The Argument and the Call
Background and Printed Text: Exodus 2:15-4:17
Exodus 2:15 And Pharaoh heard this speech. And he sought to slay Draw [Moshe]. And Draw [Moshe] fled from the faces of Pharaoh. And he dwelt in the land of Contention [Midian]. And he dwelt upon the well.
16And seven daughters are to the priest of Midian. And they came. And they suspended and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. 17And the shepherds came. And they expelled them. And Draw arose. And he saved them. And he watered their flock.
18And they came to They-Shepherded-A-Mighty-[One] [Reuel] their father. And he said, “Why did ye rush to come today?” 19And they said, “An Egyptian man rescued us from the hand of the shepherds. And also suspending, he suspended to us. And he watered the flock!” 20And he said unto his daughters, “And where is he? Why is this? Ye forsook the man? Call to him! And he has eaten bread.”
21And Draw [Moshe] was content to dwell with the man. And he gave Ladybird [Zipporah] his daughter to Draw [Moshe]. 22And she childed a son. And he called his name Sojourner-There [Ger-Shom]. For he said, “I was a sojourner in a foreign land.”
23And he was in those many days. And the king of Egypt died. And the children of Israel sighed from the slavery. And they screamed. And their imploring ascended unto the Elohim from the slavery. 24And Elohim hearkened-to their groaning. And Elohim remembered His Covenant with Father-Of-A-Crowd [Avraham], with He-Will-Laugh [Isaac] and with He-Will-Heel [Jacob]. 25And Elohim saw the children of Israel. And Elohim knew.
Exodus 3
1And Draw [Moshe] was shepherding the flock of His-Excess [Yetro] his father-in-law, priest of Midian. And he conducted the flock after the desert. And he came unto Mountain of the Gods Swordward [Horebward].
2And Messenger Yehovah appeared unto him in a flame of fire from the midst of the bush. And he saw. And behold, the bush burned in fire, and the bush─he is not being eaten! 3And Draw [Moshe] said, “I will turn, na. And I saw this big appearance! Why won’t the bush burn?” 4And Yehovah saw that he turned to see. And Elohim called unto him from the midst of the bush. And He said, “Draw [Moshe]! Draw [Moshe]!” And he said, “Behold, I!” 5And He said, “Don’t approach here! Remove thy shoes from upon thy feet! For the Place that thou art standing upon him—he is the soil of the Holy-[One]!”
6And He said, “I Am Gods of thy father—Gods of Father-Of-A-Crowd [Avraham], Gods of He-Will-Laugh [Isaac] and Gods of He-Will-Heel [Jacob].” And Draw [Moshe] hid his faces because he feared from peering unto the Gods.
7And Yehovah said, “Seeing, I saw the humiliation of My People who are in Egypt. And I hearkened-to their scream from the faces of his slave-drivers. For I knew his pains! 8And I descended to rescue him from the hand of Egypt and to ‘ascend’ him from that land unto a good and broad land, unto a land oozing milk and honey, unto the place of the Merchant [Canaanee] and the Hot-[one] [Khitee] and the Sayer [Amoree] and the Rural-[one] [Preezee] and the Villager [Khivee] and the Desecrater [Yevoosee].
9 “And now, behold, the scream of the sons of Israel came unto me. And I also saw the oppression that Egyptians oppress them! 10And now, walk! And I sent thee unto Pharaoh. And exit My People the sons of Israel from Egypt!”
11And Draw [Moshe] said unto the Elohim, “Who am I that I will walk unto Pharaoh, and that I will exit the sons of Israel from Egypt?” 12And He said, “Because I Will Be with thee! And this is the sign to thee that I—I sent thee: ye shall serve the Elohim upon this Mountain during thy exiting the People from Egypt.”
13And Draw [Moshe] said unto the Elohim, “Behold I am coming unto the sons of Israel. And I will say to them, ‘Gods of your fathers sent me unto you!’ And they shall say to me, ‘What is his name?’ What shall I say unto them?” 14And Elohim said unto Draw [Moshe], “I Will Be Who I Will Be!” And He said, “Thus shalt thou say to the sons of Israel, ‘I Will Be sent me unto you!’”
