Exodus 6 Remembering the Covenant QA Supplied

Remembering the Covenant

Questions and Proposed Answers Supplied

Background and Printed Text: Exodus 6:2-9

Exodus 6:2 And Elohim spoke unto Draw [Moshe]. And He said unto him, “I am Yehovah [He-Will-Be, He-Is, He-Was]. ³ “And I appeared unto Father-Of-A-Crowd [Avraham], unto He-Will-Laugh [Isaac] and unto He-Will-Heel [Jacob] via Mighty-[One]-My-Breasts [El Shaddai]. And my name is Yehovah [He-Will-Be, He-Is, He-Was]! Was I not known to them?

⁴ “And I also made-stand my Covenant with them to give the land of Canaan to them, the land of their sojournings that they sojourned in her.

⁵ “And also I, I hearkened-to the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians are enslaving them. And I remembered my Covenant.

⁶ “Therefore, say-thou to the children of Israel, ‘I am Yehovah [He-Will-Be, He-Is, He-Was]! And I will exit you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians! And I will rescue you from their slavery. And I will redeem you via a stretched out arm and via big justices! ⁷And I will take you to me to a people. And I will be to you to Gods. And ye shall know that I am Yehovah [He-Will-Be, He-Is, He-Was] your Gods Who exits you from under the burdens of the Egyptians! ⁸And I will bring you unto the land that I carried my hand to give her to Father-Of-A-Crowd [Avraham], to He-Will-Laugh [Isaac] and to He-Will-Heel [Jacob]. And I will give her to you, an inheritance. I am Yehovah [He-Will-Be, He-Is, He-Was].’”

⁹And Draw [Moshe] spoke establishment unto the children of Israel. And they didn’t hearken unto Draw [Moshe] from shortness of spirit/wind and from hard slavery.

I. Appearances (verses 2-3)

Elohim again communicated with Moshe, first identifying Himself: “I am Yehovah.” He then associated Himself with Avraham, Isaac and Jacob: “And I appeared unto Avraham, unto Isaac and unto Jacob via El Shaddai.”

Yehovah again stated, “And my name is Yehovah!” He then asked Moshe a question: “Was I not known to them?”

Questions

1. Why did Yehovah start by identifying Himself as Yehovah?

It is like His signature, but He begins with His signature instead of ending with it.
He is declaring that He will be, He is, and He was—there will never a time when He isn’t! (False gods will last for only a very short time.)
He is giving the reason for His authority to command.

2. Who is El Shaddai? He is one of the forms in which Elohim makes appearances. He is known as Mighty One, My Breasts because He is very mighty, never having any difficulty overcoming any enemies or obstacles, and yet He is like a mother toward a very young child who breastfeeds and nurtures that child.

3. What does “And I appeared unto Avraham, unto Isaac and unto Jacob via El Shaddai” mean? This means that Elohim appeared to the three men in the form of El Shaddai. He could have appeared as the Captain of Yehovah’s Hosts; He could have appeared in the form of a fire; He could have appeared as the Angel Yehovah, and He could have appeared in other ways. Instead, He chose this one form.

4. Why did Elohim find it necessary to again state, “And my name is Yehovah”? This teaches careful readers that Elohim and Yehovah are the same being. Some readers will learn that Elohim is Yeshua. Thus, Yehovah and Yeshua are truly the same! Yet, Yeshua’s roles will be different, and He will intentionally limit Himself in many ways in order to do the work that He will do.

5. Why did Elohim ask, “Was I not known to them”? He reminded His audiences that Avraham, Isaac and Jacob knew Elohim by His Name—by the Name Yehovah! This is important because of many individuals who will not believe that He desires for His Name, Yehovah, to be used. Others will claim that ‘Jesus’ and Yehovah are not the same. Those three, Avraham, Isaac and Jacob, knew El Shaddai as Yehovah, and they knew Yehovah!

II. Promised Land (verse 4)

Yehovah next spoke in the past tense as if what He described had already happened: “And I also made-stand my Covenant with them to give the land of Canaan to them, the land of their sojournings that they sojourned in her.”

Questions

1. What does making a covenant stand involve? It involves two steps: giving the covenant (that is, declaring it), and fulfilling it. No covenant stands if it is not kept.

2. What is a Covenant? It is a vow that often involves a sacrifice (and therefore a god), or if not a sacrifice, it still involves a god as the one who watches to see if the covenant is kept.

When Yehovah gave the Covenant, Yehovah vowed using Himself as the agent to guard the Covenant.

A Covenant is far more than a promise, and it is more than a vow. It always involves two (or more) persons and a god/God.

3. Who are them in, “I also made-stand my Covenant with them”? They are Avraham, Isaac and Jacob; yet, they also include one other: their seed, referring to the Messiah.

4. What does “the land of their sojournings” mean? That is the land in which they sojourned—they traveled on their journey to some destination.

5. Who is her in, “… that they sojourned in her”? She is the land.

III. Hearing and Remembering (verse 5)

Yehovah now responded to their present predicament: “And also I, I hearkened-to the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians are enslaving them. And I remembered my Covenant.”

Questions

1. Why is the pronoun, I mentioned twice in, “And also, I, I hearkened to the groaning …”? This shows that Elohim Himself truly hearkened to the groaning. He was very personally involved.

2. When Elohim heard their groaning, why didn’t He just use His power to stop the Egyptians and to make life much better for the Israelis instead of going through this whole process of taking them out of Egypt? Elohim’s desire is that those made in His image determine to do right in whatever circumstances they are, showing valiance and correct faith. If He had just stopped their problems, they would have done no thinking about life or the God of Israel. They would have just continued as pagans. (They did continue as pagans, but what they experienced will later convince Israelis to turn to Yehovah from paganism.)

Helping folks by doing for them instead of helping folks by assisting them often hurts them more than helps them. When they participate to do what is right while struggling to achieve the goal, the benefits are very great, and can be lasting for life.

3. Why were the Egyptians so mean to the Israelis? There are several reasons:

The Egyptians feared them
The Egyptians were afraid of their rapid rate of population growth
Yehovah Himself caused the Egyptians to hate the Israelis:

Psalm 105:23 Israel also came into Egypt. And Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham. 24And He greatly increased His people. And He made them stronger than their enemies. 25He turned their heart to hate His people, to subtly deal with His slaves.

4. The text states that Elohim remembered His Covenant. Had He forgotten it? He had not forgotten. This remembrance will be with action: He will do something about the situation of the Israelis because of the Covenant. Whenever the Bible states that Yehovah remembered or Elohim remembered, He is about to take action.

IV. I Am, I Will, I Am (verses 6-8)

He next gave Moshe the speech to say to the Israelis: “Therefore, say-thou to the children of Israel, ‘I am Yehovah [He-Will-Be, He-Is, He-Was]! And I will exit you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians! And I will rescue you from their slavery. And I will redeem you via a stretched out arm and via big justices! 7And I will take you to me to a people. And I will be to you to Gods. And ye shall know that I am Yehovah [He-Will-Be, He-Is, He-Was] your Gods Who exits you from under the burdens of the Egyptians! 8And I will bring you unto the land that I carried my hand to give her to Father-Of-A-Crowd [Avraham], to He-Will-Laugh [Isaac] and to He-Will-Heel [Jacob]. And I will give her to you, an inheritance. I am Yehovah [He-Will-Be, He-Is, He-Was].’”

Questions

1. What was the first thing that Moshe was told to tell the children of Israel? He must tell Israel that the God speaking these things is Yehovah. That declaration includes that He will be, He is, and He was!

2. When the Bible says children of Israel, are they little children? The word children in the Bible never indicates age, and therefore it doesn’t indicate being young. The Bible might use the word youths for children who are young. Instead, the word children only indicates that they came from a particular father (Israel, in this case) by birth or by joining.

