Exodus 4:20

Exodus 4:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
• New International Version (NIV)So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

Context of Exodus 4:20

18So Moses went back home to Jethro, his father-in-law. “Please let me return to my relatives in Egypt,” Moses said. “I don’t even know if they are still alive.” “Go in peace,” Jethro replied. 19Before Moses left Midian, the Lord said to him, “Return to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you have died.” So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to the land of Egypt. In his hand he carried the staff of God. 21And the Lord told Moses, “When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go. 22Then you will tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.

Exodus 4:20 word by word

וַיִּקַּ֨ח מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֗יו וַיַּרְכִּבֵם֙ עַֽל־הַחֲמֹ֔ר וַיָּ֖שָׁב אַ֣רְצָה מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־מַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• tookלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• his wifeאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
• and his sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• and setרָכַבrâkab · to rideH7392
• them upon an assחֲמוֹרchămôr chămôr · donkeyH2543
• and he returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
• to the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• the rodמַטֶּהmaţţeh maţţâh · tribe: rodH4294
• of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• in his handיָדyâd · handH3027

Cross-references for Exodus 4:20

• Exodus 4:2Then the Lord asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A shepherd’s staff,” Moses replied.
• Exodus 17:9Moses commanded Joshua, “Choose some men to go out and fight the army of Amalek for us. Tomorrow, I will stand at the top of the hill, holding the staff of God in my hand.”
• Numbers 20:8“You and Aaron must take the staff and assemble the entire community. As the people watch, speak to the rock over there, and it will pour out its water. You will provide enough water from the rock to satisfy the whole community and their livestock.”

Commentaries on Exodus 4:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20His wife and his sons - Both Gershom and Eliezer, though the birth of the latter has not yet been mentioned in the Hebrew text. See Clarke's note on Exodus 2:22. Set them upon an ass - The Septuagint reads the word in the plural, ̔, upon asses, as it certainly required more than one to carry Zipporah, Gershom, and Eliezer. The rod of God - The sign of sovereign power, by which he was to perform all his miracles; once the badge of his shepherd's office…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20An ass - Literally, “the ass,” which, according to Hebrew idiom, means that he set them upon asses. This is the first notice of other sons besides Gershom. The rod of God - The staff of Moses was consecrated by the miracle Exodus 4:2 and became “the rod of God.”Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-23Verses 18-23 After God had appeared in the bush, he often spake to Moses. Pharaoh had hardened his own heart against the groans and cries of the oppressed Israelites; and now God, in the way of righteous judgment, hardens his heart against the teaching of the miracles, and the terror of the plagues. But whether Pharaoh will hear, or whether he will forbear, Moses must tell him, Thus saith the Lord. He must demand a discharge for Israel, Let my son go; not…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20he took the staff of God: Whatever he may have said to Jethro, Moses was going to Egypt in obedience to God and in the expectation of being used by God (see 4:17).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2020. Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass--Septuagint, "asses." Those animals are not now used in the desert of Sinai except by the Arabs for short distances. returned--entered on his journey towards Egypt. he took the rod of God--so called from its being appropriated to His service, and because whatever miracles it might be employed in performing would be wrought not by its inherent properties, but by a divine power following on its…Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 4:20

• Moses

In the dictionaries

• Egypt
• God
• Moses
• Egypt, Egyptian
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Ass
• Bosom
• Dead
• Leprous
• Slow

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