Short Biblical question

[thedarkages]

Why do Moses's sons, Gershom and Eliezer, get so little play in the Bible? You would think they'd be more important.

Comments

[mcohenmn.livejournal.com]

Perhaps the tribe of Ephraim grew in influence in some way? Or the tribes didn't want to accept those of Midianite birth as leaders?

[thedarkages]

Those are excellent possibilities. Looking further, the Midrash suggests that Gershom and Eliezer were irreligious, and therefore forfeited their birthrights; this often happens with the children of the pious. But the Midrash is often designed to provide a backward justification for a preexisting state of affairs. Your ideas have much more direct application.

[denardo.livejournal.com]

The more that you look at the story of Moses's family, the odder it gets. Though one thing that strikes me is that the stories have the drop out of sight for the same sort of reason that Moses's burial place is said to be unknown: if they had survived prominently, the people would have been expected to create some sort if dynasty through them. This would have, among other things, challenged the importance of the priests, said to be descended from his brother. And there may have been no relevant tribes, or only vestigal ones, centuries later when the tribal leaders were trying to retcon a history with which they could build a nation.