1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
5 That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.
8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.
10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
13 And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.
20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.
25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.
28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.
29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:
30 And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
1 And Moses H4872 answered H6030 and said, H559 But, behold, they will not believe H539 me, nor hearken H8085 unto my voice: H6963 for they will say, H559 The LORD H3068 hath not appeared H7200 unto thee.
2 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto him, What is that in thine hand? H3027 And he said, H559 A rod. H4294
3 And he said, H559 Cast H7993 it on the ground. H776 And he cast H7993 it on the ground, H776 and it became a serpent; H5175 and Moses H4872 fled H5127 from before H6440 it.
4 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Put forth H7971 thine hand, H3027 and take H270 it by the tail. H2180 And he put forth H7971 his hand, H3027 and caught H2388 it, and it became a rod H4294 in his hand: H3709
5 That they may believe H539 that the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers, H1 the God H430 of Abraham, H85 the God H430 of Isaac, H3327 and the God H430 of Jacob, H3290 hath appeared H7200 unto thee.
6 And the LORD H3068 said H559 furthermore H5750 unto him, Put H935 now thine hand H3027 into thy bosom. H2436 And he put H935 his hand H3027 into his bosom: H2436 and when he took H3318 it out, behold, his hand H3027 was leprous H6879 as snow. H7950
7 And he said, H559 Put H7725 thine hand H3027 into thy bosom H2436 again. H7725 And he put H7725 his hand H3027 into his bosom H2436 again; H7725 and plucked H3318 it out of his bosom, H2436 and, behold, it was turned again H7725 as his other flesh. H1320
8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe H539 thee, neither hearken H8085 to the voice H6963 of the first H7223 sign, H226 that they will believe H539 the voice H6963 of the latter H314 sign. H226
9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe H539 also these two H8147 signs, H226 neither hearken H8085 unto thy voice, H6963 that thou shalt take H3947 of the water H4325 of the river, H2975 and pour H8210 it upon the dry H3004 land: and the water H4325 which thou takest H3947 out of the river H2975 shall become blood H1818 upon the dry H3006 land.
10 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 O H994 my Lord, H136 I H376 am not eloquent, H1697 neither heretofore, H8032 H8543 nor since H227 thou hast spoken H1696 unto thy servant: H5650 but I am slow H3515 of speech, H6310 and of a slow H3515 tongue. H3956
11 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto him, Who hath made H7760 man's H120 mouth? H6310 or who maketh H7760 the dumb, H483 or deaf, H2795 or the seeing, H6493 or the blind? H5787 have not I the LORD? H3068
12 Now therefore go, H3212 and I will be with thy mouth, H6310 and teach H3384 thee what thou shalt say. H1696
13 And he said, H559 O H994 my Lord, H136 send, H7971 I pray thee, by the hand H3027 of him whom thou wilt send. H7971
14 And the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 was kindled H2734 against Moses, H4872 and he said, H559 Is not Aaron H175 the Levite H3881 thy brother? H251 I know H3045 that he can speak H1696 well. H1696 And also, behold, he cometh forth H3318 to meet H7125 thee: and when he seeth H7200 thee, he will be glad H8055 in his heart. H3820
15 And thou shalt speak H1696 unto him, and put H7760 words H1697 in his mouth: H6310 and I will be with thy mouth, H6310 and with his mouth, H6310 and will teach H3384 you what ye shall do. H6213
16 And he shall be thy spokesman H1696 unto the people: H5971 and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, H6310 and thou shalt be to him instead of God. H430
17 And thou shalt take H3947 this rod H4294 in thine hand, H3027 wherewith thou shalt do H6213 signs. H226
18 And Moses H4872 went H3212 and returned H7725 to Jethro H3500 his father in law, H2859 and said H559 unto him, Let me go, H3212 I pray thee, and return H7725 unto my brethren H251 which are in Egypt, H4714 and see H7200 whether they be yet H5750 alive. H2416 And Jethro H3503 said H559 to Moses, H4872 Go H3212 in peace. H7965
19 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses H4872 in Midian, H4080 Go, H3212 return H7725 into Egypt: H4714 for all the men H582 are dead H4191 which sought H1245 thy life. H5315
20 And Moses H4872 took H3947 his wife H802 and his sons, H1121 and set H7392 them upon an ass, H2543 and he returned H7725 to the land H776 of Egypt: H4714 and Moses H4872 took H3947 the rod H4294 of God H430 in his hand. H3027
21 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 When thou goest H3212 to return H7725 into Egypt, H4714 see H7200 that thou do H6213 all those wonders H4159 before H6440 Pharaoh, H6547 which I have put H7760 in thine hand: H3027 but I will harden H2388 his heart, H3820 that he shall not let the people H5971 go. H7971
22 And thou shalt say H559 unto Pharaoh, H6547 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Israel H3478 is my son, H1121 even my firstborn: H1060
23 And I say H559 unto thee, Let my son H1121 go, H7971 that he may serve H5647 me: and if thou refuse H3985 to let him go, H7971 behold, I will slay H2026 thy son, H1121 even thy firstborn. H1060
24 And it came to pass by the way H1870 in the inn, H4411 that the LORD H3068 met H6298 him, and sought H1245 to kill H4191 him.
