Exodus 4:1 Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘Yahweh has not appeared to you.’”
"Suppose they will not believe me — He means, they would not take his bare word, unless he showed them some sign. He remembered how they had once rejected him, and feared it would be so again.” (Benson Commentary)
Suppose they say, "The LORD hath not appeared..."
"It is very probable that the people would have said this if Moses had not had any credentials to produce. It is even possible that they did say it. There had been no appearance of Jehovah to any one for above four hundred years, and they might well think that the age of miracles was past. Miracles cluster around certain crises in God’s dealings with man, ceasing alto gether between one crisis and another. They were suspended for above 500 years between the time of Daniel and the appearance of the angel to Zacharias.” (Ellicott’s Commentary)
2 So Yahweh said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.”
"Probably this was his shepherd’s staff, for he was feeding his father-in-law’s flocks when God appeared to him.” (Benson Commentary)
3 And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. 4 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), 5 “that they may believe that Yahweh God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”
The Shepherd’s staff-- "It became a serpent- It was really changed into a serpent. There was a significancy in this sign: it intimated what and how pernicious his rod would be to the Egyptians. It became a rod in his hand — When stretched forth by the hand of Moses or Aaron, it became a token to Israel of guidance, encouragement, and protection; but to Egypt, like the bite of the most poisonous serpent, it betokened desolating judgments.” (Benson Commentary)
Jesus is referred to as a prophet like unto Moses. (Deut 18:15) "MOSES lived to be 120 years of age, and his life was divided into three periods of 40 years. The first 40 he spent as the son of Pharaoh's daughter in the Courts of Egypt. The second in the wilderness, at the foot of Horeb, as a shepherd, and the third 40 he reigned as king in Jeshurun, leading the Lord's people from Egypt to the borders of the promised land.” ( C. H. Spurgeon) Forty is a period of testing in the Bible. Jesus was tested for forty days in the wilderness-- tempted in all points as we are... and yet without sin. In Jesus, the King and Shepherd of Israel, we can say, “Yahweh is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of Yahweh forever.” (Psalm 23)
"The first object presented in this chapter is the mystic Rod, so often noticed in the sacred volume; the rod so often shook with terror against the Egyptians, and so often extended for the salvation and defense of Israel. It was undoubtedly figurative of the sceptre in the hand of Jesus Christ, by which he breaks his enemies, as a potter’s vessel is shivered with a rod of iron: but which he extends every moment as a pastoral crook for the safety and protection of his flock. And how happy are the people sheltered under his guardian care.” (Sutcliffe Commentary)
Exodus 4:6 And Yahweh said furthermore unto him, "Put now thine hand into thy bosom. " And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow. 7And he said, "Put thine hand into thy bosom again." And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh. 8 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.
"Did the Lord support and fortify Moses to enter on this arduous embassy, not only by a repetition of the promises, but by a double miracle? Then the weakest of his servants should not be afraid; he will qualify them for their work, support them in affliction, and enable them to accomplish the good pleasure of his will." (Sutcliffe Commentary)
"His hand was leprous as snow... The leprosy, at least among the Jews, was a most inveterate and contagious disorder, and deemed by them incurable. Among the heathens it was considered as inflicted by their gods, and it was supposed that they alone could remove it. It is certain that a similar belief prevailed among the Israelites; hence, when the king of Syria sent his general Naaman, to the king of Israel to cure him of his leprosy, he rent his clothes, saying, 'Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy?' 2 Kings 5:7. This appears, therefore, to be the reason why God chose this sign, as the instantaneous infliction and removal of this disease were demonstrations which all would allow of the sovereign power of God. We need, therefore, seek for no other reasons for this miracle: the sole reason is sufficiently obvious." (Clarke Commentary)
"This thou shalt do before them that they may believe. His hand was leprous as snow — For whiteness. This signified, that Moses, by the power of God, should bring sore diseases upon Egypt, that at his prayer they should be removed. And that whereas the Israelites in Egypt were become leprous, polluted by sin, and almost consumed by oppression, by being taken into the bosom of Moses they should be cleansed and cured." (Benson Commentary)
"When He was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped Him, saying, 'Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.' And Jesus put forth His hand, and touched Him, saying, 'I will; be thou clean.' And immediately his leprosy was cleansed." (Matthew 8:1-3) I'm just saying! If He does not heal us in this world, surely He will in the one to come, if we only believe.
Exodus 4:9 [The LORD said] "But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground."
Unlike the leoprocy, this sign was permanent, "Good, pure waters were made foul and bloody by the work of God and they did not turn back again." (David Guzik) To. israel, here, it is a limited sign. To Egypt, it will be an universal judgement.