3. Yehovah said, “And I will exit you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians!” How long will that take? It will take months. Yehovah must prepare the Israelis; they wouldn’t obey if He didn’t prepare them. (They hardly obeyed as it was!)

4. What is the difference between these two statements: “I will exit you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” and “I will rescue you from their slavery”? The difference is this: Being exited from under the burdens doesn’t mean that the Israelis are no longer slaves; it only means that their work load has been greatly lightened. Being rescued from their slavery means that Egyptians will no longer reign over the Israelis.

5. What does redeem mean? There are two kinds of redemption in the Bible:

redemption by price, meaning that someone or something has been taken from some sort of held state (like a captive) by another paying a ransom price. The person might be a captive by kidnapping, but more often the person will be a captive (slave) by some other circumstance that isn’t a kidnapping (in the Bible).
redemption by force, meaning that someone or something has been taken from some sort of held state (like a captive) by a forceful rescue operation.

6. What kind of redemption will Yehovah do in this case? A reader might think that this will be a forceful rescue, but it won’t be. Yehovah will make the Egyptians willing. Instead, this is a redemption by price.

7. If the answer to the above question is the correct answer, how will this occur? Obviously, Elohim must pay the price. That didn’t occur during this entire event. This switches readers far into the future to the time of the Tribulation. Yehovah will stretch out His arm on the world through great attacks against the bad guys, and some folks (Saints and even non-saints) will give their lives to save the Israelis. Elohim will do those big justices during this time.

Yet, there is another time when He stretched out His arm and did big justices; that was when He was crucified. His being the sacrifice for sin and for redemption was an act of big justices! He provided Salvation and redemption for all so that those who will grasp them will obtain their benefits.

8. What will be the result of this redemption via a stretched out arm and via big justices? The result will be that Elohim will take the Israelis to Himself; they will be His people.

9. What is a people in the Bible? A people is a group of individuals who have a common culture, and therefore interact well with each other. A people is one group; peoples are more than one group.

10. What does “I will be to you to Gods” mean? Elohim/Yehovah will be all the Gods of the Israelis! They will claim Him as their Gods, and He will openly demonstrate Himself as their Gods! Thus, He will do miracles and demonstrate great power.

11. Elohim said, “And ye shall know that I am Yehovah your Gods Who exits you from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” Did this occur in Moshe’s day? No! This awaits another event that is very similar, but will occur thousands of years from now! The Israelis under Moshe never figured that Yehovah exited them; they thought that Moshe and Aharon did!

12. Which land is in mind in, “I will bring you unto the land”? That is the land that was formerly called Canaan, but will become known as the Land of Israel.

13. Yehovah said that He carried His hand. What does that mean? Yehovah’s hand can refer to the Messiah, and it always refers to His power. He directs with His speech or with His hand (and sometimes with both). When He shows His power, He uses His hand. (This is how a very young child sees the hand of adults.)

14. Who is her in, “I carried my hand to give her to Avraham …”? She is the Land (of Canaan/Israel).

15. The Israelis will later have to fight their way into the land of Canaan. Elohim states here, “I will give her to you, an inheritance.” Why would anyone have to fight for an inheritance? No one in the Bible has to fight for an inheritance. The timing in which this will occur is much later in history, and far into the future from our time. When the Israelis went into the land of Canaan, they did have to fight! Later, when Elohim gives the Land of Israel to the Israelis as an inheritance, they won’t fight for it; Yehovah will fight for them!

16. This paragraph ends with, “I am Yehovah.” Why does He say this again? The Israelis don’t know that He is Yehovah. Only when they truly know that He is Yehovah will they have faith in Him!

V. Shortness of Spirit (verse 9)

Moshe spoke with certainty to the Israelis: he spoke establishment unto them. They didn’t hearken to him; they were out of breath, and were being worked far too hard to hear him.

Questions

1. What does “Moshe spoke establishment unto the children of Israel” mean? What Moshe spoke was exactly what Yehovah told him to speak.

Once the Israelis will hearken to him, they will be established!

Whatever is established is firmly placed. If it isn’t established, one cannot be certain that it will stay where it is put or that it will do what it is supposed to do.

2. What does hearken mean? It means to listen and to obey—to do and to believe what was said.

3. Why didn’t the Israelis hearken unto Moshe? They were too out of breath from the difficulty of their slavery. They heard Moshe saying words, but they saw things only getting worse!

June 29, 2010July 5, 2017

Exodus 6 Remembering the Covenant

Remembering the Covenant

Background and Printed Text: Exodus 6:2-9

⁴ “And I also made-stand my Covenant with them to give the land of Canaan to them, the land of their sojournings that they sojourned in her.

⁵ “And also I, I hearkened-to the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians are enslaving them. And I remembered my Covenant.

⁹And Draw [Moshe] spoke establishment unto the children of Israel. And they didn’t hearken unto Draw [Moshe] from shortness of spirit/wind and from hard slavery.

I. Appearances (verses 2-3)

Yehovah again stated, “And my name is Yehovah!” He then asked Moshe a question: “Was I not known to them?”

Questions

1. Why did Yehovah start by identifying Himself as Yehovah?

2. Who is El Shaddai?

3. What does “And I appeared unto Avraham, unto Isaac and unto Jacob via El Shaddai” mean?

4. Why did Elohim find it necessary to again state, “And my name is Yehovah”?

5. Why did Elohim ask, “Was I not known to them”?

II. Promised Land (verse 4)

Questions

1. What does making a covenant stand involve?

2. What is a Covenant?

3. Who are them in, “I also made-stand my Covenant with them”?

4. What does “the land of their sojournings” mean?

5. Who is her in, “… that they sojourned in her”?

III. Hearing and Remembering (verse 5)

Yehovah now responded to their present predicament: “And also I, I hearkened-to the groaning of the children of Israel whom the Egyptians are enslaving them. And I remembered my Covenant.”

Questions

1. Why is the pronoun, I mentioned twice in, “And also, I, I hearkened to the groaning …”?

3. Why were the Egyptians so mean to the Israelis?

4. The text states that Elohim remembered His Covenant. Had He forgotten it?

IV. I Am, I Will, I Am (verses 6-8)

Questions

1. What was the first thing that Moshe was told to tell the children of Israel?

2. When the Bible says children of Israel, are they little children?

3. Yehovah said, “And I will exit you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians!” How long will that take?

4. What is the difference between these two statements: “I will exit you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians” and “I will rescue you from their slavery”?

5. What does redeem mean?

6. What kind of redemption will Yehovah do in this case?

7. If the answer to the above question is the correct answer, how will this occur?

8. What will be the result of this redemption via a stretched out arm and via big justices?

9. What is a people in the Bible?

10. What does “I will be to you to Gods” mean?

11. Elohim said, “And ye shall know that I am Yehovah your Gods Who exits you from under the burdens of the Egyptians.” Did this occur in Moshe’s day?

12. Which land is in mind in, “I will bring you unto the land”?

13. Yehovah said that He carried His hand. What does that mean?

14. Who is her in, “I carried my hand to give her to Avraham …”?

15. The Israelis will later have to fight their way into the land of Canaan. Elohim states here, “I will give her to you, an inheritance.” Why would anyone have to fight for an inheritance?

16. This paragraph ends with, “I am Yehovah.” Why does He say this again?

V. Shortness of Spirit (verse 9)

Moshe spoke with certainty to the Israelis: he spoke establishment unto them. They didn’t hearken to him; they were out of breath, and were being worked far too hard to hear him.

