Exodus 4:2

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 hath not appeared unto thee.

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

KJV

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

And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

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

4:3 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.

What does Exodus 4:2 mean?

Exodus 4:2 is a verse in the book of Exodus, in the Old Testament. In the original Hebrew, key words include יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh), אָמַר (ʼâmar), יָד (yâd). It connects to 5 cross-referenced passages elsewhere in Scripture.

Hebrew interlinear

And

the

LORDיְהֹוָהYᵉhôvâh/yeh-ho-vaw'/H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of God

saidאָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)

unto

him,

What

that

thine

hand?יָדyâd/yawd/H3027a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),

And

said,אָמַרʼâmar/aw-mar'/H559to say (used with great latitude)

rod.מַטֶּהmaṭṭeh/mat-teh'/H4294a branch (as extending); figuratively, a tribe; also a rod, whether for chastising (figuratively, correction), ruling (a sceptre), throwing (a lance), or walking (a staff; figuratively, a support of life, e.g. bread)

Commentary on Exodus 4:2

HENRY_FULL · Exodus 4:2

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

Cross-references

Related passages from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

Genesis 30:37

And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.

Exodus 4:17

And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs.

Exodus 4:20

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.

Isaiah 11:4

But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. reprove: or, argue

Micah 7:14

Feed thy people with thy rod, the flock of thine heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the midst of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old. Feed: or, Rule

Topics

Miracles Token

Verses like this

Other verses that share key original-language words with Exodus 4:2.

Isaiah 10:5

O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. O: or, Woe to the Assyrian: Heb. Asshur and: or, though

Frequently asked questions

What does Exodus 4:2 say?

Exodus 4:2 (King James Version) reads: "And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod."

Is Exodus 4:2 in the Old or New Testament?

Exodus 4:2 is in the Old Testament of the Bible, in the book of Exodus.

Reflect

As you read Exodus 4:2, what is one truth here you can carry into today?

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