(2) So Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after she had been sent home, (3) and her two sons—of whom one was named Gershom, that is to say, “I have been a stranger in a foreign land”; (4) and the other was named Eliezer, meaning, “The God of my father was my help, and God delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh.” (5) Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought Moses’ sons and wife to him in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God. (6) He sent word to Moses, “I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, with your wife and her two sons.” (7) Moses went out to meet his father-in-law; he bowed low and kissed him; each asked after the other’s welfare, and they went into the tent.
ואת שני בניה וגו' נכריה, ר' יהושע אומר, ארץ נכריה היתה לו ודאי. ר' אלעזר המודעי אומר, בארץ נכריה [נכר יה]. אמר משה, הואיל וכל העולם עובדי עבודה זרה, אני אעבוד למי שאמר והיה העולם...
Gershom: (Exodus 18:3) "and her two sons … in a foreign land": R. Yehoshua says "foreign": as stated (i.e., literally). R. Elazar Homadai says: in a land of foreign (gods, i.e., idolatry). Moses said: Since the whole world serves idolatry, I will serve the One who spoke and brought the (whole) world into being...
ושם האחד אליעזר כי אלקי אבי בעזרי ויצילני מחרב פרעה. ר' יהושע אומר, אימתי הצילו המקום, באותה שעה שאמר לו דתן, מי שמך לאיש שר ושופט עלינו וגו' וישמע פרעה את הדבר הזה. אמר, תפשו את משה והעלוהו לבימה וכפתוהו והניחו הסייף על צוארו. באותה שעה ירד מלאך ונדמה להם כדמותו של משה. תפסו את המלאך והניחו את משה...
Eliezer: (Exodus 18:4) "and the name of the second, 'Eliezer,' for (Moses said: 'The God of (Elohei) my father was my help (ezri), and God saved me from the 'sword of Pharaoh.'" R. Yehoshua says: When did the Eternal save him? When Dathan said to him (Ibid. 2:14) "Who made you a man, an officer and a judge over us, etc.?" and when Pharaoh heard of it, he said: "Seize Moses and bring him up to the (decapitation) block!" When they placed the knife on his neck, an angel descended in the guise of Moses, at which they seized the angel and let go of Moses...
(1) This is the line of Aaron and Moses at the time that the Eternal spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. (2) These were the names of Aaron’s sons: Nadab, the first-born, and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar; (3) those were the names of Aaron’s sons, the anointed priests who were ordained for priesthood.
(א) ואלה תולדת אהרן ומשה. וְאֵינוֹ מַזְכִּיר אֶלָּא בְנֵי אַהֲרֹן וְנִקְרְאוּ תוֹלְדוֹת מֹשֶׁה, לְפִי שֶׁלִּמְּדָן תּוֹרָה, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל הַמְלַמֵּד אֶת בֶּן חֲבֵרוֹ תּוֹרָה מַעֲלֶה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ יְלָדוֹ (סנהדרין י"ט):
(1) ואלה תולדת אהרן ומשה AND THESE ARE THE OFFSPRING OF AARON AND MOSES — But it mentions only the sons of Aaron! But they also are called the sons of Moses because he taught them the Torah. This tells us that whoever teaches the Torah to the son of his fellow man Scripture regards it to him as though he had begotten him (Sanhedrin 19b).
מָה רָאָה לְבַקֵּשׁ הַצֹּרֶךְ הַזֶּה אַחַר סֵדֶר נַחֲלוֹת. אֶלָּא כֵּיוָן שֶׁיָּרְשׁוּ בְּנוֹת צְלָפְחָד בְּנִכְסֵי אֲבִיהֶם, אָמַר מֹשֶׁה, הֲרֵי הַשָּׁעָה שֶׁאֶתְבַּע צְרָכַי. אִם הַבָּנוֹת יוֹרְשׁוֹת, בְּדִין הוּא שֶׁיִּירְשׁוּ בָּנַי אֶת כְּבוֹדִי. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה, נוֹצֵר תְּאֵנָה יֹאכַל פִּרְיָהּ (משלי כז, יח). בָּנֶיךָ, יָשְׁבוּ לָהֶם וְלֹא עָסְקוּ בַּתּוֹרָה. יְהוֹשֻׁעַ שֶׁשִּׁמֶּשְׁךָ כְּדַאי הוּא שֶׁיְּשַׁמֵּשׁ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁאֵינוֹ מְאַבֵּד אֶת שְׂכָרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: קַח לְךָ אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן.
