Focused Passage

Exodus 4:10-17

Signs, Reluctance, Covenant Blood, and Return to Egypt

The LORD answers Moses' objections with signs and provision, sends him back to Egypt with Aaron, confronts covenant disobedience in Moses' household, and brings Israel's elders to believe and worship.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

10“Please, Lord,” Moses replied, “I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and tongue.”

11And the LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, the sighted or the blind? Is it not I, the LORD?

12Now go! I will help you as you speak, and I will teach you what to say.”

13But Moses replied, “Please, Lord, send someone else.”

14Then the anger of the LORD burned against Moses, and He said, “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well, and he is now on his way to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

15You are to speak to him and put the words in his mouth. I will help both of you to speak, and I will teach you what to do.

16He will speak to the people for you. He will be your spokesman, and it will be as if you were God to him.

17But take this staff in your hand so you can perform signs with it.”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 10

Original words

Pleaseבִּ֣יH994Preposition | first person common singularLordאֲדֹנָי֒H136Noun - proper - masculine singularMosesמֹשֶׁ֣הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singularrepliedוַיֹּ֨אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413Preposition. . .יְהוָה֮H3068Noun - proper - masculine singularIאָנֹ֗כִיH595Pronoun - first person common singularhave neverלֹא֩H3808Adverb - Negative particle. . .אִ֨ישׁH376Noun - masculine singular constructbeen eloquentדְּבָרִ֜יםH1697Noun - masculine pluralneitherגַּ֤םH1571Conjunctionin the pastמִתְּמוֹל֙H8543Preposition-m | Adverbגַּ֣םגַּ֣םH1571Conjunction-מִשִּׁלְשֹׁ֔םH8032Preposition-m | Adverbnorגַּ֛םH1571Conjunctionsinceמֵאָ֥זH227Preposition-m | AdverbYou have spokenדַּבֶּרְךָH1696Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionYour servantעַבְדֶּ֑ךָH5650Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularforכִּ֧יH3588ConjunctionIאָנֹֽכִי׃H595Pronoun - first person common singularam slowכְבַד־H3515Adjective - masculine singular constructof speechפֶּ֛הH6310Noun - masculine singularandוּכְבַ֥דH3515Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular constructtongueלָשׁ֖וֹןH3956Noun - common singular
Verse 11

Original words

And the LORDיְהוָ֜הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto himאֵלָ֗יוH413Preposition | third person masculine singularWhoמִ֣יH4310Interrogativegaveשָׂ֣םH7760Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularmanלָֽאָדָם֒H120Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singularhis mouthפֶּה֮H6310Noun - masculine singularOrא֚וֹH176Conjunctionwhoמִֽי־H4310Interrogativemakesיָשׂ֣וּםH7760Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularthe muteאִלֵּ֔םH483Adjective - masculine singularorא֣וֹH176Conjunctionthe deafחֵרֵ֔שׁH2795Adjective - masculine singular. . .א֥וֹH176Conjunctionthe sightedפִקֵּ֖חַH6493Adjective - masculine singularorא֣וֹH176Conjunctionthe blindעִוֵּ֑רH5787Adjective - masculine singularIs it notהֲלֹ֥אH3808Adverb - Negative particleIאָנֹכִ֖יH595Pronoun - first person common singularthe LORDיְהוָֽה׃H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

Nowוְעַתָּ֖הH6258Conjunctive waw | Adverbgoלֵ֑ךְH1980Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularIוְאָנֹכִי֙H595Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularwill help youאֶֽהְיֶ֣הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular. . .עִם־H5973Prepositionas you speakפִּ֔יךָH6310Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularand I will teach youוְהוֹרֵיתִ֖יךָH3384Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singularwhatאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeto sayתְּדַבֵּֽר׃H1696Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

But Moses repliedוַיֹּ֖אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularPleaseבִּ֣יH994Preposition | first person common singularLordאֲדֹנָ֑יH136Noun - proper - masculine singularsendשְֽׁלַֽח־H7971Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular. . .נָ֖אH4994Interjectionsomeone elseבְּיַד־H3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct. . .תִּשְׁלָֽח׃H7971Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Verse 14

Original words

Then the angerאַ֨ףH639Noun - masculine singular constructof the LORDיְהוָ֜הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularburnedוַיִּֽחַר־H2734Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularagainst Mosesבְּמֹשֶׁ֗הH4872Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularand He saidוַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularIs notהֲלֹ֨אH3808Adverb - Negative particleAaronאַהֲרֹ֤ןH175Noun - proper - masculine singularthe Leviteהַלֵּוִ֔יH3881Article | Noun - proper - masculine singularyour brotherאָחִ֙יךָ֙H251Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularI knowיָדַ֕עְתִּיH3045Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularthatכִּֽי־H3588Conjunctionheה֑וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularcan speak wellדַבֵּ֥רH1696Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute. . .יְדַבֵּ֖רH1696Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularandוְגַ֤םH1571Conjunctionheהוּא֙H1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularis nowהִנֵּה־H2009Interjectionon his wayיֹצֵ֣אH3318Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularto meet youלִקְרָאתֶ֔ךָH7122Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singularWhen he sees youוְרָאֲךָ֖H7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singularhe will be gladוְשָׂמַ֥חH8055Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularin his heartבְּלִבּֽוֹ׃H3820Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 15

Original words

You are to speakוְדִבַּרְתָּ֣H1696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularto himאֵלָ֔יוH413Preposition | third person masculine singularand putוְשַׂמְתָּ֥H7760Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularthe wordsהַדְּבָרִ֖יםH1697Article | Noun - masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerin his mouthבְּפִ֑יוH6310Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularIוְאָנֹכִ֗יH595Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularwill helpאֶֽהְיֶ֤הH1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular. . .עִם־H5973Prepositionboth of you to speakפִּ֙יךָ֙H6310Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular. . .וְעִם־H5973Conjunctive waw | Preposition. . .פִּ֔יהוּH6310Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularand I will teachוְהוֹרֵיתִ֣יH3384Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singularyouאֶתְכֶ֔םH853Direct object marker | second person masculine plural-אֵ֖תH853Direct object markerwhatאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeto doתַּעֲשֽׂוּן׃H6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Verse 16

Original words

Heה֥וּאH1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularwill speakוְדִבֶּר־H1696Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionthe peopleהָעָ֑םH5971Article | Noun - masculine singularfor youלְךָ֖Preposition | second person masculine singularHeהוּא֙H1931Pronoun - third person masculine singularwill beוְהָ֤יָהH1961Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singularיִֽהְיֶה־יִֽהְיֶה־H1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularyourלְּךָ֣Preposition | second person masculine singularspokesmanלְפֶ֔הH6310Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singularand it will beתִּֽהְיֶה־H1961Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularas if you wereוְאַתָּ֖הH859Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singularGodלֵֽאלֹהִֽים׃H430Preposition-l | Noun - masculine pluralto himלּ֥וֹPreposition | third person masculine singular
Verse 17

Original words

Butוְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markertakeתִּקַּ֣חH3947Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singularthisהַזֶּ֖הH2088Article | Pronoun - masculine singularstaffהַמַּטֶּ֥הH4294Article | Noun - masculine singularin your handבְּיָדֶ֑ךָH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularsoאֲשֶׁ֥רH834Pronoun - relativeyou can performתַּעֲשֶׂה־H6213Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markersigns with itהָאֹתֹֽת׃פH226Article | Noun - common plural

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.