Exode 4:21-31

21 L'Eternel dit à Moïse: En partant pour retourner en Egypte, vois tous les prodiges que je mets en ta main: tu les feras devant Pharaon. Et moi, j'endurcirai son coeur, et il ne laissera point aller le peuple.

22 Tu diras à Pharaon: Ainsi parle l'Eternel: Israël est mon fils, mon premier-né.

23 Je te dis: Laisse aller mon fils, pour qu'il me serve; si tu refuses de le laisser aller, voici, je ferai périr ton fils, ton premier-né.

24 Pendant le voyage, en un lieu où Moïse passa la nuit, l'Eternel l'attaqua et voulut le faire mourir.

25 Séphora prit une pierre aiguë, coupa le prépuce de son fils, et le jeta aux pieds de Moïse, en disant: Tu es pour moi un époux de sang!

26 Et l'Eternel le laissa. C'est alors qu'elle dit: Epoux de sang! à cause de la circoncision.

27 L'Eternel dit à Aaron: Va dans le désert au-devant de Moïse. Aaron partit; il rencontra Moïse à la montagne de Dieu, et il le baisa.

28 Moïse fit connaître à Aaron toutes les paroles de l'Eternel qui l'avait envoyé, et tous les signes qu'il lui avait ordonné de faire.

29 Moïse et Aaron poursuivirent leur chemin, et ils assemblèrent tous les anciens des enfants d'Israël.

30 Aaron rapporta toutes les paroles que l'Eternel avait dites à Moïse, et il exécuta les signes aux yeux du peuple.

31 Et le peuple crut. Ils apprirent que l'Eternel avait visité les enfants d'Israël, qu'il avait vu leur souffrance; et ils s'inclinèrent et se prosternèrent.

Exode 4:21-31 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.