Questions

1. What does “Moshe spoke establishment unto the children of Israel” mean?

2. What does hearken mean?

3. Why didn’t the Israelis hearken unto Moshe?

June 9, 2010July 5, 2017

Exodus 5 Brickmaking Without Straw

Brickmaking without Straw

Background and Printed Text: Exodus 5:1-6:1

Exodus 5:1 And afterward Draw [Moshe] and Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] Came. And they said unto Pharaoh, “So said Yehovah Gods of Israel, ‘Send my people. And they solemnized to me in the desert.’” ²And Pharaoh said, “Who is Yehovah whom I will hearken via his voice to send Israel? I didn’t know Yehovah. And I will also not send Israel.” ³And they said, “Gods of the Crossers [Hebrews] was called upon us. We will walk, na, a way of three days into the desert. And we sacrificed to Yehovah our Gods lest He suddenly-meet us via pestilence or via the sword.” ⁴And the king of Double-Adversity [Egypt] said unto them, “Why, Draw [Moshe] and Oy!-Conception! [Aharon], do ye unbridle the people from his works? Walk-ye to your burdens!”

⁵And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land now are many. And ye cease them from their burdens.” ⁶And Pharaoh commanded the rigour-masters and his officers into the people that day to say, ⁷ “Ye shall not gather to give straw to the people to brick-make the brick as yesterday, three-days-ago! They shall walk. And they shall stubble-gather to them! ⁸And ye shall put upon them the allotment of the bricks that they are making yesterday three-days-ago. Ye shall not diminish from him. For they are idle. Therefore they are screaming to say, ‘We will walk! We will sacrifice to our Gods!’ ⁹The slavery shall be heavy upon the men! And they did via her! And they shall not do via speeches of a lie!” ¹⁰And the taskmasters of the people exited, and his officers.

And they said unto the people to say, “So said Pharaoh, ‘I am not giving straw to you. ¹¹Ye– Walk ye! Take straw to you from wherever ye shall find! For there is no slacking from your slavery to speak!’” ¹²And the people were scattered in all the land of Double-Adversity [Egypt] to stubble-gather stubble to straw.

¹³And the rigour-masters are hastening to say, “Finish your works, a speech of a day in his day just-as via [there] being the straw!” ¹⁴And they smote the officers of the children of Israel whom Pharaoh’s rigour-masters put over them to say, “Why didn’t ye finish your statute to brick-make as yesterday three-days-ago, also yesterday, also today?”

¹⁵And the officers of the children of Israel came. And they screamed unto Pharaoh to say, “Why wilt thou do so to thy slaves? ¹⁶No straw was given to thy slaves! And bricks– they say to us, make! And, behold, they are smiting thy slaves! And the sin is of thy people!” ¹⁷And he said, “Idle! Ye are idle! Therefore ye are saying, ‘We will walk! We will sacrifice to Yehovah!’ ¹⁸And now, walk ye! Slave ye! And straw will not be given to you! And ye shall give the establishment of bricks!”

¹⁹And the officers of the children of Israel saw them via bad to say, “Ye shall not slack from your bricks, a speech of a day in his day!” ²⁰And they-suddenly met Draw [Moshe] and Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] positioning to meet them when via their exiting from with Pharaoh. ²¹And they said unto them, “Yehovah shall see concerning you! And He judged that ye made- our smell -stink in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his slaves to give a sword via their hand to slay us!”

²²And Draw [Moshe] returned unto Yehovah. And he said, “My Lords! For what hast Thou bad-caused to this people? This is for what Thou hast sent me? ²³And the bad is to this people from then [that] I came unto Pharaoh to speak via Thy name! And delivering, Thou hast not delivered Thy people!” 6:1And Yehovah said unto Draw [Moshe], “Now thou wilt see what I will do to Pharaoh! For he shall send them via a grasping hand! And he will drive them from his land via a grasping hand!”

I. Respectfully Commanding Pharaoh (verses 1-4)

Moshe and Aharon came to Pharaoh. They told him, “So said Yehovah Gods of Israel, ‘Send my people. And they solemnized to me in the desert.’” Pharaoh responded to them: “Who is Yehovah whom I will hearken via his voice to send Israel? I didn’t know Yehovah. And I will also not send Israel.”

Moshe and Aharon next identified their deity: Gods of the Crossers (Gods of the Hebrews). They told Pharaoh that He was called upon the Hebrews.

Moshe and Aharon continued, “We will walk, na, a way of three days into the desert. And we sacrificed to Yehovah our Gods lest He suddenly-meet us via pestilence or via the sword.”’

The king of Egypt asked them a question: “Why, Moshe and Aharon, do ye unbridle the people from his works?”

He then commanded them to walk to their burdens!

Questions

1. The text states, “And afterward Moshe and Aharon came.” After what did they come?

2. How did they manage to get to see Pharaoh?

3. Both Moshe and Aharon said, “So said Yehovah Gods of Israel, ‘Send my people. And they solemnized to me in the desert.’” Did Yehovah really say exactly that?

4. What were Moshe and Aharon commanding to Pharaoh when they said that Yehovah said, “Send my people”?

5. Was this a reasonable command?

6. What does “And they solemnized to me in the desert” mean?

7. Didn’t Pharaoh know who Yehovah was (verse 2)?

8. Was Pharaoh’s question, “Who is Yehovah whom I will hearken via his voice to send Israel,” a good question?

9. Pharaoh next stated, “I didn’t know Yehovah. And I will also not send Israel.” Was this response reasonable?

10. What did Aharon and Moshe mean by ““Gods of the Hebrews was called upon us”?

11. What does “We will walk, na, a way of three days into the desert” mean?

12. Explain “And we sacrificed to Yehovah our Gods lest He suddenly-meet us via pestilence or via the sword:”

13. Moshe and Aharon described Yehovah as being ready to attack the Israelis if they don’t comply. Is this a right picture of Yehovah’s character?

14. Pharaoh asked this question: “Why, Moshe and Aharon, do ye unbridle the people from his works?” What is wrong with a question like this?

15. What did he mean by, “Walk ye to your burdens”?

II. Increased Work (verses 5-10)

Pharaoh wasn’t finished. He continued, “Behold, the people of the land now are many. And ye cease them from their burdens.” That bothered Pharaoh quite a bit. He commanded the rigour-masters and his officers to go into the people of Israel that day and to say to them, “Ye shall not gather to give straw to the people to brick-make the brick as yesterday, three-days-ago!” He changed the way of life to make it much harder.

“They shall walk. And they shall stubble-gather to them!” They had to do their own gathering as well as making the bricks.

“And ye shall put upon them the allotment of the bricks that they are making yesterday three-days-ago.” They had to deliver the very same amounts of bricks as before.

“Ye shall not diminish from him. For they are idle. Therefore they are screaming to say, ‘We will walk! We will sacrifice to our Gods!’”

Pharaoh then commanded, “The slavery shall be heavy upon the men! And they did via her! And they shall not do via speeches of a lie!”

At this point, the taskmasters of the people and Pharaoh’s officers exited to do Pharaoh’s commands.

Questions

1. Who are the people of the land, and what does this expression mean?

2. What does “Pharaoh commanded the rigour-masters and his officers into the people” mean?

3. What does gather mean in, “Ye shall not gather to give straw”?

4. What does yesterday, three-days-ago mean?

5. The text says, “They shall walk.” Where and why shall they walk?

6. What does stubble-gather mean?

7. What is an allotment?

8. Pharaoh said, “Ye shall not diminish from him.” Who is him?

9. What gave Pharaoh the impression that the Israelis were idle?

10. What does “The slavery shall be heavy upon the men” mean?

11. What does “And they did via her” mean, and who is her?

12. Explain, “And they shall not do via speeches of a lie:”

13. Where did the taskmasters and officers go once they exited?

III. The Terrible Announcement (verses 10-12)

The taskmasters and officers communicated Pharaoh’s orders to the Israelis: “So said Pharaoh, ‘I am not giving straw to you. Ye– Walk ye! Take straw to you from wherever ye shall find! For there is no slacking from your slavery to speak!’” The Israelis were then scattered throughout all Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw.

