Exodus 4:18-28

18Then Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro1 and said to him, “Please let me return to my brothers in Egypt to see if they are still alive.”

“Go in peace,” Jethro replied.

19Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who sought to kill you are dead.” 20So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.

21The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden2 his heart so that he will not let the people go.

22Then tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says: ‘Israel is My firstborn son, 23and I told you to let My son go so that he may worship Me. But since you have refused to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son!’”

24Now at a lodging place along the way, the LORD met Moses3 and was about to kill him. 25But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched it to Moses’ feet.4 “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said.

26So the LORD let him alone. (When she said, “bridegroom of blood,” she was referring to the circumcision.)

27Meanwhile, the LORD had said to Aaron, “Go and meet Moses in the wilderness.” So he went and met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28And Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and all the signs He had commanded him to perform.