上帝賜摩西能力

摩西回答說:「他們不會相信我或聽我的話,他們會說,『耶和華根本沒有向你顯現。』」 耶和華對摩西說:「你手裡拿的是什麼?」摩西說:「是一根手杖。」 耶和華說:「把它丟在地上!」於是,摩西把杖丟在地上,杖變成了一條蛇。摩西連忙跑開。 耶和華說:「你伸手抓住牠的尾巴!」摩西就伸手抓蛇的尾巴,蛇在他手中變回了杖。 耶和華說:「這樣,他們就會相信他們祖先的上帝耶和華,就是亞伯拉罕、以撒和雅各的上帝,曾經向你顯現。」

耶和華又說:「把手放進懷裡。」摩西把手放進懷裡,手抽出來的時候,竟患了痲瘋病,像雪一樣白。 耶和華說:「再把手放進懷裡。」摩西又把手放進懷裡,這次再抽出來的時候,手已經復原,跟其他地方的皮肉一樣。 耶和華說:「縱然他們不聽你的話,不信第一個神蹟,也必定相信第二個神蹟。 如果他們兩個神蹟都不相信,還是不聽你的話,你就從尼羅河裡取些水來倒在旱地上,那水就會在旱地上變成血。」

10 摩西對耶和華說:「主啊!我向來不善言辭,即使你對僕人說話以後,我還是不善言辭,因為我是個拙口笨舌的人。」 11 耶和華對他說:「是誰造人的口舌?是誰使人變成啞巴或聾子?是誰使人目明或眼瞎?不都是我耶和華嗎? 12 去吧!我必賜給你口才,指示你說什麼話。」 13 但是摩西說:「主啊,請派其他人去吧。」 14 耶和華向摩西發怒說:「利未人亞倫不是你哥哥嗎?他是個能言善辯的人,正要來迎接你。他見到你一定很歡喜。 15 你要把該說的話傳給他,我會賜你們口才,教你們如何行事。 16 他要替你向百姓說話,做你的發言人,你對他來說就像上帝一樣。 17 你要把手杖帶在身邊,以便行神蹟。」

18 摩西回到家裡,對他的岳父葉忒羅說:「求你讓我回埃及去探望我的親人,看看他們是否在世。」葉忒羅說:「你平安地去吧。」 19 耶和華在米甸對摩西說:「你只管放心回埃及去,想害你性命的人都已經死了。」 20 於是,摩西拿著上帝的杖,帶著妻子和兒子騎驢返回埃及。 21 耶和華對摩西說:「你到了埃及,見到法老的時候,務要照我賜給你的能力在法老面前行神蹟。但我要使他的心剛硬,他必不讓百姓離開。 22 那時,你就告訴法老,『耶和華說,以色列是我的長子, 23 我對你說過讓我的長子出去事奉我,但你執意不肯。看啊,我要殺你的長子。』」

24 摩西在途中夜宿的時候,耶和華遇見摩西,想要殺他。 25 他的妻子西坡拉拿起鋒利的火石,割下兒子的包皮,放在摩西腳前,說:「你真是我的血郎。」 26 這樣,耶和華才沒殺他。當時,西坡拉說「血郎」是指割禮一事。

27 耶和華對亞倫說:「你到曠野去迎接摩西。」他就在上帝的山上遇見摩西,並親吻他。 28 摩西把耶和華吩咐他的以及要他行的神蹟都告訴了亞倫。 29 摩西和亞倫一起回去招聚以色列的眾長老, 30 亞倫把耶和華對摩西的吩咐詳細地告訴他們。摩西又在百姓面前行了那些神蹟, 31 百姓相信了。以色列人聽見耶和華眷顧他們、看到了他們的苦難,都俯伏敬拜祂。

上帝赐摩西能力

摩西回答说:“他们不会相信我或听我的话,他们会说,‘耶和华根本没有向你显现。’” 耶和华对摩西说:“你手里拿的是什么?”摩西说:“是一根手杖。” 耶和华说:“把它丢在地上!”于是,摩西把杖丢在地上,杖变成了一条蛇。摩西连忙跑开。 耶和华说:“你伸手抓住它的尾巴!”摩西就伸手抓蛇的尾巴,蛇在他手中变回了杖。 耶和华说:“这样,他们就会相信他们祖先的上帝耶和华,就是亚伯拉罕、以撒和雅各的上帝,曾经向你显现。”