Questions

1. Who are they who said unto the people what Pharaoh told them?

2. Pharaoh said, “I am not giving straw to you.” Was he giving straw before?

3. Where were the Israelis supposed to find straw, now?

4. How long would obtaining this straw take?

5. What was Pharaoh communicating when he said, “For there is no slacking from your slavery to speak”?

6. What is involved in gathering stubble?

IV. Israelis against Israelis (verses 13-14)

The rigour-masters were responsible to make certain that the Israelis produced just as many bricks as before: “Finish your works, a speech of a day in his day just-as via [there] being the straw!”

The rigour-masters smote the officers of the children of Israel. The rigour-masters had put those officers over the Israelis. As they beat them, they asked, “Why didn’t ye finish your statute to brick-make as yesterday three-days-ago, also yesterday, also today?”

Questions

1. What does “a speech of a day in his day” mean?

2. What does “just as their being the straw” mean?

3. The text states, “And they smote the officers of the children of Israel whom Pharaoh’s rigour-masters put over them.” Who smote the officers, and what does this mean?

4. What does “Why didn’t ye finish your statute” mean?

5. How many days were they behind in verse 14?

V. Confronting Pharaoh (verses 15-18)

The officers of the children of Israel came directly to Pharaoh, and they screamed to him: “Why wilt thou do so to thy slaves? No straw was given to thy slaves! And bricks– they say to us, make! And, behold, they are smiting thy slaves! And the sin is of thy people!”

Pharaoh’s response was brief: “Idle! Ye are idle! Therefore ye are saying, ‘We will walk! We will sacrifice to Yehovah!’ And now, walk ye! Slave ye! And straw will not be given to you! And ye shall give the establishment of bricks!”

Questions

1. Did the officers have direct access to Pharaoh?

2. What did the officers mean by “the sin is of thy people”?

3. Pharaoh responded, “Idle! Ye are idle!” What was Pharaoh not doing?

4. What was his proof (in his mind) that the Israelis were idle?

5. What type of response did Pharaoh portray by saying, “And now, walk ye! Slave ye! And straw will not be given to you”?

6. What does “the establishment of bricks” mean?

VI. Anger against Moshe and Aaron (verses 19-21)

The officers of the children of Israel saw Moshe and Aharon as bad when they heard Pharaoh say, “Ye shall not slack from your bricks, a speech of a day in his day!” They suddenly met Moshe and Aharon who set themselves to meet them at the time they exited from Pharaoh. They said to Moshe and Aharon, “Yehovah shall see concerning you! And He judged that ye made- our smell -stink in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of his slaves to give a sword via their hand to slay us!”

Questions

1. Who are them in, “the officers of the children of Israel saw them via bad”?

2. How and why did they suddenly meet Moshe and Aharon?

3. What did the officers mean by, “Yehovah shall see concerning you”?

4. The officers said that Moshe and Aharon made their smell stink in the eyes of Pharaoh and Pharaoh’s slaves. What does this mean?

5. Explain “…to give a sword via their hand to slay us:”

VII. Moshe and Yehovah Discuss (verse 22-23, Exodus 6:1)

Moshe returned to Yehovah. He set the blame at Yehovah’s feet: “My Lords! For what hast Thou bad-caused to this people? This is for what Thou hast sent me?” This made no sense.

“And the bad is to this people from then [that] I came unto Pharaoh to speak via thy name! And delivering, Thou hast not delivered Thy people!” Moshe was angry!

Yehovah responded to Moshe, “Now thou wilt see what I will do to Pharaoh! For he shall send them via a grasping hand! And he will drive them from his land via a grasping hand!”

Questions

1. How did Moshe feel toward Yehovah after he heard from the officers?

2. What does “For what hast Thou bad-caused to this people” mean?

3. Moshe then asked, “This is for what Thou hast sent me?” What was he expressing?

4. Moshe continued, “And the bad is to this people from then [that] I came unto Pharaoh to speak via thy name!” Word this in more modern English:

5. What had Moshe expected to occur?

6. What did Moshe mean by, “And delivering, Thou hast not delivered Thy people”?

7. Was Yehovah angry at Moshe for being so blunt with Yehovah, and for basically accusing Him of making a mess?

8. What was Yehovah expressing when He told Moshe, “Now thou wilt see what I will do to Pharaoh”?

9. What does “For he shall send them via a grasping hand” mean?

10. What does “And he will drive them from his land via a grasping hand” mean?

11. Some teach that asking Yehovah a ‘why’ question is not right. Is this true?

June 9, 2010July 5, 2017

Exodus 5 Brickmaking Without Straw QA Supplied

Brickmaking without Straw

Questions and Proposed Answers Supplied

Background and Printed Text: Exodus 5:1-6:1

I. Respectfully Commanding Pharaoh (verses 1-4)

Moshe and Aharon next identified their deity: Gods of the Crossers (Gods of the Hebrews). They told Pharaoh that He was called upon the Hebrews.

Moshe and Aharon continued, “We will walk, na, a way of three days into the desert. And we sacrificed to Yehovah our Gods lest He suddenly-meet us via pestilence or via the sword.”’

The king of Egypt asked them a question: “Why, Moshe and Aharon, do ye unbridle the people from his works?”

He then commanded them to walk to their burdens!

Questions

1. The text states, “And afterward Moshe and Aharon came.” After what did they come? They came after doing the miraculous signs in front of the Israeli leaders.

2. How did they manage to get to see Pharaoh? The text doesn’t say. Yehovah certainly made sure that this occurred.

3. Both Moshe and Aharon said, “So said Yehovah Gods of Israel, ‘Send my people. And they solemnized to me in the desert.’” Did Yehovah really say exactly that? Yes, He did. Moshe is a prophet; a Biblically true prophet is able to exactly quote Yehovah every time. That is what he did. Aharon is a prophet to Moshe as if Moshe is a god; thus, Aharon will also speak exactly the words of Yehovah.

4. What were Moshe and Aharon commanding to Pharaoh when they said that Yehovah said, “Send my people”? They were commanding Pharaoh to send the entire slave population (consisting of millions of individuals) from the land of Egypt.

5. Was this a reasonable command? It certainly wasn’t reasonable to Pharaoh and his government officials. It was perfectly reasonable to Yehovah, and He determined to make it reasonable to Pharaoh! He will do the very same thing later in earth’s history!

6. What does “And they solemnized to me in the desert” mean? To solemnize means to cause an event to be very serious and important. The event might be very enjoyable, but it will still be a very serious event. This is how some holidays are established in the first place.

The Israelis must do this event in the desert, and not in Egypt.

7. Didn’t Pharaoh know who Yehovah was (verse 2)? No, he didn’t. He had enough deities of his own, and he was supposedly a god; he hadn’t learned about Yehovah.

8. Was Pharaoh’s question, “Who is Yehovah whom I will hearken via his voice to send Israel,” a good question? Yes, it is a very good question. Pharaoh desired to know what credentials and powers Yehovah has before he hearkens to His voice.

9. Pharaoh next stated, “I didn’t know Yehovah. And I will also not send Israel.” Was this response reasonable? His admission that he didn’t know Yehovah was reasonable. His stating, “And I will also not send Israel” shows that he assumed that Yehovah was nothing.

10. What did Aharon and Moshe mean by ““Gods of the Hebrews was called upon us”? To be called upon in this way is to suddenly meet with someone, but it also means to be named. The Gods of the Hebrews (as one God) was called upon the Israelis; His Names and identifications were associated with the Israelis. Thus, whenever anyone considers this God, that person also considers the Israelis.