What reason did [Moses] have to request this need after the ordering of inheritance? It is simply that since he saw the daughters of Zelophehad inherit the properties of their father, Moses said, “See it is the time for me to claim my needs. If daughters inherit, it is [also] proper for my sons to inherit my glory.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Prov. 27:18), “’He who tends a fig tree will enjoy its fruit.’ Your sons sat [with] their own [concerns] and were not involved with Torah [study]. It is [more] appropriate that Joshua, who served you, serve Israel and not lose his compensation,” as stated (in Numb. 27:18), “Take Joshua bin Nun.”
(יג) בְּנֵ֥י עַמְרָ֖ם אַהֲרֹ֣ן וּמֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיִּבָּדֵ֣ל אַהֲרֹ֡ן לְֽהַקְדִּישׁוֹ֩ קֹ֨דֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁ֤ים הֽוּא־וּבָנָיו֙ עַד־עוֹלָ֔ם לְהַקְטִיר֩ לִפְנֵ֨י יי לְשָׁרְת֛וֹ וּלְבָרֵ֥ךְ בִּשְׁמ֖וֹ עַד־עוֹלָֽם׃ (יד) וּמֹשֶׁ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹקִ֑ים בָּנָ֕יו יִקָּרְא֖וּ עַל־שֵׁ֥בֶט הַלֵּוִֽי׃ (טו) בְּנֵ֣י מֹשֶׁ֔ה גֵּרְשֹׁ֖ם וֶאֱלִיעֶֽזֶר׃ (טז) בְּנֵ֥י גֵרְשׁ֖וֹם שְׁבוּאֵ֥ל הָרֹֽאשׁ׃ (יז) וַיִּֽהְי֥וּ בְנֵי־אֱלִיעֶ֖זֶר רְחַבְיָ֣ה הָרֹ֑אשׁ וְלֹא־הָיָ֤ה לֶאֱלִיעֶ֙זֶר֙ בָּנִ֣ים אֲחֵרִ֔ים וּבְנֵ֥י רְחַבְיָ֖ה רָב֥וּ לְמָֽעְלָה׃
(13) The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart, he and his sons, forever, to be consecrated as most holy, to make burnt offerings to the Eternal and serve God and pronounce blessings in God's name forever. (14) As for Moses, the man of God, his sons were named after the tribe of Levi. (15) The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer. (16) The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief. (17) And the sons of Eliezer were: Rehabiah the chief. Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.
(ל) וַיָּקִ֧ימוּ לָהֶ֛ם בְּנֵי־דָ֖ן אֶת־הַפָּ֑סֶל וִ֠יהוֹנָתָן בֶּן־גֵּרְשֹׁ֨ם בֶּן־מְנַשֶּׁ֜ה ה֣וּא וּבָנָ֗יו הָי֤וּ כֹהֲנִים֙ לְשֵׁ֣בֶט הַדָּנִ֔י עַד־י֖וֹם גְּל֥וֹת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (לא) וַיָּשִׂ֣ימוּ לָהֶ֔ם אֶת־פֶּ֥סֶל מִיכָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֑ה כָּל־יְמֵ֛י הֱי֥וֹת בֵּית־הָאֱלֹקִ֖ים בְּשִׁלֹֽה׃ (פ)
(30) The Danites set up the sculptured image for themselves; and Jonathan son of Gershom son of Manasseh/Moses, and his descendants, served as priests to the Danite tribe until the land went into exile. (31) They maintained the sculptured image that Micah had made throughout the time that the House of God stood at Shiloh.