25 Then Zipporah H6855 took H3947 a sharp stone, H6864 and cut off H3772 the foreskin H6190 of her son, H1121 and cast H5060 it at his feet, H7272 and said, H559 Surely a bloody H1818 husband H2860 art thou to me.
26 So he let him go: H7503 then she said, H559 A bloody H1818 husband H2860 thou art, because of the circumcision. H4139
27 And the LORD H3068 said H559 to Aaron, H175 Go H3212 into the wilderness H4057 to meet H7125 Moses. H4872 And he went, H3212 and met H6298 him in the mount H2022 of God, H430 and kissed H5401 him.
28 And Moses H4872 told H5046 Aaron H175 all the words H1697 of the LORD H3068 who had sent H7971 him, and all the signs H226 which he had commanded H6680 him.
29 And Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 went H3212 and gathered together H622 all the elders H2205 of the children H1121 of Israel: H3478
30 And Aaron H175 spake H1696 all the words H1697 which the LORD H3068 had spoken H1696 unto Moses, H4872 and did H6213 the signs H226 in the sight H5869 of the people. H5971
31 And the people H5971 believed: H539 and when they heard H8085 that the LORD H3068 had visited H6485 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 and that he had looked H7200 upon their affliction, H6040 then they bowed their heads H6915 and worshipped. H7812
1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, Jehovah hath not appeared unto thee.
2 And Jehovah said unto him, What is that in thy hand? And he said, A rod.
3 And he said, Cast in on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail: (and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand:)
5 That they may believe that Jehovah, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
6 And Jehovah said furthermore unto him, Put now thy hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as `white as' snow.
7 And he said, Put thy hand into thy bosom again. (And he put his hand into his bosom again; and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was turned again as his `other' flesh.)
8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe even these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.
10 And Moses said unto Jehovah, Oh, Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
11 And Jehovah said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? Or who maketh `a man' dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, Jehovah?
12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt speak.
13 And he said, Oh, Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
14 And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is there not Aaron thy brother the Levite? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God.
17 And thou shalt take in thy hand this rod, wherewith thou shalt do the signs.
18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren that are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
19 And Jehovah said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt; for all the men are dead that sought thy life.
20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
21 And Jehovah said unto Moses, When thou goest back into Egypt, see that thou do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in thy hand: but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.
22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, Israel is my son, my first-born:
23 and I have said unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me; and thou hast refused to let him go: behold, I will slay thy son, thy first-born.
24 And it came to pass on the way at the lodging-place, that Jehovah met him, and sought to kill him.
25 Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said, Surely a bridegroom of blood art thou to me.
26 So he let him alone. Then she said, A bridegroom of blood `art thou', because of the circumcision.
27 And Jehovah said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mountain of God, and kissed him.
28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of Jehovah wherewith he had sent him, and all the signs wherewith he had charged him.
29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:
30 and Aaron spake all the words which Jehovah had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
31 And the people believed: and when they heard that Jehovah had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
1 And Moses answereth and saith, `And, if they do not give credence to me, nor hearken to my voice, and say, Jehovah hath not appeared unto thee?'
