Exodus Chapter 4
Moses’ Commission from God
A. God Gives Moses Signs to Confirm His Ministry
(Exodus 4:1)
Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’”
Moses’ question revealed his struggle with faith. It was not wrong for him to initially ask, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” as recorded in Exodus 3:11, since the task before him was monumental. However, God had already answered this concern by assuring him in Exodus 3:12, “I will certainly be with you.” After receiving that promise, Moses’ continued objections showed unbelief rather than a sincere desire for clarity. When Moses said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice,” he was effectively questioning God’s reliability, despite God’s earlier assurance in Exodus 3:18, “They will heed your voice.” In essence, Moses was saying, “What if You are wrong, God?”
It is good when a man has no confidence in his own flesh, yet it is dangerous when that humility turns into a lack of faith in God. In view of the burning bush, the audible voice of God, and the divine manifestation before him, Moses had no rightful place to introduce his doubts with the word “But.” As G. Campbell Morgan rightly observed, “We are ever prone, when God is calling us to some high service, to say ‘But,’ and this to introduce our statement of the difficulties as we see them.” Moses’ hesitation is a mirror for every believer who questions God’s calling because of perceived personal inadequacy rather than resting in divine sufficiency.
(Exodus 4:2–5)
So the LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.” And He said, “Cast it on the ground.” So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Reach out your hand and take it by the tail” (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand), that they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”
The Lord began His instruction with a simple question: “What is that in your hand?” This inquiry reveals a profound principle of divine service—God delights in using what is already within our grasp. Moses’ years as a shepherd in the wilderness had not been wasted; they had prepared him by placing a shepherd’s staff in his hand, an object that would now become the instrument of divine power. God did not use the royal scepter Moses once held in Pharaoh’s palace, but rather the humble rod that symbolized his servanthood.
Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly uses what His servants already possess. He used the ox goad in the hand of Shamgar (Judges 3:31), the sling and stone in the hand of David (1 Samuel 17:49), the jawbone of a donkey in Samson’s hand (Judges 15:15), and the five loaves and two fish in the hands of a young boy (John 6:9). In each case, the instrument itself held no power, but when placed in God’s control, it became an extension of His might.
When Moses obeyed and cast the rod to the ground, it became a serpent—so real and terrifying that he fled from it. This was no illusion. The transformation revealed that what was once ordinary could become living and active in God’s hands. Then, when commanded to take it by the tail, Moses demonstrated faith by obeying, even though the tail is the most dangerous place to grasp a serpent. In doing so, Moses learned an essential lesson: obedience to God’s command must not depend on comfort or logic. True faith acts even when the situation appears risky or irrational.
Finally, God declared the purpose of this sign: “That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” The miracle was not merely for Moses’ reassurance but to authenticate his divine commission before the Israelites. The rod—soon to be called the rod of God (Exodus 4:20; 17:9)—would become the visible instrument through which God’s power would repeatedly manifest, parting the Red Sea, striking the rock for water, and leading Israel to victory in battle.
(Exodus 4:6–9)
Furthermore the LORD said to him, “Now put your hand in your bosom.” And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow. And He said, “Put your hand in your bosom again.” So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh. Then it will be, if they do not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, that they may believe the message of the latter sign. And it shall be, if they do not believe even these two signs, or listen to your voice, that you shall take water from the river and pour it on the dry land. And the water which you take from the river will become blood on the dry land.”
The second and third signs given to Moses by God revealed divine authority through transformation and judgment. In the first of these, the Lord commanded Moses to place his hand into his bosom. When he obeyed, his hand became leprous—white as snow. When God told him to do so again, his hand was restored to normal flesh. This miracle symbolized God’s sovereign power to bring both affliction and healing, corruption and cleansing. It also served as a personal lesson for Moses, reminding him that the same God who could transform a rod into a serpent could also transform the human body itself.
The act of the hand turning leprous and being restored carried profound spiritual meaning. Leprosy in Scripture often symbolizes sin and defilement. Here, God showed Moses that He alone can make what is unclean clean again. The transformation of the healthy hand into leprosy and back into wholeness reflected not only divine power but also divine mercy. Just as Moses’ hand was healed, so too could Israel be restored if they trusted and obeyed the Lord.
