Attesting Miracles
Exodus 4, verse 1. Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’” Exodus 4, verse 2. So the Lord said to him, “What is in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” Exodus 4, verse 3. Thus He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. Exodus 4, verse 4. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (so he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), Exodus 4, verse 5. “so they may believe the Lord God of their fathers—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—appeared to you.” Exodus 4, verse 6. Furthermore, the Lord said to him, “Now put your hand in your bosom.” So he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, it was leprous like snow. Exodus 4, verse 7. Again He said, “Put your hand in your bosom” (so he put his hand in his bosom again and then removed it; and it was restored to the complexion of his other flesh), Exodus 4, verse 8. “then it will be, if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, they may believe the message of the second. Exodus 4, verse 9. Then it shall be, if they do not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take water from the river and pour it on the dry land; and the water you take from the river will become blood on the dry land.” Exodus 4, verse 10. Then Moses said to the Lord, “I pray, O Lord, I am not capable, neither before nor since You spoke to Your servant; but I am weak in speech and slow of tongue.” Exodus 4, verse 11. So the Lord said to him, “Who made man's mouth? And who made the mute, the deaf, the seeing, and the blind? Did not I, God? Exodus 4, verse 12. Now therefore, go, and I will open your mouth and teach you what you shall say.” Exodus 4, verse 13. But he said, “I pray, O Lord, appoint another capable one whom You may send.” Exodus 4, verse 14. Then the Lord was very angry with Moses, and He said, “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know he will speak for you, and indeed, he will come out to meet you; and indeed, when he sees you, he will be glad in heart. Exodus 4, verse 15. Now you shall speak to him and put My words in his mouth, and I will open your mouth and his mouth; and I will teach you what you shall do. Exodus 4, verse 16. So he shall be your spokesman to the people, and he himself shall be your mouth; and you shall be to him as God. Exodus 4, verse 17. Now you shall take in your hand the rod that was turned into a serpent, with which you shall work miracles.”
Moses Returns to Egypt
Exodus 4, verse 18. So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “I will go and return to my brethren in Egypt and see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” Exodus 4, verse 19. Now in those days, after some time, the king of Egypt died. So the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.” Exodus 4, verse 20. Then Moses took his wife and sons and set them on beasts of burden; and he returned to the land of Egypt, and Moses took the rod of God in his hand. Exodus 4, verse 21. Again, the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you work before Pharaoh all the wonders I put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, and he will not let the people go. Exodus 4, verse 22. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My firstborn son. Exodus 4, verse 23. So I say to you, ‘Let My people go so they may serve Me.’ But if you refuse to let them go, indeed, I will kill your firstborn son.”’” Exodus 4, verse 24. Thus it came to pass on the way, at the inn, that the Angel of the Lord met him and sought to kill him. Exodus 4, verse 25. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son, and fell at His feet and said, “The flow of blood from my son's circumcision is stopped.” Exodus 4, verse 26. So He departed from him, because she said, “The flow of blood from my son's circumcision is stopped.” Exodus 4, verse 27. Now the Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the desert to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and they kissed one another. Exodus 4, verse 28. Then Moses reported to Aaron all the words of the Lord which He sent to him, and all the signs which He commanded him. Exodus 4, verse 29. Thus Moses and Aaron went and gathered together the elders of the children of Israel. Exodus 4, verse 30. Aaron then spoke all the words the Lord spoke to Moses, and he did the signs in the sight of the people. Exodus 4, verse 31. So the people believed and rejoiced because God had visited the children of Israel and because He had seen their affliction. Then the people bowed and worshiped.