Home› Bible› Exodus› Chapter 4

Exodus 4

KJ3 Literal Translation — Chapter 4 of 40

1 And Moses answered and said, And, behold, they will not believe me and will not listen to my voice. For they will say, Jehovah has not appeared to you.

2 And Jehovah said to him, What is this in your hand? And he said, A staff.

3 And He said, Throw it to the ground. And he threw it to the ground, and it became a snake. And Moses fled before it.

Read full chapter in the Bible Reader

Chapter Summary

1 Moses' rod is turned into a serpent. 6 His hand is leprous. 14 Aaron is appointed to assist him. 18 Moses departs from Jethro. 21 God's message to Pharaoh. 27 Aaron is sent to meet Moses.

Key Hebrew Words

אוֹת sign H226 · TWOT 41a
אָמַן believe H539 · TWOT 116
מַטֶּה staff, rod H4294 · TWOT 1352b
נָחָשׁ serpent, snake H5175 · TWOT 1347a
בְּכוֹר first-born H1060 · TWOT 244a
חָתָן bridegroom H2860 · TWOT 781c

People & Context

Moses

Called to return to Egypt; given signs of staff, leprous hand, and water-to-blood

Jehovah

God who commissions Moses, gives the signs, and appoints Aaron to speak

Aaron

Moses' brother the Levite, appointed as his mouth and sent to meet him in the wilderness

Zipporah

Moses' wife who circumcises their son, calling him a bridegroom of blood

Jethro

Moses' father-in-law who sends him back to Egypt in peace

Pharaoh

King of Egypt whose heart Jehovah will harden against releasing Israel

Timeline

Three Miraculous Signs

Moses expresses doubt. God provides three signs: his staff turning into a serpent, his hand becoming leprous then healed, and water from the Nile turning to blood.

Exodus 4:1-9
Aaron Appointed Spokesperson

Moses expresses inability to speak well. God, in anger, appoints Aaron, Moses' brother, to speak on his behalf.

Exodus 4:10-17
Moses Returns to Egypt

Moses departs from Jethro with his wife and sons, taking the 'staff of God.' On the way, Zipporah circumcises their son to save Moses' life.

Exodus 4:18-26

Read Exodus 4 in the KJ3 Reader

Word-for-word literal translation with Hebrew interlinear, Strong's numbers, and audio.

Open in Bible Reader
Exodus 3ExodusExodus 5