The Staff And The Signs
Exodus 4:1–17 · World English Bible
Exodus 4:1Moses answered,
But, behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice; for they will say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’
Exodus 4:2The LORD said to him,
What is that in your hand?
He said,
A rod.
Exodus 4:3He said,
Throw it on the ground.
He threw it on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses ran away from it.
Exodus 4:4The 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.
Exodus 4:5This 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.
Exodus 4:6The 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.
Exodus 4:7He 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.
Exodus 4:8It 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.
Exodus 4:9It 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.”
Exodus 4:10Moses 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.
Exodus 4:11The 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?
Exodus 4:12Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak.”
Exodus 4:13Moses said,
Oh, Lord, please send someone else.
Exodus 4:14The 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.
Exodus 4:15You 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.
Exodus 4:16He 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.
Exodus 4:17You shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”