New English Translation
Exodus 4:31
31and the people believed. When they heard that the Lord had attended to the Israelites and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed down close to 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 and brought together all the Israelite elders. 30Aaron spoke all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people, and the people believed. When they heard that the Lord had attended to the Israelites and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed down close to 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“If they do not believe you or pay attention to the former sign, then they may believe the latter sign.
- Exodus 3:18“The elders will listen to you, and then you and the elders of Israel must go to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. So now, let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.’
- Psalms 106:12They believed his promises; they sang praises to him.
- Luke 8:13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in a time of testing fall away.
- Exodus 3:16“Go and bring together the elders of Israel and tell them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, appeared to me – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – saying, “I have attended carefully to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt,
- Luke 1:68“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, because he has come to help and has redeemed his people.
- Exodus 2:25God saw the Israelites, and God understood….
- Exodus 3:7The Lord said, “I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt. I have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.
- Exodus 12:27then you will say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, when he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt, when he struck Egypt and delivered our households.’” The people bowed down low to the ground,
- Genesis 17:3Abram bowed down with his face to the ground, and God said to him,
- Genesis 24:26The man bowed his head and worshiped the Lord,
- 1 Chronicles 29:20David told the entire assembly: “Praise the Lord your God!” So the entire assembly praised the Lord God of their ancestors; they bowed down and stretched out flat on the ground before the Lord and the king.
- 2 Chronicles 20:18Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face toward the ground, and all the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem fell down before the Lord and worshiped him.
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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