Exodus 4:20-30

20 So Moses took his wife and his 1sons and mounted them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. Moses also took the 2staff of God in his hand.
21 The LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt see that you perform before Pharaoh all 3the wonders which I have put in your power; but 4I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
22 "Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD, "5Israel is My son, My firstborn.
23 "So I said to you, '6Let My son go that he may serve Me'; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, 7I will kill your son, your firstborn.""'
24 Now it came about at the lodging place on the way that the LORD met him and 8sought to put him to death.
25 Then Zipporah took 9a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and threw it at Moses' feet, and she said, "You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me."
26 So He let him alone. At that time she said, "You are a bridegroom of blood "-because of the circumcision.
27 10Now the LORD said to Aaron, "Go to meet Moses in the wilderness." So he went and met him at the 11mountain of God and kissed him.
28 12Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with which He had sent him, and 13all the signs that He had commanded him to do.
29 Then Moses and Aaron went and 14assembled all the elders of the sons of Israel;
30 and 15Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. He then performed the 16signs in the sight of the people.

Exodus 4:20-30 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.

Cross References 16

  • 1. Exodus 18:3, 4; Acts 7:29
  • 2. Exodus 4:17; Exodus 17:9; Num 20:8, 9, 11
  • 3. Exodus 3:20; Exodus 11:9, 10
  • 4. Exodus 7:3, 13; Exodus 9:12, 35; Exodus 10:1, 20, 27; Exodus 14:4, 8; Deuteronomy 2:30; Joshua 11:20; 1 Samuel 6:6; Isaiah 63:17; John 12:40; Romans 9:18
  • 5. Isaiah 63:16; Isaiah 64:8; Jeremiah 31:9; Hosea 11:1; Romans 9:4
  • 6. Exodus 5:1; Exodus 6:11; Exodus 7:16
  • 7. Exodus 11:5; Exodus 12:29; Psalms 105:36; Psalms 135:8; Psalms 136:10
  • 8. Numbers 22:22
  • 9. Genesis 17:14; Joshua 5:2, 3
  • 10. Exodus 4:14
  • 11. Exodus 3:1; Exodus 18:5; Exodus 24:13
  • 12. Exodus 4:15
  • 13. Exodus 4:8
  • 14. Exodus 3:16
  • 15. Exodus 4:15, 16
  • 16. Exodus 4:1-9

Footnotes 4

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