Exodus 4

1 And Moses answered and said, But behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken to my voice, for they will say, Jehovah has not appeared to thee.

Moses answered, “But, behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice; for they will say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’”

2 And Jehovah said to him, What is that in thy hand? And he said, A rod.

The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.”

3 And he said, Cast in on the ground. And he cast it on the ground. And it became a serpent, and Moses fled from before it.

He said, “Throw it on the ground.” He threw it on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses ran away from it.

4 And Jehovah said to Moses, Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail (and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand),

The LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand, and take it by the tail.” He stretched out his hand, and took hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand.

5 that they may believe that Jehovah, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to thee.

“This is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

6 And Jehovah said furthermore to him, Put now thy hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom. And when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as snow.

The LORD said furthermore to him, “Now put your hand inside your cloak.” He put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow.

7 And he said, Put thy hand into thy bosom again. (And he put his hand into his bosom again, and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.)

He said, “Put your hand inside your cloak again.” He put his hand inside his cloak again, and when he took it out of his cloak, behold, it had turned again as his other flesh.

8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, nor hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

“It will happen, if they will not believe you or listen to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe even these two signs, nor hearken to thy voice, that thou shall take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land. And the water which thou take out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

It will happen, if they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, that you shall take of the water of the river, and pour it on the dry land. The water which you take out of the river will become blood on the dry land.”

10 And Moses said to Jehovah, Oh, Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou have spoken to thy servant, for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before now, nor since you have spoken to your servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.”

11 And Jehovah said to him, Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, Jehovah?

The LORD said to him, “Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes one mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is not it I, the LORD?

12 Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shall speak.

Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak.”

13 And he said, Oh, Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou will send.

Moses said, “Oh, Lord, please send someone else.”

14 And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is there not Aaron thy brother the Levite? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he comes forth to meet thee, and when he sees thee, he will be glad in his heart.

The LORD’s anger burned against Moses, and he said, “What about Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Also, behold, he is coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

15 And thou shall speak to him, and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do,

You shall speak to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with your mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do.

16 and he shall be thy spokesman to the people. And it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shall be to him as God.

He will be your spokesman to the people. It will happen that he will be to you a mouth, and you will be to him as God.

17 And thou shall take this rod in thy hand, with which thou shall do the signs.

You shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”

18 And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return to my brothers who are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.

Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brothers who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”

19 And Jehovah said to Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt, for all the men are dead who sought thy life.

The LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return into Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.”

20 And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand.

Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. Moses took God’s rod in his hand.

21 And Jehovah said to Moses, When thou go back into Egypt, see that thou do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in thy hand, but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.

The LORD said to Moses, “When you go back into Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your hand, but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.

22 And thou shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says Jehovah, Israel is my son, my firstborn,

You shall tell Pharaoh, ‘The LORD says, Israel is my son, my firstborn,

23 and I have said to thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me, and thou have refused to let him go. Behold, I will slay thy son, thy firstborn.

and I have said to you, “Let my son go, that he may serve me;” and you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”

24 And it came to pass on the way at the lodging-place, that Jehovah met him, and sought to kill him.

On the way at a lodging place, the LORD met Moses and wanted to kill him.

25 Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet. And she said, Surely a bridegroom of blood thou are to me.

Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me.”

26 So he let him alone. Then she said, A bridegroom of blood thou are, because of the circumcision.

So he let him alone. Then she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.

27 And Jehovah said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him on the mountain of God, and kissed him.

The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” He went, and met him on God’s mountain, and kissed him.

28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of Jehovah with which he had sent him, and all the signs with which he had ordered him.

Moses told Aaron all the LORD’s words with which he had sent him, and all the signs with which he had instructed him.

29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the sons of Israel.

Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.

30 And Aaron spoke all the words which Jehovah had spoken to Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.

Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.

31 And the people believed. And when they heard that Jehovah had visited the sons of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.

The people believed, and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.