11. What does “We will walk, na, a way of three days into the desert” mean? The Hebrew word na shows that this is being said with respect, and not as a harsh demand. Moshe and Aharon are telling Pharaoh that the Israelis and they will walk for three days out of Egypt and into the desert.

12. Explain “And we sacrificed to Yehovah our Gods lest He suddenly-meet us via pestilence or via the sword:” The word sacrificed is in the past tense because that will be done once they go three days into the desert. The Israelis will sacrifice to Yehovah their Gods. They have to do this lest Yehovah will suddenly meet them by means of a disease outbreak (pestilence) or with a slaughter (by means of a sword).

13. Moshe and Aharon described Yehovah as being ready to attack the Israelis if they don’t comply. Is this a right picture of Yehovah’s character? If they go three days into the desert with sacrifices, and if they don’t sacrifice to Yehovah (like if they sacrifice to some other god or gods), it perfectly describes Yehovah! Moshe and Aharon purposely described Yehovah in a very threatening way. He will be very threatening to Pharaoh!

14. Pharaoh asked this question: “Why, Moshe and Aharon, do ye unbridle the people from his works?” What is wrong with a question like this? Some questions assume that things are true, and they are not true. It is like asking a man who was always kind to his wife, “Have you stopped beating your wife?” If he answers, “Yes,” he is admitting that he used to beat her, and he never did. If he answers, “No,” his is admitting that he is still beating her, and he isn’t.

Pharaoh’s question assumed that they both ‘unbridled’—that is, released them (like one would an animal from pulling a plow) the people from having to do their various works. Moshe and Aharon had not done anything like that.

15. What did he mean by, “Walk ye to your burdens”? This was the way to say, “Go back to work!” Pharaoh didn’t even realize that Moshe wasn’t one of the slaves.

II. Increased Work (verses 5-10)

“They shall walk. And they shall stubble-gather to them!” They had to do their own gathering as well as making the bricks.

“And ye shall put upon them the allotment of the bricks that they are making yesterday three-days-ago.” They had to deliver the very same amounts of bricks as before.

“Ye shall not diminish from him. For they are idle. Therefore they are screaming to say, ‘We will walk! We will sacrifice to our Gods!’”

Pharaoh then commanded, “The slavery shall be heavy upon the men! And they did via her! And they shall not do via speeches of a lie!”

At this point, the taskmasters of the people and Pharaoh’s officers exited to do Pharaoh’s commands.

Questions

1. Who are the people of the land, and what does this expression mean? The people of the land consists of farmers, ranchers and cattlemen/shepherds—folks whose work is with land and who depend on the land in a very direct way. The expression implies low class, since those who are middle and upper class have slaves do the work that handles the land and the soil. (Yehovah doesn’t see this the same way; all the peoples of the land are doing what humans were designed to do: to serve the soil. Their lives are often harder, and they must do much physical work, but they sometimes live much longer, and they tend to sin less than folks who live in luxury and have much time on their hands.

2. What does “Pharaoh commanded the rigour-masters and his officers into the people” mean? A rigour-master is a person who is very demanding. The word rigour means severity, harshness, and constantly very high accuracy and precision. These masters treated the Israelis very cruelly if the Israelis didn’t do exactly what they were told to do.

Commanding these masters into the people means that Pharaoh demanded that they become much stricter, much more demanding and much harsher on the people to get them to do what Pharaoh demanded. Thus, these rigour-masters had to go in among the Israelis far more often, beating them, threatening them, making cruel examples of them, etc. until they did the work demanded.

3. What does gather mean in, “Ye shall not gather to give straw”? Gathering in Hebrew includes making preparations; it also includes beginning to do something. Pharaoh told these rigour-masters that they were to do nothing that helped the Israelis obtain straw for the brick; the Israelis had to gather their own without help.

4. What does yesterday, three-days-ago mean? Yesterday means what has been done in recent times. Three days ago means what used to be done before recent times. Together, they indicate what was historically done. Thus, “Ye shall not gather to give straw to the people to brick-make the brick as yesterday, three-days-ago” means, “Ye shall not even begin to supply any straw to the people to make bricks as ye used to do.”

5. The text says, “They shall walk.” Where and why shall they walk? The Hebrews/Israelis shall walk over the land of Egypt to gather their own stubble for straw.

6. What does stubble-gather mean? It means to gather what is left over in fields after the fields have been harvested. Stubble consists of left-over dead stalks of grains, dry leaves, and other plant parts that are not useful to the farmers who grew the crops. This stubble when mixed with mud and baked forms good bricks. Those bricks are not bothered by rain; they don’t soften in rain. They act like rocks. (Bring a brick to class to see how hard it is; it was originally made of clay mud!) Stubble mixed with mud makes very strong bricks. (This is strange because mud is very weak, and stubble is very weak.)

7. What is an allotment? It is the assigned amount, and it is the portion that must be produced. For example, if ten students must make twenty drawings, each student has an allotment of two drawings.

8. Pharaoh said, “Ye shall not diminish from him.” Who is him? He is the allotment of the people of Israel that they must produce.

9. What gave Pharaoh the impression that the Israelis were idle? Pharaoh thought that Moshe and Aharon, as representatives of all the Israelis, were screaming and saying, “We will walk! We will sacrifice to our Gods!” showing that they felt they could still get their work done and go three days out to sacrifice to their Gods.

10. What does “The slavery shall be heavy upon the men” mean? It means that the amount of work and demands will be greatly increased so that they won’t have time to waste.

11. What does “And they did via her” mean, and who is her? Her is the slavery (a feminine word). They, the Hebrews, did their labour by means of the slavery (that will be very heavy). Thus, the Israelis must be beaten much more, and they must be forced to work much harder.

12. Explain, “And they shall not do via speeches of a lie:” This means that the Hebrews shall not do their labour by giving speeches that are filled with a lie; they must do their labour by working and not by saying lies.

13. Where did the taskmasters and officers go once they exited? They went to force the Israelis to do what Pharaoh said and to beat the Israelis into working much harder.

III. The Terrible Announcement (verses 10-12)

Questions

1. Who are they who said unto the people what Pharaoh told them? They are the taskmasters—that is, the rigour-masters.

2. Pharaoh said, “I am not giving straw to you.” Was he giving straw before? He wasn’t giving straw, but he represented Egypt. Egypt was giving straw to the Israeli slaves to make bricks. Now, Egypt no longer provided the straw and the stubble.

3. Where were the Israelis supposed to find straw, now? They had to forage for straw in all the fields of Egypt!

4. How long would obtaining this straw take? It would take all day! They would have no time for making bricks! Pharaoh commanded them to do what couldn’t be done.

5. What was Pharaoh communicating when he said, “For there is no slacking from your slavery to speak”? Pharaoh never wanted to hear from the Israelis again about traveling, sacrificing, and other similar things! He determined that they would be too busy to say a word!

6. What is involved in gathering stubble? It involves hand-harvesting dried or partially dried stalks, many which are flat on the ground. Thus, it included doing much stooping, some crawling, much carrying, and very hard labour. The Israelis also had to walk very great distances to find the next fields from which to gather stubble. The following is a picture of field stubble from www.xlseedtreatment.com/plantresidue.html:

IV. Israelis against Israelis (verses 13-14)

Questions

1. What does “a speech of a day in his day” mean? The speech of a day is what is said in a day and what is done in a day. Every day ‘speaks’ what occurs in it.

The rigour-masters told the Hebrews how much work to do on a daily basis. Telling them is also the speech of the day. Each day had its own speech, though I suspect that all seven days seemed much the same to the Israeli slaves.

2. What does “just as their being the straw” mean? There was no change now that straw wasn’t provided; the Hebrews had to produce just as many bricks as they did before when there was the provided straw.

