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Exodus 1-4
Contemporary English Version
Exodus 1-4
Contemporary English Version
The People of Israel Suffer
1 1-5 (A) When Jacob went to Egypt, his son Joseph was already there. So Jacob took his eleven other sons and their families. They were: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. Altogether, Jacob had 70 children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren[a] who went with him.
6 After Joseph, his brothers, and everyone else in that generation had died, 7 (B) the people of Israel became so numerous that the whole region of Goshen was full of them.
8 (C) Many years later a new king came to power. He did not know what Joseph had done for Egypt, 9 and he told the Egyptians:
There are too many of those Israelites in our country, and they are becoming more powerful than we are. 10 (D) If we don't outsmart them, their families will keep growing larger. And if our country goes to war, they could easily fight on the side of our enemies and escape from Egypt.
11 The Egyptians put slave bosses in charge of the people of Israel and tried to wear them down with hard work. Those bosses forced them to build the cities of Pithom and Rameses,[b] where the king[c] could store his supplies. 12 But even though the Israelites were mistreated, their families grew larger, and they took over more land. Because of this, the Egyptians feared them worse than before 13 and made them work so hard 14 that their lives were miserable. The Egyptians were cruel to the people of Israel and forced them to make bricks and to mix mortar and to work in the fields.
15 Finally, the king called in Shiphrah and Puah, the two women who helped the Hebrew[d] mothers when they gave birth. 16 He told them, “If a Hebrew woman gives birth to a girl, let the child live. If the baby is a boy, kill him!”
17 But the two women were faithful to God and did not kill the boys, even though the king had told them to. 18 The king called them in again and asked, “Why are you letting those baby boys live?”
19 They answered, “Hebrew women have their babies much quicker than Egyptian women. By the time we arrive, their babies are already born.” 20-21 God was good to the two women because they truly respected him, and he blessed them with children of their own.
The Hebrews kept increasing 22 (E) until finally, the king gave a command to everyone in the nation, “As soon as a Hebrew boy is born, throw him into the Nile River! But you can let the girls live.”
Moses Is Born
2 A man from the Levi tribe married a woman from the same tribe, 2 (F) and she later had a baby boy. He was a beautiful child, and she kept him inside for three months. 3 But when she could no longer keep him hidden, she made a basket out of reeds and covered it with tar. She put him in the basket and placed it in the tall grass along the edge of the Nile River. 4 The baby's older sister[e] stood off at a distance to see what would happen to him.
5 About that time one of the king's[f] daughters came down to take a bath in the river, while her servant women walked along the river bank. She saw the basket in the tall grass and sent one of them to pull it out of the water. 6 When the king's daughter opened the basket, she saw the baby crying and felt sorry for him. She said, “This must be one of the Hebrew babies.”
7 At once the baby's older sister came up and asked, “Do you want me to get a Hebrew woman to take care of the baby for you?”
8 “Yes,” the king's daughter answered.
So the girl brought the baby's mother, 9 and the king's daughter told her, “Take care of this child, and I will pay you.”
The baby's mother carried him home and took care of him. 10 (G) And when he was old enough, she took him to the king's daughter, who adopted him. She named him Moses[g] because she said, “I pulled him out of the water.”
Moses Escapes from Egypt
11 (H)(I) After Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were hard at work, and he saw an Egyptian beating one of them. 12 Moses looked around to see if anyone was watching, then he killed the Egyptian and hid his body in the sand.
13 When Moses went out the next day, he saw two Hebrews fighting. So he went to the man who had started the fight and asked, “Why are you beating up one of your own people?”
14 The man answered, “Who put you in charge of us and made you our judge? Are you planning to kill me, just like you killed that Egyptian?”
This frightened Moses because he was sure that people must have found out what had happened. 15 (J) When the king[h] heard what Moses had done, he wanted to kill him. But Moses escaped and went to the land of Midian.
One day, when Moses was sitting by a well, 16 the seven daughters of Jethro, the priest of Midian,[i] came up to water their father's sheep and goats. 17 Some shepherds tried to chase them away, but Moses came to their rescue and watered their animals. 18 When Jethro's daughters returned home, their father asked, “Why have you come back so early today?”
19 They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds, and he even watered our sheep and goats.”
20 “Where is he?” Jethro asked. “Why did you leave him out there? Invite him to eat with us.”
