Gershom גֵּרְשֹׁם
Son of Moses; father of Jonathan, a renegade priest.
Who is Gershom in the Bible?
Gershom was the firstborn son of Moses and Zipporah, born during Moses' time in exile in Midian, and his name meaning "a stranger there" reflected Moses' feelings of being a foreigner in a strange land (Exodus 2:22). After Moses returned to Egypt to lead the Israelites from slavery, Gershom was reunited with his father and eventually became part of the Levitical line assigned to serve in the tabernacle and temple (Exodus 18:3-4, 1 Chronicles 23:15-16). His significance in biblical history is marked by a spiritual decline in his descendants, particularly his descendant Jonathan, who served as a priest for the idolatrous Danites and their graven image shrine (Judges 18:30). This narrative illustrates how even those from righteous families could turn toward false worship, underscoring the ongoing spiritual struggles of Israel during the period of the judges.
Biography
Gershom was the firstborn son of Moses and Zipporah, born during Moses' exile in Midian (Exo.2.22). His name, which means "a stranger there," reflects Moses' feelings of being a foreigner in a strange land. Later, when Moses returned to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of slavery, Gershom and his brother Eliezer were reunited with their father (Exo.18.3-4). As a descendant of Levi, Gershom and his descendants were counted among the Levites and assigned duties in the tabernacle and temple service (1Ch.23.15-16; 26.24). However, one of Gershom's descendants, Jonathan, became involved in idolatrous worship. According to Jdg.18.30, Jonathan and his sons served as priests for the tribe of Dan, who had set up a graven image and a shrine. This incident highlights the spiritual decline among some of the Levites and the Israelites during the period of the judges. Despite this unfaithful descendant, Gershom's lineage remained significant within the Levitical priesthood, as evidenced by the mention of his descendants in the genealogies of Chronicles.
Family
Parents
In Scripture
3 biblical books ; 1 with study contentExodus 2 verses
- Exodus 2:22
"And she gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom, saying, “I have become a foreigner in a foreign land.”"
Study Exodus → - Exodus 18:3
"along with her two sons. One son was named Gershom, for Moses had said, “I have been a foreigner in a foreign land.”"
Study Exodus →
Judges 1 verse
- Judges 18:30
"The Danites set up idols for themselves, and Jonathan son of Gershom, the son of Moses, and his sons were priests for the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land."
1 Chronicles 3 verses
- 1 Chronicles 23:15
"The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer."
- 1 Chronicles 23:16
"The descendants of Gershom: Shebuel was the first."
- 1 Chronicles 26:24
"Shebuel, a descendant of Gershom son of Moses, was the officer in charge of the treasuries."
Names & Aliases
| Form | Language | Script | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Named | Hebrew | גֵּרְשֹׁם | gērĕšōm | Gereshom , the name of four Israelites |
Gershom
son of Moses and Zipporah. The only details of his life contained in the Pentateuch are the account of his circumcision (Ex 4:25), and his remaining under the care of Jethro, while Moses was in Egypt leading the Exodus. His descendants were numbered among the tribes of Levi (1Ch 23:14). One of them apparently was the Jonathan who officiated as priest of the idolatrous sanctuary at Dan, and whose descendants held the office until the captivity. The Massoretic Text inserts a suspended nun, "n," in the name of Moses (mosheh), causing it to be lead Manasseh, for the purpose, according to tradition, of disguising the name out of respect for the revered Lawgiver. Another descendant described as a "son" was Shebuel, a ruler over the treasuries of David.
(2) A son of Levi, so called in 1Ch 6:16,17,20,43,12,71 (Hebrew 1,2,5,28,47,56); 15:7; elsewhere GERSHON (which see).
(3) A descendant of Phinehas, the head of a father's house, who journeyed with Ezra from Babylon to Jerusalem in the reign of Artaxerxes (Ezr 8:2).
Ella Davis Isaacs
gur'-shon, gur'-shon-its (gereshon, written also gereshom): Firstborn of the 3 sons of Levi (Ex 6:16; Nu 3:17; <ref osisRef="Bible: