God’s Word Translation
Exodus 4:8
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 4:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
- New International Version (NIV)Then the Lord said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second.
- English Standard Version (ESV)"If they will not believe you," God said, "or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Then it will be, if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, that they may believe the message of the latter sign.
Context of Exodus 4:8
6The Lord said to him, “Put your hand inside your shirt.” So Moses did this, and when he took his hand out, it had a skin disease. It looked as ⌞flaky as⌟ snow. 7“Now put your hand back inside your shirt,” the Lord said. Moses put it back, and when he took it out this time, it was healthy again like the rest of his body. ⌞Then the Lord said,⌟ “If they won’t believe you or pay attention to the first miraculous sign, they may believe the second. 9But if they won’t believe these two miraculous signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile River and pour it on the ground. The water you take from the Nile will turn into blood on the ground.” 10Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I’m not a good speaker. I’ve never been a good speaker, and I’m not now, even though you’ve spoken to me. I speak slowly, and I become tongue-tied easily.”
Read all of Exodus 4Exodus 4:8 word by word
וְהָיָה֙ אִם־לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֣ינוּ לָ֔ךְ וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁמְע֔וּ לְקֹ֖ל הָאֹ֣ת הָרִאשׁ֑וֹן וְהֶֽאֱמִ֔ינוּ לְקֹ֖ל הָאֹ֥ת הָאַחֲרֽוֹן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it shall come to pass, if they will not believeאָמַן'âman · be faithfulH539
- thee, neither hearkenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- to the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: [sound of]H6963
- of the firstרִאשׁוֹןri'shôn ri'shôn · firstH7223
- signאוֹת'ôth · sign: miraculousH226
- the voiceקוֹלqôl qôl · voice: messageH6963
- of the latterאַחֲרוֹן'achăryôn 'achărôn · lastH314
Cross-references for Exodus 4:8
- Exodus 4:30Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also did the miraculous signs for the people,
- Isaiah 28:10They speak utter nonsense.
- John 12:37Although they had seen Jesus perform so many miracles, they wouldn’t believe in him.
- Deuteronomy 32:39See, I am the only God. There are no others. I kill, and I make alive. I wound, and I heal, and no one can rescue you from my power.
- 2 Kings 5:7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes ⌞in distress⌟. He asked, “Am I God? Can I kill someone and then bring him back to life? This man sends someone to me so that I can cure his skin disease! All of you should realize and understand that he’s trying to pick a fight with me.”
- Job 5:18God injures, but he bandages. He beats you up, but his hands make you well.
Commentaries on Exodus 4:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8If they will not believe - the voice of the first sign, etc. - Probably intimating that some would be more difficult to be persuaded than others: some would yield to the evidence of the first miracle; others would hesitate till they had seen the second; and others would not believe till they had seen the water of the Nile turned into blood, when poured upon the dry land; Exodus 4:9.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-9The third protest of Moses was that he did not have enough power. He felt unable to do what God asked him to do. God answered by showing his own great power. He performed signs immediately. He turned the staff of Moses into a snake. He also caused a serious skin disease to appear and then disappear at once.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 4:8
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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