Keraia
Exodus 4

Exodus 4:8

Moses’ Hand · Exodus 4:6–9
Read Exodus 4

Translations

Modern
And the LORD said, “If they refuse to believe you or heed the witness of the first sign, they may believe that of the second.
Traditional
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
Literal
“And it shall come to pass, if they will not give credence to you and they will not listen to the voice of the first sign, then they will give credence to the voice of the latter sign.
Latin
Si non crediderint, inquit, tibi, neque audierint sermonem signi prioris, credent verbo signi sequentis.

Original

Hebrew
English
And the LORD said, “If they refuse to believe you or heed the witness of the first sign, they may believe that of the second.

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.

Glossary

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

Topics

Call: To Special Religious Duty: Moses Communion: Moses Condescension of God: Reasons with Moses Israel: Moses Commissioned As the Deliverer Miracles: Design of Moses: His Rod Miraculously Turned Into a Serpent, and his Hand Was Made Leprous, and Then Restored Sign: Asked for By, and Given to Moses Token: Miracles of Moses, of the Divine Authority of his Missions