Exodus 4

1Then MosesH4872 answeredH6030, “What ifH2005 they do notH3808 believeH539 me orH3808 listenH8085 to my voiceH6963? ForH3588 they may sayH559, ‘The LORDH3068 has notH3808 appearedH7200 to youH413.’”

2And the LORDH3068 askedH559 himH413, “What is thatH4100 in your handH3027?”

“A staffH4294,” he repliedH559.

3“ThrowH7993 it on the groundH776,” saidH559 the LORD. So Moses threwH7993 it on the groundH776, and it becameH1961 a snakeH5175,1 andH4872 he ranH5127 from itH6440.

4“Stretch outH7971 your handH3027 and grab itH270 by the tailH2180,” the LORDH3068 saidH559 toH413 MosesH4872, who reached outH7971 his handH3027 and caughtH2388 the snake, and it turned backH1961 into a staffH4294 in his handH3709. 5“This is so thatH4616 they may believeH539 thatH3588 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of their fathersH1—the GodH430 of AbrahamH85, the GodH430 of IsaacH3327, and the GodH430 of JacobH3290—has appearedH7200 to youH413.”

Moses’ Hand

6FurthermoreH5750, the LORDH3068 saidH559 to Moses, “PutH935H4994 your handH3027 inside your cloakH2436.2” So he putH935 his handH3027 inside his cloakH2436, and when he took it outH3318H2009, his handH3027 was leprousH6879,3 white as snowH7950.

7“Put your handH3027 backH7725 insideH413 your cloakH2436,” saidH559 the LORD.

So Moses put his handH3027 backH7725 insideH413 his cloakH2436, and when he took it outH3318H2436H2009, it was restoredH7725, like the rest of his skinH1320.

8And the LORD said, “IfH518 they refuseH3808 to believeH539 you orH3808 heedH8085 the witnessH6963 of the firstH7223 signH226, they may believeH539 that of the secondH314H226. 9ButH1961 ifH518 they do notH3808 believeH539 evenH1571 theseH428H3808 twoH8147 signsH226 or listenH8085 to your voiceH6963, takeH3947 some waterH4325 from the NileH2975 and pourH8210 it on the dry groundH3004. ThenH1961 the waterH4325 you takeH3947 fromH4480 the NileH2975 will becomeH1961 bloodH1818 on the groundH3006.”

The Appointment of Aaron

10“PleaseH994, LordH136,” MosesH4872 repliedH559H413H3068, “IH595 have neverH3808H376 been eloquentH1697, neitherH1571 in the pastH8543 norH1571 sinceH227 You have spokenH1696 toH413 Your servantH5650, forH3588 IH595 am slowH3515 of speechH6310 andH3515 tongueH3956.”

11And the LORDH3068 saidH559 to himH413, “WhoH4310 gaveH7760 manH120 his mouthH6310? OrH176 whoH4310 makesH7760 the muteH483 orH176 the deafH2795H176, the sightedH6493 orH176 the blindH5787? Is it notH3808 IH595, the LORDH3068? 12NowH6258 goH1980! IH595 will help youH1961H5973 as you speakH6310, and I will teach youH3384 whatH834 to sayH1696.”

13But Moses repliedH559, “PleaseH994, LordH136, sendH7971H4994 someone elseH3027H7971.”

14Then the angerH639 of the LORDH3068 burnedH2734 against MosesH4872, and He saidH559, “Is notH3808 AaronH175 the LeviteH3881 your brotherH251? I knowH3045 thatH3588 heH1931 can speak wellH1696, andH1571 heH1931 is nowH2009 on his wayH3318 to meet youH7122. When he sees youH7200, he will be gladH8055 in his heartH3820. 15You are to speakH1696 to himH413 and putH7760 the wordsH1697 in his mouthH6310. IH595 will helpH1961H5973 both of you to speakH6310H5973, and I will teachH3384 youH853 whatH834 to doH6213. 16HeH1931 will speakH1696 toH413 the peopleH5971 for you. HeH1931 will beH1961 your spokesmanH6310, and it will beH1961 as if you wereH859 GodH430 to him. 17ButH853 takeH3947 thisH2088 staffH4294 in your handH3027 soH834 you can performH6213 signs with itH226.”

Moses Leaves for Egypt

18Then MosesH4872 wentH1980 backH7725 toH413 his father-in-lawH2859 JethroH35004 and saidH559 to him, “PleaseH4994 let me returnH7725H1980 toH413 my brothersH251 in EgyptH4714 to seeH7200 if they are stillH5750 aliveH2416.”

“GoH1980 in peaceH7965,” Jethro repliedH559H3503H4872.

19Now the LORDH3068 had saidH559 toH413 MosesH4872 in MidianH4080, “GoH1980 backH7725 to EgyptH4714, forH3588 allH3605 the menH582 who soughtH1245 to kill youH5315 are deadH4191.” 20So MosesH4872 tookH3947 his wifeH802 and sonsH1121, put themH7392 onH5921 a donkeyH2543, and headed backH7725 to EgyptH776H4714. AndH4872 he tookH3947 the staffH4294 of GodH430 in his handH3027.

21The LORDH3068H413 instructedH559 MosesH4872, “When you goH1980 backH7725 to EgyptH4714, see thatH7200 you performH6213 beforeH6440 PharaohH6547 allH3605 the wondersH4159 thatH834 I have putH7760 within your powerH3027. But IH589 will hardenH23885 his heartH3820 so that he will notH3808 let the peopleH5971 goH7971.

22Then tellH559H413 PharaohH6547 that this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘IsraelH3478 is My firstbornH1060 sonH1121, 23and I told youH559H413 to let My sonH1121 goH7971 so that he may worship MeH5647. But since you have refusedH3985 to let him goH7971, beholdH2009, IH595 will killH2026 your firstbornH1060 sonH1121!’”

24Now at a lodging placeH4411 along the wayH1870, the LORDH1961H3068 metH6298 Moses6 and was aboutH1245 to kill himH4191. 25But ZipporahH6855 tookH3947 a flint knifeH6864, cut offH3772 her son’sH1121 foreskinH6190, and touched itH5060 to Moses’ feetH7272.7 “SurelyH3588 youH859 are a bridegroomH2860 of bloodH1818 to me,” she saidH559.

26So the LORD let him aloneH7503H4480. (WhenH227 she saidH559, “bridegroomH2860 of bloodH1818,” she was referring to the circumcisionH4139.)

The People Believe Moses and Aaron

27Meanwhile, the LORDH3068 had saidH559 toH413 AaronH175, “GoH1980 and meetH7122 MosesH4872 in the wildernessH4057.” So he wentH1980 and metH6298 Moses at the mountainH2022 of GodH430 and kissedH5401 him. 28And MosesH4872 toldH5046 AaronH175 everythingH3605H1697 the LORDH3068 had sent himH7971 to sayH853, and allH3605 the signsH226 He had commanded him to performH6680.

29Then MosesH4872 and AaronH175 wentH1980 and assembledH622 allH3605 the eldersH2205 of the IsraelitesH1121H3478, 30and AaronH175 relayedH1696 everythingH3605H1697H834 the LORDH3068 had saidH1696 toH413 MosesH4872.

And Moses performedH6213 the signsH226 beforeH5869 the peopleH5971, 31andH5971 they believedH539. And when they heardH8085 thatH3588 the LORDH3068 had attendedH6485 to the IsraelitesH1121H3478 andH3588 had seenH7200 their afflictionH6040, they bowed downH6915 and worshipedH7812.