God’s Word Translation
Exodus 4:17
17Take that shepherd’s staff with you, and use it to do the miraculous signs.”
Exodus 4:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
- New International Version (NIV)But take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”
Context of Exodus 4:17
15You will speak to him and tell him what to say. I will help both of you speak, and I will teach you both what to do. 16Aaron will speak to the people for you. He will be your spokesman, and you will be like God. Take that shepherd’s staff with you, and use it to do the miraculous signs.” 18Then Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro. Moses said to him, “Please let me go back to my own people in Egypt. I would like to see if they’re still alive.” Jethro said to Moses, “You may go.” 19Now, the Lord had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, because all the men who wanted to kill you are dead.”
Read all of Exodus 4Exodus 4:17 word by word
וְאֶת־הַמַּטֶּ֥ה הַזֶּ֖ה תִּקַּ֣ח בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֶׂה־בּ֖וֹ אֶת־הָאֹתֹֽת׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 4:17
- Exodus 4:2Then the Lord asked him, “What’s that in your hand?” He answered, “A shepherd’s staff.”
- Exodus 7:9“When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Give me a sign to prove that God has sent you,’ tell Aaron, ‘Take your shepherd’s staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh,’ and it will become a large snake.”
- 1 Corinthians 1:27But God chose what the world considers nonsense to put wise people to shame. God chose what the world considers weak to put what is strong to shame.
Commentaries on Exodus 4:17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 17Thou shalt take this rod - From the story of Moses's rod the heathens have invented the fables of the thyrsus of Bacchus, and the caduceus of Mercury. Cicero reckons five Bacchuses, one of which, according to Orpheus, was born of the river Nile; but, according to the common opinion, he was born on the banks of that river. Bacchus is expressly said to have been exposed on the river Nile, hence he is called Nilus, both by Diodorus and Macrobius; and in the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-17Verses 10-17 Moses continued backward to the work God designed him for; there was much of cowardice, slothfulness, and unbelief in him. We must not judge of men by the readiness of their discourse. A great deal of wisdom and true worth may be with a slow tongue. God sometimes makes choice of those as his messengers, who have the least of the advantages of art or nature, that his grace in them may appear the more glorious. Christ's disciples were no…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 14-17God did not allow Moses to avoid his responsibility. However, he responded to the concern of Moses by appointing his brother Aaron to speak for him (14:16). Aaron would serve as the mouthpiece of Moses before Pharaoh and the people. As the story continues, the text records fewer occasions when Aaron speaks on behalf of Moses. Moses increasingly speaks directly. This suggests that the speaking difficulty of Moses may not have been as severe as he feared…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-311. But, behold--Hebrew, "If," "perhaps," "they will not believe me."--What evidence can I produce of my divine mission? There was still a want of full confidence, not in the character and divine power of his employer, but in His presence and power always accompanying him. He insinuated that his communication might be rejected and he himself treated as an impostor.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 4:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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