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.”

11 And 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?

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

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

14 Then 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.

15 You 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.

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

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

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 10

Original words

Please בִּ֣י H994 Preposition | first person common singular Lord אֲדֹנָי֒ H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular Moses מֹשֶׁ֣ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular replied וַיֹּ֨אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . אֶל־ H413 Preposition . . . יְהוָה֮ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular I אָנֹ֗כִי H595 Pronoun - first person common singular have never לֹא֩ H3808 Adverb - Negative particle . . . אִ֨ישׁ H376 Noun - masculine singular construct been eloquent דְּבָרִ֜ים H1697 Noun - masculine plural neither גַּ֤ם H1571 Conjunction in the past מִתְּמוֹל֙ H8543 Preposition-m | Adverb גַּ֣ם גַּ֣ם H1571 Conjunction - מִשִּׁלְשֹׁ֔ם H8032 Preposition-m | Adverb nor גַּ֛ם H1571 Conjunction since מֵאָ֥ז H227 Preposition-m | Adverb You have spoken דַּבֶּרְךָ H1696 Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Your servant עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ H5650 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular for כִּ֧י H3588 Conjunction I אָנֹֽכִי׃ H595 Pronoun - first person common singular am slow כְבַד־ H3515 Adjective - masculine singular construct of speech פֶּ֛ה H6310 Noun - masculine singular and וּכְבַ֥ד H3515 Conjunctive waw | Adjective - masculine singular construct tongue לָשׁ֖וֹן H3956 Noun - common singular
Verse 11

Original words

And the LORD יְהוָ֜ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֨אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to him אֵלָ֗יו H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular Who מִ֣י H4310 Interrogative gave שָׂ֣ם H7760 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular man לָֽאָדָם֒ H120 Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular his mouth פֶּה֮ H6310 Noun - masculine singular Or א֚וֹ H176 Conjunction who מִֽי־ H4310 Interrogative makes יָשׂ֣וּם H7760 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular the mute אִלֵּ֔ם H483 Adjective - masculine singular or א֣וֹ H176 Conjunction the deaf חֵרֵ֔שׁ H2795 Adjective - masculine singular . . . א֥וֹ H176 Conjunction the sighted פִקֵּ֖חַ H6493 Adjective - masculine singular or א֣וֹ H176 Conjunction the blind עִוֵּ֑ר H5787 Adjective - masculine singular Is it not הֲלֹ֥א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle I אָנֹכִ֖י H595 Pronoun - first person common singular the LORD יְהוָֽה׃ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular
Verse 12

Original words

Now וְעַתָּ֖ה H6258 Conjunctive waw | Adverb go לֵ֑ךְ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular I וְאָנֹכִי֙ H595 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular will help you אֶֽהְיֶ֣ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular . . . עִם־ H5973 Preposition as you speak פִּ֔יךָ H6310 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular and I will teach you וְהוֹרֵיתִ֖יךָ H3384 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular | second person masculine singular what אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative to say תְּדַבֵּֽר׃ H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

But Moses replied וַיֹּ֖אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Please בִּ֣י H994 Preposition | first person common singular Lord אֲדֹנָ֑י H136 Noun - proper - masculine singular send שְֽׁלַֽח־ H7971 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular . . . נָ֖א H4994 Interjection someone else בְּיַד־ H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct . . . תִּשְׁלָֽח׃ H7971 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular
Verse 14

Original words

Then the anger אַ֨ף H639 Noun - masculine singular construct of the LORD יְהוָ֜ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular burned וַיִּֽחַר־ H2734 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular against Moses בְּמֹשֶׁ֗ה H4872 Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singular and He said וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Is not הֲלֹ֨א H3808 Adverb - Negative particle Aaron אַהֲרֹ֤ן H175 Noun - proper - masculine singular the Levite הַלֵּוִ֔י H3881 Article | Noun - proper - masculine singular your brother אָחִ֙יךָ֙ H251 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular I know יָדַ֕עְתִּי H3045 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular that כִּֽי־ H3588 Conjunction he ה֑וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular can speak well דַבֵּ֥ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Infinitive absolute . . . יְדַבֵּ֖ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular and וְגַ֤ם H1571 Conjunction he הוּא֙ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular is now הִנֵּה־ H2009 Interjection on his way יֹצֵ֣א H3318 Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular to meet you לִקְרָאתֶ֔ךָ H7122 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singular When he sees you וְרָאֲךָ֖ H7200 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular | second person masculine singular he will be glad וְשָׂמַ֥ח H8055 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular in his heart בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃ H3820 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 15

Original words

You are to speak וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular to him אֵלָ֔יו H413 Preposition | third person masculine singular and put וְשַׂמְתָּ֥ H7760 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular the words הַדְּבָרִ֖ים H1697 Article | Noun - masculine plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker in his mouth בְּפִ֑יו H6310 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular I וְאָנֹכִ֗י H595 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singular will help אֶֽהְיֶ֤ה H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular . . . עִם־ H5973 Preposition both of you to speak פִּ֙יךָ֙ H6310 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular . . . וְעִם־ H5973 Conjunctive waw | Preposition . . . פִּ֔יהוּ H6310 Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular and I will teach וְהוֹרֵיתִ֣י H3384 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular you אֶתְכֶ֔ם H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine plural - אֵ֖ת H853 Direct object marker what אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative to do תַּעֲשֽׂוּן׃ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun
Verse 16

Original words

He ה֥וּא H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular will speak וְדִבֶּר־ H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the people הָעָ֑ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular for you לְךָ֖ Preposition | second person masculine singular He הוּא֙ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular will be וְהָ֤יָה H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular יִֽהְיֶה־ יִֽהְיֶה־ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular your לְּךָ֣ Preposition | second person masculine singular spokesman לְפֶ֔ה H6310 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular and it will be תִּֽהְיֶה־ H1961 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular as if you were וְאַתָּ֖ה H859 Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singular God לֵֽאלֹהִֽים׃ H430 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine plural to him לּ֥וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular
Verse 17

Original words

But וְאֶת־ H853 Conjunctive waw | Direct object marker take תִּקַּ֣ח H3947 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular this הַזֶּ֖ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular staff הַמַּטֶּ֥ה H4294 Article | Noun - masculine singular in your hand בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ H3027 Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singular so אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative you can perform תַּעֲשֶׂה־ H6213 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker signs with it הָאֹתֹֽת׃פ H226 Article | 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.