21 Moses agreed to stay on with Jethro, who later let his daughter Zipporah marry Moses. 22 And when she had a son, Moses said, “I will name him Gershom,[j] since I am a foreigner in this country.”
23 After the death of the king of Egypt, the Israelites still complained because they were forced to be slaves. They cried out for help, 24 (K) and God heard their loud cries. He did not forget the promise he had made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, 25 and because he knew what was happening to his people, he felt sorry for them.
God Speaks to Moses
3 One day, Moses was taking care of the sheep and goats of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian, and Moses decided to lead them across the desert to Sinai,[k] the holy mountain. 2 (L) There an angel of the Lord appeared to him from a burning bush. Moses saw that the bush was on fire, but it was not burning up. 3 “This is strange!” he said to himself. “I'll go over and see why the bush isn't burning up.”
4 When the Lord saw Moses coming near, he called him by name from the bush, and Moses answered, “Here I am.”
5 God replied, “Don't come any closer. Take off your sandals—the ground where you are standing is holy. 6 I am the God who was worshiped by your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
Moses was afraid to look at God, and so he hid his face.
7 The Lord said:
I have seen how my people are suffering as slaves in Egypt, and I have heard them beg for my help because of the way they are being mistreated. I feel sorry for them, 8 and I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians.
I will bring my people out of Egypt into a country where there is a lot of good land, rich with milk and honey. I will give them the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. 9 My people have begged for my help, and I have seen how cruel the Egyptians are to them. 10 Now go to the king! I am sending you to lead my people out of his country.
11 But Moses said, “Who am I to go to the king and lead your people out of Egypt?”
12 God replied, “I will be with you. And you will know that I am the one who sent you, when you worship me on this mountain after you have led my people out of Egypt.”[l]
13 (M) Moses answered, “I will tell the people of Israel that the God their ancestors worshiped has sent me to them. But what should I say, if they ask me your name?”
14-15 (N) God said to Moses:
I am the eternal God. So tell them that the Lord,[m] whose name is “I Am,” has sent you. This is my name forever, and it is the name that people must use from now on.
16 Call together the leaders of Israel and tell them that the God who was worshiped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob has appeared to you. Tell them I have seen how terribly they are being treated in Egypt, 17 and I promise to lead them out of their troubles. I will give them a land rich with milk and honey, where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.
18 The leaders of Israel will listen to you. Then you must take them to the king of Egypt and say, “The Lord God of the Hebrews has appeared to us. Let us walk three days into the desert, where we can offer a sacrifice to him.” 19 But I know that the king of Egypt won't let you go unless something forces him to. 20 So I will use my mighty power to perform all kinds of miracles and strike down the Egyptians. Then the king will send you away.
21 (O)(P) After I punish the Egyptians, they will be so afraid of you that they will give you anything you want. You are my people, and I will let you take many things with you when you leave the land of Egypt. 22 Every Israelite woman will go to her Egyptian neighbors or to any Egyptian woman living with them and ask them for gold and silver jewelry and for their finest clothes. The Egyptians will give them to you, and you will put these fine things on your sons and daughters. Carry all this away when you leave Egypt.
The Lord Gives Great Power to Moses
4 Moses asked the Lord, “Suppose everyone refuses to listen to my message, and no one believes that you really appeared to me?”
2 The Lord answered, “What's that in your hand?”
“A walking stick,” Moses replied.
3 “Throw it down!” the Lord commanded. So Moses threw the stick on the ground. It immediately turned into a snake, and Moses jumped back.
4 “Pick it up by the tail!” the Lord told him. And when Moses did this, the snake turned back into a walking stick.
5 “Do this,” the Lord said, “and the Israelites will believe that you have seen me, the God who was worshiped by their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
6 Next, the Lord commanded Moses, “Put your hand inside your shirt.” Moses obeyed, and when he took it out, his hand had turned white as snow—like someone with leprosy.[n]
7 “Put your hand back inside your shirt,” the Lord told him. Moses did so, and when he took it out again, it was as healthy as the rest of his body.
8-9 Then the Lord said, “If no one believes either of these miracles, take some water from the Nile River and pour it on the ground. The water will immediately turn into blood.”
10 Moses replied, “I have never been a good speaker. I wasn't one before you spoke to me, and I'm not one now. I am slow at speaking, and I can never think of what to say.”