Each of the first two signs involved transformation: something good and useful was made corrupt and then purified again. The first—the rod—was transformed from a symbol of authority into a serpent, representing evil and danger, and then back into a rod again. The second—the hand—was transformed from health to disease and back to life. Both signs communicated critical truths directly to Moses before they ever spoke to others. The first said, “Moses, if you obey Me, your enemies will be rendered powerless.” The second said, “Moses, if you obey Me, your pollution will be made pure.” God was teaching His servant that divine obedience brings both victory and cleansing, preparing him for the great leadership role ahead.
The text adds, “The Hebrew word for leprosy covered a number of assorted diseases much as our word ‘cancer’ currently does.” (Kaiser) This indicates that the condition described may not have been modern leprosy (Hansen’s disease) but a range of severe skin afflictions that signified uncleanness and separation from the community.
The third sign introduced a different lesson. God told Moses that if Israel did not believe even after the first two signs, he was to take water from the Nile River and pour it upon the dry ground, and it would become blood. Unlike the first two signs, this miracle of judgment did not include restoration—the water would remain blood. The Nile represented Egypt’s life source, fertility, and strength. Turning it into blood foreshadowed the first of the Ten Plagues and symbolized the defilement of what the world relies on for life. It also warned that persistent unbelief would bring not transformation, but condemnation.
This third sign revealed God’s justice: if mercy and transformation would not move the hearts of the people, perhaps judgment would. Yet, the Lord only resorted to this act of wrath “if they do not believe even these two signs, or listen to your voice.” It underscored the longsuffering patience of God, who gives multiple opportunities for repentance before unleashing judgment.
(Exodus 4:10)
Then Moses said to the LORD, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
After witnessing these miraculous signs, Moses still hesitated. His next excuse was personal inadequacy. He said, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent… I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” Despite having seen God’s power over creation, life, and judgment, Moses now focused on his perceived weakness. The phrase “slow of speech” literally means “heavy of mouth,” a Hebrew idiom indicating difficulty in fluent expression.
However, this claim appears exaggerated. Scripture reveals that Moses was once powerful in speech and learning. Acts 7:22 states, “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and deeds.” Clearly, during his time in Pharaoh’s court, he had been trained in oratory and diplomacy. What had changed was not his physical ability, but his confidence. After forty years in Midian tending sheep, his self-assurance had evaporated. What had once been self-confidence had become self-doubt.
This loss of confidence was not entirely negative. God could not use Moses as the self-reliant prince of Egypt; He needed the humble shepherd who would rely wholly on divine strength. Moses’ years in the wilderness stripped him of pride, but now God had to replace that humility with faith. His problem was not a speech impediment, but spiritual hesitation—a failure to believe that God could speak through him.
Kaiser insightfully notes, “Thus Moses’ complaint was not in defective articulation, but in his inability to take command of Hebrew and Egyptian (cf. Ezekiel 3:5, where ‘heavy of tongue’ = difficulty with a foreign language…).” Having spent forty years in Midian, Moses was likely rusty in the languages of his people and the court, but that did not hinder God’s plan. God does not depend on human eloquence to accomplish His purposes; He depends on obedience.
(Exodus 4:11–12)
So the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD? Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”
When Moses claimed that he could not speak well, God responded by reminding him of divine sovereignty and providence. The Lord’s question, “Who has made man’s mouth?” exposes the futility of Moses’ excuse. The Creator of every tongue and every vocal cord was standing before him. Whether one’s speech is eloquent or halting, the capacity to speak ultimately belongs to God. The same divine power that created Moses’ mouth could also empower it for His purpose.
The statement “Who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?” is among the most direct affirmations of God’s sovereignty over human conditions. It emphasizes that all human faculties, limitations, and circumstances are under God’s command. This was not a philosophical statement about the origin of evil but an invitation to trust in the Creator’s authority. God was saying, in effect, “Moses, I know every limitation you think you have, and I am the One who formed them. Trust Me, and I will work through them.”