2 And Jehovah saith unto him, `What `is' this in thy hand?' and he saith, `A rod;'
3 and He saith, `Cast it to the earth;' and he casteth it to the earth, and it becometh a serpent -- and Moses fleeth from its presence.
4 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Put forth thy hand, and lay hold on the tail of it;' and he putteth forth his hand, and layeth hold on it, and it becometh a rod in his hand --
5 `-- so that they believe that Jehovah, God of their fathers, hath appeared unto thee, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob.'
6 And Jehovah saith to him again, `Put in, I pray thee, thy hand into thy bosom;' and he putteth in his hand into his bosom, and he bringeth it out, and lo, his hand `is' leprous as snow;
7 and He saith, `Put back thy hand unto thy bosom;' and he putteth back his hand unto his bosom, and he bringeth it out from his bosom, and lo, it hath turned back as his flesh --
8 `-- and it hath come to pass, if they do not give credence to thee, and hearken not to the voice of the first sign, that they have given credence to the voice of the latter sign.
9 `And it hath come to pass, if they do not give credence even to these two signs, nor hearken to thy voice, that thou hast taken of the waters of the River, and hast poured on the dry land, and the waters which thou takest from the River have been, yea, they have become -- blood on the dry land.'
10 And Moses saith unto Jehovah, `O, my Lord, I `am' not a man of words, either yesterday, or before, or since Thy speaking unto Thy servant, for I `am' slow of mouth, and slow of tongue.'
11 And Jehovah saith unto him, `Who appointed a mouth for man? or who appointeth the dumb, or deaf, or open, or blind? is it not I, Jehovah?
12 and now, go, and I -- I am with thy mouth, and have directed thee that which thou speakest;'
13 and he saith, `O, my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand Thou dost send.'
14 And the anger of Jehovah burneth against Moses, and He saith, `Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I have known that he speaketh well, and also, lo, he is coming out to meet thee; when he hath seen thee, then he hath rejoiced in his heart,
15 and thou hast spoken unto him, and hast set the words in his mouth, and I -- I am with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and have directed you that which ye do;
16 and he, he hath spoken for thee unto the people, and it hath come to pass, he -- he is to thee for a mouth, and thou -- thou art to him for God;
17 and this rod thou dost take in thy hand, with which thou doest the signs.'
18 And Moses goeth and turneth back unto Jethro his father-in-law, and saith to him, `Let me go, I pray thee, and I turn back unto my brethren who `are' in Egypt, and I see whether they are yet alive.' And Jethro saith to Moses, `Go in peace.'
19 And Jehovah saith unto Moses in Midian, `Go, turn back to Egypt, for all the men have died who seek thy life;'
20 and Moses taketh his wife, and his sons, and causeth them to ride on the ass, and turneth back to the land of Egypt, and Moses taketh the rod of God in his hand.
21 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `In thy going to turn back to Egypt, see -- all the wonders which I have put in thy hand -- that thou hast done them before Pharaoh, and I -- I strengthen his heart, and he doth not send the people away;
22 and thou hast said unto Pharaoh, Thus said Jehovah, My son, My first-born `is' Israel,
23 and I say unto thee, Send away My son, and he doth serve Me; and -- thou dost refuse to send him away -- lo, I am slaying thy son, thy first-born.'
24 And it cometh to pass in the way, in a lodging place, that Jehovah meeteth him, and seeketh to put him to death;
25 and Zipporah taketh a flint, and cutteth off the foreskin of her son, and causeth `it' to touch his feet, and saith, `Surely a bridegroom of blood `art' thou to me;'
26 and He desisteth from him: then she said, `A bridegroom of blood,' in reference to the circumcision.
27 And Jehovah saith unto Aaron, `Go to meet Moses into the wilderness;' and he goeth, and meeteth him in the mount of God, and kisseth him,
28 and Moses declareth to Aaron all the words of Jehovah with which He hath sent him, and all the signs with which He hath charged him.
29 And Moses goeth -- Aaron also -- and they gather all the elders of the sons of Israel,
30 and Aaron speaketh all the words which Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses, and doth the signs before the eyes of the people;
31 and the people believe when they hear that Jehovah hath looked after the sons of Israel, and that He hath seen their affliction; and they bow and do obeisance.
1 And Moses answered and said, But behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, Jehovah has not appeared to thee.
