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Wet-Nursing Contracts

Mothers normally suckled their own infants. However, says scholar Brevard Childs in Journal of Biblical Literature, “in certain instances among aristocratic [near Eastern] families a wet nurse was hired. This practice was also common where the mother was unable to nourish her child or where the mother was unknown. The nurse assumed responsibility of raising the child as well as suckling it during the stipulated period.” Several papyrus wet-nursing contracts have survived from Near Eastern antiquity. These documents attest to what was a widespread practice from the Sumerian period down to the late Hellenistic period in Egypt. Common features of these documents are a statement of the individuals involved, the time covered by the contract, conditions of work, specifications concerning nourishment, fines for breach of contract, wages, and how wages would be paid. Typically, “nursing extended over a period of two to three years,” explains Childs. “The wet nurse raised the child in her home, but at times was required to return the child to its owner for inspection.”

Jochebed “took the child and nursed him. And the child grew up. Then she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, so that he became a son to her.” (Exodus 2:9, 10) The Bible does not say how long Moses lived with his natural parents. Some think it must have been at least until he was weaned​—two or three years—​but it may have been longer. Exodus simply states that he “grew up” with his parents, which can signify reaching any age.