SOURCE: Houtman, C. “Exodus 4:24-26 and Its Interpretation.” Journal of Northwest Semitic Languages 11 (1983): 81-105.

In the following essay, Houtman analyzes Exodus 4:24-26 and surveys assorted interpretations of it.

24 On the way, while he spent the night somewhere, YHWH attacked him and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah picked up a flint and cut off her son's foreskin. She brought it down on his “feet” and said: “Surely you are a bloody bridegroom to me.” 26 Thereafter he abandoned him. At that occasion she said “bloody bridegroom” with respect to the circumcision.

1. Introduction

Exodus 4:24-26 is one of the Old Testament passages which occasion the exegete much brain-racking. It has been characterized by a recent commentator (Hyatt) as “the most obscure passage in the book of Exodus”. The problems of the passage are due especially to its archaic character and to the conciseness of the narrative. In view of the...