2 And Jehovah said to him, What is that in thy hand? And he said, A staff.
3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4 And Jehovah said to Moses, Stretch out thy hand and take it by the tail -- and he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand --
5 that they may believe that Jehovah, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
6 And Jehovah said moreover to him, Put now thy hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom, and took it out, and behold, his hand was leprous, as snow.
7 And he said, Put thy hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again, and took it out of his bosom, and behold, it was turned again as his flesh.
8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the other sign.
9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also those two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour [it] on the dry [land]; and the water that thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry [land].
10 And Moses said to Jehovah, Ah Lord! I am not eloquent, neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken to thy servant, for I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue.
11 And Jehovah said to him, Who gave man a mouth? or who maketh dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? [have] not I, Jehovah?
12 And now go, and I will be with thy mouth, and will teach thee what thou shalt say.
13 And he said, Ah Lord! send, I pray thee, by the hand [of him whom] thou wilt send.
14 Then the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also behold, he goeth out to meet thee; and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart.
15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16 And he shall speak for thee unto the people; and it shall come to pass that he shall be to thee for a mouth, and thou shalt be to him for God.
17 And thou shalt take this staff in thy hand, with which thou shalt do the signs.
18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, that I may see whether they are yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
19 And Jehovah said to Moses in Midian, Go, return to Egypt; for all the men are dead who sought thy life.
20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them riding upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.
21 And Jehovah said to Moses, When thou goest to return to Egypt, see that thou do all the wonders before Pharaoh that I have put in thy hand. And I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
22 And thou shalt say to Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah: Israel is my son, my firstborn.
23 And I say to thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me. And if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill thy son, thy firstborn.
24 And it came to pass on the way, in the inn, that Jehovah came upon him, and sought to slay him.
25 Then Zipporah took a stone and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, A bloody husband indeed art thou to me!
26 And he let him go. Then she said, A bloody husband -- because of the circumcision.
27 And Jehovah said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him.
28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of Jehovah who had sent him, and all the signs that he had commanded him.
29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered all the elders of the children of Israel;
30 and Aaron spoke all the words that Jehovah had spoken to Moses, and did the signs before the eyes of the people.
31 And the people believed. And when they heard that Jehovah had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
1 Moses answered, "But, behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice; for they will say, 'Yahweh has not appeared to you.'"
2 Yahweh said to him, "What is that in your hand?" He said, "A rod."
3 He said, "Throw it on the ground." He threw it on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses ran away from it.
4 Yahweh said to Moses, "Put forth your hand, and take it by the tail." He put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand.
5 "That they may believe that Yahweh, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you."
6 Yahweh said furthermore to him, "Now put your hand inside your cloak." He put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow.
7 He said, "Put your hand inside your cloak again." He put his hand inside his cloak again, and when he took it out of his cloak, behold, it had turned again as his other flesh.
8 "It will happen, if they will neither believe you nor listen to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
9 It will happen, if they will not believe even these two signs, neither listen to your voice, that you shall take of the water of the river, and pour it on the dry land. The water which you take out of the river will become blood on the dry land."
10 Moses said to Yahweh, "Oh, Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before now, nor since you have spoken to your servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue."
11 Yahweh said to him, "Who made man's mouth? Or who makes one mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Isn't it I, Yahweh?
12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak."
13 He said, "Oh, Lord, please send someone else."
14 The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Moses, and he said, "What about Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Also, behold, he comes forth to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.
15 You shall speak to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with your mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do.
16 He will be your spokesman to the people; and it will happen, that he will be to you a mouth, and you will be to him as God.
17 You shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs."
18 Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, "Please let me go and return to my brothers who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive." Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace."
19 Yahweh said to Moses in Midian, "Go, return into Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead."
20 Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. Moses took God's rod in his hand.
21 Yahweh said to Moses, "When you go back into Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your hand, but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.
22 You shall tell Pharaoh, 'Thus says Yahweh, Israel is my son, my firstborn,
23 and I have said to you, "Let my son go, that he may serve me;" and you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn.'"
24 It happened on the way at a lodging place, that Yahweh met him and wanted to kill him.
25 Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said, "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me."