15And Elohim said more unto Draw [Moshe]. “So shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel, ‘Yehovah Gods of your fathers, Gods of Father-Of-A-Crowd [Avraham], Gods of He-Will-Laugh [Isaac] and Gods of He-Will-Heel [Jacob] sent me unto you!’ This is My Name to Hider. And this is My Remembrance to generation generation!
16 “Walk! And thou shalt gather the elders of Israel. And Thou shalt say unto them, ‘Yehovah Gods of your fathers appeared unto me─Gods of Father-Of-A-Crowd [Avraham], He-Will-Laugh [Isaac] and He-Will-Heel [Jacob] to say, “Visiting, I visited you and the doings to you in Egypt! 17And I said, ‘I will ascend you from the humiliation of Egypt unto the Land of the Merchant [Canaanee] and the Hot-[one] [Kheetee] and the Sayer [Amoree] and the Rural-[one] [Preezee] and the Villager [Kheevee] and the Desecrater [Yevoosee], unto a land oozing milk and honey!’ ” ’ 18And they shall hearken to thy voice.
“And thou shalt come—thou and the elders of Israel—unto the king of Egypt. And Ye shall say unto him, ‘Yehovah Gods of the Hebrews happened upon us! And now, we will walk, na, a way of three days into the desert. And we sacrificed her to Yehovah our Gods!’ 19And I, I knew that the king of Egypt will not give you to walk, and not via a gripping hand! 20And I will send My Hand! And I will smite Egypt via all my miracles that I will do in his midst! And afterwards established, he will send you! 21And I will give the favour of this People in the eyes of Egypt. And he shall be, for ye will walk; ye will not emptily walk! 22And a woman shall ask utensils of silver and utensils of gold and garments from her abider [fem.] and from the sojourner [fem.] of her house. And ye shall put upon your sons and upon your daughters. And ye shall rescue Egypt!”
Exodus 4
1And Draw [Moshe] answered. And he said, “And behold, they will not believe me! And they will not hearken via my voice. For they will say, ‘Yehovah hath not appeared unto thee!’” “2And Yehovah said unto him, “What is that in thine hand?” And he said, “A rod.” 3And He said, “Cast him landward.” And he cast him landward. And he became to a serpent. And Draw [Moshe] fled from his faces. 4And Yehovah said unto Draw [Moshe], “Send thine hand. And grasp via his tail…”—And he sent forth his hand. And he gripped into him. And he became to a rod in his palm—5 “…in order that they will believe that Yehovah God of their fathers, the God of Father-Of-A-Crowd [Avraham], the God of He-Will-Laugh [Isaac] and the God of He-Will-Heel [Jacob] appeared unto thee.”
6And Yehovah further said to him, “Send, na, thy hand into thy lap.” And he sent his hand into his lap. And he exited her. And behold, his hand is scourged as snow! 7And He said, “Return thy hand unto thy lap.” And he returned his hand unto his lap. And he exited her from his lap. And behold, she returned as his flesh.
8 “And he shall be if they will not believe to thee and will not hearken to the voice of the first sign. And they will believe to the voice of the after sign. 9And he shall be if they will not believe also to these two signs and will not hearken to thy voice. And thou shalt take from the waters of the river. And thou shalt pour the dry. And they shall be the waters that thou shalt take from the river. And they shall become to blood in the dry.”
10And Draw [Moshe] said unto Yehovah, “Via me, my Lords? I am not a man of speeches─also from yesterday, also from three days ago, also from then—Thy speaking unto thy slave. For I am heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue!” 11And Yehovah said unto him, “Who put a mouth to Adam? Or who will put a dumb or a deaf or an open or a blind? Isn’t [it] I, Yehovah? 12And now, walk! And I, I Will Be with thy mouth! And I will teach thee what thou shalt speak!”