11 But the Lord answered, “Who makes people able to speak or makes them deaf or unable to speak? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Don't you know that I am the one who does these things? 12 Now go! When you speak, I will be with you and give you the words to say.”
13 Moses begged, “Lord, please send someone else to do it.”
14 The Lord became angry with Moses and said:
What about your brother Aaron, the Levite? I know he is a good speaker. He is already on his way here to visit you, and he will be happy to see you again. 15-16 Aaron will speak to the people for you, and you will be like me, telling Aaron what to say. I will be with both of you as you speak, and I will tell each of you what to do. 17 Now take this walking stick and use it to perform miracles.
Moses Returns to Egypt
18 Moses went to his father-in-law Jethro and asked, “Please let me return to Egypt to see if any of my people are still alive.”
“All right,” Jethro replied. “I hope all goes well.”
19 But even before this, the Lord had told Moses, “Leave the land of Midian and return to Egypt. Everyone who wanted to kill you is now dead.” 20 So Moses put his wife and sons on donkeys and headed for Egypt, holding the walking stick that had the power of God.
21 On the way the Lord said to Moses:
When you get to Egypt, go to the king and work the miracles I have shown you. But I will make him so stubborn that he will refuse to let my people go. 22 Then tell him that I have said, “Israel is my first-born son, 23 (Q) and I commanded you to release him, so he could worship me. But you refused, and now I will kill your first-born son.”
Zipporah's Son Is Circumcised
24 One night while Moses was in camp, the Lord was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah[o] circumcised her son with a flint knife. She touched his[p] legs with the skin she had cut off and said, “My dear son, this blood will protect you.”[q] 26 So the Lord did not harm Moses. Then Zipporah said, “Yes, my dear, you are safe because of this circumcision.”[r]
Aaron Is Sent To Meet Moses
27 The Lord sent Aaron to meet Moses in the desert. So Aaron met Moses at Mount Sinai[s] and greeted him with a kiss. 28 Moses told Aaron what God had sent him to say; he also told him about the miracles God had given him the power to perform.
29 Later they brought together the leaders of Israel, 30 and Aaron told them what the Lord had sent Moses to say. Then Moses worked the miracles for the people, 31 and everyone believed. They bowed down and worshiped the Lord because they knew that he had seen their suffering and was going to help them.
Footnotes
- 1.1-5 70 children … great-grandchildren: See Genesis 46.8-27.
- 1.11 Pithom and Rameses: This is the only mention of Pithom in the Bible; its exact location is unknown, though it was probably in the northern Delta of Egypt. Rameses is the famous Delta city that was the home of Rameses II; its exact location is also unknown.
- 1.11 the king: The Hebrew text has “Pharaoh,” a Hebrew word sometimes used for the title of the king of Egypt.
- 1.15 Hebrew: An earlier term for “Israelite.”
- 2.4 older sister: Miriam, the sister of Moses and Aaron.
- 2.5 the king's: See the note at 1.11.
- 2.10 Moses: In Hebrew “Moses” sounds like “pull out.”
- 2.15 the king: See the note at 1.11.
- 2.16 Jethro, the priest of Midian: Hebrew “the priest of Midian.” But see 3.1; 4.18; 18.1,2-4 where his name is given. In the Hebrew of verse 18 he is spoken of as “Reuel,” which may have been the name of the tribe to which Jethro belonged.
- 2.22 Gershom: In Hebrew “Gershom” sounds like “foreigner.”
- 3.1 Sinai: The Hebrew text has “Horeb,” another name for Sinai.
- 3.12 I will be with you … out of Egypt: Or “I will be with you. This bush is a sign that I am the one sending you, and it is a promise that you will worship me on this mountain after you have led my people out of Egypt.”
- 3.14,15 Lord: The Hebrew text has “Yahweh,” which is usually translated “Lord” in the CEV. Since it seems related to the word translated “I am,” it may mean “I am the one who is” or “I will be what I will be” or “I am the one who brings into being.”
- 4.6 leprosy: The word translated “leprosy” was used for many different kinds of skin diseases.
- 4.25 Zipporah: The wife of Moses (see 2.16-21).
- 4.25 his: Either Moses or the boy.
- 4.25 My dear son … you: Or “My dear husband, you are a man of blood” (meaning Moses).
- 4.26 you are … circumcision: Or “you are a man of blood.”