26 So he let him alone. Then she said, "You are a bridegroom of blood," because of the circumcision.
27 Yahweh said to Aaron, "Go into the wilderness to meet Moses." He went, and met him on God's mountain, and kissed him.
28 Moses told Aaron all the words of Yahweh with which he had sent him, and all the signs with which he had charged him.
29 Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.
30 Aaron spoke all the words which Yahweh had spoken to Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
31 The people believed, and when they heard that Yahweh had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.
1 And Moses, answering, said, It is certain that they will not have faith in me or give ear to my voice; for they will say, You have not seen the Lord.
2 And the Lord said to him, What is that in your hand? And he said, A rod.
3 And he said, Put it down on the earth. And he put it down on the earth and it became a snake; and Moses went running from it.
4 And the Lord said to Moses, Put out your hand and take it by the tail: (and he put out his hand and took a grip of it and it became a rod in his hand:)
5 So that they may be certain that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has been seen by you.
6 Then the Lord said to him again, Put your hand inside your clothing. And he put his hand inside his robe: and when he took it out it was like the hand of a leper, as white as snow.
7 And he said, Put your hand inside your robe again. (And he put his hand into his robe again, and when he took it out he saw that it had become like his other flesh.)
8 And if they do not have faith in you or give ear to the voice of the first sign, they will have faith in the second sign.
9 And if they have no faith even in these two signs and will not give ear to your voice, then you are to take the water of the Nile and put it on the dry land: and the water you take out of the river will become blood on the dry land.
10 And Moses said to the Lord, O Lord, I am not a man of words; I have never been so, and am not now, even after what you have said to your servant: for talking is hard for me, and I am slow of tongue.
11 And the Lord said to him, Who has made man's mouth? who takes away a man's voice or hearing, or makes him seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?
12 So go now, and I will be with your mouth, teaching you what to say.
13 And he said, O Lord, send, if you will, by the hand of anyone whom it seems good to you to send.
14 And the Lord was angry with Moses, and said, Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? To my knowledge he is good at talking. And now he is coming out to you: and when he sees you he will be glad in his heart.
15 Let him give ear to your voice, and you will put my words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth and with his, teaching you what you have to do.
16 And he will do the talking for you to the people: he will be to you as a mouth and you will be to him as God.
17 And take in your hand this rod with which you will do the signs.
18 And Moses went back to Jethro, his father-in-law, and said to him, Let me go back now to my relations in Egypt and see if they are still living. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
19 And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, Go back to Egypt, for all the men are dead who were attempting to take your life.
20 And Moses took his wife and his sons and put them on an ass and went back to the land of Egypt: and he took the rod of God in his hand.
21 And the Lord said to Moses, When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have given you power to do: but I will make his heart hard and he will not let the people go.
22 And you are to say to Pharaoh, The Lord says, Israel is the first of my sons:
23 And I said to you, Let my son go, so that he may give me worship; and you did not let him go: so now I will put the first of your sons to death.
24 Now on the journey, at the night's resting-place, the Lord came in his way and would have put him to death.
25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cutting off the skin of her son's private parts, and touching his feet with it, she said, Truly you are a husband of blood to me.
26 So he let him go. Then she said, You are a husband of blood because of the circumcision.
27 And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the waste land and you will see Moses. So he went and came across Moses at the mountain of God, and gave him a kiss.
28 And Moses gave Aaron an account of all the words of the Lord which he had sent him to say, and of all the signs which he had given him orders to do.
29 Then Moses and Aaron went and got together all the chiefs of the children of Israel:
30 And Aaron said to them all the words the Lord had said to Moses, and did the signs before all the people.
31 And the people had faith in them; and hearing that the Lord had taken up the cause of the children of Israel and had seen their troubles, with bent heads they gave him worship.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 4
Commentary on Exodus 4 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 4
Ex 4:1-31. Miraculous Change of the Rod, &c.
1. But, behold—Hebrew, "If," "perhaps," "they will not believe me."—What evidence can I produce of my divine mission? There was still a want of full confidence, not in the character and divine power of his employer, but in His presence and power always accompanying him. He insinuated that his communication might be rejected and he himself treated as an impostor.
2. the Lord said, … What is that in thine hand?—The question was put not to elicit information which God required, but to draw the particular attention of Moses.
