Exodus 4:18-28
Christian Standard Bible
Moses’s 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.”(A) 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(B) in his hand.
21 The Lord instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, make sure you do before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart[a](C) so that he won’t let the people go. 22 And you will say to Pharaoh: This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.(D) 23 I told you: Let my son go so that he may worship me, but you refused to let him go. Look, I am about to kill your firstborn son!” (E)
24 On the trip, at an overnight campsite, it happened that the Lord confronted him and intended to put him to death. 25 So Zipporah took a flint, cut off her son’s foreskin, threw it at Moses’s feet, and said, “You are a bridegroom of blood to me!” (F) 26 So he let him alone. At that time she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood,” referring to the circumcision.
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.(G) 28 Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and about all the signs he had commanded him to do.
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- 4:21 Or will make him stubborn
Exodus 4:18-28
International Standard Version
Moses Decides to Return to Egypt
18 Moses left and returned to his father-in-law Jethro. Moses[a] told him, “Please let me go and return to my own people[b] 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[c] all the wonders that I’ve put in your power,[d] 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[e] and was about to kill him. 25 Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched Moses’[f] feet with it, saying while doing so,[g] “…because you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” 26 Then the Lord[h] 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[i] went, found[j] him at the mountain of God, and embraced[k] 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.[l]
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- Exodus 4:18 Lit. he
- Exodus 4:18 Lit. my brothers
- Exodus 4:21 Lit. see, watch
- Exodus 4:21 Lit. hand
- Exodus 4:24 Lit. him
- Exodus 4:25 Lit. his
- Exodus 4:25 Lit. touched to his feet
- Exodus 4:26 Lit. Then he
- Exodus 4:27 Lit. he
- Exodus 4:27 Lit. encountered
- Exodus 4:27 Lit. kissed
- Exodus 4:28 The Heb. lacks to do
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