There is no fatalism in God’s words. He was not saying that human inability renders obedience pointless, but that His omnipotence renders it possible. It is never “God is so mighty we cannot act,” but always “God is so mighty He can act through us if we yield to Him.” God’s answer to Moses’ fear of inadequacy was not self-improvement, but divine partnership: “Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say.”
This assurance parallels God’s promises throughout Scripture. To Jeremiah, who said, “Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth,” God replied, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth,’ for you shall go to all to whom I send you… For I am with you to deliver you,” (Jeremiah 1:6–8). God often chooses those who feel least capable to demonstrate that the sufficiency is His, not theirs. Thus, Moses’ perceived weakness was actually an opportunity for God’s power to be displayed.
If Moses truly had a speech problem, this was no surprise to God. The omniscient Creator did not forget whom He was commissioning. As with all servants of God, the issue was not ability but obedience. When God calls, He equips; when He sends, He sustains. His words, “I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say,” echo the eternal principle that God’s presence overcomes every human deficiency.
(Exodus 4:13–17)
But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and He said: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And look, he is also coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God. And you shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”
With this plea, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send,” Moses dropped all pretense of humility and exposed the true issue: unwillingness. Up to this point, his objections—fear of rejection, lack of eloquence, self-doubt—had been cloaked as humility. Now he simply confessed that he did not want the responsibility. The problem was not inability but reluctance. As Benjamin Franklin aptly stated, “It’s common for men to give pretended reasons instead of one real one.”
This was the breaking point for God’s patience. The text says, “So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses.” The Lord had not been angry when Moses asked, “Who am I?” (Exodus 3:11), nor when he questioned, “Who should I say sent me?” (Exodus 3:13). Even when Moses doubted in Exodus 4:1, or minimized his own eloquence in Exodus 4:10, God was patient. But now, Moses’ outright refusal provoked divine anger because it was no longer about fear—it was rebellion against God’s command.
The Lord’s response included both rebuke and accommodation. God appointed Aaron, Moses’ brother, as his spokesman: “Is not Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well.” However, this provision was not a blessing but a form of chastisement. God gave Moses what he wanted, but it would later bring trouble. Aaron’s presence symbolized divine concession to human stubbornness.
Indeed, Aaron became a continual source of grief to Moses. He was the one who led Israel into idolatry, fashioning the golden calf and building its altar (Exodus 32:1–6). His sons, Nadab and Abihu, profaned the altar by offering strange fire before the Lord (Leviticus 10:1–7). Later, Aaron and Miriam led a rebellion against Moses’ authority (Numbers 12:1–8). Each of these incidents was a bitter reminder that Aaron’s involvement stemmed from Moses’ unwillingness to trust God alone.
The Lord told Moses, “You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth… he shall be your spokesman to the people, and you shall be to him as God.” This made Aaron merely an intermediary—a voice, not a leader. God’s intention was never to divide authority or responsibility; it was Moses who forced the issue. God prefers to combine leadership and speech in one obedient servant rather than separate them between a talker and a doer. Aaron could articulate well, but he lacked Moses’ spiritual authority.
Finally, God reaffirmed Moses’ divine commission: “You shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.” The rod would be the tangible emblem of God’s power and authority, transforming from a shepherd’s tool into a symbol of divine dominion. It would part seas, strike rocks, and bring plagues upon Egypt—demonstrating that the power of God rests not upon eloquence, but upon obedience.
B. Moses Leaves Midian and Goes to Egypt
(Exodus 4:18)
So Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”
When the divine fire faded from the burning bush and the voice of God was no longer heard in the wilderness, obedience became the measure of Moses’ faith. Revelation must always lead to action. Many people have had their own “burning bush” moments—times of deep conviction, spiritual awakening, or divine encounter—only to live afterward as though nothing changed. Moses, however, acted upon what he had heard. When God’s voice ceased, Moses rose to obey.
