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Exodus 4:21-31
New International Version
Exodus 4:21-31
New International Version
21 The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders(A) I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart(B) so that he will not let the people go.(C) 22 Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son,(D) 23 and I told you, “Let my son go,(E) so he may worship(F) me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’”(G)
24 At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses[a] and was about to kill(H) him. 25 But Zipporah(I) took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin(J) and touched Moses’ feet with it.[b] “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. 26 So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.)
27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he met Moses at the mountain(K) of God and kissed(L) him. 28 Then Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and also about all the signs he had commanded him to perform.
29 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders(M) of the Israelites, 30 and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs(N) before the people, 31 and they believed.(O) And when they heard that the Lord was concerned(P) about them and had seen their misery,(Q) they bowed down and worshiped.(R)
Footnotes
- Exodus 4:24 Hebrew him
- Exodus 4:25 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
Exodus 4:21-31
New King James Version
Exodus 4:21-31
New King James Version
21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those (A)wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But (B)I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall (C)say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: (D)“Israel is My son, (E)My firstborn. 23 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed (F)I will kill your son, your firstborn.” ’ ”
24 And it came to pass on the way, at the (G)encampment, that the Lord (H)met him and sought to (I)kill him. 25 Then (J)Zipporah took (K)a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and [a]cast it at [b]Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” 26 So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a [c]husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision.
27 And the Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness (L)to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on (M)the mountain of God, and kissed him. 28 So Moses (N)told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the (O)signs which He had commanded him. 29 Then Moses and Aaron (P)went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. 30 (Q)And Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 So the people (R)believed; and when they heard that the Lord had (S)visited the children of Israel and that He (T)had looked on their affliction, then (U)they bowed their heads and worshiped.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Exodus 4:25 Lit. made it touch
- Exodus 4:25 Lit. his
- Exodus 4:26 bridegroom
Exodus 4:21-31
The Message
Exodus 4:21-31
The Message
21-23 God said to Moses, “When you get back to Egypt, be prepared: All the wonders that I will do through you, you’ll do before Pharaoh. But I will make him stubborn so that he will refuse to let the people go. Then you are to tell Pharaoh, ‘God’s Message: Israel is my son, my firstborn! I told you, “Free my son so that he can serve me.” But you refused to free him. So now I’m going to kill your son, your firstborn.’”
* * *
24-26 On the journey back, as they camped for the night, God met Moses and would have killed him but Zipporah took a flint knife and cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched Moses’ member with it. She said, “Oh! You’re a bridegroom of blood to me!” Then God let him go. She used the phrase “bridegroom of blood” because of the circumcision.
* * *
27-28 God spoke to Aaron, “Go and meet Moses in the wilderness.” He went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. Moses told Aaron the message that God had sent him to speak and the wonders he had commanded him to do.
29-31 So Moses and Aaron proceeded to round up all the leaders of Israel. Aaron told them everything that God had told Moses and demonstrated the wonders before the people. And the people trusted and listened believingly that God was concerned with what was going on with the Israelites and knew all about their affliction. They bowed low and they worshiped.
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson