Exodus 4

Moses answered, “But, behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice; for they will say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’”

The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.”

He said, “Throw it on the ground.” He threw it on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses ran away from it.

The LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand, and take it by the tail.” He stretched out his hand, and took hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand.

“This is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

The LORD said furthermore to him, “Now put your hand inside your cloak.” He put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow.

He said, “Put your hand inside your cloak again.” He put his hand inside his cloak again, and when he took it out of his cloak, behold, it had turned again as his other flesh.

“It will happen, if they will not believe you or listen to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

It will happen, if they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, that you shall take of the water of the river, and pour it on the dry land. The water which you take out of the river will become blood on the dry land.”

Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before now, nor since you have spoken to your servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.”

The LORD said to him, “Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes one mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Isn’t it I, the LORD?

Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak.”

Moses said, “Oh, Lord, please send someone else.”

The LORD’s anger burned against Moses, and he said, “What about Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Also, behold, he is coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

You shall speak to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with your mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do.

He will be your spokesman to the people. It will happen that he will be to you a mouth, and you will be to him as God.

You shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”

Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brothers who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”

The LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return into Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.”

Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. Moses took God’s rod in his hand.

The LORD said to Moses, “When you go back into Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your hand, but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.

You shall tell Pharaoh, ‘The LORD says, Israel is my son, my firstborn,

and I have said to you, “Let my son go, that he may serve me;” and you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”

On the way at a lodging place, the LORD met Moses and wanted to kill him.

Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me.”

So he let him alone. Then she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.

The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” He went, and met him on God’s mountain, and kissed him.

Moses told Aaron all the LORD’s words with which he had sent him, and all the signs with which he had instructed him.

Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.

Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.

The people believed, and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.

Chapter overviewAI-generated

Overview. This chapter records God’s commissioning of Moses as His messenger to Israel and Pharaoh, focusing on Moses’ hesitancy, God’s provision of signs and assistance, and the beginning of Moses’ return to Egypt. It shows how God assures His reluctant servant through visible confirmations of authority, delegates speaking responsibilities through Aaron, and underscores the sacred seriousness of the covenant relationship, all while advancing the redemptive plan announced to the patriarchs.

Flow.

God gives Moses three miraculous signs—the staff that becomes a snake, the leprous hand, and the water-turned-to-blood—to authenticate his divine commission and assure Israel of God’s presence (vv. 1–9).
Moses resists, citing his lack of eloquence; God responds by asserting His sovereignty over human speech and appoints Aaron as Moses’ spokesman, though Moses remains God’s chosen leader (vv. 10–17).
Moses departs Midian with his family, and God reiterates the message for Pharaoh: Israel is His firstborn son, and Pharaoh’s refusal will bring judgment (vv. 18–23).
At a lodging place, God seeks to kill Moses for failing to circumcise his son, but Zipporah’s swift action averts the danger, reaffirming the necessity of covenant faithfulness; then Moses is joined by Aaron (vv. 24–27), who helps deliver the message and signs to the elders (vv. 28–31).

Connections. Following chapter 3, where God calls Moses at the burning bush and reveals His name and redemptive purpose, chapter 4 implements that mission by equipping Moses for leadership and addressing his inadequacies. The signs and divine authority given here are essential for the confrontation with Pharaoh that chapter 5 takes up directly. The tension between divine sovereignty (hardening Pharaoh’s heart, WCF 3.7) and human responsibility (Moses’ failure with circumcision) sets the stage for the unfolding drama of obedience and judgment.

What it teaches. This chapter emphasizes that God equips those He calls, confirming His word with signs (WCF 1.5; HC LD 25) and using means—such as speech, family, and covenant marks—to fulfill His purposes. God’s rebuke of Moses for neglecting circumcision underscores the seriousness of the Abrahamic covenant (Gen. 17; WCF 7.1–2), a point vividly illustrated by divine judgment averted through atoning blood (cf. HC LD 27). God’s sovereignty in hardening Pharaoh’s heart (Ex. 4:21) displays His power in advancing redemption (CD 1.6; WCF 3.7), while His provision of Aaron demonstrates His willingness to supply help for human weakness (Heb. 4:16; WCF 18.4).

Apply. Trust that God, who calls and equips, uses imperfect people who rely on His Word and rest in covenant faithfulness.

AI-generated. Not a substitute for Scripture, your pastor, or the confessions.