Exodus 4
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Miraculous Signs for Moses
4 Then Moses answered, “What if they won’t believe me and will not obey me but say, ‘The Lord did not appear(A) to you’?”
2 The Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?”
“A staff,” he replied.
3 Then He said, “Throw it on the ground.” He threw it on the ground, and it became a snake. Moses ran from it, 4 but the Lord told him, “Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail.” So he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand. 5 “This will take place,” He continued, “so they will believe that Yahweh, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”(B)
6 In addition the Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, his hand was diseased, white as snow.[a](C) 7 Then He said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” He put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out,[b] it had again become like the rest of his skin.(D) 8 “If they will not believe you and will not respond to the evidence of the first sign, they may believe the evidence of the second sign. 9 And if they don’t believe even these two signs or listen to what you say, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the Nile will become blood on the ground.”(E)
10 But Moses replied to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent—either in the past or recently or since You have been speaking to Your servant[c]—because I am slow and hesitant in speech.”[d](F)
11 Yahweh said to him, “Who made the human mouth? Who makes him mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, Yahweh?(G) 12 Now go! I will help[e] you speak and I will teach you what to say.”(H)
13 Moses said, “Please, Lord, send someone else.”[f]
14 Then the Lord’s anger burned against Moses, and He said, “Isn’t Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, he is on his way now to meet you. He will rejoice when he sees you. 15 You will speak with him and tell him what to say.(I) I will help[g] both you and him to speak and will teach you both what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you. He will be your spokesman, and you will serve as God to him. 17 And take this staff in your hand that you will perform the signs with.”(J)
Moses’ Return to Egypt
18 Then Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, “Please let me return to my relatives in Egypt and see if they are still living.”
Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”
19 Now in Midian the Lord told Moses, “Return to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead.”(K) 20 So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took God’s staff(L) in his hand.
21 The Lord instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, make sure you do all the wonders before Pharaoh that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart[h](M) so that he won’t let the people go. 22 Then you will say to Pharaoh: This is what Yahweh says: Israel is My firstborn son.(N) 23 I told you: Let My son go so that he may worship Me, but you refused to let him go. Now I will kill your firstborn son!”(O)
24 On the trip, at an overnight campsite, it happened that the Lord confronted him and sought to put him to death. 25 So Zipporah took a flint, cut off her son’s foreskin, and threw it at Moses’ feet.[i] Then she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood to me!”(P) 26 So He let him alone. At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood,” referring to the circumcision.[j]
Reunion of Moses and Aaron
27 Now the Lord had said to Aaron, “Go and meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him.(Q) 28 Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and about all the signs He had commanded him to do. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the Israelites. 30 Aaron repeated everything the Lord had said to Moses and performed the signs before the people. 31 The people believed, and when they heard that the Lord had paid attention(R) to them and that He had seen their misery,(S) they bowed down and worshiped.
Footnotes
- Exodus 4:6 A reference to whiteness or flakiness of the skin
- Exodus 4:7 Lit out of his cloak
- Exodus 4:10 = Moses
- Exodus 4:10 Lit heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue
- Exodus 4:12 Lit will be with you
- Exodus 4:13 Lit send by the hand of whom You will send
- Exodus 4:15 Lit be with
- Exodus 4:21 Or will make him stubborn
- Exodus 4:25 Some interpret “feet” as a euphemism for genitals.
- Exodus 4:26 Zipporah appeased God on Moses’ behalf by circumcising Gershom.
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
Okuva 4
Endagaano Enkadde nʼEndagaano Empya
Mukama Awa Musa Obuyinza Okukola Ebyamagero
4 (A)Musa n’addamu nti, “Tebagenda kunzikiriza, wadde okuwuliriza ebyo bye mbagamba: kubanga bagenda kwogera nti, Mukama takulabikiranga.”
2 (B)Awo Mukama n’amubuuza nti, “Ekyo kiki ekiri mu ngalo zo?”
N’addamu nti, “Muggo.”
3 Mukama Katonda n’amugamba nti, “Gusuule wansi.”
Musa n’agusuula wansi; ne gufuuka omusota, n’agudduka! 4 Mukama n’agamba Musa nti, “Golola omukono gwo ogukwate akawuuwo ogusitule.” N’agolola omukono gwe n’agukwata, ne gufuuka omuggo mu mukono gwe. 5 (C)Mukama n’amugamba nti, “Bw’olikola bw’otyo bagenda kukukkiriza, era balitegeera nga Mukama Katonda wa bajjajjaabwe, Katonda wa Ibulayimu, era Katonda wa Isaaka, era Katonda wa Yakobo, yakulabikira.”
6 (D)Mukama n’amugamba nate nti, “Yingiza omukono gwo munda mu kyambalo kyo.” N’ayingiza omukono gwe munda mu kyambalo kye: bwe yaguggyaayo, laba, nga gujjudde ebigenge nga gutukula ng’omuzira.
7 (E)Ate n’amugamba nti, “Zzaayo omukono gwo munda mu kyambalo kyo.” Musa n’azzaayo omukono gwe mu kyambalo kye. Bwe yaguggyaayo, laba nga gufuuse mulamu ng’omubiri gwe ogwa bulijjo.
