Exodus 4:1

Translations

Modern

Then Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to my voice? For they may say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’”

Traditional

And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.

Literal

And Moses answered and said, “And if they will not give credence to me and they will not listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘YHWH has not appeared to you.’”

Latin

Respondens Moyses ait: Non credent mihi, neque audient vocem meam, sed dicent: Non apparuit tibi Dominus.

Original

Hebrew

English

Then Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to my voice? For they may say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’”

Notes

Exodus 4:1–9

The third protest of Moses was that he did not have enough power. He felt unable to do what God asked him to do.

God answered by showing his own great power. He performed signs immediately. He turned the staff of Moses into a snake. He also caused a serious skin disease to appear and then disappear at once.

Exodus 3:11–4:17

Moses, in his response to God, presented four reasons why he was not the one to fulfill God’s call. Although each reason supposedly relates to Moses and his ability, God’s answers show that they were really questions about God.

Exodus 3:1–4:28

This section describes the mission God gave Moses to rescue the Israelites from Egyptian slavery. It is divided into two parts, 3:1–4:17 and 4:18–28.

The first part describes God's call. The second part describes the full consequences of accepting that call. Moses not only experienced a career change, but he also had to completely change his life.

Theme notes and profiles

Aaron Egypt Moses

Related verses

Exodus 3:18
The elders of Israel will listen to what you say, and you must go with them to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’
Exodus 4:31
…and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD had attended to the Israelites and had seen their affliction, they bowed down and worshiped.
Jeremiah 1:6
“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!”
Exodus 6:30
But in the LORD’s presence Moses replied, “Since I am unskilled in speech, why would Pharaoh listen to me?”
Exodus 2:14
But the man replied, “Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you planning to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses was afraid and thought, “This thing I have done has surely become known.”
Acts 7:25
He assumed his brothers would understand that God was using him to deliver them, but they did not.
Ezekiel 3:14
So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went in bitterness and in the anger of my spirit, with the strong hand of the LORD upon me.

People

Moses: Prophet who led Israel out of Egypt

Glossary

Aaron Book of Exodus Deuteronomy, Book of History of Israel Joshua, Book of Moses Prophecy Prophet, Prophetess Sign

Topics

Call: To Special Religious Duty: Moses Communion: Moses Despondency: when Sent on his Mission to the Israelites Doubting: Exemplified Excuses: General Scriptures Concerning Israel: Moses Commissioned As the Deliverer Miracles were Evidences of a Divine Commission Moses: His Rod Miraculously Turned Into a Serpent, and his Hand Was Made Leprous, and Then Restored Prophets: Extraordinary: Often Endued with Miraculous Power Rulers: Wicked: Pharaoh, Oppressing the Israelites Sign: Asked for By, and Given to Moses Token: Miracles of Moses, of the Divine Authority of his Missions Unbelief: General Scriptures Concerning

Exodus 4:1

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