Mrs. Whittelsey's Magazine for Mothers and Daughters, Volume 3Various
Religion
Mrs. Whittelsey's Magazine for Mothers and Daughters, Volume 3
Various
Christian life -- Periodicals
For some reason, to us wholly inexplicable, Moses seems to have sent his
family back to the home which they had just left, before reaching Egypt,
and they resided with Jethro until the tribes, having passed through
all the tribulations which had been prophesied for them, made their
triumphant exodus from the land of bondage and encamped at the foot of
Sinai. Jethro, who seems to have taken a deep interest in the mission of
Moses, immediately on hearing of their arrival, took his daughter and
her sons to rejoin the husband and father from whom they had been long
separated. Touching and delightful was the re-union, and we love to
linger over the few days which Zipporah's father spent with her in this
their last interview on earth. The aged man listened with wonder and joy
to the recital of all that Jehovah had wrought. He found his faith
confirmed and his soul strengthened, and doubtless felt it a great
privilege to leave his child among those who were so evidently under the
protection of the Almighty, and before whom he constantly walked in the
pillar of fire and cloud. With a father's care and love, he gave such
counsel as he saw his son-in-law needed, and after uniting with the
elders in solemn sacrifice and worship, in which he assumed his priestly
office, he departed to his own land. We seem to see Zipporah, as with
tearful eyes she watched his retreating footsteps, and felt that she
should see her father's face no more on earth. Not without fearful
struggles are the ties which bind a daughter to her parents sundered,
though as a wife she cleaves to her husband, and strives for his sake to
repress her tears and hide the anguish she cannot subdue. One comfort,
however, remained to Zipporah. Soothingly fell on her ear the invitation
of her husband to her brother, the companion of her childhood, "We are
journeying unto the place of which the Lord said, I will give it you:
Come thou with us and we will do thee good: for the Lord hath spoken
good concerning Israel." Deprecatingly she doubtless looked upon him, as
he answered, "I will not go, but I will depart to mine own land, and to
my kindred;" and united in the urgent entreaty, "Leave us not, I pray
thee; forasmuch as thou knowest how we are to encamp in the wilderness,
and thou mayest be to us instead of eyes." With her husband and brother
near, on whom to lean, she must have been cheered, and the bitterness
of her final separation from home alleviated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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