Exodus

Exodus 4:20–26

20So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.

21The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will hardene his heart so that he will not let the people go.

22Then tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says: ‘Israel is My firstborn son, 23and I told you to let My son go so that he may worship Me. But since you have refused to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son!’”

24Now at a lodging place along the way, the LORD met Mosesf and was about to kill him. 25But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched it to Moses’ feet.g “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said.

26So the LORD let him alone. (When she said, “bridegroom of blood,” she was referring to the circumcision.)

Footnotes

  • e 4:21 Or stiffen or strengthen
  • f 4:24 Hebrew him
  • g 4:25 Hebrew his feet

Read all of Exodus 4

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Exodus 4:20

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
So Mosesמֹשֶׁ֜הmō·šehNoun - proper - masculine singularH4872 Moses
tookוַיִּקַּ֨חway·yiq·qaḥConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3947 take
his wifeאִשְׁתּ֣וֹ’iš·tōwNoun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH802 woman, wife, female
and sonsבָּנָ֗יוbā·nāwNoun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine singularH1121 son
put themוַיַּרְכִּבֵם֙way·yar·ki·ḇêmConjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine pluralH7392 mount and ride, ride
onעַֽל־‘al-PrepositionH5921 height
a donkeyהַחֲמֹ֔רha·ḥă·mōrArticle; Noun - masculine singularH2543 heap
and headed backוַיָּ֖שָׁבway·yā·šāḇConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7725 turn back, return
to Egyptמִצְרָ֑יִםmiṣ·rā·yimNoun - proper - feminine singularH4714 Egypt, Egyptians
Andמֹשֶׁ֛הmō·šehNoun - proper - masculine singularH4872 Moses
tookוַיִּקַּ֥חway·yiq·qaḥConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH3947 take
the staffמַטֵּ֥הmaṭ·ṭêhNoun - masculine singular constructH4294 staff, rod, shaft
of Godהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםhā·’ĕ·lō·hîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH430 God
in his handבְּיָדֽוֹ׃bə·yā·ḏōwPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singularH3027 hand

Exodus 4:21

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
The LORDיְהוָה֮Yah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
instructedוַיֹּ֣אמֶרway·yō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Mosesמֹשֶׁה֒mō·šehNoun - proper - masculine singularH4872 Moses
When you goבְּלֶכְתְּךָ֙bə·leḵ·tə·ḵāPreposition-b; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; second person masculine singularH1980 go, come, walk
backלָשׁ֣וּבlā·šūḇPreposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive constructH7725 turn back, return
to Egyptמִצְרַ֔יְמָהmiṣ·ray·māhNoun - proper - feminine singular; third person feminine singularH4714 Egypt, Egyptians
see thatרְאֵ֗הrə·’êhVerb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singularH7200 see
you performוַעֲשִׂיתָ֖םwa·‘ă·śî·ṯāmConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular; third person masculine pluralH6213 do, make
beforeלִפְנֵ֣יlip̄·nêPreposition-l; Noun - common plural constructH6440 face, before
Pharaohפַרְעֹ֑הp̄ar·‘ōhNoun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
allכָּל־kāl-Noun - masculine singular constructH3605 the whole, all
the wondersהַמֹּֽפְתִים֙ham·mō·p̄ə·ṯîmArticle; Noun - masculine pluralH4159 wonder, sign, portent
thatאֲשֶׁר־’ă·šer-Pronoun - relativeH834 particle of relation
I have putשַׂ֣מְתִּיśam·tîVerb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singularH7760 put, place, set
within your powerבְיָדֶ֔ךָḇə·yā·ḏe·ḵāPreposition-b; Noun - feminine singular construct; second person masculine singularH3027 hand
But Iוַאֲנִי֙wa·’ă·nîConjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singularH589 I
will hardenאֲחַזֵּ֣ק’ă·ḥaz·zêqVerb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singularH2388 be or grow firm, strong, strengthen
his heartלִבּ֔וֹlib·bōwNoun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singularH3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
so that he will notוְלֹ֥אwə·lōConjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particleH3808 not
let the peopleהָעָֽם׃hā·‘āmArticle; Noun - masculine singularH5971 people
goיְשַׁלַּ֖חyə·šal·laḥVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singularH7971 send

Exodus 4:22

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Then tellוְאָמַרְתָּ֖wə·’ā·mar·tāConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Pharaohפַּרְעֹ֑הpar·‘ōhNoun - proper - masculine singularH6547 Pharaoh
this is whatכֹּ֚הkōhAdverbH3541 thus, here
the LORDיְהוָ֔הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
saysאָמַ֣ר’ā·marVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singularH559 utter, say
Israelיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃yiś·rā·’êlNoun - proper - masculine singularH3478 Israel
is My firstbornבְכֹרִ֖יḇə·ḵō·rîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1060 first-born
sonבְּנִ֥יbə·nîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1121 son

