Exodus 4:11-31 ▼

11 And the LORD {YHWH} said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, the sighted or the blind? Is it not I, the LORD?

12 Now go! I will help you as you speak, and I will teach you what to say.”

13 But Moses replied, “Please, Lord {Adonai}, send someone else.”

14 Then the anger of the LORD {YHWH} burned against Moses (drawn out), and He said, “Is not Aaron (light bringer) the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well, and he is now on his way to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

15 You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. I will help both of you⁺ to speak, and I will teach you⁺ what to do.

16 He will speak to the people for you. He will be your spokesman, and it will be as if you were God {Elohim} to him.

17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform signs with it.”

18 Then Moses (drawn out) went back to his father-in-law Jethro (Reuel) and said to him, “Please let me return to my brothers in Egypt (land of bondage) to see if they are still alive.” “Go in peace,” Jethro replied.

19 Now the LORD {YHWH} had said to Moses (drawn out) in Midian (strife), “Go back to Egypt (land of bondage), for all the men who sought to kill you are dead.”

20 So Moses (drawn out) took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to Egypt (land of bondage). And he took the staff of God {Elohim} in his hand.

21 The LORD {YHWH} instructed Moses (drawn out), “When you go back to Egypt (land of bondage), see that you perform before Pharaoh (great house) all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden (stiffen) his heart so that he will not let the people go.

22 Then tell Pharaoh that (great house) this is what the LORD {YHWH} says: ‘Israel (he wrestles with God) is My firstborn son,

23 and I told you to let My son go so that he may worship Me. But since you have refused to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son!’”

24 Now at a lodging place along the way, the LORD {YHWH} met Moses and was about to kill him.

25 But Zipporah (bird) took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched it to Moses’ feet [his feet]. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said.

26 So the LORD let him alone. (When she said, “bridegroom of blood,” she was referring to the circumcision.)

27 Meanwhile, the LORD {YHWH} had said to Aaron (light bringer), “Go and meet Moses (drawn out) in the wilderness.” So he went and met Moses at the mountain of God {Elohim} and kissed him.

28 And Moses (drawn out) told Aaron (light bringer) everything the LORD {YHWH} had sent him to say, and all the signs He had commanded him to perform.

29 Then Moses (drawn out) and Aaron (light bringer) went and assembled all the elders of the Israelites (God prevails),

30 and Aaron (light bringer) relayed everything the LORD {YHWH} had said to Moses (drawn out). And Moses performed the signs before the people,

31 and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD {YHWH} had attended to the Israelites (God prevails) and had seen their affliction, they bowed down and worshiped.