Exodus 4:20 Komentář

This chapter, I. Continues and concludes God's discourse with Moses at the bush concerning this great affair of bringing Israel out of Egypt. 1. Moses objects the people's unbelief (Exo 4:1), and God answers that objection by giving him a power to work miracles, (1.) To turn his rod into a serpent, and then into a rod again (Exo 4:2-5). (2.) To make his hand leprous, and then whole again (Exo 4:6-8). (3.) To turn the water into blood (Exo 4:9). 2. Moses objects his own slowness of speech (Exo 4:10), and begs to be excused (Exo 4:13); but God answers this objection, (1.) By promising him his presence (Exo 4:11, Exo 4:12). (2.) By joining Aaron in commission with him (Exo 4:14-16). (3.) By putting an honour upon the very staff in his hand (Exo 4:17). II. It begins Moses's execution of his commission. 1. He obtains leave of his father-in-law to return into Egypt (Exo 4:18). 2. He receives further instructions and encouragements from God (Exo 4:19, Exo 4:21-23). 3. He hastens his departure, and takes his family with him (Exo 4:20). 4. He meets with some difficulty in the way about the circumcising of his son (Exo 4:24-26). 5. He has the satisfaction of meeting his brother Aaron (Exo 4:27, Exo 4:28). 6. He produces his commission before the elders of Israel, to their great joy (Exo 4:29-31). And thus the wheels were set a going towards that great deliverance.

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 4 This chapter is a continuation of the discourse that passed between God and Moses; and here Moses makes other objections to his mission; one is taken from the unbelief of the people of Israel, which is removed by giving him power to work miracles, by turning the rod in his hand into a serpent, and then into a rod again; and by putting his hand into his bosom at one time, when it became leprous, and again into the same place, when it became sound and whole, and by turning the water of the river into blood, Exo 4:1, another objection is formed from his want of eloquence, which is answered with an assurance, that God, that made man's mouth, would be with his mouth, and teach him what to say; and besides, Aaron his brother, who was an eloquent man, should be his spokesman, Exo 4:10 upon which he returned to Midian, and having obtained leave of his father-in-law to depart from thence, he took his wife and his sons, and returned to Egypt, Exo 4:18 at which time he received some fresh instructions from the Lord what he should do before Pharaoh, and what he should say unto him, Exo 4:21 then follows an account of what befell him by the way, because of the circumcision of his son, Exo 4:24 and the chapter is closed with an account of the meeting of Moses and Aaron, and of their gathering the elders of Israel together, to whom the commission of Moses was opened, and signs done before them, to which they gave credit, and expressed their joy and thankfulness, Exo 4:27.

And Moses took his wife, and his sons,.... Gershom and Eliezer; by which it appears that he intended to stay in Egypt, and that he believed that God would work deliverance by him: and set them upon an ass: which though with us a mean creature, yet in those times and countries were rode upon by great personages; and these, as Aben Ezra says, were reckoned in Egypt more honourable than mules. It may be the singular is put for the plural, and that each of them was set upon an ass, with servants to take care of them: and he returned to the land of Egypt; that is, he set forward to go thither; for before he got thither, various things are related which befell him: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand: his shepherd's staff, so called, because God ordered him to take it; and besides, he had wrought signs and wonders by it already, and would do many more.

What was said above, that Moses placed his wife and his children on carts so that he might go with them into Egypt, but afterwards his father-in-law Jethro met him with them [in his company], after Moses had led the people out of Egypt, one can ask how both assertions can be true. One should realize that after the killing of Moses or of the child that the angel was going to carry out, his wife returned with the children. For some interpreters thought that the angel threatened them to keep a woman from accompanying Moses and thus forming an obstacle to the ministry that God had imposed on him.

Moses continuing to express his fear that the Israelites would not credit his Divine mission, Exo 4:1; God, to strengthen his faith, and to assure him that his countrymen would believe him, changed his rod into a serpent, and the serpent into a rod, Exo 4:2-5; made his hand leprous, and afterwards restored it, Exo 4:6, Exo 4:7; intimating that he had now endued him with power to work such miracles, and that the Israelites would believe, Exo 4:8; and farther assures him that he should have power to turn the water into blood, Exo 4:9. Moses excuses himself on the ground of his not being eloquent, Exo 4:10, and God reproves him for his unbelief, and promises to give him supernatural assistance, Exo 4:11, Exo 4:12. Moses expressing his utter unwillingness to go on any account, God is angry, and then promises to give him his brother Aaron to be his spokesman, Exo 4:13-16, and appoints his rod to be the instrument of working miracles, Exo 4:17. Moses returns to his relative Jethro, and requests liberty to visit his brethren in Egypt, and is permitted, Exo 4:18. God appears to him in Midian, and assures him that the Egyptians who sought his life were dead, Exo 4:19. Moses, with his wife and children, set out on their journey to Egypt, Exo 4:20. God instructs him what he shall say to Pharaoh, Exo 4:21-23. He is in danger of losing his life, because he had not circumcised his son, Exo 4:24. Zipporah immediately circumcising the child, Moses escapes unhurt, Exo 4:25, Exo 4:26. Aaron is commanded to go and meet his brother Moses; he goes and meets him at Horeb, Exo 4:27. Moses informs him of the commission he had received from God, Exo 4:28. They both go to their brethren, deliver their message, and work miracles, Exo 4:29, Exo 4:30. The people believe and adore God, Exo 4:31.

His wife and his sons - Both Gershom and Eliezer, though the birth of the latter has not yet been mentioned in the Hebrew text. See Clarke's note on Exo 2:22. Set them upon an ass - The Septuagint reads the word in the plural, εκι τα ὑποζυγια, upon asses, as it certainly required more than one to carry Zipporah, Gershom, and Eliezer. The rod of God - The sign of sovereign power, by which he was to perform all his miracles; once the badge of his shepherd's office, and now that by which he is to feed, rule, and protect his people Israel.

MIRACULOUS CHANGE OF THE ROD, &c. (Exo. 4:1-31) But, behold--Hebrew, "If," "perhaps," "they will not believe me."--What evidence can I produce of my divine mission? There was still a want of full confidence, not in the character and divine power of his employer, but in His presence and power always accompanying him. He insinuated that his communication might be rejected and he himself treated as an impostor.

Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass--Septuagint, "asses." Those animals are not now used in the desert of Sinai except by the Arabs for short distances. returned--entered on his journey towards Egypt. he took the rod of God--so called from its being appropriated to His service, and because whatever miracles it might be employed in performing would be wrought not by its inherent properties, but by a divine power following on its use. (Compare Act 3:12).