耶和华又说:“把手放进怀里。”摩西把手放进怀里,手抽出来的时候,竟患了麻风病,像雪一样白。 耶和华说:“再把手放进怀里。”摩西又把手放进怀里,这次再抽出来的时候,手已经复原,跟其他地方的皮肉一样。 耶和华说:“纵然他们不听你的话,不信第一个神迹,也必定相信第二个神迹。 如果他们两个神迹都不相信,还是不听你的话,你就从尼罗河里取些水来倒在旱地上,那水就会在旱地上变成血。”

10 摩西对耶和华说:“主啊!我向来不善言辞,即使你对仆人说话以后,我还是不善言辞,因为我是个拙口笨舌的人。” 11 耶和华对他说:“是谁造人的口舌?是谁使人变成哑巴或聋子?是谁使人目明或眼瞎?不都是我耶和华吗? 12 去吧!我必赐给你口才,指示你说什么话。” 13 但是摩西说:“主啊,请派其他人去吧。” 14 耶和华向摩西发怒说:“利未人亚伦不是你哥哥吗?他是个能言善辨的人,正要来迎接你。他见到你一定很欢喜。 15 你要把该说的话传给他,我会赐你们口才,教你们如何行事。 16 他要替你向百姓说话,做你的发言人,你对他来说就像上帝一样。 17 你要把手杖带在身边,以便行神迹。”

18 摩西回到家里,对他的岳父叶忒罗说:“求你让我回埃及去探望我的亲人,看看他们是否在世。”叶忒罗说:“你平安地去吧。” 19 耶和华在米甸对摩西说:“你只管放心回埃及去,想害你性命的人都已经死了。” 20 于是,摩西拿着上帝的杖,带着妻子和儿子骑驴返回埃及。 21 耶和华对摩西说:“你到了埃及,见到法老的时候,务要照我赐给你的能力在法老面前行神迹。但我要使他的心刚硬,他必不让百姓离开。 22 那时,你就告诉法老,‘耶和华说,以色列是我的长子, 23 我对你说过让我的长子出去事奉我,但你执意不肯。看啊,我要杀你的长子。’”

24 摩西在途中夜宿的时候,耶和华遇见摩西,想要杀他。 25 他的妻子西坡拉拿起锋利的火石,割下儿子的包皮,放在摩西脚前,说:“你真是我的血郎。” 26 这样,耶和华才没杀他。当时,西坡拉说“血郎”是指割礼一事。

27 耶和华对亚伦说:“你到旷野去迎接摩西。”他就在上帝的山上遇见摩西,并亲吻他。 28 摩西把耶和华吩咐他的以及要他行的神迹都告诉了亚伦。 29 摩西和亚伦一起回去招聚以色列的众长老, 30 亚伦把耶和华对摩西的吩咐详细地告诉他们。摩西又在百姓面前行了那些神迹, 31 百姓相信了。以色列人听见耶和华眷顾他们、看到了他们的苦难,都俯伏敬拜祂。

 神赐摩西的印证

摩西回答:“看哪,他们必不信我,也不听我的话;因为他们必说:‘耶和华并没有向你显现。’” 耶和华问摩西:“那在你手里的是甚么?”他说:“是手杖。” 耶和华说:“把它丢在地上。”摩西把它一丢在地上,它就变了蛇;摩西就逃跑,离开了牠。 耶和华对摩西说:“伸出你的手来,捉住蛇的尾巴。”摩西就伸出手来,紧握着牠,牠在摩西的掌中又变回了手杖。 “这样就使他们相信耶和华他们祖宗的 神,就是亚伯拉罕的 神、以撒的 神、雅各的 神曾向你显现了。” 耶和华又再对摩西说:“现在把你的手放进怀里。”摩西就把手放进怀里;等他把手抽出来的时候,手就长满了痲风,像雪那样白。 耶和华说:“把你的手再放进怀里。”摩西就把手再放进怀里;等他把手从怀里抽出来的时候,手就恢复过来,像身上别处的肉一样。 耶和华又说:“如果他们不信你,也不听从头一个神迹的话,他们必信随后来的神迹。 如果连这两个神迹他们也不信,也不听你的话,你就从河里取些水,倒在旱地上;你从河里取来的水就必在旱地上变成血。”

