God’s Word Translation
Exodus 4:31
31and the people believed them. When they heard that the Lord was concerned about the people of Israel and that he had seen their misery, they knelt, bowing with their faces touching the ground.
Exodus 4:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the people believed: and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
- New International Version (NIV)and they believed. And when they heard that the Lord was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So the people believed; and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.
Context of Exodus 4:31
29Then Moses and Aaron went ⌞to Egypt⌟ and assembled all the leaders of the people of Israel. 30Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also did the miraculous signs for the people, and the people believed them. When they heard that the Lord was concerned about the people of Israel and that he had seen their misery, they knelt, bowing with their faces touching the ground.
Read all of Exodus 4Exodus 4:31 word by word
וַֽיַּאֲמֵ֖ן הָעָ֑ם וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֡וּ כִּֽי־פָקַ֨ד יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְכִ֤י רָאָה֙ אֶת־עָנְיָ֔ם וַֽיִּקְּד֖וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- believedאָמַן'âman · be faithfulH539
- and when they heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- that the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- had visitedפָּקַדpâqad · to reckon: visitH6485
- the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- and that he had lookedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- upon their afflictionעֳנִי‛ŏnîy · afflictionH6040
- then they bowed their headsקָדַדqâdad · to bowH6915
- and worshippedשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
Cross-references for Exodus 4:31
- Exodus 4:8⌞Then the Lord said,⌟ “If they won’t believe you or pay attention to the first miraculous sign, they may believe the second.
- Exodus 3:18“The leaders of Israel will listen to you. Then you and the leaders must go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God.’
- Psalms 106:12Then our ancestors believed what he said. They sang his praise.
- Luke 8:13Some people are like seeds on rocky soil. They welcome the word with joy whenever they hear it, but they don’t develop any roots. They believe for a while, but when their faith is tested, they abandon it.
- Exodus 3:16“Go, assemble the leaders of Israel. Say to them, ‘The Lord God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, appeared to me. He said, “I have paid close attention to you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt.
- Luke 1:68“Praise the Lord God of Israel! He has come to take care of his people and to set them free.
- Exodus 2:25God saw the Israelites ⌞being oppressed⌟ and was concerned about them.
- Exodus 3:7The Lord said, “I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt, and I have heard them crying out because of the slave drivers. I know how much they’re suffering.
- Exodus 12:27you must answer, ‘It’s the Passover sacrifice in the Lord’s honor. The Lord passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he killed the Egyptians.’ ” Then the people knelt, bowing with their faces touching the ground.
- Genesis 17:3Immediately, Abram bowed with his face touching the ground, and again God spoke to him,
- Genesis 24:26The man knelt, bowing to the Lord with his face touching the ground.
- 1 Chronicles 29:20Then David said to the whole assembly, “Praise the Lord your God!” So the whole assembly praised the Lord God of their ancestors and knelt in front of the Lord and the king.
- 2 Chronicles 20:18Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face touching the ground. Everyone from Judah and the people who lived in Jerusalem immediately bowed down in front of the Lord.
Commentaries on Exodus 4:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31The people believed - They credited the account given of the Divine appointment of Moses and Aaron to be their deliverers out of their bondage, the miracles wrought on the occasion confirming the testimony delivered by Aaron. They bowed their heads and worshipped - See a similar act mentioned, and in the same words, Genesis 24:26; (note). The bowing the head, etc., here, may probably refer to the eastern custom of bowing the head down to the knees, then…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 24-31Verses 24-31 God met Moses in anger. The Lord threatened him with death or sent sickness upon him, as the punishment of his having neglected to circumcise his son. When God discovers to us what is amiss in our lives, we must give all diligence to amend it speedily. This is the voice of every rod; it calls us to return to Him that smites us. God sent Aaron to meet Moses. The more they saw of God's bringing them together, the more pleasant their interview…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 31they believed: The initial response to the good news was one of faith and worship. Contrast the response of panic in 14:10–12, when they saw Pharaoh chasing them.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 29-3129-31. Moses and Aaron went--towards Egypt, Zipporah and her sons having been sent back. (Compare Ex 18:2). gathered ... all the elders--Aaron was spokesman, and Moses performed the appointed miracles--through which "the people" (that is, the elders) believed (1Ki 17:24; Jos 3:2) and received the joyful tidings of the errand on which Moses had come with devout thanksgiving. Formerly they had slighted the message and rejected the messenger. Formerly Moses…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 4:31
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
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