The Second Book of Moses, called Exodus
Exodus 4
Chapter IV · Vol. I, pp. 302–304
1 Moses' rod is turned into a serpent. 6 His hand is leprous. 10 He is loath to be sent. 14 Aaron is appointed to assist him. 18 Moses departeth from Jethro. 21 God's message to Pharaoh. 24 Zipporah circumciseth her son. 27 Aaron is sent to meet Moses. 31 The people believe them.
1 AND Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not a believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A b rod.
A.M. 2512. B.C. 1492.
b Ge. 30.37. ver. 20.
3 And he said, Cast it on the ground. And c he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent: and Moses fled from before it.8
c ver. 17; ch. 7.15.
8 Miracles were from the first the palpable evidences of a divine commission. Man had no means of directly testing the genuineness of the commission of prophet or apostle. He could not be expected to admit it without satisfactory evidence. Hence God, in gracious condescension to human weakness, gave to his servants divine power, the exercise of which was to be the visible evidence of their divine commission.—P.
4 And the LORD said unto Moses; d Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail.9 And he put forth his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
d Ge. 22.1. Ps. 91.13. Mar. 16.18.
9 The faith of Moses is tried and exemplified in this first act of obedience. To grasp the serpent by the neck would have been the dictate of human experience and wisdom, as even the lower animals that destroy serpents practise this method. But Moses obeys God without gainsaying, and though he fled on his own impulse, he fearlessly seizes it by the tail on God's authority.—Note, We are not to combat sin and Satan by our own wisdom and plan, but by God's revealed command.—C.
5 That e they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
e Jn. 20.27,31. 2 Ch. 20.20. ch. 3.18; 4.31. Is. 7.9.
6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was f leprous as snow.
f Nu. 12.10. 2 Ki. 5.27.
7 And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was g turned again as his other flesh.
8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the h voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
h ver. 30. Mi. 6.9. Ge. 9.13; 15.8; 24.14. Ju. 6.17,21,36-40; 7.11,13,14. 1 Sa. 10.2-7. 2 Sa. 5.24. 2 Ki. 13.17-19; 20.8-11. Is. 28.10.
9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs,1 neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become i blood upon the dry land.
1 These three signs are—1, A dead rod endowed with life. 2. A healthy living hand smitten with instantaneous disease. 3. Water, an essential to life and fertility, converted to blood, the emblem of death. The demonstration is complete. He that can give life to the dead, and that a new life it never before possessed—that can at his word inflict disease and death upon disobedience—must be God, the true and living God.—C.
i ch. 1.22; 7.19. Mat. 7.1,2. Ju. 1.7. Re. 13.10; 16.6.
10 And Moses said unto the LORD, O my Lord, I am not k eloquent, neither 2 heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow 3 tongue.
11 And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? l have not I the LORD?
A.M. 2512. B.C. 1492.
l Ge. 18.14. Am. 3.6. Is. 35.5,6. Ps. 94.9.
12 Now therefore go, and m I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
m Mat. 10.19,20. Mar. 13.11. Lu. 12.11. Is. 50.4; 49.2.
14 And the o anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can p speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
15 And thou shalt q speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be r with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
q ver. 16. 2 Sa. 14.3. Is. 50.4; 49.2; 51.16; 59.21.
r Mat. 10.19,20; 28.20. 1 Co. 11.23. Eze. 44.24. See ver. 12.
16 And he shall be thy s spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him t instead of God.
s ch. 7.1,2; ver. 28,30.
t ch. 22.28; 7.1. Jn. 10.34,35.
17 And thou shalt take this u rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.
u ver. 2-4,20,30. 1 Co. 1.27. ch. 7.9,12,19; 8.5,16; 9.23; 10.13,21; 14.16,21; 17.9.
18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said unto him; x Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, y Go in peace.
x ch. 20.12. 1 Ti. 6.1; 5.1, with ch. 2.16-22; 3.1.
y Ju. 18.6. 1 Sa. 1.17; 25.35; 29.7. 2 Sa. 15.9. 2 Ki. 5.19. Lu. 7.50. Ac. 16.36.
19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, z return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.
z Mat. 2.20. ch. 2.15,23.
20 And Moses a took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the b rod of God in his hand.
21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine c hand: but I will d harden his heart,4 that he shall not let the people go.
c Power by thy rod, ch. vii.-xiv.
d ch. 7.3; 9.12; 10.1; 14.8. De. 2.30. Ro. 9.18. Jos. 11.20. Is. 6.10; 63.17.
4 God's hardening of Pharaoh's heart has been a subject of much difficulty to some and of reproach to others. There is no room for either. The creditor who demands his own from a dishonest debtor can practically explain the meaning of the phrase. So long as he makes no demand the debtor seldom thinks of him; when he makes the first demand he thinks of him with aversion—an aversion increased by every repetition of his claim, and when that claim is enforced by the strong arm of the law, the heart of the unjust debtor is often hardened into determined hatred. But is this hardening any crime in the creditor? None. Who then shall charge Jehovah with being the author of sin when the hardening of Pharaoh's heart arose from the just demand that he would let his people go?—C.
