Exodus 4 Study Notes

4:20 This is the first mention of Moses’s two sons. Gershom was named in 2:22. The name of the second was “Eliezer” (18:3).

4:21-23 This introductory summary is matched by the similar concluding statement in 11:9-10 that “Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh.” So the signs Moses had been given and the use of the staff would apply to both the Israelites (4:1-9) and to Pharaoh to authenticate Moses’s message, although all the wonders would include the plagues Moses would announce as well. God informed Moses here not of what he was to say initially to Pharaoh but of the final result. In order to free the Lord’s firstborn son, Pharaoh’s firstborn son would have to die (11:4-8).

When he presented the matter as a formal declaration (This is what the Lord says), God framed the message as a demand from a king to an underling. In the language of ancient treaties and letters, when a king declared that someone was his son, respect for the superior rank and authority of the “father” was called for. The Lord was claiming that he, and not Pharaoh, had authority over Israel. The Lord was also demanding that Pharaoh show proper respect to the Lord by treating his “son” with respect. Everyone understood that failure to comply would call for severe penalties.

Such a demand to submit to the Lord would go entirely against the grain of Egyptian culture and beliefs about Pharaoh as a deity and the only king—inferior to no one. Making matters worse, Israel was being claimed as the “firstborn,” a position of privilege within ancient families that was obtained through birth order or by appointment (Gn 25:21-36; Dt 21:16-17; 1Ch 5:1-2; 26:10; Ps 89:27). In short, Pharaoh was informed that he was merely a vassal ruling a second-rate nation and must answer to the Lord.

Exodus uses three different Hebrew words for harden to describe what the Lord and Pharaoh himself did to his heart. The word here is especially associated with strength. Depending on the context, it could have a positive meaning (courage, steadfastness, Ps 27:14; 31:24) or a negative meaning (stubbornness, obstinacy, Ezk 2:4). When the Lord hardened hearts, it was a matter of executing judgment against confirmed rebels, not people who otherwise wanted to serve the Lord (Dt 2:30; Jos 11:20; Is 6:9-10; 63:17). It meant that Pharaoh would not listen and obey but would demonstrate that he deserved God’s judgment.

The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart was especially appropriate as an attack on Egyptian beliefs. Egyptians valued a “hard heart,” since it was needed after death during judgment to testify on behalf of the dead individual rather than to admit wrongdoing. This terminology was also used to describe the ideal person in public life, who because of his “hard heart” would always appear firm and unshaken. When Pharaoh’s heart becomes hard in Exodus, however, he is not cool and in command, and the truth about his character becomes known.

4:24-26 Perhaps the statement that the Lord intended to put him to death expressed how the circumstances appeared to Moses and Zipporah. It was apparent to Zipporah what had to be done, and nothing is said about what would have happened if she had failed to act. Circumcision was performed in Egypt when boys were fourteen years of age. However, circumcision on the eighth day had been commanded of Abraham as the sign of God’s covenant (Gn 17:1-14; 21:4). Moses’s failure to circumcise his son shows that Moses had not been acting like a member of the covenant community, a serious offense. In contrast with the custom in Egypt—where a boy’s circumcision was associated with coming into manhood—performing circumcision on the eighth day of an infant’s life would naturally have involved his mother, who would closely care for the infant. So every Israelite wife and mother of a son would have thus been reminded of the covenant between God and Israel. Now because Moses had neglected the circumcision of at least one of his sons, Zipporah suddenly was involved. If Moses was to speak for Abraham’s God, who was in the process of keeping his covenant promises, Moses needed to observe the sign of that covenant.

When Zipporah said, You are a bridegroom of blood to me! she may have meant that her action of bloodshed saved her husband’s life, or that the ceremonial act effectively made her a close relative.

4:27-28 This summary parallels the one in 18:8.

4:27-31 The Israelites responded to Aaron and Moses with belief and worship, rather than with the skepticism that Moses had expected (3:13). This was a sign of God’s faithfulness to his chosen servant.