Focused Passage

Exodus 4:18-23

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

18Then Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, “Please let me return to my brothers in Egypt to see if they are still alive.” “Go in peace,” Jethro replied.

19Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who sought to kill you are dead.”

20So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.

21The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.

22Then tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says: ‘Israel is My firstborn son,

23and I told you to let My son go so that he may worship Me. But since you have refused to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son!’”

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 18

Original words

Then Mosesמֹשֶׁ֜הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singularwentוַיֵּ֨לֶךְH1980Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularbackוַיָּ֣שָׁב׀H7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionhis father-in-lawחֹֽתְנ֗וֹH2859Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularJethroיֶ֣תֶרH3500Noun - proper - masculine singularand saidוַיֹּ֤אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularto himלוֹ֙Preposition | third person masculine singularPleaseנָּ֗אH4994Interjectionlet me returnוְאָשׁ֙וּבָה֙H7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular. . .אֵ֣לֲכָהH1980Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singulartoאֶל־H413Prepositionmy brothersאַחַ֣יH251Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common singular-אֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativein Egyptבְּמִצְרַ֔יִםH4714Preposition-b | Noun - proper - feminine singularto seeוְאֶרְאֶ֖הH7200Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singularif they are stillהַעוֹדָ֣םH5750Adverb | third person masculine pluralaliveחַיִּ֑יםH2416Adjective - masculine pluralGoלֵ֥ךְH1980Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularin peaceלְשָׁלֽוֹם׃H7965Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular[Jethro] repliedוַיֹּ֧אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular. . .יִתְר֛וֹH3503Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .לְמֹשֶׁ֖הH4872Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular

BSB notes

  • Moses’ father-in-law Jethro was also called Reuel; see Exodus 2:18.
Verse 19

Original words

Now the LORDיְהוָ֤הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularhad saidוַיֹּ֨אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singulartoאֶל־H413PrepositionMosesמֹשֶׁה֙H4872Noun - proper - masculine singularin Midianבְּמִדְיָ֔ןH4080Preposition-b | Noun - proper - masculine singularGoלֵ֖ךְH1980Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularbackשֻׁ֣בH7725Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularto Egyptמִצְרָ֑יִםH4714Noun - proper - feminine singularforכִּי־H3588Conjunctionallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe menהָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔יםH582Article | Noun - masculine pluralwho soughtהַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֖יםH1245Article | Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine plural-אֶת־H853Direct object markerto kill youנַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃H5315Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularare deadמֵ֙תוּ֙H4191Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Verse 20

Original words

So Mosesמֹשֶׁ֜הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markertookוַיִּקַּ֨חH3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularhis wifeאִשְׁתּ֣וֹH802Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular-וְאֶת־H853Conjunctive waw | Direct object markerand sonsבָּנָ֗יוH1121Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularput themוַיַּרְכִּבֵם֙H7392Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralonעַֽל־H5921Prepositiona donkeyהַחֲמֹ֔רH2543Article | Noun - masculine singularand headed backוַיָּ֖שָׁבH7725Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularvvvאַ֣רְצָהH776Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singularto Egyptמִצְרָ֑יִםH4714Noun - proper - feminine singularAnd [he]מֹשֶׁ֛הH4872Noun - proper - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markertookוַיִּקַּ֥חH3947Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularthe staffמַטֵּ֥הH4294Noun - masculine singular constructof Godהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםH430Article | Noun - masculine pluralin his handבְּיָדֽוֹ׃H3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Verse 21

Original words

The LORDיְהוָה֮H3068Noun - proper - masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413Prepositioninstructedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularMosesמֹשֶׁה֒H4872Noun - proper - masculine singularWhen you goבְּלֶכְתְּךָ֙H1980Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | second person masculine singularbackלָשׁ֣וּבH7725Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructto Egyptמִצְרַ֔יְמָהH4714Noun - proper - feminine singular | third person feminine singularsee thatרְאֵ֗הH7200Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularyou performוַעֲשִׂיתָ֖םH6213Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular | third person masculine pluralbeforeלִפְנֵ֣יH6440Preposition-l | Noun - common plural constructPharaohפַרְעֹ֑הH6547Noun - proper - masculine singularallכָּל־H3605Noun - masculine singular constructthe wondersהַמֹּֽפְתִים֙H4159Article | Noun - masculine pluralthatאֲשֶׁר־H834Pronoun - relativeI have putשַׂ֣מְתִּיH7760Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularwithin your powerבְיָדֶ֔ךָH3027Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine singularBut Iוַאֲנִי֙H589Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - first person common singularwill hardenאֲחַזֵּ֣קH2388Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerhis heartלִבּ֔וֹH3820Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singularso that he will notוְלֹ֥אH3808Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particlelet the peopleהָעָֽם׃H5971Article | Noun - masculine singulargoיְשַׁלַּ֖חH7971Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object marker

BSB notes

  • Or stiffen or strengthen
Verse 22

Original words

Then tellוְאָמַרְתָּ֖H559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular. . .אֶל־H413PrepositionPharaoh [that]פַּרְעֹ֑הH6547Noun - proper - masculine singularthis is whatכֹּ֚הH3541Adverbthe LORDיְהוָ֔הH3068Noun - proper - masculine singularsaysאָמַ֣רH559Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃H3478Noun - proper - masculine singularis My firstbornבְכֹרִ֖יH1060Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singularsonבְּנִ֥יH1121Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 23

Original words

and I told youוָאֹמַ֣רH559Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular. . .אֵלֶ֗יךָH413Preposition | second person masculine singularto let My sonבְּנִי֙H1121Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singulargoשַׁלַּ֤חH7971Verb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markerso that he may worship Meוְיַֽעַבְדֵ֔נִיH5647Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singularBut [since] you have refusedוַתְּמָאֵ֖ןH3985Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singularto let him goלְשַׁלְּח֑וֹH7971Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singularbeholdהִנֵּה֙H2009InterjectionIאָנֹכִ֣יH595Pronoun - first person common singularwill killהֹרֵ֔גH2026Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular-אֶת־H853Direct object markeryour firstbornבְּכֹרֶֽךָ׃H1060Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singularsonבִּנְךָ֖H1121Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular

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