The narrative invites reflection: Did Moses truly understand the magnitude of what he was stepping into? Could he have foreseen the miracles and the trials ahead—the Red Sea dividing before him, the song of triumph on the far shore, manna descending from heaven, water flowing from the rock, or the thunderous revelation at Mount Sinai? Could he have imagined the people’s rebellion, the golden calf, or the years of wandering in the wilderness? Could he have seen the day he would die atop Mount Pisgah, viewing the land of promise from afar, or the greater day when he would stand beside the Lord Jesus Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration? Moses had no such foresight; he obeyed simply because God commanded, not because he understood.
Moses also demonstrated that divine calling does not negate human courtesy or responsibility. Before leaving, he asked permission from Jethro, his father-in-law, saying, “Please let me go.” Though God had called him to a holy mission, Moses did not presume upon this to act dishonorably. As Kaiser notes, “Even the call of God did not erase the need for human courtesy and respect for one’s father-in-law.” True servants of God do not neglect earthly obligations in the name of spiritual zeal.
Notice also Moses’ restrained explanation: “Please let me go and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” He did not recount the miraculous vision or the divine commission. Perhaps he believed such an account would sound unbelievable or premature. He let his obedience and the coming miracles speak for themselves. Indeed, it is far better for others to witness the fruit of God’s work in our lives than to hear us boast of what we think God has said. The results of divine calling testify far louder than words.
(Exodus 4:19–23)
And the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.” Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand. And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Israel is My son, My firstborn. So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.”’”
Before Moses departed, God reassured him: “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.” This settled Moses’ lingering fear of returning to a land where he had once been a fugitive. God not only called him to the task but removed the obstacle of fear that might have hindered his obedience. The Lord’s sovereignty covers both the calling and the conditions under which His servants fulfill it.
Moses then gathered his family, placed them on a donkey, and began the long journey back to Egypt. The mention of “the rod of God” is deeply significant. What had been an ordinary shepherd’s staff in Exodus 4:2 was now transformed into the emblem of divine authority. No longer merely Moses’ rod, it had become the rod of God—a symbol of delegated power. Through that rod the Red Sea would part, water would flow from the rock, and Egypt’s gods would be humbled.
The Lord also prepared Moses for what lay ahead: “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart.” This forewarning was both sobering and necessary. God made clear that Pharaoh’s resistance was foreseen, even orchestrated, to display divine glory. Yet the tension in Scripture concerning Pharaoh’s hardened heart raises an important theological truth about divine sovereignty and human responsibility.
In Exodus, three expressions are used concerning Pharaoh’s heart:
Sometimes it says that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 4:21).
Sometimes it says that Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exodus 8:15).
At other times, it simply says Pharaoh’s heart was hardened (Exodus 7:13).
The combined testimony reveals that the hardening was both divine and human. God did not force Pharaoh into rebellion against his will; He allowed Pharaoh to pursue the pride and cruelty already rooted in his heart. God’s action was judicial, not manipulative. He gave Pharaoh over to the desires he had already chosen—just as Romans 1:24–28 describes God giving men over to their sins when they continually reject His truth. Augustine rightly said, “God does not harden men by putting evil into them, but by not giving them mercy.”
Finally, God declared a profound statement of covenant relationship: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.” This phrase identifies Israel as God’s chosen nation, uniquely set apart among the peoples of the earth. As the firstborn receives the father’s inheritance, Israel would receive the promises, the law, and the covenant blessings. Yet this declaration also contained a prophetic warning: “If you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.” This pronouncement anticipated the final plague—the death of Egypt’s firstborn sons—which would mirror Pharaoh’s own hardness of heart and the spiritual exchange that would unfold. The deliverance of God’s firstborn nation would come through the death of Egypt’s firstborn, foreshadowing the greater redemptive pattern fulfilled in Christ, God’s only begotten Son, who died to deliver His people from bondage to sin.
B. Moses Leaves Midian and Goes to Egypt (continued)
(Exodus 4:24–26)
And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the LORD met him and sought to kill him. Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” So He let him go. Then she said, “You are a husband of blood!” — because of the circumcision.