8 Mukama n’agamba Musa nti, “Bwe batalikukkiririza ku kabonero akasoose, balikukkiririza ku kabonero akookubiri. 9 (F)Bwe bagaananga okukukkiriza nga bamaze okulaba obubonero obwo bwombi, osenanga amazzi mu mugga n’ogayiwa ku lukalu; amazzi ago g’olisena mu mugga, galifuuka omusaayi ng’ogayiye ku lukalu.”
10 (G)Awo Musa n’agamba Mukama nti, “Ayi Mukama wange, siri mwogezi mulungi okuva edda n’edda, wadde ne mu kiseera kino ggwe kaayogerera nange, omuddu wo; njogera nnembeggerera ate nga bwe nnaanaagira.” 11 (H)Mukama n’amuddamu nti, “Ani yakola akamwa k’omuntu? Ani yatonda bakasiru, ne bakiggala, n’abatunula, ne bamuzibe? Si nze, Mukama? 12 (I)Kaakano, genda! Nnaakuyambanga ng’oyogera, era nnaakuyigirizanga by’onooyogeranga.”
13 Naye Musa n’agamba nti, “Mukama wange, nkwegayiridde tuma omuntu omulala.” 14 (J)Mukama n’asunguwalira nnyo Musa, n’amugamba nti, “Muganda wo Alooni Omuleevi, taliiwo? Mmanyi nga mwogezi mulungi; era, laba, ajja gy’oli, era bw’anaakulabako ajja kusanyuka mu mutima gwe. 15 (K)Ggwe ojja kwogeranga naye, nze nnaakutegeezanga ky’onoomugambanga, nange n’abayambanga mwembi, ne mbayigiriza eky’okukola. 16 (L)Y’anaakwogereranga eri abantu, ng’abategeeza bye wandiyogedde; ggwe n’oba nga Katonda gy’ali, ng’omutegeezanga by’anaayogeranga. 17 (M)Era oligenda n’omuggo guno, ng’ogukutte mu mukono gwo; gw’onookozesanga ebyamagero.”
18 Awo Musa n’addayo eri Yesero, kitaawe wa mukazi we n’amugamba nti, “Nkusaba onzikirize ŋŋende ndabe obanga baganda bange e Misiri bakyali balamu.” Yesero n’addamu Musa nti, “Genda mirembe.”
Musa Addayoko e Misiri
19 (N)Awo Mukama n’ayogera ne Musa e Midiyaani nti, “Genda, oddeyo e Misiri kubanga abantu bonna abaali baagala okukutta, baafa.” 20 (O)Musa n’addira mukyala we n’abaana be, n’abassa ku ndogoyi, n’asitula okuddayo mu nsi y’e Misiri, ng’akutte omuggo gwa Katonda mu ngalo ze.
21 (P)Mukama n’agamba Musa nti, “Bw’oddangayo e Misiri, okoleranga ebyamagero ebyo byonna bye nkulaze, awali Falaawo. Nze ndikakanyaza omutima gwe, abantu bange aleme okubakkiriza okugenda. 22 (Q)Falaawo omugambanga bw’oti nti, Mukama agambye nti, ‘Isirayiri mutabani wange, ye mwana wange omubereberye; 23 (R)era nkulagira oleke omwana wange agende ampeereze; naye singa ogaana okumuleka okugenda, laba, nditta mutabani wo omubereberye.’ ”
24 (S)Awo bwe baali bagenda nga batuuse ku nnyumba y’abagenyi, Mukama n’amulabikira, n’ayagala okumutta. 25 (T)Naye Zipola n’addira ejjinja eryogi, n’akomola omwana we, ekikuta n’akisuula ku bigere bya Musa, n’amugamba nti, “Oli baze wa musaayi!” 26 Awo Mukama n’amuleka. Mu kaseera ako Zipola we yayogerera ku kukomola nti, “Baze wange ng’osaabye omusaayi!”
27 (U)Awo Mukama n’agamba Alooni nti, “Genda mu ddungu, osisinkane Musa. N’agenda, n’amusanga ku lusozi lwa Katonda, ne bagwaŋŋana mu bifuba.” 28 (V)Musa n’abuulira Alooni ebigambo byonna Mukama bye yali amutumye okwogera, n’obubonero bwonna obw’ebyamagero bwe yamulagira okukola.
29 (W)Musa ne Alooni ne bagenda, ne bakuŋŋaanya abakulu abakulembeze b’abaana ba Isirayiri; 30 Alooni n’abategeeza byonna Mukama bye yagamba Musa; era n’abakolera n’obubonero, 31 (X)ne bakkiriza. Era bwe baawulira nga Mukama yakyalira abaana ba Isirayiri, n’alaba okubonaabona kwabwe, ne bakoteka emitwe gyabwe ne basinza.
Exodus 4
King James Version
4 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.
2 And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4 And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
5 That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
6 And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.
8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.
10 And Moses said unto the Lord, O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
11 And the Lord said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the Lord?
12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
13 And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
14 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
19 And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.
20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
21 And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him.
25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
27 And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.
28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.
29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:
30 And Aaron spake all the words which the Lord had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville Tennessee. 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.
Bayibuli Entukuvu, Endagaano Enkadde nʼEndagaano Empya Copyright © 1984, 1986, 1993, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.® Tuweereddwa olukusa okuva mu Biblica, Inc.® Olukusa lwonna mu nsi yonna lusigalidde mu Biblica, Inc. Luganda Contemporary Bible Copyright © 1984, 1986, 1993, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.