- 4.27 Mount Sinai: Hebrew “the mountain of God.”
Exodus 1-4
New International Version
Exodus 1-4
New International Version
The Israelites Oppressed
1 These are the names of the sons of Israel(A) who went to Egypt with Jacob, each with his family: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi and Judah; 3 Issachar, Zebulun and Benjamin; 4 Dan and Naphtali; Gad and Asher.(B) 5 The descendants of Jacob numbered seventy[a] in all;(C) Joseph was already in Egypt.
6 Now Joseph and all his brothers and all that generation died,(D) 7 but the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful; they multiplied greatly, increased in numbers(E) and became so numerous that the land was filled with them.
8 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.(F) 9 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous(G) for us.(H) 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly(I) with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”(J)
11 So they put slave masters(K) over them to oppress them with forced labor,(L) and they built Pithom and Rameses(M) as store cities(N) for Pharaoh. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites 13 and worked them ruthlessly.(O) 14 They made their lives bitter with harsh labor(P) in brick(Q) and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labor the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.(R)
15 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives,(S) whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, 16 “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.”(T) 17 The midwives, however, feared(U) God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do;(V) they let the boys live. 18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”
19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”(W)
20 So God was kind to the midwives(X) and the people increased and became even more numerous. 21 And because the midwives feared(Y) God, he gave them families(Z) of their own.
22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile,(AA) but let every girl live.”(AB)
The Birth of Moses
2 Now a man of the tribe of Levi(AC) married a Levite woman,(AD) 2 and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine(AE) child, she hid him for three months.(AF) 3 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus(AG) basket[b] for him and coated it with tar and pitch.(AH) Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds(AI) along the bank of the Nile. 4 His sister(AJ) stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
5 Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank.(AK) She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. 6 She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.
7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”
8 “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. 9 Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. 10 When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named(AL) him Moses,[c] saying, “I drew(AM) him out of the water.”
Moses Flees to Midian
11 One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people(AN) were and watched them at their hard labor.(AO) He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. 12 Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 13 The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, “Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?”(AP)
14 The man said, “Who made you ruler and judge over us?(AQ) Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “What I did must have become known.”
15 When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill(AR) Moses, but Moses fled(AS) from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian,(AT) where he sat down by a well. 16 Now a priest of Midian(AU) had seven daughters, and they came to draw water(AV) and fill the troughs(AW) to water their father’s flock. 17 Some shepherds came along and drove them away, but Moses got up and came to their rescue(AX) and watered their flock.(AY)
18 When the girls returned to Reuel(AZ) their father, he asked them, “Why have you returned so early today?”
19 They answered, “An Egyptian rescued us from the shepherds. He even drew water for us and watered the flock.”
20 “And where is he?” Reuel asked his daughters. “Why did you leave him? Invite him to have something to eat.”(BA)
21 Moses agreed to stay with the man, who gave his daughter Zipporah(BB) to Moses in marriage. 22 Zipporah gave birth to a son, and Moses named him Gershom,[d](BC) saying, “I have become a foreigner(BD) in a foreign land.”
23 During that long period,(BE) the king of Egypt died.(BF) The Israelites groaned in their slavery(BG) and cried out, and their cry(BH) for help because of their slavery went up to God. 24 God heard their groaning and he remembered(BI) his covenant(BJ) with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob. 25 So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned(BK) about them.
Moses and the Burning Bush
3 Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro(BL) his father-in-law, the priest of Midian,(BM) and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb,(BN) the mountain(BO) of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord(BP) appeared to him in flames of fire(BQ) from within a bush.(BR) Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. 3 So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”
4 When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called(BS) to him from within the bush,(BT) “Moses! Moses!”
And Moses said, “Here I am.”(BU)
5 “Do not come any closer,”(BV) God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”(BW) 6 Then he said, “I am the God of your father,[e] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”(BX) At this, Moses hid(BY) his face, because he was afraid to look at God.(BZ)
7 The Lord said, “I have indeed seen(CA) the misery(CB) of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned(CC) about their suffering.(CD) 8 So I have come down(CE) to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land,(CF) a land flowing with milk and honey(CG)—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites(CH) and Jebusites.(CI) 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing(CJ) them. 10 So now, go. I am sending(CK) you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”(CL)
11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I(CM) that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”
12 And God said, “I will be with you.(CN) And this will be the sign(CO) to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you[f] will worship God on this mountain.(CP)”
13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’(CQ) Then what shall I tell them?”
