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Moses Returns to Egypt

18 Then Moses went and returned to [a]Jethro (A)his father-in-law and said to him, “Please, let me go, that I may return to my brothers who are in Egypt and see if they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 And Yahweh said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt, for (B)all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” 20 So Moses took his wife and his (C)sons and mounted them on a donkey and returned to the land of Egypt. Moses also took the (D)staff of God in his hand.

21 And Yahweh said to Moses, “When you go to return to Egypt, see to it that all (E)the miraculous wonders which I have put in your hand, that you do them before Pharaoh; but as for Me, (F)I will [b]harden his heart with strength so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “(G)Israel is My son, My firstborn. 23 So I said to you, ‘(H)Let My son go that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, (I)I will kill your son, your firstborn.”’”

24 Now it happened at the lodging place on the way that Yahweh encountered him and (J)sought to put him to death. 25 Then Zipporah took (K)a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched [c]his feet with it, and she said, “You are indeed a bridegroom of blood to me!” 26 So He let him alone. At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood” with reference to the circumcision.

27 (L)Then Yahweh said to Aaron, “Go to meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he went and encountered him at the (M)mountain of God and kissed him. 28 (N)And Moses told Aaron all the words of Yahweh with which He had sent him, and (O)all the signs that He had commanded him to do.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 4:18 Heb Jether
  2. Exodus 4:21 Lit strengthen
  3. Exodus 4:25 Moses’ feet

Moses Returns to Egypt

18 Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Let me return to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive.”

Jethro said, “Go, and I wish you well.”

19 Now the Lord had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill(A) you are dead.(B) 20 So Moses took his wife and sons,(C) put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff(D) of God in his hand.

21 The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders(E) I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart(F) so that he will not let the people go.(G) 22 Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son,(H) 23 and I told you, “Let my son go,(I) so he may worship(J) me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’”(K)

24 At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses[a] and was about to kill(L) him. 25 But Zipporah(M) took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin(N) 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(O) of God and kissed(P) 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.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 4:24 Hebrew him
  2. Exodus 4:25 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.