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There are two sons of Moses in the Bible: Gershom and Eliezer. While neither have huge stories of their own, they both come show up in Moses’ story to give testament to the providence of the Lord and the seriousness of the call to serve him.
The Sons of Moses in the Bible
The descendants of Moses, Gershom, and Eliezer, are lesser-known figures in the Bible, but their presence offers unique insights into Moses’ life and the unfolding of God’s plans. Though they don’t take center stage in the biblical narrative, their stories intersect with key moments in their father’s mission and underscore important themes of faithfulness, covenant, and divine provision.
Through their brief mentions, we are reminded of the significance of every part of God’s plan, even those that seem less prominent.
Gershom
Gershom is the older of Moses’ sons, born during Moses’ time in the land of Midian after he fled from Egypt. His name, which means “a sojourner there,” reflects Moses’ life as an exile. In Exodus 2, Moses names his son Gershom, saying, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land,” expressing his sense of alienation while living away from his people in Egypt.
Though he himself does not play a significant role in the history of the Bible, Gershom is involved in a key event of Moses’ life, recorded in Exodus.
Moses was called by the God of Israel to go back to Egypt and lead the Hebrew people, the children of Israel into the promised land, where they would be free of the sufferings they were in under Pharoah.
Moses, after some initial apprehension and hesitation, took his wife Zipporah and his son Gershom back to Egypt to lead the people of Israel out of their afflictions. The sign of the people of Israel, and the sign of the covenant, was that they were circumcised.
However, Moses had yet to circumcise his own son, which was a serious offense to God. Because of this, God planned to kill Moses without warning. the wife of Moses cut of the foreskin of her son with a flint knife before God took action and God let Moses live.
“God made it abundantly clear to Moses that he,” a man of God, “must be obedient in all aspects of the covenantal relationship if he was to be a fitting mediator and savior to God’s people. For Moses to successfully carry out God’s commission, he would have to prove himself to be a faithful servant of the Lord in his own house first.” He must lead his own family well before he can lead an entire nation well.
What a powerful testament. How easy is it to teach and lead others in the way of the Lord when we ourselves are not practicing what we preach? Above that, how quick are we to judge others against the way of the Lord when we ourselves have faults and live in ways that do not glorify God? As Jesus teaches in the New Testament, we must first look at ourselves and line our own lives up with the image of Christ Jesus before we lead others in their journeys.
There was only one son of Gershom; the grandson of Moses.
Eliezer
Eliezer is the second son born to Moses’ wife Zipproah. He is a lesser-known figure in the Bible, mentioned primarily in genealogical records and passing references. His name, meaning “God is my help,” reflects the circumstances of Moses’ life when he was born. Moses named him Eliezer to commemorate God’s deliverance when he fled from Egypt after killing an Egyptian. Eliezer’s birth is briefly mentioned in Exodus 18:4, where Moses explains that his son’s name was a reminder of God’s help in Egypt.
Eliezer, like his brother Gershom, was part of Moses’ family during the Israelites’ journey in the wilderness. While not much is recorded about his personal actions or life, his inclusion in biblical genealogies highlights his role in continuing the Levite lineage. In 1 Chronicles 23, we see that Eliezer’s descendants, particularly his son Rehabiah who was Moses’ grandson, carried forward his family line. Though Eliezer himself didn’t play a prominent role in the events of the Exodus or the wanderings in the wilderness, his legacy contributed to the leadership of the tribe of Levi.
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Again, the sons of Moses in the Bible are not prominent figures. However, through the extra insight into and lessons learned from their parts in the story of Moses, we are reminded that every life has significance in God’s greater plan and that our faithfulness in our personal lives sets the foundation for our service to others.
You may enjoy this video from Bible stories “The Forgotten Sons of Moses in the Bible: Why Gershom and Eliezer Disappeared from History?”
ESV – “Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”