3. The text states, “And they smote the officers of the children of Israel whom Pharaoh’s rigour-masters put over them.” Who smote the officers, and what does this mean? The rigour-masters were Egyptian. The officers were Israelis. The rigour-masters chose Israelis to be officers over the Israelis. Instead of smiting (hitting very hard and beating) the Israelis directly, the rigour-masters struck and beat up the Israeli officers if the officers didn’t successfully force the Israelis to produce the normal number of bricks. This way, the rigour-masters were not in as much danger; they would ‘pick on’ the officers, and the officers in turn mistreated their own brethren, the Israelis, to avoid being beaten themselves!

4. What does “Why didn’t ye finish your statute” mean? The statute is the ruling of how many bricks must be produced. Every group had its tally, its ‘statute’—the number of bricks to make. The Israelis didn’t make enough bricks. The rigour-masters are asking the Israeli officers why they, the officers, didn’t finish what was required of them.

5. How many days were they behind in verse 14? They were four days behind: today, yesterday, and even yesterday three-days-ago. They didn’t mention two days ago.

V. Confronting Pharaoh (verses 15-18)

Questions

1. Did the officers have direct access to Pharaoh? Yes. They made their complaints straight in front of Pharaoh.

2. What did the officers mean by “the sin is of thy people”? The word sin is used in the Bible in a different way than it is used by most folks who speak of the Bible. A sin can be an offense—a violation of man-made rules. It doesn’t have to be a wrong before Yehovah (or before other gods). In this case, Pharaoh was angry at the Israelis for not making the full number of bricks. The officers of the Israelis responded that the ‘sin’ that caused the brick numbers to be so low was caused by the Egyptians.

3. Pharaoh responded, “Idle! Ye are idle!” What was Pharaoh not doing? Pharaoh wasn’t listening. This will be his behaviour throughout these chapters. He was accusing the Israelis of being idle.

4. What was his proof (in his mind) that the Israelis were idle? He figured that all the Israelis were saying, “We will walk! We will sacrifice to Yehovah!” He was angry, and therefore he saw all Israelis as having the same view and request as Moshe and Aharon.

5. What type of response did Pharaoh portray by saying, “And now, walk ye! Slave ye! And straw will not be given to you”? This showed contempt. He had no care and no thought as he said, “Walk ye! Slave ye!” His own comfort was not touched. The Israelis were like cattle, to him.

6. What does “the establishment of bricks” mean? It means the amount established in previous commands.

VI. Anger against Moshe and Aaron (verses 19-21)

Questions

1. Who are them in, “the officers of the children of Israel saw them via bad”? They are Moshe and Aharon. Those two made their lives totally miserable! The expression, via bad, means in a bad way!

2. How and why did they suddenly meet Moshe and Aharon? Moshe and Aharon had positioned themselves to meet with the officers after their meeting with Pharaoh. Moshe and Aharon wanted to know how the meeting went, and the officers wanted to tell Moshe and Aharon just how bad those two had made their lives.

3. What did the officers mean by, “Yehovah shall see concerning you”? That was a nice way of saying, “Yehovah will see about you”—a statement close to a curse.

4. The officers said that Moshe and Aharon made their smell stink in the eyes of Pharaoh and Pharaoh’s slaves. What does this mean? In this picture and wording, everyone has a ‘smell.’ Some folks ‘smell good’—that is, others like them. Some folks ‘stink’—that is, others strongly don’t like them, and don’t like being around them. In this case, according to the officers, Moshe and Aharon made the officers stink—but not in the nose of Pharaoh, but instead in the eyes of Pharaoh and his slaves, meaning that Pharaoh and his personal slaves no longer desired to see the officers.

5. Explain “…to give a sword via their hand to slay us:” The officers accused Moshe and Aharon of so greatly turning Pharaoh and his personal slaves against them, that it was as if Moshe and Aharon had put a sword in their hand so that they would kill the officers. Thus, Moshe and Aharon made Pharaoh and his slaves hate the officers of Israel.

VII. Moshe and Yehovah Discuss (verse 22-23, Exodus 6:1)

Moshe returned to Yehovah. He set the blame at Yehovah’s feet: “My Lords! For what hast Thou bad-caused to this people? This is for what Thou hast sent me?” This made no sense.

“And the bad is to this people from then [that] I came unto Pharaoh to speak via thy name! And delivering, Thou hast not delivered Thy people!” Moshe was angry!

Yehovah responded to Moshe, “Now thou wilt see what I will do to Pharaoh! For he shall send them via a grasping hand! And he will drive them from his land via a grasping hand!”

Questions

1. How did Moshe feel toward Yehovah after he heard from the officers? Moshe was quite angry at Yehovah. Yehovah had made things worse for the Israelis.

2. What does “For what hast Thou bad-caused to this people” mean? It means, “For what reason hast Thou caused trouble for this people”? Moshe was quite angry!

3. Moshe then asked, “This is for what Thou hast sent me?” What was he expressing? Moshe is expressing outrage! Why did Yehovah waste both of their times with this mission?

4. Moshe continued, “And the bad is to this people from then [that] I came unto Pharaoh to speak via thy name!” Word this in more modern English: The wording might be like this: “And the trouble began for this people from the time that I came unto Pharaoh to speak using Thy name!”

5. What had Moshe expected to occur? Moshe thought that Yehovah would immediately begin to diminish the slavery load on the Israelis!

6. What did Moshe mean by, “And delivering, Thou hast not delivered Thy people”? Doubling the verb (the verb is deliver in this case) greatly intensifies and strengthens the statement. It is like saying, “Thou certainly didn’t deliver Thy people!”

7. Was Yehovah angry at Moshe for being so blunt with Yehovah, and for basically accusing Him of making a mess? No, Yehovah was not angry. Moshe had done nothing wrong. He expressed the way he saw things, and he showed Yehovah respect in the process.

8. What was Yehovah expressing when He told Moshe, “Now thou wilt see what I will do to Pharaoh”? Yehovah is in charge. He is over Pharaoh; He is sovereign (meaning that He is able to do exactly what He desires to do, and He can and will overrule Pharaoh whenever He desires to do so). He is going to do things to Pharaoh.

9. What does “For he shall send them via a grasping hand” mean? This means that Pharaoh will send the Israelis, and he will send them by means of a grasping hand—his own hand! He will basically throw them out of Egypt!

10. What does “And he will drive them from his land via a grasping hand” mean? This means that he will force the Israelis out of Egypt as if he is grabbing the hand of all Israel to tow Israel out!

11. Some teach that asking Yehovah a ‘why’ question is not right. Is this true? No, it isn’t! Asking a ‘why’ question is fine. One will usually have to wait to obtain the answer, however.

May 21, 2010July 5, 2017

Exodus 4_18 Moshe’s Return Trip QA Supplied

Moshe’s Return Trip

With Questions and Proposed Answers

Background and Printed Text: Exodus 4:18-31

Exodus 4:18 And Draw [Moshe] walked. And he returned unto Excess [Jethro] his father-in-law. And he said to him, “I will walk, na. And I have returned unto my brethren who are in Egypt. And I have seen: Are they yet alive?” And Excess [Jethro] said to Draw [Moshe], “Walk to peace.”

¹⁹And Yehovah said unto Draw [Moshe] in Contention [Midian], “Walk. Return Egypt. For all the men seeking thy being died.” ²⁰And Draw [Moshe] took his woman and his sons. And he rode them upon the ass. And he returned landward Egypt. And Draw [Moshe] took the rod of the Gods in his hand.

