FAQ: Why Put Baby Moses in a Basket? | Bible & Archaeology

In this Frequently Asked Question video, Dr. Cargill explains why baby Moses would have been placed in a basket in the dangerous Nile River in an effort to *save* his life, despite the many dangers involved. The discussion looks at other legendary figures said to have been placed in baskets in rivers, and examines the Hebrew word commonly (but incorrectly) translated as "basket" in the story—which is actually identical to another life saving vessel: Noah's ark.

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Written by: Jordan Smith, PhD
Performed by: Robert R. Cargill, PhD

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[andreaskallstrom]

Super interesting as always! The connection with Noah is great! Is there any way we can ask our own questions and maybe, if we are lucky, get a video for them as well? I was curious about Hezekiah’s reform and the “relics” mentioned earlier in the Bible. For instance, 1 Sam 21:9 seems to mention the sword of Goliath as a “relic”. Could it be that it would have been destroyed as part of Hezekiah’s reforms? Is there any good book to read on his reforms?
Thank you as always!

[riley]

This was a really interesting video. I have often wondered if there is some cultural known that is not explicitly stated because it was understood by the ancient people of that time. Perhaps there was a town or village down the river where it was safe to send babies, for whatever reason, and the mothers knew that, so they would risk it, and the locals of the other town or village would regularly look out for babies floating down the river. Perhaps it was too dangerous for the mothers to travel on foot with the babies, so they have to do something more conspicuous. I have always doubted that mothers in the ancient world would put a baby in a basket and on a huge river alone unless it was done safely before and that she knew someone would look out for her son.

[Achill]

Thanks for pointing out the language connection between Moses in his basket and Noah in his ark.
. . . What's the majority opinion of bible scholars today: is the "Moses in basket" story an addition to the Exodus during the Babylonian Exile, like the Noah story is an addition to Genesis during the Exile, based on Mesopotamian Great Flood stories like the story of Utnapishtim?
. . . The "Romulus and Remus in basket" story seems younger than the Exile of the Jews in Babylon. But maybe it's an indication that this type of story was rather common in the ancient world.

[mistervacation]

My Aunt After supper she got out her book and learned me about Moses and the Bulrushers, and I was in a sweat to find out all about him; but by and by she let it out that Moses had been dead a considerable long time; so then I didn't care no more about him, because I don't take no stock in dead people.

[danielmalinen]

But did ancient people really put their babies in baskets and abandon them in rivers or is this abandonment and throwing away of babies a fiction and a fairy tale as many suspect because it is absurd and unbelievable that people would ever really do that to their babies?