Exodus 4 - Arno Geneva Study Bible

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

(a) God bears with Moses doubting, because he was not completely without faith.

(b) That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.

(b) This power to work miracles was to confirm his doctrine, and to assure him of his vocation.

And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the (c) water of the river, and pour [it] upon the dry [land]: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry [land].

(c) Because these three signs should be sufficient witnesses to prove that Moses should deliver God's people.

And he said, O my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand [of him whom] thou (d) wilt send.

(d) That is, the Messiah: or some other, that is more suitable than I.

And the (e) anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, [Is] not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

(e) Though we provoke God justly to anger, yet he will never reject his own.

And thou shalt speak unto him, and (f) put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.

(f) You will instruct him what to say.

And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, [even] he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of (g) God.

(g) Meaning, as a wise counsellor and full of God's spirit.

And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the (h) rod of God in his hand.

(h) By which he wrought the miracles.

And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will (i) harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

(i) By receiving my spirit and delivering him to Satan to increase his anger.

And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel [is] my son, [even] my (k) firstborn:

(k) Meaning, most dear to him.

And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and (l) sought to kill him.

(l) God punished him with sickness for neglecting his ordinances.

Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and (m) cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast [it] at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband [art] thou to me.

(m) This act was extraordinary: for Moses was very sick and God even then required it.

And the (n) people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

(n) So that Moses had experience of God's promise that he would have good success.