 Bithiah holding the infant Moses | |
| Bithiah | |
|---|---|
| Race | Egyptian |
| Homeland | Egypt |
| Father | Rameses I, Pharaoh of Egypt |
| Spouse | Unnamed (deceased) Mered |
| Children | Moses (adopted) |
| “ | This woman drew me from the Nile... and set my feet upon the path of knowledge. | ” |
Bithiah was an Egyptian princess, the daughter of Pharaoh Rameses I.[1] Being a young widow and having no chlidren, she adopted Moses, the son of Hebrew slaves, and raised him as a prince of Egypt.
She was later exiled by her brother Pharaoh Sethi for having deceived him, making him believe Moses was actually Egyptian. She later left Egypt with the Hebrews during the Exodus.[2]
Biography[]
Adoption of Moses[]
| “ | I am the Pharaoh's daughter, and this is my son. He shall be reared in my house as the prince of the two lands. | ” |
—Bithiah to Memnet | ||
Bithiah's first husband predecased her; they had no children. While in mourning, she found and adopted the Hebrew infant Moses, believing the child to be a gift from the Nile god. Mement told Bithiah the child was the son of Hebrew Slaves. But Bithiah adopts him and presented him into the Royal Court of Egypt as a foundling supposedly of Egyptian race. The son of the Nile God.
Her slave nurse Memnet promised to keep Moses past a secret, although Bithiah warned her that it would bring her death. Bithiah grew worried more and more each day of her life, because of Moses' real heritage. She feared that one day the truth might be revealed.
By the time Sethi I was aware of Moses being a Hebrew, Bithiah was exiled from Egypt. However she returned after fearing God during the Passover and was welcomed into the house of Amram and Jochabel, and later married Mered the Judahite. She was also present in the Exodus, Parting of the Red Sea, (which she had watched in horror,) and the Rebellion of Dathan.
Personal life[]
Bithiah was first married to an unnamed Egyptian who died prior to her adoption of Moses.[1] She later married Mered, from the Tribe of Judah, during the Exodus.[2]
Behind the scenes[]
Bithiah was played by Nina Foch in Cecil B. DeMille's The Ten Commandments (1956).
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Ten Commandments: "Floating Basket" (Chapter 5)
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Ten Commandments: "Passover" (Chapter 38)