Exodus 4 Free Bible Version
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 “But what if they don't believe me or listen to what I say?” Moses asked. “They could say, ‘The Lord didn't appear to you.’”
1 ENTONCES Moisés respondió, y dijo: He aquí que ellos no me creerán, ni oirán mi voz; porque dirán: No te ha aparecido Jehová.
2 The Lord asked him, “What are you holding in your hand?” “A walking stick,” Moses replied.
2 Y Jehová dijo: ¿Qué es eso que tienes en tu mano? Y él respondió: Una vara.
3 “Throw it on the ground,” he told Moses. So Moses did. It turned into a snake and Moses ran away from it.
3 Y él le dijo: Échala en tierra. Y él la echó en tierra, y tornóse una culebra: y Moisés huía de ella.
4 “Reach out and grab hold of it by its tail,” the Lord told Moses. Moses did so and it turned back into a walking stick in his hand.
4 Entonces dijo Jehová á Moisés: Extiende tu mano, y tómala por la cola. Y él extendió su mano, y tomóla, y tornóse vara en su mano.
5 “You are to do this so that they will believe that I the Lord did appear to you, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
5 Por esto creerán que se te ha aparecido Jehová, el Dios de tus padres, el Dios de Abraham, Dios de Isaac y Dios de Jacob.
6 Then the Lord told him, “Put your hand inside your clothes close to your chest.” So Moses did as he was told. When he took his hand out, it was white like snow with a skin disease.
6 Y díjole más Jehová: Mete ahora tu mano en tu seno. Y él metió la mano en su seno; y como la sacó, he aquí que su mano estaba leprosa como la nieve.
7 “Now put your hand back inside your clothes,” the Lord said. Moses did so. When he took it out again, his hand had returned to normal.
7 Y dijo: Vuelve á meter tu mano en tu seno: y él volvió á meter su mano en su seno; y volviéndola á sacar del seno, he aquí que se había vuelto como la otra carne.
8 “If they don't believe you and they're not convinced by the first sign, they'll believe because of the second sign,” the Lord explained.
8 Sí aconteciere, que no te creyeren, ni obedecieren á la voz de la primera señal, creerán á la voz de la postrera.
9 “But if they still don't believe you or listen to you because of these two signs, then you are to take some water from the Nile and pour it out on the ground. The Nile water will turn into blood on the ground.”
9 Y si aun no creyeren á estas dos señales, ni oyeren tu voz, tomarás de las aguas del río, y derrámalas en tierra; y volverse han aquellas aguas que tomarás del río, se volverán sangre en la tierra.
10 Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please excuse me, but I'm not someone who is good with words—not in the past, and not from the time you have been speaking with me, your servant. My speech is slow and I don't say things well.”
10 Entonces dijo Moisés á Jehová: ¡Ay Señor! yo no soy hombre de palabras de ayer ni de anteayer, ni aun desde que tú hablas á tu siervo; porque soy tardo en el habla y torpe de lengua.
11 “Who gave people mouths?” the Lord asked him. “Who makes people deaf or dumb, able to see or blind? It's I, the Lord, who does that.
11 Y Jehová le respondió: ¿Quién dió la boca al hombre? ¿ó quién hizo al mudo y al sordo, al que ve y al ciego? ¿no soy yo Jehová?
12 Now go, and I myself will be your mouth, and I will tell you what you are to say.”
12 Ahora pues, ve, que yo seré en tu boca, y te enseñaré lo que hayas de hablar.
13 “Please, Lord, send someone else!” Moses responded.
13 Y él dijo: ¡Ay Señor! envía por mano del que has de enviar.
14 The Lord got angry with Moses, and told him, “There's your brother Aaron, the Levite. I know he speaks well. He's on his way to meet you, and he'll be very happy to see you.
14 Entonces Jehová se enojó contra Moisés, y dijo: ¿No conozco yo á tu hermano Aarón, Levita, y que él hablará? Y aun he aquí que él te saldrá á recibir, y en viéndote, se alegrará en su corazón.
15 Speak to him and tell him what to say. I will be your mouth and his mouth, and I will tell you what you are to do.
15 Tú hablarás á él, y pondrás en su boca las palabras, y yo seré en tu boca y en la suya, y os enseñaré lo que hayáis de hacer.