亚伦作摩西的代言人

10 摩西对耶和华说:“主啊,我不是个会说话的人;以前不是,自从你对仆人说话以后也不是;因为我本是拙口笨舌的。” 11 耶和华对他说:“谁造人的口呢?谁使人口哑、耳聋、眼明、眼瞎呢?不是我耶和华吗? 12 现在去吧,我必赐你口才,指教你当说的。” 13 摩西说:“主啊,请你差派你愿意差派的人。” 14 耶和华向摩西发怒,说:“不是有你的哥哥利未人亚伦吗?我知道他是有口才的;他现在出来要迎接你。他看见了你,心里就快乐。 15 你要对他说话,把你要说的话放在他的口里;我必与你的口同在,也与他的口同在;我必指教你们当行的事。 16 他要替你向人民说话,他要作你的口,你要作他的 神。 17 这手杖你要拿在手里,用来行神迹。”

摩西返回埃及

18 于是,摩西起程回到他岳父叶忒罗那里,对他说:“请你容我离开这里,回到我在埃及的同胞那里,看看他们是否还在。”叶忒罗对摩西说:“你可以平平安安地去吧。” 19 耶和华在米甸对摩西说:“你要起程,回到埃及去,因为那些寻索你命的人都死了。” 20 摩西就带着他的妻子和孩子,让他们骑在驴上,向着埃及地回去了;摩西手里拿着 神的杖。 21 耶和华对摩西说:“你起程回到埃及去的时候,要留意我交在你手里的一切奇事,把它们行在法老面前;我却要使他的心刚硬,他就不让人民离开。 22 你要对法老说:‘耶和华这样说:以色列是我的长子。 23 我曾对你说,要让我的儿子离开这里,好叫他事奉我。你还是拒绝让他离开,看哪!我必杀你的长子。’”

24 在路上住宿的地方,耶和华遇见了摩西,就想要杀他。 25 西坡拉就拿了一把石刀,把她儿子的包皮割下来,把它丢到摩西的脚上,说:“你真是我的血郎了!” 26 这样,耶和华才放了他。那时西坡拉说:“你是血郎,是因为割礼的缘故。”

27 耶和华对亚伦说:“你到旷野去迎接摩西。”他就去了;他在 神的山遇见了摩西,就和他亲吻。 28 摩西把耶和华派他所说的一切话,和吩咐他所行的一切神迹都告诉了亚伦。 29 摩西和亚伦就去召集以色列人的众长老。 30 亚伦把耶和华对摩西所说的一切话都说了一遍,并且在人民的眼前行了这些神迹。 31 人民就相信了;他们听见耶和华眷顾以色列人,也鉴察了他们的痛苦,就俯伏敬拜。

Moses Argues with God

Then Moses answered, “Look, they won’t believe me and they won’t listen to me.[a] Instead, they’ll say, ‘The Lord didn’t appear to you.’”

“What’s that in your hand?” the Lord asked him.

Moses[b] answered, “A staff.”[c]

Then God[d] said, “Throw it to the ground.” He threw it to the ground and it became a snake. Moses ran away from it.

Then God told Moses, “Reach out[e] and grab its tail.” So he reached out, grabbed it, and it became a staff[f] in his hand. God said, “I’ve done this[g] so that they may believe that the Lord God of their ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has appeared to you.”

Again the Lord told him, “Put your hand into your bosom.”[h] He put his hand into his bosom and as soon as he brought it out it was leprous, like snow.[i] Then God[j] said, “Put your hand back into your bosom.” He returned it[k] to his bosom and as soon as he brought it out,[l] it was restored like the rest of[m] his skin.[n]

“Then if they don’t believe you and respond to the first sign, they may respond to the second[o] sign. But if they don’t believe even these two signs, and won’t listen to you, then take some water out of the Nile River[p] and pour it on the dry ground. The water you took from the Nile River[q] will turn into blood on the dry ground.”

10 Then Moses told the Lord, “Please, Lord, I’m not eloquent.[r] I never was in the past[s] nor am I now since you spoke to your servant. In fact, I talk too slowly[t] and I have a speech impediment.”[u]

11 Then God asked him, “Who gives a person a mouth? Who makes him unable to speak, or deaf, or able to see, or blind, or lame? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now, go! I myself will help you with your speech,[v] and I’ll teach you what you are to say.”

13 Moses said, “Please, Lord, send somebody else.”[w]

14 Then the Lord was angry with Moses and said, “There’s your brother Aaron, a descendant of Levi, isn’t there? I know that he certainly is eloquent.[x] Right now he’s coming to meet you and he will be pleased to see you. 15 You’re to speak to him and tell him what to say.[y] I’ll help both you and him with your speech,[z] and I’ll teach both of you what you are to do. 16 He is to speak to the people for you as your spokesman[aa] and you are to act in the role of[ab] God for him. 17 Now pick up that staff with your hand. You’ll use it to perform the signs.”

