Exodus 4

1 And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD has not appeared unto you.

Moses [Drawn out] answered, “But, behold, they will not trust me, nor sh'ma ·hear obey· to my voice; for they will say, ‘Adonai has not appeared to you.’”

2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in your hand? And he said, A rod.

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

3 And he said, Cast it 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 [Drawn out] ran away from it.

4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth your hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:

Adonai said to Moses [Drawn out], “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 the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared unto you.

“That they may trust that Adonai, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham [Father of a multitude], the God of Isaac [Laughter], and the God of Jacob [Supplanter], has appeared to you.”

6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now your hand into your bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.

Adonai 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 your hand into your bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, 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 you, neither 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 trust you or sh'ma ·hear obey· the voice of the first sign, that they will trust the voice of the latter sign.

9 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto your voice, that you shall take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which you take out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.

It will happen, if they will not trust even these two signs or sh'ma ·hear obey· 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 unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither in time past, nor since you have spoken unto your servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.

Moses [Drawn out] said to Adonai, “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 the LORD said unto him, Who has made man's mouth? or who makes the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?

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

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

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

13 And he said, O my LORD, send, I pray you, by the hand of him whom you will send.

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

14 And 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 also, behold, he comes forth to meet you: and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

Adonai’s anger burned against Moses [Drawn out], and he said, “What about Aaron [Light-bringer], your brother, the Levite [Descendant of United with]? I know that he can speak well. Also, behold, he comes out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.

15 And you shall speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with your mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what all of you 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 your spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to you instead of a mouth, and you shall be to him instead of God.

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

17 And you shall take this rod in your hand, wherewith you shall do 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 unto him, Let me go, I pray you, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.

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

19 And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought your life.

Adonai said to Moses [Drawn out] in Midian [Strife], “Go, return into Egypt [Abode of slavery]; for all the men who sought your life are dead.”

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

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

21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When you go to return into Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in your hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

Adonai said to Moses [Drawn out], “When you go back into Egypt [Abode of slavery], 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 you shall say unto Pharaoh, Thus says the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

You shall tell Pharaoh, ‘Adonai says, Israel [God prevails] is my son, my firstborn,

23 And I say unto you, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay your son, even your firstborn.

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

24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.

On the way at a lodging place, Adonai met Moses [Drawn out] and wanted to kill him.

25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband are you 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 go: then she said, A bloody husband you 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 the LORD said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him in the mount of God, and kissed him.

Adonai said to Aaron [Light-bringer], “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses [Drawn out].” He went, and met him on God’s mountain, and kissed him.

28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him.

Moses [Drawn out] told Aaron [Light-bringer] all Adonai’s words with which he had sent him, and all the signs with which he had enjoined him.

29 And Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel:

Moses [Drawn out] and Aaron [Light-bringer] went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel [God prevails].

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

Aaron [Light-bringer] spoke all the words which Adonai had spoken to Moses [Drawn out], and did the signs in the sight of the people.

31 And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.

The people trusted, and when they sh'ma ·heard obeyed· that Adonai had visited the children of Israel [God prevails], and that he had seen their affliction, then they hawa ·bowed low, prostrated· their heads and worshiped.