1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
5 That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
6 And the LORD 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.
7 And 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.
9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.
10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, 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.
11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
13 And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16 And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
17 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.
20 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.
21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.
25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.
28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.
29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:
30 And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
31 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.
The fourth chapter of the book of Exodus in the King James Version (KJV) of the Holy Bible continues the story of Moses and his call to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. In this chapter, Moses is given signs and instructions from God to prove his authority and to prepare him for his role as a leader. The main themes of this chapter include obedience to God, faith, and the power of God to use ordinary people for extraordinary purposes. This chapter also reveals the character of God as a compassionate and patient God who is willing to work with His people despite their doubts and weaknesses.
The chapter opens with Moses expressing his doubts and fears about his ability to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. He questions God's choice and asks for a sign to prove his authority. God responds by turning Moses' staff into a serpent and back into a staff again. This sign is a symbol of the power and authority that God will give to Moses as he leads the Israelites out of Egypt.
However, Moses is still hesitant and asks for another sign. God instructs him to put his hand inside his cloak, and when he takes it out, it is leprous. Then, when he puts it back in, it is restored. This second sign represents the miraculous healing power of God and foreshadows the plagues that God will use to demonstrate His power to Pharaoh.
Despite these signs, Moses is still doubtful and expresses his fear that the Israelites will not believe him or listen to his message. In response, God gives Moses a third sign - turning water from the Nile into blood. This sign not only demonstrates God's power but also foreshadows the first plague that God will bring upon Egypt in order to free the Israelites.
Moses' doubts and fears continue as he argues with God about his ability to speak to the Israelites and to Pharaoh. He claims that he is not eloquent and that he is slow of speech and tongue. In response, God reassures Moses that He will be with him and will teach him what to say. God also reminds Moses that He is the one who gives people the ability to speak and to hear.
Despite these reassurances, Moses continues to resist his calling and asks God to send someone else in his place. This angers God, and He gives Moses a stern warning about the consequences of disobedience. However, in His compassion, God allows Moses to bring his brother Aaron along to help him speak to the Israelites and to Pharaoh.
After God addresses Moses' doubts and fears, the chapter shifts to Moses' return to Egypt. He takes his wife and children and sets out on a journey to Egypt. Along the way, God reminds him of the miracles He has given him to perform and reassures him of His presence and guidance.
When Moses arrives in Egypt, he meets with the elders of Israel and shows them the signs that God has given him. They believe and worship God, knowing that He has heard their cries for deliverance. Moses then goes to Pharaoh and delivers God's message to let His people go. However, Pharaoh refuses to listen and instead increases the workload of the Israelites.
Finally, in the last section of this chapter, God instructs Moses and Aaron on how to perform the first sign before Pharaoh - turning Aaron's staff into a serpent. This sign is a symbol of the power of God to overcome the power of Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt.
Exodus chapter 4 reveals important lessons about obedience, faith, and the character of God. Through Moses' doubts and objections, we see the struggle that many of us face when God calls us to do something that seems impossible or beyond our abilities. However, this chapter also shows us that God equips and prepares those whom He calls, and He is patient with our doubts and fears. He is a compassionate God who wants to work with us, even in our weaknesses.
Another important lesson from this chapter is the power of God to use ordinary people for extraordinary purposes. Moses was just an ordinary man, but God chose him and used him to deliver His people from slavery. This is a reminder that we do not have to be perfect or have special abilities to be used by God. He can use anyone who is willing to obey and follow Him.
Furthermore, this chapter highlights the importance of faith. Moses' doubts and fears were a result of his lack of faith in God's promises and power. However, as he continued to obey and trust in God, he was able to overcome his doubts and fulfill his calling. This is a powerful reminder that faith is essential in our walk with God and that He is faithful to fulfill His promises.
Lastly, this chapter reveals the character of God as a powerful and compassionate God who is willing to go to great lengths to deliver His people. He is a God of miracles and signs, and He uses these to demonstrate His power and to bring about His purposes. However, He is also patient and merciful, willing to work with His people despite their doubts and weaknesses. This chapter foreshadows the great deliverance that God will bring upon the Israelites and the world through His son, Jesus Christ.
Exodus chapter 4 continues the story of Moses and his call to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Through Moses' doubts and objections, we see the struggle that many of us face when God calls us to do something that seems impossible or beyond our abilities. However, this chapter also reveals important lessons about obedience, faith, and the character of God. It reminds us that God equips and prepares those whom He calls, and He is patient with our doubts and fears. He is a compassionate God who wants to work with us, even in our weaknesses. Furthermore, this chapter highlights the power of God to use ordinary people for extraordinary purposes and the importance of faith in our walk with Him. Ultimately, Exodus chapter 4 points us to the power and faithfulness of God to deliver His people and fulfill His promises.
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