"The Nile received divine honours as the source of every good and all prosperity in the natural life of Egypt... If Moses therefore had power to turn the life-distributing water of the Nile into blood, he must also have received power to destroy Pharaoh and his gods. Israel was to learn this from the sign, whilst Pharaoh and the Egyptians were afterwards to experience this might of Jehovah in the form of punishment (Exo 7:15.). Thus Moses as not only entrusted with the word of God, but also endowed with the power of God; and as he was the first God-sent prophet, so was he also the first worker of miracles, and in this capacity a type of the Apostle of our profession (Heb 3:1), even the God-man, Christ Jesus." (Keil and Delitzsh Commentary)
"The changing of the waters of the Nile into blood was, as seen later, the first of the ten plagues visited upon the land of Pharaoh. And, as it conspicuously appears throughout Exodus, we have throughout a prophetic preview of the great ministry of the Son of God himself. Jesus' first miracle at Cana in Galilee bore a startling resemblance to this, yet at the same time being infinitely superior to it. Jesus changed the water into wine, a miracle of benefit and blessing, whereas Moses' first miracle was one of judgment, punishment, and destruction." (Coffman Commentary)
Jesus said: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. " (Matthew 10:28)
Exodus 4:10 And Moses said unto Yahweh, O my Yahweh, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
Moses "was a great philosopher, statesman, and divine, and yet no orator; a man of a clear head, great thought, and solid judgment, but had not a voluble tongue, nor ready utterance; and therefore he thought himself unfit to speak before great men and about great affairs. Moses... [proved to be] mighty in word, (Acts 7:21,) [because he spoke the Word of God] and yet not eloquent..." (Benson Commentary) by nature.
"And Moses said, 'O my Lord.' The phrase used by Moses is full of force. It is 'vox dolentis et supplicantis' (Noldius). Joseph's brethren use it to the steward of Joseph's house, when they expect to be fallen upon and taken for bondsmen (Genesis 43:20); Judah used it (Genesis 44:18) when pleading with Joseph for Benjamin... There is a deprecatory idea in it, as well as a supplicatory one; an idea like that which Abraham expanded into the words, 'Oh! let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once' (Genesis 18:32)." ( Pulpit Commentary)
"Since thy appearance to me, thou hast made some change in my hand, but none in my tongue, but still I am, as I was, most unfit for so high an employment. But indeed he was therefore fit for it, as the unlearned apostles were for the preaching of the gospel, that the honour of their glorious works might be entirely given to God, and not to the instruments which he used." (Matthew Poole's Commentary)
11 So the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the Lord?
"As all the senses, and the perfection of them, are from him, so all the imperfections in them are according to his good pleasure; what he suffers to be, and can remedy when he thinks fit: it is he that gives the seeing eye and hearing ear, can and does make blind and deaf, that gives also the speaking mouth, and makes that dumb, and can open it again as he pleases! and what is it that he cannot do?" (Gill's Exposition)
12 “Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”
"By my Spirit to direct and assist thee what and how to speak. Whence Moses, though he still seems to have remained slow in speech, yet was in truth mighty in words as well as deeds, Acts 7:22. Compare Matthew 10:19,20." (Matthew Poole)
14 So the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart."
The anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses... Many contend that Yahweh God in His anger split the duties of prophet / priests. They feel that the tasks that He had intended to bestow on Moses alone were rather divided between him and Aaron. But I think that perhaps the meaning here is "Moses, if you would just let me finish!..." "Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well." One scholar says, "This translation is wrong. The two clauses form one sentence, and should be rendered, 'Do I not know that Aaron the Levite, thy brother, speaks well.' Aaron's designation as 'the Levites' is remarkable, and seems to glance at the future consecration of his tribe to God's especial service. Behold, he cometh forth to meet thee... He did not, however, start on the journey till God gave him a special direction (ver. 27)." (Pulpit Commentary) Aaron "cometh forth to meet thee, by my instigation and direction; which, because I see thou art still diffident, I give thee for a new sign to strengthen thy belief that I will carry thee through this hard work." (Matthew Poole)
15 “Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. 16 So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God.
I will give you the Words. And you will tell them to Aaron. And I will even be with you in the execution of this plan. Aaron "shall be thy spokesman.—Heb.,He shall speak for thee... It shall come to pass that he shall be..." (Ellicott), "your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be a mouth for you." "And you shall be to him as God. "God did not speak to Aaron directly, but only through Moses. Aaron was to recognise in Moses God’s mouthpiece, and to consider what Moses told him as coming from God. " (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers)
17 "And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”
"The staff or crook he carried as a shepherd, that he might not be ashamed of the mean condition out of which God called him. This rod must be his staff of authority, and must be to him instead of both sword and sceptre." (Benson Commentary)
Yahweh is my Shepherd, I shall not want… He leads me down paths of righteousness for His name sake… He restores my soul.