13And he said, “Via me, my Lords? Send, na, via the Hand Thou shalt send.” 14And the nose of Yehovah heated via Draw [Moshe]. And He said, “Isn’t Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] thy brother the Levite? I knew that speaking, he will speak—he! And also, behold, he exits to meet thee. And he will see thee; and he will rejoice in his heart! 15And thou shalt speak unto him. And thou shalt put the speeches via his mouth. And I, I Will Be with thy mouth and with his mouth! And I will teach you what ye shall do! 16And he, he shall speak unto the people to thee. And he shall be. He—he shall be to thee to a mouth. And thou—thou shalt be to him to Gods! 17And thou shalt take this staff, via whom thou shalt do the signs, via thy hand.”
I. Home (chapter 2, verse 15)
Moshe the fugitive left Egypt. He went to the land of Midian. When he arrived there, he came to a well. He dwelt upon that well.
Questions
1. What speech did Pharaoh hear?
2. Why did Pharaoh seek to slay Moshe over this incident?
3. Why did Moshe flee from the faces of Pharaoh? Was he afraid of Pharaoh?
4. How much did Moshe give up by leaving?
5. Why would a land be called the land of Contention?
6. Why did Moshe choose this land instead of some other land where much more was available?
7. What does, “he dwelt upon the well” mean?
II. Daughters and Conflict (verses 16-17)
A pagan priest of Midian had seven daughters who tended their father’s flock. They let down containers to fill in order to water the flock.
Shepherds came. They threw these daughters away from the well. Moshe arose and saved them, and he watered their flock.
Questions
1. What does “They suspended and filled the troughs” mean?
2. Who are the shepherds who came and who expelled the seven daughters?
3. Why did they expel the women and girls?
4. How did Moshe save them?
5. Why did Moshe water their flock for them?
6. What did these seven women/girls think of Moshe?
III. The Stranger (verses 18-20)
The seven daughters came to Reuel their father. (This man has several names.) He saw that they were home very early today. He asked, “Why did ye rush to come today?” They said, “An Egyptian man rescued us from the hand of the shepherds. And also suspending, he suspended to us. And he watered the flock!” He said to them, “And where is he? Why is this? Ye forsook the man? Call to him! And he has eaten bread.”
Questions
1. The women said, “An Egyptian man rescued us from the hand of the shepherds.” What gave them the impression that Moshe was an Egyptian man?
2. What was so special about Moshe’s ‘suspending’ and watering the flock?
3. The first question that Reuel asked was, “And where is he?” What does this question tell about Reuel’s feelings?
4. If the above answer is true, why did the women just leave Moshe?
5. What did Reuel mean by, “Why is this?”
6. Reuel then says, “Ye forsook the man?” Why is this so bad in his eyes? After all, they were women; should women invite men home?
7. Reuel then said, “Call to him! And he has eaten bread.” How could they call to him? He didn’t have a cellular telephone. Also, what did Reuel mean by, “And he has eaten bread”?
IV. Home and Wife (verses 21-22)
Moshe was content to dwell with this priest. The priest gave his daughter Ladybird (Zipporah) to Moshe for a wife.
She became pregnant and childed a son. Moshe called his name Sojourner There (Ger-Shom) because Moshe said, “I was a sojourner in a foreign land.”
Questions
1. Why would Moshe, a man who feared Yehovah the Gods of Israel, be content to dwell with a priest of a false god?
2. Was Ladybird a believer in Moshe’s God?
3. Why was Moshe willing to have her for a wife if the answer proposed to the above question is true?
4. Did Moshe consider Midian a foreign land, and Egypt home?
V. New Leader, New Suffering (verses 23-25)
Many days now passed. The king of Egypt died. The slavery of the Israelis continued and became heavier; the children of Israel sighed from the slavery. They also screamed. Their imploring ascended unto the Gods from the slavery.
Elohim hearkened to their groaning. He remembered His Covenant with Avraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.
Elohim saw the children of Israel. Elohim knew.
Questions
1. What is significant about the king of Egypt dying?
2. Why did the children of Israel sigh from slavery?
3. To whom did they scream?
4. Why did the Egyptians treat the Israelis this way? What drove them to do this?
5. The text states, “their imploring ascended unto the Elohim from the slavery.” Did they implore to the Elohim?
6. What does “Elohim hearkened-to their groaning” mean and imply?
7. What is important about Elohim remembering His Covenant with Avraham, Isaac and Jacob?
8. The text next states, “And Elohim saw the children of Israel.” Why did this have to be written in the Bible? Wasn’t it quite obvious?
