Exodus 4:19-31

Contemporary English Version

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 (A) 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^[a] circumcised her son with a flint knife. She touched his^[b] legs with the skin she had cut off and said, “My dear son, this blood will protect you.”^{[c] 26} So the Lord did not harm Moses. Then Zipporah said, “Yes, my dear, you are safe because of this circumcision.”^[d]

Aaron Is Sent To Meet Moses

²⁷ The Lord sent Aaron to meet Moses in the desert. So Aaron met Moses at Mount Sinai^[e] 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.