Exodus 2:1 - A man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi as his wife.
Select Bible Verse
Filter Categories
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
U
V
W
What does "Exodus 2:1" mean?
This verse, Exodus 2:1, is the opening line of the story of Moses' birth. Here's a breakdown of its meaning:
"A man of the house of Levi...": This identifies the man as belonging to the tribe of Levi. The Levites were one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and they would later be designated for priestly duties. The verse doesn't name him, but later in Exodus 6:20 we learn his name is Amram.
"...went and took a daughter of Levi as his wife.": This means he married a woman who was also from the tribe of Levi. Again, she isn't named here, but Exodus 6:20 tells us her name is Jochebed. It's important to note that marrying within one's tribe was a common practice in ancient Israel to keep land and lineage within the family group.
Significance:
Lineage: By explicitly stating that both parents were of the tribe of Levi, the verse emphasizes Moses' Levitical lineage. This is significant because it foreshadows the importance of the Levites in the religious life of Israel and hints at Moses' role as a religious leader.
Introduction: The verse serves as a simple introduction to the parents of a significant figure in the Bible. It's a basic statement of fact that sets the stage for the extraordinary events that are about to unfold in Moses' life.
Obedience to God: Some Biblical scholars interpret this verse to mean that they were obeying God's command to be fruitful and multiply, despite the Egyptian oppression, which made childbirth a dangerous proposition for the Israelites.
In short, the verse simply tells us that a Levite man married a Levite woman, establishing the family line from which Moses would be born. This sets the scene for the dramatic story of his birth and the subsequent events that would lead to the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.
Exodus 2:1 - A man of the house of Levi went and took a daughter of Levi as his wife.
What does "Exodus 2:1" mean?
This verse, Exodus 2:1, is the opening line of the story of Moses' birth. Here's a breakdown of its meaning:
"A man of the house of Levi...": This identifies the man as belonging to the tribe of Levi. The Levites were one of the twelve tribes of Israel, and they would later be designated for priestly duties. The verse doesn't name him, but later in Exodus 6:20 we learn his name is Amram.
"...went and took a daughter of Levi as his wife.": This means he married a woman who was also from the tribe of Levi. Again, she isn't named here, but Exodus 6:20 tells us her name is Jochebed. It's important to note that marrying within one's tribe was a common practice in ancient Israel to keep land and lineage within the family group.
Significance:
Lineage: By explicitly stating that both parents were of the tribe of Levi, the verse emphasizes Moses' Levitical lineage. This is significant because it foreshadows the importance of the Levites in the religious life of Israel and hints at Moses' role as a religious leader.
Introduction: The verse serves as a simple introduction to the parents of a significant figure in the Bible. It's a basic statement of fact that sets the stage for the extraordinary events that are about to unfold in Moses' life.
Obedience to God: Some Biblical scholars interpret this verse to mean that they were obeying God's command to be fruitful and multiply, despite the Egyptian oppression, which made childbirth a dangerous proposition for the Israelites.
In short, the verse simply tells us that a Levite man married a Levite woman, establishing the family line from which Moses would be born. This sets the scene for the dramatic story of his birth and the subsequent events that would lead to the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt.