New English Translation
Exodus 4:2
2The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.”
Exodus 4:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
- New International Version (NIV)Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.
- English Standard Version (ESV)The Lord said to him, "What is that in your hand?" He said, "A staff."
- New King James Version (NKJV)So the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.”
Context of Exodus 4:2
1Moses answered again, “And if they do not believe me or pay attention to me, but say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you’?” The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 3The Lord said, “Throw it to the ground.” So he threw it to the ground, and it became a snake, and Moses ran from it. 4But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and grab it by the tail” – so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand –
Read all of Exodus 4Exodus 4:2 word by word
וַיֹּ֧אמֶר אֵלָ֛יו יְהוָ֖ה מַה־זֶּ֣ה בְיָדֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מַטֶּֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 4:2
- Exodus 4:17You will also take in your hand this staff, with which you will do the signs.”
- Genesis 30:37But Jacob took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond, and plane trees. He made white streaks by peeling them, making the white inner wood in the branches visible.
- Leviticus 27:32All the tithe of herd or flock, everything which passes under the rod, the tenth one will be holy to the Lord.
- Psalms 110:2The Lord extends your dominion from Zion. Rule in the midst of your enemies!
- Isaiah 11:4He will treat the poor fairly, and make right decisions for the downtrodden of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and order the wicked to be executed.
- Micah 7:14Shepherd your people with your shepherd’s rod, the flock that belongs to you, the one that lives alone in a thicket, in the midst of a pastureland. Allow them to graze in Bashan and Gilead, as they did in the old days.
Commentaries on Exodus 4:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2A rod - מתה matteh, a staff, probably his shepherd's crook; see Leviticus 27:32. As it was made the instrument of working many miracles, it was afterwards called the rod of God; see Exodus 4:20.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2A rod - The word seems to denote the long staff which on Egyptian monuments is borne by men in positions of authority. It was usually made of acacia wood.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. 22. the Lord said, ... What is that in thine hand?--The question was put not to elicit information which God required, but to draw the particular attention of Moses. A rod--probably the shepherd's crook--among the Arabs, a long staff, with a curved head, varying from three to six feet in length.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 4:2
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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