Exodus 4
The Voice
4 Moses: What if they don’t trust me? What if they don’t listen to a single word I say? They are more likely to reply: “The Eternal has not revealed Himself to you.”
The Eternal One answered Moses.
Eternal One: 2 What do you have in your hand?
Moses: My shepherd’s staff.
Eternal One: 3 Throw your staff down on the ground.
God has been called by many names and titles, and those reflect to some extent aspects of God’s nature and character. In this encounter, God reveals to Moses His name. This is a special name by which God invites His covenant partners to know and call on Him for all time. It sometimes appears in books or translations as YHWH or Yahweh, but this is only a transliteration of the four letters in Hebrew; it’s not a translation of its meaning. The name is built on the Hebrew verb “to be” and refers to the fact that God is the Self-existent One—“I AM WHO I AM.” Many translations render the divine name “Lord” (in capital and small capital letters), but this translation uses “the Eternal One,” for at the heart of the name is the notion that God has always been and always will be. God transcends time and existence; He is the ground of existence. Out of respect, the ancients would seldom speak or write the covenant name; they would use it only on the most solemn occasions. Still God is establishing a unique relationship with Abraham’s descendants, and it is time to reveal to them His name.
So Moses threw the staff on the ground, and it was transformed into a snake. Moses quickly jumped back in fear.
Eternal One: 4 Reach out and grab it by the tail.
Despite his natural fears, Moses reached out and grabbed the snake; and as he held it, it changed back into a shepherd’s staff.
Eternal One: 5 This sign is so the people will believe that I, the God of their fathers—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—have revealed Himself to you.
6 Now for the second sign. Put your hand on your chest inside your shirt.
Moses did as the Eternal instructed; and when he pulled his hand out, his hand was covered with some disease that made it look as white as snow.
Eternal One: 7 Put your hand back inside your clothes.
Moses again did as He instructed, and when he removed his hand from his shirt, it returned to normal like the rest of his skin.
Eternal One: 8-9 If they refuse to believe you, and are not persuaded after you perform the first sign, perhaps they will be after the second sign. But if they refuse to believe you and are not persuaded after you perform the first two signs, then here is a third sign: Take some water from the Nile and pour it out onto the ground. The water you take from the Nile will become blood on the ground.
Moses: 10 Please, Lord, I am not a talented speaker. I have never been good with words. I wasn’t when I was younger and I haven’t gotten any better since You revealed Yourself to me. I stutter and stammer. My words get all twisted.
Eternal One: 11 Who is it that gives a person a mouth? Who determines whether one person speaks and another doesn’t? Why is it that one person hears and another doesn’t? And why can one person see and another doesn’t? Isn’t it because of Me, the Eternal? You know it is. 12 Go now, and I will be there to give you the words to speak; I will tell you what to say.
Moses: 13 Please, Lord, I beg you to send Your message through someone else, anyone else.
14 Then the Eternal became angry with Moses.
Eternal One: How about your brother—Aaron the Levite? I know he speaks eloquently. And look, he is already on his way to meet you. When he sees you, his heart will be delighted. 15 I want you to talk to him and put the right words in his mouth. I will guide your mouth and his mouth and instruct you both on what you should do. 16 He will address the people as your spokesman. He will serve as your mouth; and you will instruct him in what he is to say as if you were God to him.
17 Take this staff in your hand, and use it to perform the signs I have shown you.
18 Barely convinced, Moses went back to his father-in-law, Jethro.
Moses (to Jethro): Please let me leave now, so that I can go back to my Hebrew brothers and sisters in Egypt and find out if they are still alive.
Jethro: You may go now with my blessing and peace.
19 The Eternal spoke to Moses while he was still in Midian.
Eternal One: Go back to Egypt. I assure you, all the men who wanted to kill you are no longer alive.
20 Moses placed his wife and sons on a donkey, and he started on the long journey back to Egypt. As he walked, he carried God’s staff—his shepherd’s staff—with him.