14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.[g] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am(CR) has sent me to you.’”
15 God also said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites, ‘The Lord,[h] the God of your fathers(CS)—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob(CT)—has sent me to you.’
16 “Go, assemble the elders(CW) of Israel and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers—the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob(CX)—appeared to me and said: I have watched over you and have seen(CY) what has been done to you in Egypt. 17 And I have promised to bring you up out of your misery in Egypt(CZ) into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—a land flowing with milk and honey.’(DA)
18 “The elders of Israel will listen(DB) to you. Then you and the elders are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews,(DC) has met(DD) with us. Let us take a three-day journey(DE) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices(DF) to the Lord our God.’ 19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand(DG) compels him. 20 So I will stretch out my hand(DH) and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders(DI) that I will perform among them. After that, he will let you go.(DJ)
21 “And I will make the Egyptians favorably disposed(DK) toward this people, so that when you leave you will not go empty-handed.(DL) 22 Every woman is to ask her neighbor and any woman living in her house for articles of silver(DM) and gold(DN) and for clothing, which you will put on your sons and daughters. And so you will plunder(DO) the Egyptians.”(DP)
Signs for Moses
4 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen(DQ) to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”
2 Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?”
“A staff,”(DR) he replied.
3 The Lord said, “Throw it on the ground.”
Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake,(DS) and he ran from it. 4 Then the Lord said to him, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail.” So Moses reached out and took hold of the snake and it turned back into a staff in his hand. 5 “This,” said the Lord, “is so that they may believe(DT) 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.”
6 Then the Lord said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous[i]—it had become as white as snow.(DU)
7 “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored,(DV) like the rest of his flesh.
8 Then the Lord said, “If they do not believe(DW) you or pay attention to the first sign,(DX) they may believe the second. 9 But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood(DY) on the ground.”
10 Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”(DZ)
11 The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute?(EA) Who gives them sight or makes them blind?(EB) Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now go;(EC) I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”(ED)
13 But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”(EE)
14 Then the Lord’s anger burned(EF) against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet(EG) you, and he will be glad to see you. 15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth;(EH) I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth(EI) and as if you were God to him.(EJ) 17 But take this staff(EK) in your hand(EL) so you can perform the signs(EM) with it.”
Moses Returns to Egypt
18 Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Let me return to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive.”
Jethro said, “Go, and I wish you well.”
19 Now the Lord had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill(EN) you are dead.(EO)” 20 So Moses took his wife and sons,(EP) put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff(EQ) of God in his hand.
21 The Lord said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders(ER) I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart(ES) so that he will not let the people go.(ET) 22 Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son,(EU) 23 and I told you, “Let my son go,(EV) so he may worship(EW) me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’”(EX)
24 At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses[j] and was about to kill(EY) him. 25 But Zipporah(EZ) took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin(FA) and touched Moses’ feet with it.[k] “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. 26 So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.)
27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he met Moses at the mountain(FB) of God and kissed(FC) him. 28 Then Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and also about all the signs he had commanded him to perform.
29 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders(FD) of the Israelites, 30 and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs(FE) before the people, 31 and they believed.(FF) And when they heard that the Lord was concerned(FG) about them and had seen their misery,(FH) they bowed down and worshiped.(FI)
Footnotes
- Exodus 1:5 Masoretic Text (see also Gen. 46:27); Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint (see also Acts 7:14 and note at Gen. 46:27) seventy-five
- Exodus 2:3 The Hebrew can also mean ark, as in Gen. 6:14.
- Exodus 2:10 Moses sounds like the Hebrew for draw out.
- Exodus 2:22 Gershom sounds like the Hebrew for a foreigner there.
- Exodus 3:6 Masoretic Text; Samaritan Pentateuch (see Acts 7:32) fathers
- Exodus 3:12 The Hebrew is plural.
- Exodus 3:14 Or I will be what I will be
- Exodus 3:15 The Hebrew for Lord sounds like and may be related to the Hebrew for I am in verse 14.
- Exodus 4:6 The Hebrew word for leprous was used for various diseases affecting the skin.
- Exodus 4:24 Hebrew him
- Exodus 4:25 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
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