Summary

Moses' continued reluctance to accept God's mission, the signs God gives him to perform, his return to Egypt, and the initial meeting with Aaron and the elders of Israel.

Key Points

• Moses' Doubts and Signs: Moses expresses doubt that the Israelites will believe him, so God provides him with three signs: turning his rod into a serpent, making his hand leprous and then healing it, and turning water from the river into blood (Exodus 4:1-9).

• Moses' Reluctance and God's Anger: Moses continues to express reluctance, citing his lack of eloquence. God reassures him and appoints Aaron, his brother, to speak on his behalf (Exodus 4:10-17).

• Moses Returns to Egypt: Moses returns to Jethro, his father-in-law, and receives permission to go back to Egypt. God reassures Moses that those who sought his life are dead (Exodus 4:18-20).

• God's Instructions and Warning: God instructs Moses to perform the signs before Pharaoh and warns that He will harden Pharaoh's heart. God also tells Moses to relay the message that Israel is His firstborn son and that He will kill Pharaoh's firstborn if he refuses to let Israel go (Exodus 4:21-23).

• Incident at the Lodging Place: On the way to Egypt, God seeks to kill Moses, but Zipporah circumcises their son and touches Moses' feet with the foreskin, averting the danger (Exodus 4:24-26).

• Meeting with Aaron: God instructs Aaron to meet Moses in the wilderness. They reunite, and Moses shares God's words and signs with Aaron (Exodus 4:27-28).

• Meeting with the Elders: Moses and Aaron gather the elders of Israel, and Aaron speaks all the words God had spoken to Moses and performs the signs. The people believe and worship God (Exodus 4:29-31).