²¹And Yehovah said unto Draw [Moshe], “See all the wonders that I have put into thy hand during thy walking to return Egyptward. And do them to the faces of Pharaoh. And I, I will grasp his heart. And he shall not send the people.²²And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, ‘Yehovah said Thus: “Israel is my son—my firstborn! ²³And I said unto thee, ‘Send my son! And he will serve me!’ And thou refused to send him! Behold, I am slaying thy son thy firstborn!”’”

²⁴And he was in the way, in the inn. And Yehovah met him. And He sought to kill him. ²⁵And Ladybird [Zipporah] took a stone. And she cut the foreskin of her son. And she struck to his feet. And she said, “For thou art to me a sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage!” ²⁶And He desisted from him. Then she said, “A sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage to circumcise!”

²⁷And Yehovah said to Oy!-Conception! [Aharon], “Walk desertward to meet Draw [Moshe].” And he walked. And he met him in The Mountain of the Gods. And he kissed him. ²⁸And Draw [Moshe] told to Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] all the speeches of Yehovah Who sent him and all the signs that He commanded him.

²⁹And Draw [Moshe] Walked, and Oy!-Conception! [Aharon]. And they gathered all the elders of the children of Israel.³⁰And Oy!-Conception! [Aharon] spoke all the speeches that Yehovah spoke unto Draw [Moshe]. And he did the signs to the eyes of the people [sing.]. ³¹And the people [sing.] believed [sing.]. And they hearkened because Yehovah visited the children of Israel and because He saw their humiliation. And they bowed. And they worshipped.

I. Moshe Leaves (verse 18)

Moshe walked and returned to Jethro his father-in-law. He told him that he will walk and return to his brethren who are in Egypt. He wanted to see for himself: are they still alive? Jethro told Moshe to walk in peace.

Questions

1. Why does the text need to say that Moshe walked? Isn’t that obvious? Moshe had just conversed with Yehovah (and had lived). He had argued with Yehovah. He was now ready to obey commands; so the text notes that he walked.

2. Why didn’t Moshe tell Jethro about his conversation with Yehovah at this time, but instead made up the story about seeing whether his brethren were still alive? Moshe needed to go; he didn’t need to explain at this time. While he knew that his brother was alive, he didn’t know about the rest of his family. There are times to explain, and there are times when explanations will cause delays that are not helpful.

3. What did Jethro mean by “Walk to peace”? Jethro himself had complete peace with what Moshe wanted to do, and his desire was that Moshe obtained an answer of peace—an answer that those of his family members who were alive were doing well.

II. The Green Light (verses 19-20)

Moshe was now in Midian. Yehovah spoke to him: “Walk. Return Egypt. For all the men seeking thy being died.” Moshe took his woman (his wife) and his sons. He rode them upon the ass. He returned to the land of Egypt. Moshe also took the rod of the Gods in his hand!

Questions

1. Moshe already decided to go to Egypt. Why did Yehovah again tell him to Walk and to return [to] Egypt? Moshe knew that Yehovah had commanded him to go to Egypt. Yehovah hadn’t said when he was to go. A wise person not only hearkens to orders, but also waits until a commander indicates that the time is right to do the command.

2. What were the men seeking who were seeking Moshe’s being? They were seeking to kill Moshe’s being—that is, to take his life!

3. Who had been seeking Moshe’s being? The previous Pharaoh and his slaves desired to find and kill Moshe for what he had done—for rescuing a Hebrew slave from the hands of an Egyptian slavedriver who was killing the Israeli.

4. Why did Moshe take his wife and sons? Wouldn’t they be in the way? Moshe must have thought that his time in Egypt might be long. He wasn’t going there just to visit, but to become part of the Israelis again.

5. Did Moshe also ride on an ass? The wording gives me the impression that Moshe walked. He was used to walking many miles; his wife and children were not as used to this. (His wife used to be; she was a shepherdess.)

6. What does “he returned landward Egypt” mean? This means that he returned to the land of Egypt. Hebrew expressions are different from English expressions.

7. Why is that rod called the rod of the Gods? It is a tool that Elohim (Gods) gave to Moshe to use. Moshe acquired the rod by a normal means, but Yehovah turned it into a tool by which to do what Yehovah commanded him.

III. Specific Commands (verses 21-23)

Yehovah again spoke to Moshe: “See all the wonders that I have put into thy hand during thy walking to return Egyptward.” He then commanded him, “And do them to the faces of Pharaoh.” Yehovah then promised, “And I, I will grasp his heart. And he shall not send the people.” In the meantime, Yehovah told Moshe to tell Pharaoh, “Yehovah said Thus: ‘Israel is my son my firstborn!’” This is why Yehovah was telling Pharaoh to send Israel out.

Yehovah continued, “And I said unto thee, ‘Send my son! And he will serve me!’ And thou refused to send him!”

Yehovah then threatened Pharaoh: “Behold, I am slaying thy son thy firstborn!”

Questions

1. What was Yehovah commanding Moshe when He said, “See all the wonders that I have put into thy hand during thy walking to return Egyptward”? I propose that He was commanding Moshe to think about, and thus see in his mind, all the wonders that He already put into his hand; he was to see those wonders while he walked toward Egypt. If he set his mind on them, he would be less likely to be intimidated when he met with opposition.

2. Yehovah then commanded, “And do them to the faces of Pharaoh.” What was different about this command? The wonders he was given were originally for the elders of Israel. Going before Pharaoh, a king over a mighty land was a different proposition!

3. What does “I will grasp his heart” mean? The heart in the Bible is usually the mind. It is in this case. Yehovah will take hold of his mind.

4. What will be the result if Yehovah grasps the king’s mind? The next statement tells what will happen: “And he shall not send the people.”

5. Why would Yehovah aid Pharaoh to not send the people? Isn’t that the opposite of what Yehovah desires to do? Long before Yehovah sends the Israelis, he must prepare the Israelis so that they will hearken to Yehovah. He also must prepare the Egyptians to live without Israeli slaves; otherwise, they will come after the Israelis once they have left. Yehovah always gives preparation to anyone or any group for which He has an assignment. That preparation makes the difference between success and failure.

Yehovah desired the Israelis to be free from Egyptian slavery, but He also desired them to hearken to what is right. They were not ready to hearken to what was right—not yet.

6. Yehovah said, “And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh…” How would Moshe get to see Pharaoh? Yehovah will make certain that Pharaoh will see Moshe!

7. Yehovah told Moshe to tell Pharaoh, “Israel is my son—my firstborn!” What does that mean, in what way is that true, and why is that so important? First, that means that Yehovah views Israel as a good parent views the firstborn son. Yehovah’s view is a correct view.

That is true in this way: Yehovah sees Yeshua in Israel, and Israel will be in Yeshua when Israel comes to faith.

Hosea 11:1 For Israel is a youth. And I loved him. And I called to my son from Egypt.

If there are other ways, I cannot see them at this time. Yehovah declared this to be true, and declared Israel to be his firstborn son!

This is so important, because anyone or any group that seeks to enslave or harm Israel is asking to be enslaved or destroyed by Yehovah. This is so important because anyone or any group that claims that it is Israel (when Israel is unique) is tempting Yehovah to attack that person or group as an imposter as well as showing God as a liar!

Pharaoh will be in the position of feeling Yehovah’s anger over the next number of months as he begins to realize that Israel truly is His son!

8. Yehovah told Moshe to tell Pharaoh, “And I said unto thee, ‘Send my son! And he will serve me!’ And thou refused to send him! Behold, I am slaying thy son thy firstborn!” Why did Yehovah tell Pharaoh that right up front? This way, Pharaoh could have avoided that slaughter. Yehovah gives warnings.

IV. Moshe Is Nearly Killed (verses 24-26)

Moshe was en route—he was already on the road. He had come to an inn to spend at least one night.

