1
Then Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to my words, but say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you’?”
2
The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” Moses said, “A staff.”
3
The LORD said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it.
4
But the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” — so Moses reached out his hand, caught the serpent, and it became a staff in his hand —
5
“that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”
6
Again the LORD said to him, “Put your hand into your garment.” He put his hand into his garment, and when he took it out, his hand was leprous, white as snow.
7
Then He said, “Put your hand back into your garment.” So Moses put his hand back into his garment, and when he took it out, it was restored like the rest of his body.
8
“If they do not believe you or heed the first miraculous sign, they will believe the second miraculous sign.
9
And if they do not believe even these two miraculous signs and do not listen to your words, then you shall take water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water you take will become blood on the dry ground.”
10
Then Moses said to the LORD, “Ah, Lord, I am not a man of words, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
11
But the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes one mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?
12
Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”
13
But Moses said, “Ah, Lord, please send by the hand of whomever You will send.”
14
Then the anger of the LORD burned against Moses, and He said, “Is there not Aaron the Levite, your brother? I know that he can speak well. And behold, he is coming out 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; and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you both what you shall do.
16
He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be as God to him.”
17
And take this staff in your hand, with which you are to perform the signs.”
18
Then Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, “Please let me return to my brothers who are in Egypt, to see whether they are still alive.” Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”
19
Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, “Return to Egypt, for all the men who sought your life are dead.”
20
So Moses took his wife and his sons, put them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt; and Moses took the staff of God in his hand.
21
The LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.
22
Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: Israel is my son, my firstborn;
23
therefore I say to you, Let my son go, that he may serve me; but if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn.’”
24
But on the way, at a lodging place, the LORD met Moses and sought to put him to death.
25
Then Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched Moses’ feet with it, saying, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me.”
26
So the LORD let Moses alone. At that time she said, “Bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.
27
The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God, and kissed him.
28
Then Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with which he had sent him, and all the signs that he had commanded him to do.
29
Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered all the elders of Israel.
30
Aaron spoke all the words that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and did the signs before the people.
31
And the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the people of Israel and had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.
🪄👨👨👦🗣️ Summary of Exodus 4
Exodus 4 continues the dialogue between Moses and God, in which Moses keeps expressing his doubts, and God answers with signs, assurance, and the provision of Aaron as spokesman.
1. Three Miraculous Signs to Convince Israel (verses 1–9)
- Moses feared that the Israelites would not believe that God had truly sent him.
- God gave three signs:
The staff becomes a serpent, then becomes a staff again.
Moses’ hand became leprous, then was healed.
Water from the river became blood on the ground.
2. Moses Refuses, Saying He Is Not Skilled in Speech (verses 10–17)
- Moses said, “I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
- The Lord answered, “Who made human speech? Was it not I, the Lord?”
- Moses still refused, and the Lord was angry, yet still provided Aaron (his brother) to be Moses’ spokesman.
- Moses would use the staff as the means for performing signs and wonders.
3. Moses Returns to Egypt (verses 18–23)
- Moses asked his father-in-law Jethro for permission to return to Egypt.
- The Lord confirmed that all who wanted to kill Moses were dead.
- The Lord warned Moses that Pharaoh would harden his heart, but Israel is the Lord’s firstborn son, and if Pharaoh would not let him go, the Lord would kill Egypt’s firstborn.
4. A Mysterious Event: The Lord Was About to Kill Moses (verses 24–26)
- On the journey, the Lord was about to kill Moses, but Zipporah saved him by circumcising their son and touching the foreskin to Moses’ feet.
- This shows the importance of obedience to the covenant of circumcision.
5. Moses Meets Aaron (verses 27–31)
- The Lord commanded Aaron to meet Moses in the wilderness.
- They delivered the Lord’s message and performed the signs before the elders of Israel.
- The people of Israel believed, and they bowed down in worship because the Lord had seen their suffering.
📖 Main Lessons
- The Lord is patient with the doubts of His people.
- Inability is no excuse when God is the one who calls.
✨ Spiritual Meaning
- The Lord equips those whom He calls, not those who are already ready.
- Even though Moses felt unable, the Lord’s presence and the support of others (Aaron) were enough to strengthen him.
- The event of circumcision warns that spiritual obedience cannot be neglected, even by a leader.
- This story shows the Lord’s patience, provision, and power in beginning the great mission of delivering His people.
