Exo 4:24-26 | TNotes | STEP | Summary for Exod 4:24-26: 4:24-26 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 ), then the people would have been less inclined to follow God in a radically exclusive way.

a4:24-26►

bGen 17:10►

‏ Exodus 4:24-26

Summary for Exod 4:24-26: 4:24-26 ^a 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 ^b), then the people would have been less inclined to follow God in a radically exclusive way.
4:25 ^c 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.