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Exodus 4:18-31 PowerPoint Slides (PDF)

Moses Starts Back to Egypt, 4:18-23

Moses immediately begins the return trip to Egypt. He takes his wife and “his sons” with him. ¹

Yahveh reminds Moses to perform all the wonders before Pharaoh. He forewarns Moses, however, that Pharaoh will refuse his request (4:21).

This is the first of the hardening statements, and this passage is perhaps the most crucial in understanding the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. Yahveh will cause Pharaoh to obstinately refuse to let the people go to the point that Yahveh will kill Pharaoh’s firstborn son (4:21-23). The theological objections to the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart are raised and refuted by Paul in Romans 9:14-23.

The force of the passage is: God will be God over Pharaoh and all Egypt, and he will deliver his firstborn, Israel.

The Incident on the Way, 4:24-26

The brevity of the passage makes it a difficult one to interpret and has led to fanciful accounts such as one in the Talmud (Hedarim 32a) which reads, “When Moses was lax in the performance of circumcision, Af and Hemah [the personification of wrath and anger] came and swallowed him up, leaving nought but his legs.”

The puzzle is why the Lord would want to slay Moses? Cassuto sees a parallel to the incident with the Lord opposing Balaam as a warning to Balaam to speak only the word God had given to him (Num 22:20-22, 34-35). Likewise, God now warns Moses to be careful to speak only the word and do the signs Yahveh had given him.

As for his son’s circumcision, Zipporah’s action serves as a dedication of Moses, who is incapacitated, to the Lord’s mission. In so interceding for Moses before the Lord, she restores life to him and makes him her bridegroom a second time, but this time a “bridegroom of blood.”

Joshua 5:2-7 is also another instance where circumcision had been omitted while wandering in the wilderness. This example with Moses may have had some bearing upon Joshua’s insistence on Israel’s compliance upon entering the promised land.

Moses and Aaron Obey and the People Believe, 4:27-31

The Lord now tells Aaron to go meet his brother, and the text wastes no time in relating to us that Aaron and Moses went to the elders of Israel and told them the words of the Lord and did the signs before the people. The emphasis is upon the faithfulness of Moses in speaking God’s revelation. ² Verse 31 tells the response, “the people believed and heard … and they bowed down and worshipped.” Israel’s prayers are heard; and a sovereign God erases doubts.

© 2008, Scott Branyan

1. Earlier only Gershom has been mentioned, Ex 2:22; but two sons are named in Ex 18:3, 4. We may assume the younger son Eliezer was the one not circumcised since only one appears to be in view here. In some ancient cultures, circumcision was not performed until the age of 13 as the child entered adulthood. It may be Moses deferred to Zipporah’s wishes for a delayed circumcision. ↩
2. There is emphasis upon ”all the words of the Lord” (v. 28). Verse 30 says, “Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord had spoken to Moses.” The Hebrew word root dabar occurs four times. ↩

Exodus 3 PowerPoint Slides (PDF)

The Commission, 3:1-10

Here is the first mention of Horeb (v. 1) which will play so prominently in Moses’ career. Notice its description here as “the mountain of God” ¹ . God appears to him in a bush which burns continually. The bush is not consumed by the fire, and this wonder attracts Moses’ attention.

Two names for God appear in verse 4—’Elohim  and Yahveh. Commentators who hold to the documentary hypothesis find in these two names for God indications of different sources. One can see here a major difficulty of determining sources from such lines of evidence—an assumed consistency in earlier “editors” which is lacking in the final “redactor” who throws all the sources together.

Cassuto suggests that the more general name Elohim is used subjectively in the early portion of Exodus where Israel had been under foreign influence and the new generation had yet to know God personally; whereas the name Yahveh is used objectively by the narrator. ²

Moses stands reverently afar off, and as the voice reveals itself as the God of the patriarchs, Moses hides his face in fear. To see God meant death. ³

This appearance of God to Moses is another mention of the “angel of the Lord” (v. 2), but verse 4 speaks of it as Yahveh seeing and God calling. The theophany of the angel is a mediation of the revelation from God, and we see its mention again number times in Exodus, Numbers and Judges ⁴

The appearance of the angel is another way the Bible emphasizes the distinctness and holiness of God. Remember, at Bethel, Jacob saw God standing at the top of the ladder and angels ascending and descending doing his bidding.