This passage presents one of the most mysterious and sobering events in Moses’ life. On his journey back to Egypt, the LORD met Moses and “sought to kill him.” The text does not specify the method of this divine confrontation, but the meaning is unmistakable—God interrupted Moses’ mission with a deadly warning. The reason was spiritual negligence: Moses had failed to circumcise his son, violating the covenant God made with Abraham in Genesis 17:9–14. Before Moses could serve as God’s chosen instrument of deliverance, he had to set his own household in covenantal order.
The circumcision was not merely a cultural custom; it was the sign of Israel’s covenant relationship with God. Genesis 17:14 states, “And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.” By neglecting this command, Moses had failed to act in accordance with the covenant he was called to represent. The very man who would proclaim God’s law to Israel had not yet obeyed one of its foundational ordinances. Before he could lead others into obedience, he had to be disciplined into it himself.
God’s confrontation with Moses reveals a timeless principle for every servant of God: before a leader can effectively represent God publicly, he must be consecrated privately. As Morgan observed, “There can be no doubt that for some reason unrecorded Moses had failed to carry out the divine instructions concerning circumcision… Obedience completely established, everything moved forward.” God does not tolerate compromise in the lives of those He calls to lead. When there is a point of disobedience, God will stop His servant’s progress until it is corrected.
Zipporah’s response further illuminates the scene. She seized a “sharp stone” (literally, a flint knife) and performed the circumcision herself, casting the foreskin at Moses’ feet and declaring, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!” Her words reveal revulsion and perhaps resentment toward the rite. As a Midianite woman unfamiliar with Israel’s covenantal practices, Zipporah likely viewed circumcision as barbaric and unnecessary. Moses, desiring domestic peace, may have yielded to her objections years earlier, neglecting his duty as spiritual head of the family. Now, the Lord’s discipline made that negligence unmistakably clear.
Zipporah’s bitterness in this passage is striking. Some interpreters believe she came to resent the painful mark of covenant that set her family apart from her own people. Others suggest that, in the moment of crisis, she realized how serious her husband’s calling was and how his entire household must conform to the will of the LORD. The use of a flint knife also carries ritual significance; as Kaiser notes, “Stone instruments like [flint knife] were retained for ritual purposes long after the introduction of metal implements.” The act was sacred, not primitive, emphasizing purity and obedience over convenience.
Once the act was completed, the text states simply, “So He let him go.” The divine threat was withdrawn, and the family continued their journey. God’s servant had been chastened, his household sanctified, and his calling reaffirmed. This solemn event stands as a warning to all who presume to serve God without full obedience.
(Exodus 4:27–31)
And the LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him. So Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which He had commanded him. Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel. And Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses. Then he did the signs in the sight of the people. So the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.
This closing section of the chapter shows the beginning of Moses’ public ministry and the faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promises. Earlier, in Exodus 4:14, God had told Moses that Aaron would come to meet him. Now, that promise was fulfilled as Aaron “met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him.” This reunion symbolized divine confirmation—God was orchestrating every detail of Moses’ mission. As Meyer aptly remarked, “Aaron, who came to meet Moses, could speak well; but he was a weak man, whose alliance with Moses caused his nobler younger brother much anxiety and pain.”
Upon meeting, Moses told Aaron “all the words of the LORD” and demonstrated the signs God had given him. Together they went to the elders of Israel, fulfilling God’s earlier command in Exodus 3:16–18. Aaron, acting as spokesman, delivered God’s message, while Moses performed the miraculous signs. The result was precisely as the LORD had foretold: “So the people believed.” God had promised in Exodus 3:18, “Then they will heed your voice,” and His word proved true.
The people’s response was one of faith and worship. When they “heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel and that He had looked on their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.” Years earlier, when Moses first tried to deliver them (Exodus 2:11–14), they rejected him. But now the timing was right. God had prepared both His servant and His people. Deliverance does not come through human initiative but through divine timing. The Israelites, broken under slavery, were finally ready to receive the one God had prepared in obscurity for forty years.
This moment marked the beginning of Israel’s redemption story. God’s promise to Abraham was stirring again in history. The same LORD who appeared to Moses at the bush was now awakening His covenant people to hope. Their bowed heads and worship signified more than gratitude—it was the first act of faith from a people about to see the power of their God displayed across Egypt.
