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Who was Moses' Father?
Moses' Father according to biblical scholars and historians was a Levite named Amram.
Exodus 2:1-2 tells us about his father, a levite. And Numbers 26:59 reads: The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed, the daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt. And she bore to Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam their sister
- Amram and Jochebed were married.
More On Moses' Dad
- From the Bible, we do not know alot about Amram, Moses' father.
- From The Scriptures, what we know is that his father, Amram was a man from the house of Levi.
- Levites functioned in the Temple in lower activities from the priests as musicians, gatekeepers, guardians, judges, Temple officials, craftsmen, etc.
Bible Scholars and Historians on Amram:
| Scholar | Work | Position / View of Amram |
|---|---|---|
| Abraham Geiger (1810–1874), University of Berlin | Jüdische Zeitschrift | Notes Amram as a historical Levite, emphasizes his genealogical importance; sees him as symbolic of the priestly lineage leading to Moses and Aaron. |
| Samuel Davidson (1806–1898), England | Introduction to the Old Testament | Treats Amram as part of the Levitical genealogy; little narrative info, but underscores his role in preserving the covenantal line. |
| Keil & Delitzsch (C.F. Keil 1807–1888, F. Delitzsch 1813–1890, Germany) | Commentary on the Old Testament | Amram is identified as a Levite patriarch, father of Moses and Aaron; his significance is largely genealogical, showing continuity of the priestly line. |
| Julius Wellhausen (1844–1918), University of Göttingen | Prolegomena to the History of Israel | Considers Amram within the priestly source (P) genealogy; his position is functional—representing priestly Levite families rather than individual historical deeds. |
| E.W. Hengstenberg (1802–1869), Germany | Christology of the Old Testament | Views Amram as a historical patriarch; emphasizes his familial role in God’s providential plan for Moses and Aaron. |
| John Lightfoot (1602–1675), Cambridge University | Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae | Amram as a Levite patriarch, with genealogical significance; links his household to Mosaic leadership. |
| Matthew Poole (1624–1679), England | Annotations on the Holy Bible | Father of Moses; highlights his faithfulness and Levitical heritage, but no narrative deeds recorded. |
| Adam Clarke (1762–1832), Methodist Church, England | Clarke’s Commentary | Notes Amram as Moses’ father, stressing his Levite identity; sees him as part of the providential chain leading to deliverance from Egypt. |
| Josephus (37–100, Rome / Jewish historian) | Antiquities of the Jews | Gives brief mention of Amram, emphasizing his Levite lineage; father of Moses, Aaron, and Miriam; preserves genealogical continuity. |
| John Gill (1697–1771), England | Exposition of the Old and New Testament | Highlights Amram as a faithful Levite; stresses his connection to the priestly line and the covenant through Moses and Aaron. |
In Closing:
Here's Moses' Birth Story Featuring His Father in Exodus 2:1-4
And a man of the house of Levi went and took as wife a daughter of Levi. 2 So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. 3 But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank. 4 And his sister stood afar off, to know what would be done to him.