23 And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will g slay thy son, even thy first-born.
24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD h met him, and sought to kill him.
h Nu. 22.22,31. Le. 10.3. Ge. 17.14. Am. 3.2. Ps. 99.8.
25 Then Zipporah took a i sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.5
i Jos. 5.2,3.
5 Whether this was said in anger, or for joy, that hereby her husband's life was saved, is uncertain.
26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the 6 circumcision.
6 By neglecting to circumcise his son Moses was, according to the divine law, guilty of a capital offence. Some judgment came upon him which endangered his life. He knew it came from God, and he knew its cause. Zipporah also knew it; and probably because it was on account of her objections that the rite had not been previously performed, she now on performing it uses the words here recorded. The word translated 'inn' signifies merely 'a resting' or 'stopping place for the night.'—P.
27 And the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the k mount of God, and l kissed him.7
k ch. 3.1. 1 Ki. 19.8. ch. 19.3; 20.18; 24.17.
7 It would seem that the divine message was communicated to Aaron in sufficient time to enable him to reach Mount Sinai before Moses set out on his journey to Egypt, seeing he met him 'in the mount of God.' The historian here goes back a little in the order of time to bring up another part of his narrative.—P.
28 And Moses m told Aaron all the words of the LORD, who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.
29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the n elders of the children of Israel.
n ch. 3.16; 18.12; 24.1,11.
30 And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and o did the signs in the sight of the people.
o ver. 2-9.
31 And the people p believed: and when they heard that the LORD had q visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they r bowed their heads and worshipped.
p Ps. 106.12. ch. 3.18. Jn. 2.23; 12.42. Mat. 13.20.
q ch. 3.7; 2.23-25. Is. 63.7.
r Ge. 24.26; 47.31. 2 Ch. 20.18. ch. 12.27.
Notes
Ver. 3, 4. This change of his rod signified that his ministry and miracles would be destructive as serpents to the Egyptians, but helpful and directive to the Hebrews. In like manner, his laws are to unbelievers a killing letter, a ministration of death, 2 Co. 2. 15, 16; 3. 6; but to believers a means of life, Gal. 3. 24.
Ver. 6, 7. This signified, that God, with the utmost ease and despatch, can change the form of our lot; and that it was by the power of God, not his own, that he wrought his miracles.
Ver. 9. This signified, that if the Hebrews should persist in their unbelief, God would bring upon them more fearful calamities.
Ver. 13. Send the Messiah himself, or some one duly qualified to deliver them.
Ver. 16. As thy spokesman he shall deliver thy message to Pharaoh and the Hebrews, while thou, in the name of God, shalt direct and enjoin him what to say.
Ver. 21. Wonders were put in Moses' hand, in his having power granted him of God to effect them by means of his rod or staff.—As hardness of heart is a sin, Pharaoh hardened his own heart, encouraging himself in his opposition to the command of God; but as it is a punishment of sin, men being free to choose what results in hardening or softening their heart, Ps. 147. 20; or they refuse the outward grace which would effectually soften it, or they give themselves up to their own lusts, and to the power of Satan and the world; by the agency of whom they become more and more blinded, stupified, and encouraged in their rebellion against God, 2 Th. 2. 10, 11; Ro. 11. 8, 10; 2 Co. 4. 3, 4; 2. 5, 16; 1 Ki. 22. 22; 1 Pe. 2. 8; Ro. 1. 28, 32.
Ver. 22. The Israelites were the first and only nation which God adopted into his family as his peculiar people, and heirs of a promised territory on earth.
Ver. 24. By some dangerous disease, or in some fearful form, God threatened to take away Moses' life for his neglecting to circumcise his younger son.
Ver. 25. Surely I have redeemed thy life, and, as it were, wedded thee anew to me in the bloody circumcision of my son.
Reflections.—Learn, my soul, never to be discouraged from present duty by former disappointments. God's promise is sufficient to balance all opposition. Let me accept of miracles recorded in God's word as the most convincing external proofs of a divine mission; and let me admire the kindness of God in so abundantly confirming the intimations of his will to mankind. Never should I excuse myself from the work to which God calls me, from any wickedness about others, or weakness in myself. God can make mountains his way, and qualify me as is necessary. Let me cheerfully connect the exercise of the gifts or graces which God hath given me in whatever order of precedence or subordination he pleaseth, employing them in the service he commands. But let no intended service of God render me undutiful to my relations; and, on the contrary, never let me fear men when I have a clear call from God to my work, and a promise of his presence to be with me in it. Meanwhile, let no distance from the public ordinances of God, and the fellowship of saints, cool my zeal for his worship. Never let fond indulgence of my earthly relations make me to neglect any part of God's institutions, or of my religious duty towards them; if I do so God will make me to smart for it in his time. Nay, it is better to part with relations for a time, than to have them an incumbrance to us in the service of God. Whatever knowledge, gifts, or grace God bestows upon me, it becomes me to improve them for the benefit of others, particularly of my fellow-labourers in the Lord; that with one mind, and one mouth, we may glorify God. But let my hopes never be too sanguine on the first promising appearances; for if grace do not really touch the heart, miracles themselves can produce but a temporary faith, a transient flash of religious affection.