Exodus 4:18-28
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Moses Returns to Egypt
18 Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, “Please let me go back to my own people in Egypt and see whether they are still living.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 The Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all those who were seeking your life are dead.”(A) 20 So Moses took his wife and his sons, put them on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt, and Moses carried the staff of God in his hand.(B)
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.(C) 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: Israel is my firstborn son.(D) 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.’ ”(E)
24 On the way, at a place where they spent the night, the Lord met him and tried to kill him.(F) 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!”(G) 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 to meet Moses.” So he went, and he met him at the mountain of God and kissed him.(H) 28 Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord with which he had sent him and all the signs with which he had charged him.(I)
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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]
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 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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