Exodus 4:18 So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”
19 Now Yahweh said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.”
We must remember that Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, is also an Hebrew... and a priest. And Moses has been under his tutelage for 40 years, as He has taught him the precepts of the faith. And thus, we can safely assume that no communications of Yahweh with His servant, Moses, would need to be hidden; and so Jethro is fully aware of prior revelations to Moses.
So, Moses requested from his spiritual leader to go for a visit only-- on a fact finding mission, to see if his brethren were yet alive... and then to return to the service of his father-in-law for a season in Midian. But then Yahweh appeared to him a second time with new information, saving him the effort of a trip. The all-kowing and all-powerful God tells him that the mission is on-- for the king who sought his life is dead! So, the permissive command, “Go in peace” of his spiritual advisor, now applies to His God given task of rescuing the children of Israel who were captive in Egypt.
20 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.
It is evident that Moses "intended to stay in Egypt, and that he believed that God would work deliverance by him.” (Gill's Exposition) Thus he set his wife and (now two) boys upon an ass. "Septuagint, ‘asses.’ Those animals are not now used in the desert of Sinai except by the Arabs for short distances.” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown) "... and he returned to the land of Egypt; And Moses took the rod of God in his hand: his shepherd's staff, so called, because God ordered him to take it; and besides, he had wrought signs and wonders by it already, and would do many more.” (Gill's Exposition)
21 And Yahweh said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.
Moses would do all the wonders before Pharaoh, but it would take the death of the firstborn of Egypt before Pharaoh would agree to release the children of Israel. "Sometimes, it says that God hardened the heart of Pharaoh (Exodus 4:21). Sometimes it says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exodus 8:15). Sometimes it says simply that Pharaoh's heart was hardened, without saying who did it (Exodus 7:13)…. Who really hardened Pharaoh's heart? We might say that it was both God and Pharaoh; but whenever God hardened Pharaoh's heart, He never did it against Pharaoh's will. Pharaoh never said, 'Oh, I want to do what is good and right and I want to bless these people of Israel’ and God answered, 'No, for I will harden your heart against them!' When God hardened, He allowed Pharaoh's heart... [and his eyes to see but then allowed him to do what he] wanted to do - God gave Pharaoh over to his sin (Romans 1:18-32)…. 'God does not harden men by putting evil into them, but by not giving them [a particular] mercy.' (Augustine)” (David Guzik)
The stage is set. In this particular narrative, Pharaoh would not allow them to leave, before the final act of the play.
22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.
"'Israel is my first-born…' This remarkable statement establishes the Old Israel as the type of the New Israel… All of the marvelous experiences of Israel throughout the Book of Exodus 'have counterparts in the experience of the children of God by faith in Jesus Christ’ (Gal 3:26)[J Orr].” (Coffman Commentary) Like unto Israel of old, believers in Jesus are the firstborn among their brethern.. and meant to testify to them, thus, delivering them from bondage to sin and death.
23 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.”’”
Will you get about the business of releasing Yahweh God's children from the corruption of sin and death. If not, He will likewise slay your spiritual offspring. You know that you are making disciples of your willful disobedience!?
"'I will slay thy son, thy first-born…’— the firstborn in each household, signifying the eldest, who—in Hebrew religion-- is being tutored to be responsible for the religion of the family, after the father's death.
"Visible here is the final and most devastating of the plagues visited upon Egypt. After such a blow, Pharaoh was willing indeed to let the people go” (Coffman Commentary) And there will be a final destruction of the wicked at the end of this age. But after this destruction, it will be too late to repent.
Morning Remix
Exodus 4:24 And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that Yahweh met him and sought to kill him.
Although Moses had found a wife from among a tribe of his own people and although his father-in-law was a priest of the Hebrew religion, it seems that Zipporah was not converted. Moses, it seems, had tried to convince her of the importance of circumcision in their religion, but she had resisted and opposed it. And thus far, that the duty had been left undone.
"The LORD met him — The Septuagint says, The angel of the LORD… [the same as had appeared to him is the burning bush]… This was a great change: very lately God was conversing with him as a friend, and is now coming forth against him as an enemy… The cause seems to have been Moses’s neglecting to circumcise his son… now God was offended with him for this neglect of duty, not only because Moses knew that no child could be admitted a member of the Israelitish community without circumcision, nor be entitled to the blessings of God’s covenant with Abraham’s seed, but also, because Moses’s example was of great consequence; for who would have regarded the law if the lawgiver himself had neglected it? As Moses was raised up for an extraordinary service, it was peculiarly proper that he should set an example of exact obedience in his own conduct. Hence he was thus sharply rebuked.” (Benson Commentary) If he had not obeyed, death was the eternal verdict.