9. The text then states, “And Elohim knew.” Why is this so important? Isn’t it also obvious?
VI. A Normal Day (chapter 3, verse 1)
Moshe became a shepherd of Yetro’s flock, the flock of his father-in-law who was also a priest of Midian. Moshe conducted the flock after the desert—to locations where the desert gave way to hills. He came unto a hill known (or later known) as the Mountain of the Gods, toward Horeb.
Questions
1. How did Moshe become a shepherd?
2. Wasn’t being a shepherd quite a step down for him, since he was educated with the best Egyptian education?
3. Why did Moshe conduct (lead) the flock after the desert?
4. Where is this place called Mountain of the Gods?
VII. A Bush and Shoes (verses 2-5)
Messenger Yehovah appeared unto Moshe in a flame of fire from the middle of the bush. Moshe saw. He beheld that the bush burned in fire, and the bush isn’t being ‘eaten’ (consumed—used up)! Moshe said, “I will turn, na. And I saw this big appearance! Why won’t the bush burn?”
Yehovah saw that Moshe turned to see. Elohim called unto him from the midst of the bush! Elohim said, “Moshe! Moshe!” Moshe responded, “Behold, I!” Elohim continued, “Don’t approach here! Remove thy shoes from upon thy feet! For the Place that thou art standing upon him—he is the soil of the Holy-[One]!”
Questions
1. Who is Messenger Yehovah?
2. Why did Messenger Yehovah appear to Moshe in a flame of fire (of all things)?
3. What was burning in the fire? Explain.
4. Why was Moshe so curious about this burning bush that wasn’t being burned?
5. What does na mean?
6. Why did Moshe use na when speaking to himself???
7. Why does the text note that Yehovah saw that Moshe turned to see? Isn’t that obvious?
8. The text mentions Yehovah seeing, and then it says, “And Elohim called unto him from the midst of the bush. Before that, it stated that Messenger Yehovah appeared unto him. Why does the text give so many name/title combinations in one text?
9. Why did Elohim call unto him from the midst of the bush?
10. Why did Elohim call him twice when he was right there?
11. Why did he answer, “Behold, I”?
12. Elohim said, “Don’t approach here!” What would have been wrong with approaching there?
13. What does “For the Place that thou art standing upon him—he is the soil of the Holy-[One]” mean?
14. Who is this Holy One?
15. Why did Elohim command Moshe to remove his shoes?
16. Wasn’t the soil quite hot when Moshe removed his shoes?
17. How could Moshe tell where the border was so that he could go outside of the soil of the Holy One?
VIII. God’s Identification (verse 6)
Elohim said, “I Am Gods of thy father—Gods of Avraham, Gods of Isaac and Gods of Jacob.” Moshe hid his faces. He feared staring at Elohim!
Questions
1. Why did Elohim next say, “I am Gods of thy father—Gods of Avraham, Gods of Isaac and Gods of Jacob”?
2. Why did Moshe hide his faces?
3. Again, what would have been wrong with peering (looking closely and staring) unto the Gods?
IX. Yehovah’s Mission (verses 7-8)
Yehovah said, “Seeing, I saw the humiliation of My People who are in Egypt.” That covered seeing. He continued, “And I hearkened-to their scream from the faces of his slave-drivers.” That covered hearing. “For I knew his pains!” That covered knowing. “And I descended to rescue him from the hand of Egypt and to ‘ascend’ him from that land unto a good and broad land, unto a land oozing milk and honey, unto the place of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite.”
Questions
1. Why does Yehovah start by explaining what He saw regarding His People, and why does He call them “My People”?
2. Didn’t Moshe already know that he would be the deliverer of the Israelis?
3. What humiliation did the Israelis suffer?
4. When Yehovah said, “Seeing, I saw the humiliation of My People who are in Egypt,” what was this implying about the Egyptians and Yehovah?
