THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #55

Pastor Christopher Choo

Lesson 3737

WHAT HAPPENED TO MOSES' SONS GERSHOM AND ELIEZER?

Moses had two sons: Gershom and Eliezer.

They were not part of the Exodus proper.

While still in Egypt, Moses had sent them off with their

mother Zipporah to their grandfather Jethro in Midian.

After the Exodus,

they joined their father in the desert. (Exodus 18:1-6)

This is the last mention of

them in the bible.

Their descendants are mentioned much later in the Book of Chronicles:

The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliezer.

The sons of Gershom were

Shebuel the Chief.

And the sons of Eliezer were Reḥavia the Chief (שׁא ֹ֑ ר ה ה ָ֣יְ בַחְ ר).

Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Reḥavia were very numerous. (1

Chronicles 23:14-17).

So Moses had a lot of descendants. We just don't know who they are.

They disappear from history.

The spiritual lesson to us is that all of God’s promises, plans and purposes will come to pass.

From the life of Moses we can discern this revelation.

God said to him..."I will make from you a mighty nation." (Deut. 9:14).

This promise was fulfilled, as it is written ... “the sons of Reḥavia (Moses'

grandson) were very many” ( ו Chronicles 23:15–17).

in tandem to what was written in the book of

Exodus with regard to the Israelites in Egypt: “And the children of Israel became

numerous and multiplied and were very many.” (Exodus 1:7)

We also learn that King David appointed Moses’ grandson as his treasurer:

"And Shebuel, the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was ruler over the

treasuries."( 1 Chronicles 26:24). This may sound implausible to the modern mind but they could have lived a long time in those days.

Even so Moses' mantle of leadership did not fall on his sons after his death. Instead Joshua from the tribe of Ephraim was chosen by God to

succeed Moses to lead the 12 tribes of Israel into the Promised Land.

WALK IN THE LIGHT