Yet, God is intimate with Moses. He calls to him by name from the bush and repeats Moses’ name (v. 4).

God tells Moses he is going to deliver his people Israel (vv. 6-9), but the catch comes in verse 10 when he says to Moses, “Go now, and I will send you to Pharaoh, and you will bring my people, the sons of Israel, out from Egypt.” ⁵

Moses’ Objections and Yahveh’s Answers, 3:11-4:17

What follows through chapter four and verse seventeen is a series of five objections by Moses and the Lord’s answer to each of them (see the slide). The objections of Moses begin humbly and end in a plea for the Lord to send someone else; but Yahveh does not allow any way out of the work he has called the prophet to do.

Moses’ first objection is found in Exodus 3:11-12 and consists of false humility—who am I? There is irony here for Moses showed no qualm with conscience when he slew the Egyptian beating the Hebrew slave (cf. Exodus 2:11-12). He was fine with being a Hebrew deliverer then. God’s answer is a simple one, “I will be with you.” God also gives a sign: you will return here with the people to this mountain to worship.

Moses’ second objection (3:13-22) is: who shall I say has sent me? Yahveh answers this objection of Moses with an exegesis of his personal name in verses 13-16.

Cultures of the Ancient Near East were polytheistic. It will not do to say god (generically) has sent him. God gives Moses his personal name.

The name in Hebrew understanding was associated with a person’s character. The Rabbis later taught it was determinative in a person’s development ⁶ .

God gives two responses to Moses problem of “Who shall I say sent me?” The first is God’s personal descriptive name; the second is his relational name.

In revealing his name to Moses, God relates it to his eternal, dynamic, self-existent character, “I AM who I AM.” The Torah exegetes the name of God YHVH as coming from the verb “to be” (v. 14).

Earlier God had said to Moses, “I will be with you” (v. 12). God promises Moses that the “I AM” God will be with him and his people. Since he is ever who he is, his promises cannot fail. The explanation is sometimes rendered, “I will be who I will be,” and this too cautions us against making him out to be anything less than he is. We may not define God by our terms. He defines himself.

The relational name is given in verse 15 and is the specific name of the God of Israel—YHVH. The Hebrew alphabet consists of a consonantal text. Hebrew script had no vowels per se, although a couple of the letters doubled as historically long vowels. Vowels were understood for the most part.

We don’t know how the Jews pronounced the divine name. Scholars theorize it was probably, YAH-veh. By the time of the rabbis, the name was avoided. Jews simply said the general term “Adonai” (or “Lord”) when coming to the divine name. Two textual traditions were then maintained—one, the written, YHWH; and the other, the spoken Ad-o-NAI.

By the early 1500s a western translation of “Jehovah” arose—the consonants of YHVH but the vowels of Adonai. Many English translations also account for the name by the spelling “LORD” (in caps).

What is significant is that the God of Israel has one proper name. The same God that had entered into covenant relationship with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob now reveals himself to Moses. His name is Yahveh (YHVH), and he is the ever being God.

Verses 18-22 are important since they preview the refusal of Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go “not (even) by a strong hand” (3:19). Yet, God will stretch out his hand to bring his people out by his divine miracles. Moses is not to be surprised therefore by the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart. It is per God’s plan. God will bring about the desired result by his hand, and “then he will let you go” (3:20).

The third of objection of Moses (4:1-9) is: what if they will not believe me? Moses appears not to be listening. Still, the Lord gives Moses assurance Israel will believe three signs which he will perform in front of the elders of Israel (4:30-31). The signs are: his staff which turns into a snake and back, the leprous hand, and the water to blood. These signs preview the plagues (see the slide).