5. Why did the Israelis scream?
6. Why did Yehovah say, “For I knew his pains”? Who is his?
7. When did Yehovah descend to rescue him?
8. Which land is the good and broad land that oozes milk and honey?
9. How can a land ooze milk? How can a land ooze honey?
10. Yehovah said that He would take Israel unto the place of the Canaanite, Hitite, Amorite, etc. Why did He take Israel to a place that was already populated, but with different groups, instead of leaving Israel in Egypt?
X. Moshe’s Mission (verses 9-10)
Yehovah continued, “And now, behold, the scream of the sons of Israel came unto me. And I also saw the oppression that Egyptians oppress them!” Yehovah again mentioned the sound and the sight.
“And now, walk! And I sent thee unto Pharaoh. And exit My People the sons of Israel from Egypt!”
Questions
1. The word scream is singular. What was occurring?
2. What is oppression?
3. Why did Yehovah command Moshe to walk instead of providing a beautiful chariot for him? Wouldn’t having a beautiful chariot make Moshe seem like someone worth giving a hearing?
4. Folks in the Bible are often commanded to walk. Why is this so important?
5. Yehovah said, “I sent thee unto Pharaoh.” What other words (in English) are directly connected to being sent?
6. Who are Yehovah’s People, according to this text?
7. Are only boys included in sons?
8. What is Israel?
XI. Who is Moshe? (verses 11-12)
Moshe had a question for the Elohim: “Who am I that I will walk unto Pharaoh, and that I will exit the sons of Israel from Egypt?” That seemed a little… bold. Elohim replied, “Because I Will Be with thee!” “I Will Be” is part of the Name Yehovah! He continued, “And this is the sign to thee that I—I sent thee: ye shall serve the Elohim upon this Mountain during thy exiting the People from Egypt.”
Questions
1. What did Moshe mean by the question, “Who am I that I will walk unto Pharaoh…”?
2. What did Moshe mean by, “Who am I … that I will exit the sons of Israel from Egypt?”
3. What did Yehovah mean by this answer: “Because I Will Be with thee”?
4. Yehovah continued, “And this is the sign to thee that I—I sent thee: ye shall serve the Elohim upon this Mountain during thy exiting the People from Egypt.” What kind of a sign is useful when it is given for a time after everything is accomplished? Didn’t Moshe need a sign before he went to Pharaoh???
5. What mountain is this?
6. Did the Israelis serve the Elohim uponthat mountain?
XII. What’s Your Name? (verses 13-14)
Moshe began to paint the scene that would occur if he did what Elohim commanded: “Behold I am coming unto the sons of Israel. And I will say to them, ‘Gods of your fathers sent me unto you!’ And they shall say to me, ‘What is his name?’ What shall I say unto them?” Elohim’s response was, “I Will Be Who I Will Be!” He then added, “Thus shalt thou say to the sons of Israel, ‘I Will Be sent me unto you!’”
Questions
1. Moshe thought that the following exchange would take place: “Behold I am coming unto the sons of Israel. And I will say to them, ‘Gods of your fathers sent me unto you!’ And they shall say to me, ‘What is his name?’” Do you think that would be the exchange (the talking back and forth) that would occur?
2. Since Gods is plural, and his is singular (in, “What is his name?”), how would the Israelis know that the plural Gods is a singular being?
3. What did Yehovah command Moshe to answer in response to the question about His name?
4. Were those clear answers?
5. What is so important about His Name being “I Will Be Who I Will Be”?
XIII. The Name (verse 15)
Elohim now told Moshe what to say: “So shalt thou say unto the sons of Israel, ‘Yehovah Gods of your fathers, Gods of Avraham, Gods of Isaac and Gods of Jacob sent me unto you!’ This is My Name to Hider. And this is My Remembrance to generation generation!”
Questions
1. Why did Elohim send Moshe to the Israelis instead of coming to them in person?
2. What is God’s full name, according to this text?
3. What is Hider?
4. How can a name be a remembrance?
5. What does generation generation mean?
XIV. Gather the Elders (verses 16-18)
Elohim next instructed Moshe: “Walk! And thou shalt gather the elders of Israel.” He didn’t tell him how he would accomplish this.
