New King James Version

English Standard Version

1Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’ ”

1Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’”

2So the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.”

2The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.”

3And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it.

3And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it.

4Then the LORD 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),

4But the LORD said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff 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, has appeared to you.”

5“that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

6Furthermore the LORD said to him, “Now put your hand in your bosom.” And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow.

6Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow.

7And He said, “Put your hand in your bosom again.” So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh.

7Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.

8“Then it will be, if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, that they may believe the message of the latter sign.

8“If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign.

9And it shall be, if they do not believe even these two signs, or listen to your voice, that you shall take water from the river and pour it on the dry land. The water which you take from the river will become blood on the dry land.”

9If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”

10Then Moses said to the LORD, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

10But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”

11So 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?

11Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?

12Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”

12Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

13But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.”

13But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”

14So the anger of the LORD 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.

14Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

15Now 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.

15You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do.

16So 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.

16He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him.

17And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”

17And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”

18So 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.”

18Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”

19Now the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.”

19And the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.”

20Then 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.

20So 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.

21And the LORD 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.

21And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.

22Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.

22Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son,

23So 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.” ’ ”

23and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”

24And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the LORD met him and sought to kill him.

24At a lodging place on the way the LORD met him and sought to put him to death.

25Then 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!”

25Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!”

26So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision.

26So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.

27And the LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him.

27The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him.

28So Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him.

28And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with which he had sent him to speak, and all the signs that he had commanded him to do.

29Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.

29Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel.

30And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people.

30Aaron spoke all the words that the LORD had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people.

31So 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.

31And 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.

The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.