Snakes were feared, and there are examples in Egyptian literature of charms and incantations for controlling them. Likewise, leprosy was widespread and though incurable. There were periods in the ancient world when it was of epidemic proportions. Egyptians also considered the Nile to be a deity. By turning water from the Nile into blood, Moses would be showing God’s control over the gods of Egypt as well as encouraging Israel to trust in Yahveh’s ability to deliver them from bondage.

The fourth and fifth objections of Moses are more refusals, albeit polite.  Moses pleads he is ineloquent (4:10-12). God answers that since he is the sovereign creator who makes man’s mouth, he promises to be with his mouth and teach him what he is to say.

With no other objections left, Moses pleads (4:13-17), “Lord, send someone else.” ⁷

The Bible mentions God’s anger against Moses at this point. Moses provokes God by his attempt to finagle out of the call. It will not work, however. God gives Aaron as a spokesperson and promises to be with and teach both of them what they are to say.

One gets the impression Moses is reticent to return to Egypt because of his past, but the Lord does not address Moses underlying issue until he sends him on his way. He then assures him those who sought his life are dead (4:19).

© 2008, Scott Branyan

1. See also 4:27; 24:13. ↩
2. See his commentary on Exodus in loco. ↩
3. We will cover this topic a bit when we study Exodus 33:20. ↩
4. See also its mention in Stephen’s sermon in Acts 7:30, 35, 38, 53. ↩
5. The commission consists of a volitive verb sequence in Hebrew (see the slide) which emphasizes the resulting deliverance. ↩
6. See Berakoth 7b in the Babylonian Talmud. ↩
7. Literally, “send now by the hand you send.” Moses’ implied response is: send someone, Lord, just don’t let it be by me. Moses perhaps reminds us of another unwilling prophet in the Old Testament—Jonah. ↩

The provision of a human deliverer for Israel is God’s choice of a means to an end. Moses is only an instrument of Yahveh. It is Yahveh who actually delivers Israel. This is clear from: 1) Moses’ objections and resistance to his call, 2) the appointment of Aaron as a “prophet” for Moses, thus showing Moses to be God’s mouthpiece, 3) Moses’ continual announcement of God’s revelation to Pharaoh by the words, “Thus says Yahveh,” and 4) the attribution of Yahveh as Israel’s Warrior/ King in Israel’s song of praise (Exodus 15:1-8). Moses is important, but believers must remember he is merely a vessel like Pharaoh–Pharaoh of wrath, Moses of God’s mercy.

The Birth of the Deliverer and His Rescue, 2:1-10

Moses is born of a husband and wife from Levi. He was a “goodly” child and unless Yahveh had intervened, he certainly would have perished at the hand of the Egyptians. Moses’ mother placed her son in a “basket.” This word ¹ is only found twice here in this passage and in the flood narrative in Genesis. The word translated “ark” in Genesis is not the same as for the “Ark of the Covenant” ² . The parallel in Genesis is obvious. This deliverer will also be saved from drowning even as Noah was! God not only spares the life of the child, but allows the mother to be his nursemaid as a servant of Pharaoh’s daughter.

Moses Flees to Midian, 2:11-22

Although Moses is reared as an Egyptian, the text makes a point of his relation to Israel by referring to the Israelites as “his brothers.” This aspect is picked up on in Hebrews 11:24, “and he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter.”

The phrase beginning in verse 12, “and he looked this way and that, and saw that there was no man” becomes important, because even though he was careful to hide his actions, they become known. As a result, he is forced to flee for his life. Although he flees to the desert, God is there and makes himself known to Moses.

There is a subtle irony going on with Moses’ role as deliverer. He has no hesitation in stepping in to rescue the Hebrew from the Egyptian. He “saves” ³ Reuel’s daughters from the shepherds. However, when it comes to taking up the mission of God, he gets a humility complex (3:11). The great lesson is: Real deliverance has to come from God!

God Begins His Deliverance, 2:23-25

These verses are emphatic in saying God has begun to act. Hebrew, being a poetic language, utilizes repetition and parallelism. Here, God “heard,” God “remembered,” God “saw,” and God “knew.” In other words, God is about to act!