“And Thou shalt say unto them, ‘Yehovah Gods of your fathers appeared unto me─Gods of Avraham, Isaac and Jacob.’” That visit was so that Yehovah could tell the Israelis this: “Visiting, I visited you and the doings to you in Egypt!” This covers a visitation of Yehovah. When He visits, He also does something. “And I said, ‘I will ascend you from the humiliation of Egypt unto the Land of the Canaanite and the Hittite and the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and Jebusite, unto a land oozing milk and honey!’”
Yehovah then reassured Moshe, “And they shall hearken to thy voice!”
Questions
1. Yehovah told Moshe to walk, and to gather the elders of Israel. Where was he to walk? How did he know where to go?
2. Why did Yehovah command Moshe to gather the elders of Israel?
3. Yehovah told Moshe to say, “Visiting, I visited you and the doings to you in Egypt!” What is the difference between “Visiting, I visited” and “I visited”?
4. What did Yehovah mean by, “I visited you”?
5. He also said that He visited “the doings to you in Egypt.” What were those doings?
6. Yehovah next stated, “I will ascend you from the humiliation of Egypt…” Why didn’t Yehovah just do it quickly instead of dragging it out over a long period of time?
7. Yehovah said that He will ascend the Israelis unto the Land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Hivite and the Jebusite. When He said this, He was stating that the land belonged to those folks (to the Canaanite, Hittite, Amorite, Perizzite, Hivite and Jebusite). Why would He take the Israelis to a land that belonged to other folks knowing that this will cause a conflict and a lot of death?
8. What is a land oozing milk?
9. What is a land oozing honey?
10. Yehovah said, “And they shall hearken to thy voice.” Who shall hearken, and when will they hearken?
XV. The Plan in Short Form (verses 18-22)
The next thing to occur will be this: “And thou shalt come—thou and the elders of Israel—unto the king of Egypt.” Moshe and the elders will then say unto the pharaoh, “Yehovah Gods of the Hebrews happened upon us! And now, we will walk, na, a way of three days into the desert. And we sacrificed her to Yehovah our Gods!”
How will the king respond, according to Yehovah? “And I, I knew that the king of Egypt will not give you to walk, and not via a gripping hand!” So, what will Yehovah do? “And I will send My Hand! And I will smite Egypt via all my miracles that I will do in his midst! And afterwards established, he will send you!”
This isn’t the only event that will take place; Yehovah continued, “And I will give the favour of this People in the eyes of Egypt.” Thus, the Egyptians will look favourably upon the Israelis! How will this be known? “And he shall be, for ye will walk; ye will not emptily walk!” They will take things with them as they leave!
This is what will occur: “And a woman shall ask utensils of silver and utensils of gold and garments from her abider [fem.] and from the sojourner [fem.] of her house.”
Where will they put these items? “And ye shall put upon your sons and upon your daughters.”
What will be the result of this action of obtaining goods from the Egyptians? “And ye shall rescue Egypt!”
Questions
1. How can Moshe and the elders of Israel come unto the king of Egypt? Does the king let just anyone come before him?
2. How will the king of Egypt respond to Moshe’s declaration, “Yehovah Gods of the Hebrews happened upon us”?
3. Yehovah next told Moshe to say, “And now, we will walk, na, a way of three days into the desert. And we sacrificed her to Yehovah our Gods!” What would Moshe be telling the king that the Israelis were going to do?
4. Who is her in, “And we sacrificed her to Yehovah our Gods”?
5. Yehovah next told Moshe, “And I, I knew that the king of Egypt will not give you to walk, and not via a gripping hand!” What does this mean?