A rod—probably the shepherd's crook—among the Arabs, a long staff, with a curved head, varying from three to six feet in length.
6. Put now thine hand into thy bosom—the open part of his outer robe, worn about the girdle.
9. take of the water of the river—Nile. Those miracles, two of which were wrought then, and the third to be performed on his arrival in Goshen, were at first designed to encourage him as satisfactory proofs of his divine mission, and to be repeated for the special confirmation of his embassy before the Israelites.
10-13. I am not eloquent—It is supposed that Moses labored under a natural defect of utterance or had a difficulty in the free and fluent expression of his ideas in the Egyptian language, which he had long disused. This new objection was also overruled, but still Moses, who foresaw the manifold difficulties of the undertaking, was anxious to be freed from the responsibility.
14. the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses—The Divine Being is not subject to ebullitions of passion; but His displeasure was manifested by transferring the honor of the priesthood, which would otherwise have been bestowed on Moses, to Aaron, who was from this time destined to be the head of the house of Levi (1Ch 23:13). Marvellous had been His condescension and patience in dealing with Moses; and now every remaining scruple was removed by the unexpected and welcome intelligence that his brother Aaron was to be his colleague. God knew from the beginning what Moses would do, but He reserves this motive to the last as the strongest to rouse his languid heart, and Moses now fully and cordially complied with the call. If we are surprised at his backwardness amidst all the signs and promises that were given him, we must admire his candor and honesty in recording it.
18. Moses … returned to Jethro—Being in his service, it was right to obtain his consent, but Moses evinced piety, humility, and prudence, in not divulging the special object of his journey.
19. all the men are dead which sought thy life—The death of the Egyptian monarch took place in the four hundred and twenty-ninth year of the Hebrew sojourn in that land, and that event, according to the law of Egypt, took off his proscription of Moses, if it had been publicly issued.
20. Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass—Septuagint, "asses." Those animals are not now used in the desert of Sinai except by the Arabs for short distances.
returned—entered on his journey towards Egypt.
he took the rod of God—so called from its being appropriated to His service, and because whatever miracles it might be employed in performing would be wrought not by its inherent properties, but by a divine power following on its use. (Compare Ac 3:12).
24. inn—Hebrew, "a halting place for the night."
the Lord met him, and sought to kill him—that is, he was either overwhelmed with mental distress or overtaken by a sudden and dangerous malady. The narrative is obscure, but the meaning seems to be, that, led during his illness to a strict self-examination, he was deeply pained and grieved at the thought of having, to please his wife, postponed or neglected the circumcision of one of his sons, probably the younger. To dishonor that sign and seal of the covenant was criminal in any Hebrew, peculiarly so in one destined to be the leader and deliverer of the Hebrews; and he seems to have felt his sickness as a merited chastisement for his sinful omission. Concerned for her husband's safety, Zipporah overcomes her maternal feelings of aversion to the painful rite, performs herself, by means of one of the sharp flints with which that part of the desert abounds, an operation which her husband, on whom the duty devolved, was unable to do, and having brought the bloody evidence, exclaimed in the painful excitement of her feelings that from love to him she had risked the life of her child [Calvin, Bullinger, Rosenmuller].
26. So he let him go—Moses recovered; but the remembrance of this critical period in his life would stimulate the Hebrew legislator to enforce a faithful attention to the rite of circumcision when it was established as a divine ordinance in Israel, and made their peculiar distinction as a people.
27. Aaron met him in the mount of God, and kissed him—After a separation of forty years, their meeting would be mutually happy. Similar are the salutations of Arab friends when they meet in the desert still; conspicuous is the kiss on each side of the head.
29-31. Moses and Aaron went—towards Egypt, Zipporah and her sons having been sent back. (Compare Ex 18:2).
gathered … all the elders—Aaron was spokesman, and Moses performed the appointed miracles—through which "the people" (that is, the elders) believed (1Ki 17:24; Jos 3:2) and received the joyful tidings of the errand on which Moses had come with devout thanksgiving. Formerly they had slighted the message and rejected the messenger. Formerly Moses had gone in his own strength; now he goes leaning on God, and strong only through faith in Him who had sent him. Israel also had been taught a useful lesson, and it was good for both that they had been afflicted.