Exodus 4:21-26

New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition

²¹ And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put in your power, but I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.^{(A) 22} Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: Israel is my firstborn son.^{(B) 23} I said to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” But you refused to let him go; now I will kill your firstborn son.’ ”^(C)

²⁴ On the way, at a place where they spent the night, the Lord met him and tried to kill him.^{(D) 25} But Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin, touched his feet with it, and said, “Truly you are a bridegroom of blood to me!”^{(E) 26} So he let him alone. It was then that she said “a bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.