Exodus 4:1-9

Moses Given Powers

1 Then Moses said, "What if they will not believe me or 1listen to what I say? For they may say, '2The LORD has not appeared to you.' "
2 The LORD said to him, "What is that in your hand?" And he said, "3A staff."
3 Then He said, "Throw it on the ground." So he threw it on the ground, and 4it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it.
4 But the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail "-so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand -
5 "that 5they may believe that 6the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you."
6 The LORD furthermore said to him, "Now put your hand into your bosom." So he put his hand into his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was 7leprous like snow.
7 Then He said, "Put your hand into your bosom again." So he put his hand into his bosom again, and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, 8it was restored like the rest of his flesh.
8 "If they will not believe you or heed the witness of the first sign, they may believe the witness of the last sign.
9 "But if they will not believe even these two signs or heed what you say, then you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water which you take from the Nile 9will become blood on the dry ground."

Exodus 4:1-9 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 9

  • 1. Exodus 3:18; Exodus 6:30
  • 2. Exodus 3:15, 16
  • 3. Exodus 4:17, 20
  • 4. Exodus 7:10-12
  • 5. Exodus 4:31; Exodus 19:9
  • 6. Genesis 28:13; Genesis 48:15; Exodus 3:6, 15
  • 7. Numbers 12:10; 2 Kings 5:27
  • 8. Numbers 12:13-15; Deuteronomy 32:39; 2 Kings 5:14; Matthew 8:3; Luke 17:12-14
  • 9. Exodus 7:19, 20

Footnotes 5

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