Exodus 4:1-16

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.”

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.”

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.