Eternal One: 21 When you arrive in Egypt, I want you to pay Pharaoh a visit. Make sure you perform all the wonders that I have entrusted to your hand. But I am going to harden Pharaoh’s stony heart, so that he will not free the people. 22 Then I want you to give Pharaoh a message for Me. Tell him, “This is what the Eternal says: ‘Israel is My firstborn son. 23 I say to you, “Release My son, so that he may serve Me,” but in your stubbornness you refused to free him; therefore, I am going to kill your firstborn son.’”
24 While on their way to Egypt, they stopped at a place to rest. But the Eternal met Moses, and it seemed like He was about to kill him, 25 when Zipporah grabbed a flint knife and quickly cut off her son’s foreskin. She dropped it at Moses’ feet.
Zipporah: Certainly you are a bridegroom of blood to me.
26 So the Eternal released Moses from this offense. When Zipporah made the remark, “a bridegroom of blood,” she was talking about the circumcision.
This strange episode is difficult to understand. There is much here that is unexplainable. What is clear is that Moses has been called by God to challenge Pharaoh—one of the most powerful men in history—and to rescue hundreds of thousands of Hebrew slaves from lives of hard labor. On a human level, at least, this seems like risky business. But Moses’ mission is something else entirely; it is God’s business, involving promises made by a holy God to Abraham hundreds of years earlier, promises to provide for and protect His people. One key aspect of that covenant is the obligation of all males to be circumcised. Apparently Moses has neglected to circumcise his son, a fact that could jeopardize the entire mission. So when Zipporah realizes the gravity of the situation, she takes action and circumcises him. With their covenant responsibilities now met, Moses is free to continue the mission.
Eternal One (to Aaron): 27 Go into the wilderness and meet Moses.
So Aaron journeyed to meet Moses, and they met at the mountain of God. When he saw his brother, he kissed him. 28 During their joyful reunion, Moses told Aaron everything that the Eternal had sent him to do, and he explained the miraculous signs He had instructed him to perform.
29 Moses and Aaron then traveled back to Egypt and gathered together all of the elders of Israel’s people. 30 Aaron gave a speech that conveyed all the words that the Eternal had given to Moses and then performed the miraculous signs in front of the people. 31 The people believed Moses and Aaron. When everyone heard that the Eternal was concerned about the Israelites and that He had observed their oppression, they bowed down and began to worship with grateful hearts.
Exodus 4
English Standard Version
Moses Given Powerful Signs
4 Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” 2 The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, (A)“A staff.” 3 And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. 4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “that they may (B)believe that the Lord, (C)the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” 6 Again, the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.”[a] And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was (D)leprous[b] like snow. 7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, (E)it was restored like the rest of his flesh. 8 “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. 9 If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile (F)will become blood on the dry ground.”
10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but (G)I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and (H)I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, (I)he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 (J)You shall speak to him and (K)put the words in his mouth, and (L)I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. 16 (M)He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and (N)you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand (O)this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”
Moses Returns to Egypt
18 Moses went back to (P)Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for (Q)all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” 20 So Moses took (R)his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took (S)the staff of God in his hand.
21 And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the (T)miracles that I have put in your power. But (U)I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, (V)Israel is my (W)firstborn son, 23 and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I (X)will kill your firstborn son.’”
24 At a lodging place on the way (Y)the Lord met him and (Z)sought to put him to death. 25 Then (AA)Zipporah took a (AB)flint and cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses'[c] feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” 26 So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.
27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness (AC)to meet Moses.” So he went and met him at the (AD)mountain of God and kissed him. 28 And Moses (AE)told Aaron all the words of the Lord with which he had sent him to speak, and all (AF)the signs that he had commanded him to do. 29 Then Moses and Aaron (AG)went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel. 30 (AH)Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people (AI)believed; and when they heard that the Lord had (AJ)visited the people of Israel and that he had (AK)seen their affliction, (AL)they bowed their heads and worshiped.
Footnotes
- Exodus 4:6 Hebrew into your bosom; also verse 7
- Exodus 4:6 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13
- Exodus 4:25 Hebrew his
The Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