Exodus 4:23

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
and I told youוָאֹמַ֣רwā·’ō·marConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singularH559 utter, say
to let My sonבְּנִי֙bə·nîNoun - masculine singular construct; first person common singularH1121 son
goשַׁלַּ֤חšal·laḥVerb - Piel - Imperative - masculine singularH7971 send
so that he may worship Meוְיַֽעַבְדֵ֔נִיwə·ya·‘aḇ·ḏê·nîConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular; first person common singularH5647 work, serve
Butוַתְּמָאֵ֖ןwat·tə·mā·’ênConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singularH3985 refuse
to let him goלְשַׁלְּח֑וֹlə·šal·lə·ḥōwPreposition-l; Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singularH7971 send
beholdהִנֵּה֙hin·nêhInterjectionH2009 lo! behold!
Iאָנֹכִ֣י’ā·nō·ḵîPronoun - first person common singularH595 I
will killהֹרֵ֔גhō·rêḡVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularH2026 kill, slay
your firstbornבְּכֹרֶֽךָ׃bə·ḵō·re·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH1060 first-born
sonבִּנְךָ֖bin·ḵāNoun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singularH1121 son

Exodus 4:24

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Now at a lodging placeבַּמָּל֑וֹןbam·mā·lō·wnPreposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singularH4411 lodging-place, inn, khan
along the wayבַדֶּ֖רֶךְḇad·de·reḵPreposition-b, Article; Noun - common singularH1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
the LORDיְהוָ֔הYah·wehNoun - proper - masculine singularH3068 Yahweh
metוַיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֣הוּway·yip̄·gə·šê·hūConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular; third person masculine singularH6298 meet, encounter
and was aboutוַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁway·ḇaq·qêšConjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH1245 seek
to kill himהֲמִיתֽוֹ׃hă·mî·ṯōwVerb - Hifil - Infinitive construct; third person masculine singularH4191 die

Exodus 4:25

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
But Zipporahצִפֹּרָ֜הṣip·pō·rāhNoun - proper - feminine singularH6855 Tsipporah
tookוַתִּקַּ֨חwat·tiq·qaḥConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH3947 take
a flint knifeצֹ֗רṣōrNoun - masculine singularH6864 flint
cut offוַתִּכְרֹת֙wat·tiḵ·rōṯConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH3772 cut off, cut down
her son’sבְּנָ֔הּbə·nāhNoun - masculine singular construct; third person feminine singularH1121 son
foreskinעָרְלַ֣ת‘ā·rə·laṯNoun - feminine singular constructH6190 foreskin
and touched itוַתַּגַּ֖עwat·tag·ga‘Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH5060 touch, reach, strike
toלְרַגְלָ֑יוlə·raḡ·lāwPreposition-l; Noun - feminine dual construct; third person masculine singularH7272 foot
Surelyכִּ֧יkîConjunctionH3588 burning, branding
youאַתָּ֖ה’at·tāhPronoun - second person masculine singularH859 thou
a bridegroomחֲתַן־ḥă·ṯan-Noun - masculine singular constructH2860 daughter's husband, bride-groom
of bloodדָּמִ֛יםdā·mîmNoun - masculine pluralH1818 blood
to meלִֽי׃lîPreposition; first person common singular
she saidוַתֹּ֕אמֶרwat·tō·merConjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singularH559 utter, say

Exodus 4:26

EnglishHebrewSounds likeGrammarWord study
Soוַיִּ֖רֶףway·yi·rep̄Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singularH7503 sink, relax
Whenאָ֚ז’āzAdverbH227 at that time, then
she saidאָֽמְרָ֔ה’ā·mə·rāhVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singularH559 utter, say
bridegroomחֲתַ֥ןḥă·ṯanNoun - masculine singular constructH2860 daughter's husband, bride-groom
of bloodדָּמִ֖יםdā·mîmNoun - masculine pluralH1818 blood
she was referring to the circumcisionלַמּוּלֹֽת׃פlam·mū·lōṯPreposition-l, Article; Noun - feminine pluralH4139 circumcision

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Exodus 4:20 Exodus 17:9 · Numbers 20:8–9 · Numbers 20:11 · Exodus 18:3–4 · Exodus 4:2

Exodus 4:21 Romans 9:18 · Joshua 11:20 · Isaiah 63:17 · Exodus 14:8 · Exodus 9:35–10:1 · Exodus 9:12 · Exodus 7:13 · Exodus 10:20 · Exodus 3:20 · John 12:40 · Exodus 7:3 · Exodus 14:4

Exodus 4:22 Hosea 11:1 · Romans 9:4 · Hebrews 12:23 · Jeremiah 31:9 · Exodus 19:5–6 · Deuteronomy 14:1 · Isaiah 63:16 · Isaiah 64:8 · James 1:18 · 2 Corinthians 6:18

Exodus 4:23 Exodus 12:29 · Exodus 11:5 · Psalm 135:8 · Psalm 105:36 · Psalm 78:51 · Exodus 5:1 · Exodus 7:16

Exodus 4:24 Genesis 17:14 · Numbers 22:22–23 · 1 Chronicles 21:16 · Leviticus 10:3 · Exodus 3:18 · Hosea 13:8

Exodus 4:25 Joshua 5:2–3 · Genesis 17:14 · 2 Samuel 16:7

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.