Exodus 4:18-26

Moses' Return to Egypt

18 Then Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, "Please let me return to my relatives in Egypt and see if they are still living." Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace."
19 Now in Midian the Lord told Moses, "Return to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead."
20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and set out for the land of Egypt. And Moses took God's staff in his hand.
21 The Lord instructed Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, make sure you do in front of Pharaoh all the wonders I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart[a] so that he won't let the people go.
22 Then you will say to Pharaoh: This is what the Lord says: Israel is My firstborn son.
23 I told you: Let My son go so that he may worship Me, but you refused to let him go. Now I will kill your firstborn son!"
24 On the trip, at an overnight campsite, it happened that the Lord confronted him and sought to put him to death.
25 So Zipporah took a flint, cut off her son's foreskin, and threw it at Moses' feet.[b] Then she said, "You are a bridegroom of blood to me!"
26 So He let him alone. At that time she said, "You are a bridegroom of blood," referring to the circumcision.[c]

Exodus 4:18-26 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 4

This chapter is a continuation of the discourse that passed between God and Moses; and here Moses makes other objections to his mission; one is taken from the unbelief of the people of Israel, which is removed by giving him power to work miracles, by turning the rod in his hand into a serpent, and then into a rod again; and by putting his hand into his bosom at one time, when it became leprous, and again into the same place, when it became sound and whole, and by turning the water of the river into blood, Ex 4:1-9, another objection is formed from his want of eloquence, which is answered with an assurance, that God, that made man's mouth, would be with his mouth, and teach him what to say; and besides, Aaron his brother, who was an eloquent man, should be his spokesman, Ex 4:10-17 upon which he returned to Midian, and having obtained leave of his father-in-law to depart from thence, he took his wife and his sons, and returned to Egypt, Ex 4:18-20 at which time he received some fresh instructions from the Lord what he should do before Pharaoh, and what he should say unto him, Ex 4:21-23 then follows an account of what befell him by the way, because of the circumcision of his son, Ex 4:24-26 and the chapter is closed with an account of the meeting of Moses and Aaron, and of their gathering the elders of Israel together, to whom the commission of Moses was opened, and signs done before them, to which they gave credit, and expressed their joy and thankfulness, Ex 4:27-31.

Footnotes 3

  • [a]. Or will make him stubborn
  • [b]. Lit his feet; some interpret "feet" as a euphemism for genitals
  • [c]. Perhaps Zipporah appeased God on Moses' behalf by circumcising Gershom.
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