Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Exodus 4

Exo 4:2 And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

What is that in thine hand

The use of little things. Cf. Jdg 3:31; 1Ki 17:12-16; Jhn 6:9; 1Co 1:25-31.

A rod

Sign of the rod = power (Psalms 110:2; 2:9; Revelation 2:27). It was Moses' shepherd's crook, the tool of his calling. Cast down, it became a serpent; taken up in faith, it became "the rod of God" (Exodus 4:20. Cf. Scofield Exodus 7:12, note.

Exo 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.

became a serpent

Miracles (O.T.). vs. 3, 4, 6, 7; Exo 7:10-12. (Gen 5:24; Jon 2:1-10.)

Exo 4:6 And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.

Put now thine hand into thy bosom

The sign of leprosy. The heart ("bosom") stands for what we are, the hand for what we do. What we are, that ultimately we do. It is a sign of Luke 6:43-45. The two signs, rod and hand, speak of preparation for service:

1. consecration—our capacity taken up for God;
2. the hand that holds the rod of God's power must be a cleansed hand swayed by a new heart (Isa 52:11).

Exo 4:14 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.

Aaron the Levite thy brother

Cf. Exo 32:21.

Cf. Scofield Exodus 28:1, note.

Exo 4:15 And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.

and put words in his mouth

Inspiration. vs. 15, 28, 30; Exo 17:14. (Exo 4:15; Rev 22:19.)

Exo 4:21 And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

harden his heart

Cf. Exodus 8:15, 32; 9:34. In the face of the righteous demand of Jehovah and of the tremendous attestations by miracle that He was indeed God, and that Moses and Aaron were His representatives, Pharaoh "hardened his heart." Instrumentally God hardened Pharaoh's heart by forcing him to an issue against which he hardened his own heart in refusal. Light rejected, rightful obedience refused, inevitably hardens conscience and heart. See Romans 9:17-24.

Exo 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

Israel is my son, even my firstborn

Cf. Exo 5:1.

Exo 4:24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.

kill him

Cf. Genesis 17:14. The context (Genesis 4:25) interprets Genesis 4:24. Moses was forgetful of the very foundation sign of Israel's covenant relation to Jehovah. On the eve of delivering Israel he was thus reminded that without circumcision an Israelite was cut off from the covenant. See Joshua 5:3-9.