Who was Gershom in the Bible?

What does the Bible say about Gershom?

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.

Where does Gershom appear in the Bible?

Gershom is referenced in 6 verses across 3 books. Every passage below is about this one, not just every verse the word turns up in.

• 1 Chronicles 23:15
• 1 Chronicles 23:16
• 1 Chronicles 26:24
• Exodus 2:22
• Exodus 18:3
• Judges 18:30

What else appears in these passages?

These turn up in the same passages as Gershom.