6. Yehovah states, “And I will send My Hand!” Identify Yehovah’s Hand, and how Yehovah will send His Hand:
7. He then states, “And I will smite Egypt via all my miracles that I will do in his midst!” What is He going to do?
8. When will the king send the Israelis?
9. What does “And I will give the favour of this People in the eyes of Egypt” mean?
10. Why will the Egyptians favour the People of Israel (besides Yehovah’s causing them to do this)?
11. Who is he in, “And he shall be, for ye will walk”?
12. What does “for ye will walk” mean?
13. What does “ye will not emptily walk” mean?
14. Yehovah next told Moshe, “And a woman shall ask utensils of silver and utensils of gold and garments from her abider [fem.] and from the sojourner [fem.] of her house.” What are utensils of silver and utensils of gold?
15. Why will a woman ask for these things?
16. What are these garments that the Israelis will ask from Egyptian women?
17. What is an abider?
18. What is a sojourner?
19. Why would Egyptian women be sojourners and be staying with Israeli women?
20. The text states, “And ye shall put upon your sons and upon your daughters.” What shall they put upon their sons and upon their daughters?
21. Explain “And ye shall rescue Egypt”—how will this act rescue Egypt?
XVI. Moshe’s Response (chapter 4, verses 1-5)
Moshe knew that the Israelis would not believe him: “And behold, they will not believe me! And they will not hearken via my voice. For they will say, ‘Yehovah hath not appeared unto thee!’” Yehovah then asked Moshe, “What is that in thine hand?” Moshe said, “A rod.” Yehovah said, “Cast him landward [toward the land].” Moshe did so. And the rod became a serpent! Moshe fled from the serpent’s faces!
Yehovah said to Moshe, “Send thine hand. And grasp via his tail…” Yehovah waited for Moshe to do this. Moshe sent his hand, and he gripped into the tail of the serpent. And the serpent became a rod in the palm of his hand. Yehovah then continued, “…in order that they will believe that Yehovah God of their fathers, the God of Avraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob appeared unto thee.”
Questions
1. Was Moshe correct when he said, “And behold, they will not believe me! And they will not hearken via my voice. For they will say, ‘Yehovah hath not appeared unto thee!’”?
2. Why did Yehovah ask Moshe, “What is that in thine hand?” Didn’t Yehovah know?
3. What does “Cast him landward” mean?
4. Why did Moshe flee when his rod became a serpent?
5. From whose faces did Moshe flee?
6. What does “send thine hand” mean?
7. Would you send your hand and grasp the tail of a snake if someone trustworthy told you to do that?
8. Moshe gripped into the serpent, and the serpent became a rod in the palm of his hand. Was this a magic trick that Yehovah taught Moshe?
9. What was the purpose of this rod/serpent miracle?
XVII. Another Miracle (verses 6-7)
Yehovah then commanded Moshe, “Send, na, thy hand into thy lap.” He did what he was told, and then he brought his hand out. His hand now had the scourge, and it was white, the color of snow! Yehovah commanded him, “Return thy hand unto thy lap.” He did so, and brought it out again. His hand returned as normal—as his flesh.
Questions
1. What does na mean (verse 6), and why did Yehovah use it when speaking to Moshe?
2. What does scourged mean?
3. What did his scourged hand resemble?
4. Why did Yehovah tell Moshe to send his hand into his lap (striking it with disease), and then to return unto his lap (returning it back to normal) instead of just telling him what would happen?
XVIII. The “if’s” (verses 8-9)
What would Moshe do if they didn’t believe the first sign? “And he shall be if they will not believe to thee and will not hearken to the voice of the first sign. And they will believe to the voice of the after sign.
What would Moshe do if they didn’t believe both these signs? “And he shall be if they will not believe also to these two signs and will not hearken to thy voice. And thou shalt take from the waters of the river. And thou shalt pour the dry. And they shall be the waters that thou shalt take from the river. And they shall become to blood in the dry.”
Questions
1. Yehovah used if: “…if they will not believe to thee, and will not hearken to the voice of the first sign…” Why would Yehovah use if when He knows exactly what will happen?
2. How can a sign talk—(“and will not hearken to the voice of the first sign”)?
3. Which sign is the first sign?
4. Which sign is the after sign (verse 8)?
5. What is the third sign?
XIX. Moshe’s Speech Impediment (verses 10-12)
Moshe now had another problem that had to be solved. He started by asking Yehovah, “Via me, my Lords?”—that is, “by means of me, my Lords?” Moshe continued, “I am not a man of speeches─also from yesterday, also from three days ago, also from then—Thy speaking unto thy slave!”