16 Aaron will speak on your behalf to the people, as if he was your mouth, and you will be in the place of God to him.
16 Y él hablará por ti al pueblo; y él te será á ti en lugar de boca, y tú serás para él en lugar de Dios.
17 Make sure to take your walking stick with you so you can use it to do the signs.”
17 Y tomarás esta vara en tu mano, con la cual harás las señales.
18 Then Moses returned to Jethro his father-in-law and told him, “Please allow me to go back to my own people in Egypt so I can see if any of them are still alive.” “Go with my blessing,” Jethro replied.
18 Así se fué Moisés, y volviendo á su suegro Jethro, díjole: Iré ahora, y volveré á mis hermanos que están en Egipto, para ver si aun viven. Y Jethro dijo á Moisés: Ve en paz.
19 While Moses was in Midian, the Lord told him, “Go back to Egypt because all those who wanted to kill you have died.”
19 Dijo también Jehová á Moisés en Madián: Ve, y vuélvete á Egipto, porque han muerto todos los que procuraban tu muerte.
20 Moses put his wife and sons on a donkey and went back to Egypt, carrying the walking stick that God had used to perform miracles.
20 Entonces Moisés tomó su mujer y sus hijos, y púsolos sobre un asno, y volvióse á tierra de Egipto: tomó también Moisés la vara de Dios en su mano.
21 The Lord told Moses, “When you get back to Egypt, make sure to go to Pharaoh and carry out the miracles I've given you to do. I will make him stubborn and he will not let the people go.
21 Y dijo Jehová á Moisés: Cuando hubiereis vuelto á Egipto, mira que hagas delante de Faraón todas las maravillas que he puesto en tu mano: yo empero endureceré su corazón, de modo que no dejará ir al pueblo.
22 This is what you are to tell Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says. Israel is my firstborn son.
22 Y dirás á Faraón: Jehová ha dicho así: Israel es mi hijo, mi primogénito.
23 I ordered you to let my son go so he can worship me. But you refused to release him, so I will now kill your firstborn son.’”
23 Ya te he dicho que dejes ir á mi hijo, para que me sirva, mas no has querido dejarlo ir: he aquí yo voy á matar á tu hijo, tu primogénito.
24 But while they were on their way the Lord came to the place where they were staying, wanting to kill Moses.
24 Y aconteció en el camino, que en una posada le salió al encuentro Jehová, y quiso matarlo.
25 However, Zipporah used a flint knife to cut off her son's foreskin. She touched his feet with it, and said to him, “You are a blood-husband to me.”
25 Entonces Séphora cogió un afilado pedernal, y cortó el prepucio de su hijo, y echólo á sus pies, diciendo: A la verdad tú me eres un esposo de sangre.
26 (Calling him a blood-husband referred to circumcision.) After this the Lord left Moses alone.
26 Así le dejó luego ir. Y ella dijo: Esposo de sangre, á causa de la circuncisión.
27 The Lord had told Aaron, “Go and meet Moses in the desert.” So Aaron went and met Moses at the mountain of God and greeted him with a kiss.
27 Y Jehová dijo á Aarón: Ve á recibir á Moisés al desierto. Y él fué, y encontrólo en el monte de Dios, y besóle.
28 Then Moses explained to Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say and all the miracles he had ordered him to do.
28 Entonces contó Moisés á Aarón todas las palabras de Jehová que le enviaba, y todas las señales que le había dado.
29 Moses and Aaron traveled to Egypt. There they had all the Israelite elders gather together.
29 Y fueron Moisés y Aarón, y juntaron todos los ancianos de los hijos de Israel:
30 Aaron shared with them everything the Lord had told Moses, and Moses carried out the miracles so they could see them.
30 Y habló Aarón todas las palabras que Jehová había dicho á Moisés, é hizo las señales delante de los ojos del pueblo.
31 The Israelites were convinced. When they heard that the Lord had come to them, and that he had been touched by their suffering, they bowed their heads and worshiped.
31 Y el pueblo creyó: y oyendo que Jehová había visitado los hijos de Israel, y que había visto su aflicción, inclináronse y adoraron.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Aaron
Moses' brother and spokesman, Israel's first high priest.
Cited in the guide: Exodus 4–40; Leviticus 8–10
Moses
Drawn from the Nile, he led Israel out of Egypt and received God's Law.
Cited in the guide: Exodus 2–Deuteronomy 34
Zipporah
The Midianite daughter of Jethro who became Moses' wife in the wilderness.
