‏ Exodus 4

CHAPTER 4

The Rod of Moses

1[³answered ¹And ²Moses] and said, If then they should not believe me, nor listen to   my voice, for they shall say that [²did not ³appear ⁴to you   ¹God], what shall I say to them? 2[³said ¹And ⁴to him ²the lord], What is this the thing  in your hand?   And he said, A rod. 3And he said to him, Toss it upon the ground! And he tossed it upon the ground, and it became a serpent. And Moses fled from it. 4And the lord said to Moses, Stretch out the hand, and take hold of the tail! Stretching out then the hand, he took hold of the tail, and it became a rod in   his hand -- 5that they might trust you that there appeared to you the lord    God   of their fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. 6[³said ¹And ⁴to him ²the lord] again, Insert   your hand into   your bosom! And he inserted   his hand into   his bosom. And he brought it from out of   his bosom, and [²was   ¹his hand] leprous as snow. 7And [²said ³again ⁴to him ¹the lord], Insert   your hand into   your bosom! And he inserted the hand into   his bosom. And he brought it out of   his bosom, and again it was restored unto the complexion   of his flesh. 8And if they do not believe you, nor hearken to the voice of the [²sign   ¹first], they will believe you by the voice of the [²sign   ¹second]. 9And it will be if they do not believe you in  [²two ³signs ¹these], nor hearken to   your voice, you shall take from the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land. And [⁸will be   ³water ¹which ²ever ⁴you should take ⁵from ⁶the ⁷river] blood upon the dry land. 10[³said ¹And ²Moses] to the lord, I beseech, O lord, [²not ³fit ¹I am] before   yesterday nor before the third day, nor from which time  you began to speak   to your attendant, [³weak voiced ⁴and ⁵slow of tongue ¹for I ²am]. 11[³said ¹And ²the lord] to Moses, Who gave [²a mouth ¹man], and who made the hard of hearing and mute, the seeing, and blind? Was it not I the lord    God?

Aaron Speaks for Moses

12And now go! And I will open   your mouth, and I will instruct you what you will be about to speak. 13And Moses said, I beseech, O lord, to handpick another one able whom you shall send. 14And [²being enraged ³in anger ¹the lord] over Moses, said, Behold, is not Aaron   your brother, the Levite? I know that speaking, he will speak to you. And behold, he will come forth to meet you; and seeing you, he will rejoice in himself. 15And you will say to him, and you will put   my words into   his mouth. And I will open   your mouth and   his mouth, and I will instruct you what you shall do. 16And he shall speak the things  to the people, and he will be your mouth. But you will be to him the things  for   God. 17And   this rod, the one  turning into a serpent, you shall take in   your hand in which you will do by it the signs.

Moses Returns to Egypt

18[³went ¹And ²Moses], and he returned to Jethro   his father-in-law. And he says, I will go, and return to   my brethren, the ones  in Egypt, and I will see if they still live. And Jethro said to  Moses, Proceed, be in health! But after   [²days   ¹those many] [⁴came to an end ¹the ²king ³of Egypt]. 19[³said ¹And ²the lord] to Moses in the land of Midian, Proceed, go forth into Egypt! For have died all the ones  seeking your   life. 20[³took up ¹And ²Moses] his  wife and the male children, and he hauled them upon the beasts of burden, and turned to Egypt. [³took ¹And ²Moses] the rod, the one by   God in   his hand. 21[³said ¹And ²the lord] to Moses, In your going and returning unto Egypt, discover all the miracles which I have put in   your hand, to do them before Pharaoh. But I will harden his   heart, and no way shall he send out the people. 22But you will say   to Pharaoh, Thus says the lord -- son of my first-born, Israel. 23And I said to you, Send   my people! that they should serve me. If indeed then you should not be willing to send them, see then! I will kill   your son, the first-born! 24And it came to pass during the journey in the lodging, [³met ⁴him ¹an angel ²of the lord], and sought to kill him. 25And Zipporah, taking a small sharp stone, circumcised the foreskin   of her son. And she fell at   his feet, and said, [⁶is stopped ¹The ²blood ³of the ⁴circumcision   ⁵of my male child]. 26And [³went forth ⁴from ⁵him ¹the ²angel], for she said, [⁶is stopped ¹The ²blood ³of the ⁴circumcision   ⁵of my male child]. 27[³said ¹And ²the lord] to Aaron, Go to meet with Moses in the wilderness! And he went, and he met with him in the mountain   of God, and they kissed one another. 28And Moses announced   to Aaron all the words of the lord  which he sent to him, and all the signs which he gave charge to him. 29[⁵went ¹And ²Moses ³and ⁴Aaron], and brought together the council of elders of the sons of Israel. 30And Aaron spoke all the words which God spoke to Moses. And he did the signs before the people. 31And [³believed ¹the ²people], and rejoiced that God visited the sons of Israel, and that he saw their   affliction. And bowing, the people did obeisance.