What was Moshe’s problem? “For I am heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue!”
Yehovah had a response for him: “Who put a mouth to Adam? Or who will put a dumb or a deaf or an open or a blind? Isn’t [it] I, Yehovah? And now, walk! And I, I Will Be with thy mouth! And I will teach thee what thou shalt speak!”
Questions
1. Moshe now had a different issue to discuss with Yehovah. He said, “Via me, my Lords?” What did Moshe mean by this?
2. What did Moshe mean by, “I am not a man of speeches”?
3. Moshe said, “I am not a man of speeches─also from yesterday, also from three days ago, also from then—Thy speaking unto thy slave.” Explain why he said, “also from yesterday”:
4. Moshe said, “I am not a man of speeches─also from yesterday, also from three days ago, also from then—Thy speaking unto thy slave.” Explain why he said, “also from three days ago”:
5. Moshe said, “I am not a man of speeches─also from yesterday, also from three days ago, also from then—Thy speaking unto thy slave.” Explain why he said, “also from then—Thy speaking unto thy slave”:
6. What does “For I am heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue” mean?
7. Yehovah started His answer with this: “Who put a mouth to Adam?” What does that mean?
8. What did Yehovah mean by, “Or who will put a dumb or a deaf or an open or a blind? Isn’t [it] I, Yehovah?”
9. Why did Yehovah say, “And now, walk”?
10. What is hidden in plain sight in, “And I, I Will Be with thy mouth”?
11. What did Yehovah mean by, “And I will teach thee what thou shalt speak”?
XX. Yehovah Becomes Angry (verses 13-17)
Moshe repeated, “Via me, my Lords?” He then said, “Send, na, via the hand Thou shalt send.” This response angered Yehovah. He replied, “Isn’t Aharon thy brother the Levite? I knew that speaking, he will speak—he!”
Yehovah then gave this information: “And also, behold, he exits to meet thee. And he will see thee; and he will rejoice in his heart!”
Yehovah then gave this plan: “And thou shalt speak unto him. And thou shalt put the speeches via his mouth. And I, I Will Be with thy mouth and with his mouth! And I will teach you what ye shall do! And he, he shall speak unto the people to [for] thee.”
Yehovah told of one more detail that would make this work: “And he shall be. He—he shall be to thee to a mouth. And thou—thou shalt be to him to Gods!”
Yehovah reminded Moshe, “And thou shalt take this staff, via whom thou shalt do the signs, via thy hand.”
Questions
1. Why did Moshe repeat, “Via me, my Lords?”
2. Hadn’t Moshe been convinced that Yehovah was going to use him to do something for the People of Israel?
3. Moshe next said, “Send, na, via the Hand Thou shalt send.” Yehovah became very angry at this reply. Why? What was Moshe saying that so angered Yehovah?
4. What does “And the nose of Yehovah heated via Moshe” mean?
5. Why did Yehovah ask, “Isn’t Aharon thy brother the Levite?”
6. Yehovah also stated, “I knew that speaking, he will speak—he!” What did He mean?
7. Yehovah then said, “And also, behold, he exits to meet thee.” Why was Aharon exiting Egypt to meet Moshe at this time?
8. What did Yehovah imply by saying, “And he will see thee; and he will rejoice in his heart”?
9. Why did Yehovah say, “And thou shalt speak unto him”?
10. What does “And thou shalt put the speeches via his mouth” mean?
11. Yehovah then stated, “And I, I Will Be with thy mouth and with his mouth!” What did Yehovah mean?
12. How will Moshe and Aharon know what to do?
13. What will be Aharon’s role (according to verse 16)?
14. “And he shall be.” Who or what shall be?
15. Why did Yehovah again say, “He—he shall be to thee to a mouth”?
16. What does “And thou—thou shalt be to him to Gods” mean?
17. Why did Yehovah mention, “And thou shalt take this staff, via whom thou shalt do the signs, via thy hand”?