Exo 4:15-16 | NETfull | STEP | “So you are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And as for me, I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you both what you must do.

Exodus 4:15-16

15 “So you are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And as for me, I will be with your mouth ^{▼▼ Or “I will help you speak.” The independent pronoun puts emphasis (“as for me”) on the subject (“I”).} and with his mouth, ^{▼▼ Or “and will help him speak.”} and I will teach you both ^{▼▼ The word “both” is supplied to convey that this object (“you”) and the subject of the next verb (“you must do”) are plural in the Hebrew text, referring to Moses and Aaron. In 4:16 “you” returns to being singular in reference to Moses.} what you must do. ^{▼▼ The imperfect tense carries the obligatory nuance here as well. The relative pronoun with this verb forms a noun clause functioning as the direct object of “I will teach.”} 16 He ^{▼▼ The word “he” represents the Hebrew independent pronoun, which makes the subject emphatic.} will speak for you to the people, and it will be as if ^{▼▼ The phrase “as if” is supplied for clarity.} he ^{▼▼ Heb “and it will be [that] he, he will be to you for a mouth,” or more simply, “he will be your mouth.”} were your mouth ^{▼▼ Heb “he will be to you for a mouth.”} and as if you were his God. ^{▼▼ The phrase “as if” is supplied for clarity. The word “you” represents the Hebrew independent pronoun, which makes the subject emphatic.} ^{▼▼ Moses will be like God to Aaron, giving him the words to say, inspiring him as God would inspire a prophet. The whole process had now been removed one step. Instead of God speaking to Moses and Moses telling the people, Aaron would be the speaker for a while. But God was still going to work through Moses.}