"Above all, let every man be assured, that unless [his heart be circumcised and] he receive the Holy Spirit, the grand seal of the new covenant, he shall be cut off from the congregation of the Lord.” (Sutcliffe Commentary) Baptism is a similar rite of passage into the Church. It is an outward sign of an inward change. It can be carried out by the simplest believer, but many have neglected it.
"The rabbins make much ado in the illustration of this text. Moses had delayed the rite of circumcising Gershom, surnamed Eliezer, evidently because of family opposition. But now the mother performed the office to avert the impending stroke of death, reproaching Moses as a bloody husband. Christian, be aware, that circumcision of the heart is absolutely required, the mortification of all unlawful desires, else thy soul must die for sin. Nay more, as Moses did this on the day of his journey, so those desires must be suppressed in their first assaults.” (Sutcliffe Commentary)
25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” 26 So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision.
"A sharp stone.—On the use of stone knives by the Egyptian paraschistœ...They were regarded as more pure than metal knives. From Joshua 5:2 it would seem that stone knives were in the early ages commonly employed for circumcision by the Israelites.
At his feet.—Moses’ feet, undoubtedly. The action was petulant and reproachful. Zipporah regarded the bloody rites of her husband’s religion (though it was the real substance of her own religion) as cruel and barbarous, and cast the foreskin of her son at his feet, as though he were a Moloch requiring a bloody offering.
A bloody husband.—Heb., a husband of bloods A husband, i.e., who causes the blood of his children to be shed unnecessarily for some unintelligible reason.” (Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers)
Ours is a bloody religion.Talk of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved, it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18) God, for Christ's sake, does not require blood of us. We must simply believe and be baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. But perhaps a pastor tells you that to believe and be baptized is a religion of good works. They tell you that faith alone [plus nothing] is required. I ask you this question: have you read the Scriptures?-- particularly, the book of Acts? What saith Jesus on the matter-- Mark 16:15-16?
"Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?'
Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.'" (Acts 2:37-39)
"And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.'" (Mark 16:15-16)
Exodus 4:27 And Yahweh said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him. 28 So Moses told Aaron all the words of Yahweh who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him.
"Aaron was evidently in Egypt when God told him to meet Moses and directed him to Horeb (Exodus 4:27). Moses was apparently on his way from Midian back to Egypt when Aaron met him.” (Dr. Thomas Constable) The LORD said to Aaron... "By some secret but powerful movement on Aaron's mind, or by some voice or angelic ministry, he was now directed to go and meet his brother Moses; and so correctly was the information given to both, that they arrived at the same time on the sacred mountain…” (Clarke Commentary) -- the mountain of God – –Horeb, where He had first appeared to Moses, and where Moses and all the children of Israel would later come. Aaron kissed him. So Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him.
29 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. 30 And Aaron spoke all the words which Yahweh had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 So the people believed; and when they heard that Yahweh had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.
MOSES AND AARON WENT TO EGYPT.
It seems that Aaron spoke to the elders, but Moses did the miracles in the sight of all the people-- "turned the rod into a serpent, made the hand leprous, and changed the water into blood…” (Clarke Commentary) And they believed. "They believed that the God of their fathers had appeared to Moses and had sent him to lead them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land (Exodus 4:31; cf. Exodus 3:6 to Exodus 4:9).” (Dr. Thomas Constable)
"Formerly they had slighted the message and rejected the messenger. Formerly Moses had gone in his own strength; now he goes leaning on God, and strong only through faith in Him who had sent him. Israel also had been taught a useful lesson, and it was good for both that they had been afflicted.” (Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible)
THEY 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.” (Clarke Commentary) "When God works, every barrier must give way. Moses had said, 'the people will not believe me.' But the question was not, as to whether they would believe him, but whether they would believe God. When a man is enabled to view himself simply as the messenger of God, he may feel quite at ease as to the reception of his message. It does not detract, in the smallest degree, from his tender and affectionate solicitude, in reference to those whom he addresses. Quite the contrary; but it preserves him from that inordinate anxiety of spirit which can only tend to unfit him for calm, elevated, steady testimony. The messenger of God should ever remember whose message he bears… Thus should every messenger of God, in his measure, go forth, and, in this spirit, deliver his message.” (C. H. Mackintosh's Notes) THEY BOWED THEIR HEADS AND WORSHIPED. "Worship is an expression of faith” (Dr. Thomas Constable)