Exodus 4:1 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then Moses answered, "But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you.’"

NIV: Moses answered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?"

NASB: Then Moses said, 'What if they will not believe me or listen to what I say? For they may say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’?'

CSB: Moses answered, "What if they won’t believe me and will not obey me but say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?"

NLT: But Moses protested again, 'What if they won’t believe me or listen to me? What if they say, ‘The Lord never appeared to you’?'

KJV: 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.

NKJV: Then Moses answered and said, “But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to you.’ ”

Moses continues his dialogue with God, who speaks from a burning bush (Exodus 3:2–4). When first told to represent God before Pharaoh, Moses offered concerns and excuses (Exodus 3:11, 13). Now, Moses raises a reasonable question: why would people believe me when I tell them about this? This is all the more appropriate because of Moses' history. He'd been away from Egypt for forty years (Acts 7:29–30). Further, he'd been raised among the Egyptians (Exodus 2:10) and hadn't experienced the same oppression as other Israelites. He feared rejection and ridicule from his own people.

Second, Moses feared others would not "listen to my voice." This is more or less the same concern in different words, but it comes before another reference to his fear of speaking (Exodus 4:10). Here, the focus is not on how he speaks, but the content of his message. He has no credibility among the people of Israel. What if the elders did not believe him?

God offers assurance in the following verses.

Exodus 4:1–9 continues the conversation between Moses and God. Moses doubts that anyone will believe his story. So, the Lord gives him signs such as transforming Moses' staff into a snake, afflicting and healing leprosy on his own hand, and turning water poured on the ground into blood. These prove God's power over animal life, human life, and nature itself.

While speaking with God in the form of a supernaturally burning bush, Moses expresses a lack of confidence. God gives Moses several miraculous signs so he can prove the source of his message. Moses is still unsure because of his poor speech. Though irritated, God appoints Moses' brother, Aaron, to be the spokesman while Moses relays the words of God. Moses returns to Egypt. Along the way, he nearly dies due to God's anger over some issue related to circumci-sion. After meeting his brother, Moses convinces the elders of Israel that his mission is genuine.

Moses, born an Israelite (Exodus 2:1) but raised by an Egyptian princess (Exodus 2:10) fled into exile after killing an abu-sive Egyptian taskmaster (Exodus 2:14–15). Later, Moses meets God (Exodus 3:6) and receives the initial command to challenge Pharaoh for the freedom of the Israelites (Exodus 3:18–20). In this chapter, Moses makes excuses about his public speaking and nearly dies because of an uncircumcised son. Israel's elders believe Moses' story. But in the next chapter, Moses' early confrontation with Pharaoh goes poorly; the people are worked even hard-er (Exodus 5:5–9) and they begin to turn against Moses (Exodus 5:20–21).

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.

Accessed 8/24/2025 3:59:12 PM