the river, and she "just happened" to feel compassion for the baby. These weren't accidents but God's providence at work, as observed by toeverynation.com.
- Ordinary people can change history - Jochebed wasn't a queen or princess—she was an enslaved Hebrew woman. Yet her courage and faith preserved the life of the man who would eventually deliver Israel from slavery, showing how God works through ordinary people who trust Him, as biblicalpeople.org emphasizes.
FAQ About Jochebed
Who was Jochebed in the Bible?
Jochebed was a Levite woman who married Amram and became the mother of three important biblical figures: Miriam, Aaron, and Moses. Her name is explicitly mentioned only twice in Scripture (Exodus 6:20 and Numbers 26:59). She's best known for her courageous action of placing baby Moses in a waterproof basket on the Nile River to save him from Pharaoh's decree to kill all Hebrew male infants. Her quick thinking and faith preserved the life of the man who would later lead Israel out of slavery.
How did Jochebed save Moses?
When Jochebed could no longer hide baby Moses, she made a waterproof basket from papyrus, coated with tar and pitch. She placed Moses in this basket among the reeds at the edge of the Nile River, stationing his sister Miriam nearby to watch. When Pharaoh's daughter discovered the baby, Miriam offered to find a Hebrew nurse, bringing Jochebed herself. This allowed Jochebed to care for Moses in his earliest years before he was adopted into Pharaoh's household, effectively saving his life while maintaining a connection to his Hebrew heritage.
What does the name Jochebed mean?
The name Jochebed is derived from Hebrew and means "Yahweh is glory" or "the glory of Jehovah." This name indicates her family's devotion to the God of Israel even during their time in Egypt. The fact that she had a name honoring Yahweh suggests that despite generations of living in Egypt, some Hebrew families maintained their faith in the God of their ancestors. Jochebed certainly lived up to her name by trusting God with her son's future.
What family was Jochebed from?
Jochebed was from the tribe of Levi, one of the twelve tribes of Israel. Numbers 26:59 specifies that she was "a daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt." This means she was actually Levi's daughter and therefore Amram's aunt, making her marriage to him unusual by later biblical standards. The tribe of Levi would later be set apart for priestly service, which is significant since all three of her children—Moses, Aaron, and Miriam—would become spiritual leaders for Israel.
Would you like to learn about another remarkable mother in the Bible? Check out "The Story of Hannah in the Bible" to discover how another faithful woman prayed desperately for a son, received her miracle child, and then willingly gave him back to serve God in the temple!
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