Cited in the guide: Exodus 2:16-22; Exodus 4:24-26; Exodus 18
Cross references (30)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Exodus 3:18; Exodus 4:31; Jeremiah 1:6; Exodus 2:14; Acts 7:25
- 2 Exodus 4:20; Exodus 4:17; Psalm 110:2; Isaiah 11:4; Genesis 30:37
- 3 Exodus 7:10–15; Amos 5:19; Exodus 4:17
- 4 Mark 16:18; Acts 28:3–6; Luke 10:19; Psalm 91:13; John 2:5
- 5 Exodus 19:9; Genesis 26:2; Exodus 3:15; Genesis 12:7; Genesis 48:3
- 6 2 Kings 5:27; Numbers 12:10
- 7 2 Kings 5:14; Deuteronomy 32:39; Matthew 8:3; Numbers 12:13–15
- 8 Isaiah 28:10; Deuteronomy 32:39; Exodus 4:30–31; 2 Kings 5:7; Job 5:18
- 9 Exodus 1:22; Exodus 7:19–25; Matthew 7:2
- 10 Jeremiah 1:6; Exodus 6:12; Acts 7:22; Exodus 4:1; 2 Corinthians 11:6
- 11 Psalm 146:8; Isaiah 6:7; Amos 3:6; Psalm 94:9; Ezekiel 3:26–27
- 12 Jeremiah 1:9; Luke 12:11–12; Matthew 10:19–20; Luke 21:14–15; Mark 13:11
- 13 Jonah 1:3; Exodus 4:1; Ezekiel 3:14–15; Jonah 1:6; John 6:29
- 14 Mark 14:13–15; 1 Chronicles 21:7; Exodus 4:27; 2 Corinthians 7:6–7; Philippians 2:21
- 15 Isaiah 51:16; Deuteronomy 18:18; Numbers 23:16; Numbers 23:12; Luke 21:15
- 16 Exodus 7:1–2; Psalm 82:6; John 10:34–35; Exodus 18:19
- 17 Exodus 4:2; 1 Corinthians 1:27; Exodus 7:9–20
- 18 Exodus 3:1; Luke 7:50; 1 Timothy 6:1; Acts 16:36; Genesis 45:3
- 19 Matthew 2:20; Exodus 2:23; Exodus 2:15
- 20 Exodus 17:9; Numbers 20:8–9; Exodus 4:2; Exodus 18:3–4; Numbers 20:11
- 21 Romans 9:18; Joshua 11:20; Isaiah 63:17; Exodus 14:8; Exodus 7:13
- 22 Hosea 11:1; Romans 9:4; Jeremiah 31:9; Hebrews 12:23; Deuteronomy 14:1
- 23 Exodus 12:29; Exodus 11:5; Psalm 135:8; Psalm 105:36; Exodus 5:1
- 24 Genesis 17:14; Numbers 22:22–23; 1 Chronicles 21:16; Leviticus 10:3; Exodus 3:18
- 25 Joshua 5:2–3; Genesis 17:14; 2 Samuel 16:7
- 27 Exodus 3:1; Acts 10:5–6; Ecclesiastes 4:9; Exodus 20:18; Acts 10:20
- 28 Exodus 4:15–16; Exodus 4:8–9; Matthew 21:29; Jonah 3:2
- 29 Exodus 3:16; Exodus 24:11; Exodus 24:1
- 30 Exodus 4:16
- 31 Exodus 3:18; Exodus 12:27; Exodus 2:25; Psalm 106:12–13; Exodus 3:16
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
And nevertheless Moses feared and fled. What is it that Moses fled from that serpent?
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
Thus Moses also first is in fear of the serpent, and not merely in fear, but even with much distress: and then he sees that strange thing come to pass. So these too, having first looked to perish, were then saved, that having confessed the danger, they might learn the greatness of the miracle.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… have a thing which without doubt we can ascribe to them; the dyings of the beasts, the dyings of the first-born, and this especially whence all these things proceeded, namely, the hardening of heart, so that they would not let go the people of God. For when God is said to make this most iniquitous and malignant obstinacy, He maketh …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)
… in behalf of heartless and disobedient men; and by the very persons who were saved by them, they were brought into extreme danger; and each of them wishing to withdraw men from idolatry; and each being unlearned; for the one was of a "slow tongue," and dull of speech, and the other for his part also somewhat of the rudest …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)