Moses Decides to Return to Egypt

18 Moses left and returned to his father-in-law Jethro. Moses[ac] told him, “Please let me go and return to my own people[ad] in Egypt so I can see whether they’re still alive.”

Jethro told Moses, “Go in peace.”

19 The Lord told Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, because all the men who wanted to kill you are dead.” 20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on donkeys, and headed back to the land of Egypt. Moses took the staff of God in his hand.

21 Then the Lord told Moses, “When you set out to return to Egypt, keep in mind[ae] all the wonders that I’ve put in your power,[af] so that you may do them before Pharaoh. But I’ll harden his heart so that he won’t let the people go. 22 You are to say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: “Israel is my firstborn son. 23 And I say to you, ‘Let my son go so he may serve me. If you refuse to let him go, then I will kill your firstborn son.’”’”

Zipporah Circumcises Moses’ Son

24 But later on, at the lodging place along the way, the Lord met Moses[ag] and was about to kill him. 25 Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched Moses’[ah] feet with it, saying while doing so,[ai] “…because you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” 26 Then the Lord[aj] withdrew from him, and she said, “…a bridegroom of blood because of circumcision.”

Moses and Aaron Meet and Return to Egypt

27 The Lord told Aaron, “Go meet Moses in the desert.” So Aaron[ak] went, found[al] him at the mountain of God, and embraced[am] him. 28 Moses told Aaron all of the Lord’s messages that he had sent with Moses, and all of the signs that he commanded him to do.[an] 29 Later, Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of Israel. 30 Aaron spoke everything that the Lord had spoken to Moses, and Moses[ao] performed the miracles[ap] before the very eyes of the people. 31 The people believed and understood[aq] that the Lord had paid attention to the Israelis and had seen their affliction. They bowed their heads and prostrated themselves in worship.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 4:1 Lit. to my voice. And so through the passage
  2. Exodus 4:2 Lit. he
  3. Exodus 4:2 Or rod
  4. Exodus 4:3 Lit. he
  5. Exodus 4:4 Lit. Stretch out your hand
  6. Exodus 4:4 Or rod
  7. Exodus 4:5 The Heb. lacks God said, “I have done this
  8. Exodus 4:6 I.e. under the folds of the garment at the chest
  9. Exodus 4:6 I.e. his hand was white
  10. Exodus 4:7 Lit. He
  11. Exodus 4:7 Lit. his hand
  12. Exodus 4:7 Lit. out from his bosom
  13. Exodus 4:7 The Heb. lacks the rest of
  14. Exodus 4:7 Lit. flesh
  15. Exodus 4:8 Lit. latter
  16. Exodus 4:9 The Heb. lacks River
  17. Exodus 4:9 The Heb. lacks River
  18. Exodus 4:10 Lit. a man of words
  19. Exodus 4:10 Lit. either yesterday or the day before
  20. Exodus 4:10 Lit. heavy of mouth
  21. Exodus 4:10 Lit. heavy
  22. Exodus 4:12 Lit. will be with your mouth
  23. Exodus 4:13 Lit. by a hand send; i.e. by someone else’s hand send
  24. Exodus 4:14 Lit. he certainly speaks
  25. Exodus 4:15 Lit. put the words in his mouth
  26. Exodus 4:15 Lit. I’ll be with your mouth and with his mouth
  27. Exodus 4:16 Lit. be your mouth
  28. Exodus 4:16 Lit. be
  29. Exodus 4:18 Lit. he
  30. Exodus 4:18 Lit. my brothers
  31. Exodus 4:21 Lit. see, watch
  32. Exodus 4:21 Lit. hand
  33. Exodus 4:24 Lit. him
  34. Exodus 4:25 Lit. his
  35. Exodus 4:25 Lit. touched to his feet
  36. Exodus 4:26 Lit. Then he
  37. Exodus 4:27 Lit. he
  38. Exodus 4:27 Lit. encountered
  39. Exodus 4:27 Lit. kissed
  40. Exodus 4:28 The Heb. lacks to do
  41. Exodus 4:30 Lit. he
  42. Exodus 4:30 Lit. signs
  43. Exodus 4:31 Or they heard