Exodus 4
Summary for Exod 4:1-9: 4:1-9 a Moses’ third protest was that he lacked power. God answered in a very convincing demonstration of divine power by instantaneous creation of a snake and of a severe skin disease.4:3 b Across the ancient Near East, the snake was a symbol of both death and healing. The person who demonstrated power in these areas was powerful indeed.
4:6 c severe skin disease: The Hebrew word underlying this phrase has traditionally been translated “leprosy.” However, the symptoms of this condition as described in the Bible are not those of the disease we know as leprosy (Hansen’s disease). The biblical term seems to describe several kinds of highly contagious inflammations and skin lesions.
4:9 d As with the previous two signs, the fact that the water from the Nile will turn to blood also demonstrated God’s power over life and death.
Summary for Exod 4:10-17: 4:10-17 e Moses’ fourth and final protest was that he could not speak effectively. Moses was apparently grasping at straws in trying to escape this dangerous and unpleasant assignment, and God was becoming angry at Moses’ refusal to grasp the truth. The outcome did not depend on Moses’ ability, but upon his willingness to let God’s power operate through him.
4:11 f God created the organs of speech and has ordained every person’s particular abilities in this area. He is able to use what he has made and ordained.
4:13 g Having run out of protests, Moses simply asked to be excused.
Summary for Exod 4:14-17: 4:14-17 h God would not let Moses evade responsibility, but he would accommodate Moses’ concern by allowing Moses’ brother Aaron to become Moses’ mouthpiece (14:16 i). As the narrative unfolds, the text records fewer and fewer occasions of Aaron serving in this capacity. Moses’ speaking problem was perhaps not as serious as he made it out to be, or the problem began to dissipate as his experience increased.
4:18 j Moses was now eighty years old (see 7:7 k), but he was still formally subject to his father-in-law.
4:20 l he carried the staff of God: Whatever he may have said to Jethro, Moses was going to Egypt in obedience to God and in the expectation of being used by God (see 4:17 m).
Summary for Exod 4:21-23: 4:21-23 n These verses summarize the events of the next several chapters, beginning with the request to let the people go so that they could worship God (5:3 o) and concluding with the final plague, the death of the firstborn (11:4-6 p). God was preparing the rescuer for the difficult task ahead (see 11:9 q).
Summary for Exod 4:24-26: 4:24-26 r This incident is shrouded in mystery. That Zipporah responded immediately and circumcised her son suggests that she and Moses had discussed the possibility of doing so previously and had decided it was not necessary. Why would having an uncircumcised son lead to God’s intent to kill the rescuer he had carefully prepared and called? Perhaps if Moses had arrived in Egypt claiming to represent the God of the Israelites’ ancestors and yet had not done the one thing God had commanded of his followers to this point (Gen 17:10 s), then the people would have been less inclined to follow God in a radically exclusive way.
4:25 t a bridegroom of blood: The context suggests that this statement was part of the circumcision ritual of that time. Perhaps it reflects a practice among some Semites (as among certain African groups today) of performing circumcision when the child had attained puberty.
4:27 u Aaron’s coming to meet Moses is the first recorded confirmation of God’s promises (see 4:14 v).
• mountain of God: A reference to Mount Sinai.
Summary for Exod 4:29-5:23: 4:29–7:7 w In this section, the Lord offered to rescue the Israelites. The people initially gave a favorable response but ultimately faced a crisis of faith.
4:31 x the people of Israel were convinced: The initial response to the good news was one of faith and worship. Contrast the response of panic in 14:10-12 y, when they saw Pharaoh chasing them.
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