1. Heb. tabah ↩
2. Heb. ‘arun ↩
3. Heb. verb yasha‘ ↩

Exodus Introduction Powerpoint Slides (PDF)

Exodus 1-2 PowerPoint Slides (PDF)

The first well defined section of the book of Exodus extends from Exodus 1:1 to 15:21. The theme of this first major part of the book is “Yahveh redeems Israel from bondage in Egypt.” The section ends with the victorious ode to Yahveh which starts, “I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea” (KJV). Yahveh is the God who truly saves his people.

How Israel comes into bondage from the security of Joseph’s time is explained in chapter one. Israel’s sojourn in Egypt was once a source of blessing (Gen 47:6, 10-11), but now becomes odious to the new king.

The Sons of Israel in Egypt, 1:1-7

The story of Genesis continues with the sons of Jacob in Egypt. The generation of Joseph dies off (remember the coffin in Egypt at the end of Genesis), but God continues to bless the descendants of Jacob. The nation grows.

Five verbs of increase occur in verse 7, “And the children of Israel were fruitful, and increased abundantly, and multiplied, and waxed exceeding mighty; and the land was filled with them.” ¹ God’s hand is upon the nation, and they mushroom from the small number of seventy.

A New King Oppresses the Israelites, 1:8-14

A change of administration arises which has no reason to remember Joseph in gratitude. Out of fear the Israelites may join forces with foreigners to defeat the Egyptians, the new king proposes a first stage policy. Israel is made to do forced labor. As a result, massive new building projects are undertaken with the sons of Israel providing slave labor.

Pharaoh’s policy is unsuccessful. Verse twelve says, “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew.”

Pharaoh makes the slave labor more vigorous in stage two. Verse 14 anticipates the Passover when it says, “And they made their lives bitter with hard bondage.” The Hebrew verb translated “made bitter” is related to the noun for the bitter herbs—one of the elements of the Passover meal.

The Hebrew word for “labor” occurs four times also in verse 14, and Cassuto says, “[the words] follow one another in these verses like hammer blows; and the word rigour, which also occurs twice, reverberates like an echo that strengthens and deepens the impression.” ²

Pharaoh and the Midwives, 1:15-22

Pharaoh’s third stage is more sinister. He secretly attempts to put to death the male Israelite children even before the parents lay eyes upon them. These midwives ³ were to “see” ⁴ upon the birthing stool whether or not it was a male child. Instead, they “feared” ⁵ God. The midwives are faithful to the duties of their occupation, and the Lord blesses them with children!

By now we should anticipate verse 20. “and the people multiplied and increased greatly.”

Pharaoh’s attempts have all been frustrated, and now he resorts to the open decree, “Every male child shall be cast into the river, and every daughter shall be spared alive” (verse 22). This fourth stage prepares the way for the arrival of Moses.

There is an allusion in this paragraph to Genesis 12:12. Israel’s hope in this situation lies in the hope of its fathers. God delivers Abram from the hand of the Egyptians earlier, and he will do the same for Israel now. Irony is seen again, for Pharaoh’s decree results in the rearing of Israel’s deliverer under his own roof.

© 2008, Scott Branyan

1. Compare Genesis 1:21-22 and 9:7. God’s words of his creation and to Noah after the flood are now seen in the context of the elect nation. As a judgment upon Egypt, the word for “swarmed,” which also occurs in the earlier Genesis verses, occurs in Exodus 8:3 (Hebrew 7:28) of the frogs covering the land completely. ↩
2. U. Cassuto, A Commentary on the Book of Exodus, p.12. ↩
3. The term “Hebrew” in the Hebrew text may be interpreted as an adjective (“Hebrew midwives”) or as a noun in construct, meaning ”midwives of/over the Hebrews” suggesting the midwives were not Hebrew midwives. Since the proper noun “Hebrew” is definite anyway, the presence of the definite article suggests the adjective use here—”Hebrew midwives.” ↩
4. Heb. ra’ah ↩
5. Heb. yara’ ↩