Yehovah met him. Yehovah sought Moshe to kill Moshe. His woman Ladybird took a stone, and she cut the foreskin of her son. She then struck the foreskin to his feet—that is, she threw it to his feet to strike his feet. She said, “For thou art a spouse of bloods to me!”

Yehovah desisted—that is, He ceased (from seeking to kill him).

Zipporah had more to say: “A spouse of bloods to circumcise!”

Questions

1. What does “in the way” mean? This means that he was en route—he was on the way to Egypt.

2. The text states, “And Yehovah met him. And He sought to kill him.” Doesn’t that conflict with Yehovah’s assigning him to go to Egypt? It does conflict! If Moshe is dead, he certainly can’t do the wonders in Egypt! Yehovah was that angry at Moshe.

3. The text then states, “And Zipporah took a stone. And she cut the foreskin of her son.” What was she doing, and why was she doing this? She was doing a circumcision. She was doing this because she had known before that Yehovah had commanded all the offspring of Avraham to circumcise their male children when they are eight days old.

Circumcision is cutting off the foreskin from the male’s penis. Men are born with a thin skin covering that covers the tip of the penis. Yehovah designed it so that this thin skin can be removed almost painlessly when a newborn is eight days old; that is also when the possibility of infection is at its lowest during the entire life of the male. Removing that foreskin is a type—it pictures cutting away wrong and sinful lusts of the flesh (there are other lusts that are not wrong or sinful), since the male’s penis is associated with lust. It doesn’t hurt the functions of the penis in any way. (Some adult men must have the foreskin removed in order to stop getting infections!)

The reason why Zipporah did this was because she knew why Yehovah had come and what He was about to do to her husband! I cannot prove how she knew, but she knew! Therefore, she acted quickly!

4. What does “she struck to his feet” mean, and why did she do that? She took that very small foreskin that she had cut off, and she threw it to someone’s feet. There are three possibilities:

She threw it to Yehovah’s feet to stop Him from killing her husband. (I don’t see where she would do that; it might show contempt to a being she greatly feared at this time.)
She threw it to Moshe’s feet in contempt and disgust for him not doing what he should have done. (While this may be true, I don’t know that she would have openly showed contempt for her husband in such a direct way.)
She threw it to the child’s feet since she was close to the child, and she wanted both Moshe and Yehovah to see that she had truly removed the foreskin.

While I can suppose that she was furious with Moshe, and he was responsible to do the circumcision, she almost ended up with a dead husband. This Being that appeared and that left was the One Who sent Moshe on this strange mission. Zipporah now understood how important circumcision was to this God. I propose that her next comments show this.

Thus, I propose that she threw the foreskin to the child’s feet, and that she spoke to the child in the hearing of both her husband and this Man Who came to kill her husband.

5. What did she mean by, “thou art to me a sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage”? The Hebrew word khatan has both the idea of sealing something (like an agreement, since an agreement that is sealed is one that both are determined to keep) and the idea of a marriage-or marriage-like agreement. The word is used for marriage. Thus, when a man and woman marry, the ‘in-laws’ are now part of the family of the person who married into that family, and the ‘in-laws’ now see that person as part of their family. Other agreements may not be part of any marriage, but they are marriage-like, in which two or more agree to aid and benefit each other from now on.

When she said, “thou art to me a sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage,” I propose that she was speaking to the very young child whom she circumcised. I also propose that she was prophesying while she was saving the life of her (disobedient) husband. She wasn’t Jewish, and she was saving the life of a Jewish person and a Jewish child (since a child of Avraham who isn’t circumcised will be cut off—that is, will be killed, as the Torah warns: Genesis 17:14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.)

6. What does “He desisted from him” mean? This means that He, Yehovah, left him, Moshe, alone; He stopped coming at him to kill him, and He went away.

7. Zipporah continued to speak after Yehovah left. She then said, “A sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage to circumcise!” What did she mean? I propose that she meant, the child was sealed to her by her marriage with Moshe, and he was sealed to her to circumcise him! Though this was her own son, she is speaking as if she is living during the Tribulation, and has acquired a very young Jewish baby to tend and to save its life. Such a woman will have to circumcise the uncircumcised infant who will be ‘sealed’ to her—given to her to be totally responsible for the child, since the father isn’t there to take care of the child in this manner.

V. Moshe and Aaron (verses 27-28)

Yehovah next spoke to Aharon: “Walk desertward to meet Moshe.” Moshe did as he was told. He walked, and he met him in the Mountain of the Gods. Moshe kissed Aharon and vice versa.

Moshe told Aharon all the speeches of Yehovah Who sent him, and he also told all the signs that He commanded him.

Questions

1. Since there were deserts all around, how did Aharon know which way is desertward? How could he possibly just happen to run into Moshe? In the Bible, whenever Yehovah gives a command (including basic directions), He always supplies information (and ability) that is necessary to carry out His command. Aharon didn’t know which way to go, but all he needed to do was to walk. Yehovah would then guide him to the exact spot where he needed to be to meet Moshe.

Others have tried the same things—wait on ‘the Lord’ to guide them—but they didn’t have the command from Yehovah. They thought they did, and they think they do. You will meet folks like this who will claim that they have commands from God to go here or there, to do this or that. Never believe them! (If they had commands from God, they wouldn’t be telling folks and bragging about how close they were to God; they would be walking righteously and would do the commands instead of talking about them.)

Aharon won’t just happen to run into Moshe; Yehovah will lead them both to the same place at the same time.

2. What is this Mountain of the Gods? It is Mount Horeb, also known as Mount Sinai. It is located in Saudi Arabia. The area is very dry; few plants (if any) live there.

3. Who kissed whom (verse 27)? Aharon kissed Moshe (and Moshe likewise kissed Aharon). This is part of their cultures, as well as being an expression of gladness at seeing each other. It had been years since they last saw each other!

4. Moshe told Aharon all about the speeches of Yehovah and the signs. Why did Aharon believe Moshe? Aharon knew that his brother was very special; he knew that from the time he was a small child. Aharon looked for the deliverance of his people from Egyptian slavery; believing Moshe was not difficult.

5. Who sent Moshe, according to this text? Yehovah sent Moshe!

VI. Signs (verses 29-31)

Moshe and Aharon walked together. They did gather all the elders of the children of Israel. Aharon did the speaking, telling what Yehovah said to Moshe.

Moshe then did the signs directly in the eyes of the people. The people believed! They hearkened because Yehovah visited the children of Israel; they hearkened because Yehovah saw their humiliation. They then bowed, and they prostrated.

Questions

1. If Aharon was a slave, how was he able to just walk into and out of Egypt? Aharon was an elder; he wasn’t one of the younger Israeli workers. He had more freedom to go here and there, and Yehovah made certain that he had no trouble.

When Aharon and Moshe walked into Egypt, the Egyptians saw two old men walking together. They had no reason to stop them and question them.

2. How did they gather all the elders of the children of Israel? I propose that Aharon was a leader among the Israelis. Whether or not this was the case, he knew where the elders were located, and he went and called them to come to one place for a meeting.

3. Who did the speaking to the elders? Aharon did all the speaking; that is what Moshe desired. He told the elders all the speeches that Yehovah told Moshe.

4. Who did the signs (to the eyes of the people)? Moshe did the signs; he was already experienced doing these things. (I don’t see where Aharon was authorized to do the signs.)

5. What does “to the eyes of the people” mean? The people were directly watching this performance of the miracles—miracles that looked like magic, but were beyond normal magic.

6. Why is people singular instead of plural? Throughout the Bible, people is singular, referring to one group, and peoples is plural, referring to more than one group. The King James Version Bibles normally don’t have the word peoples, though they should have contained it. Instead, translators put the same word for both the singular and the plural. This causes many problems. Many English-language speakers don’t know what a people is and what peoples are. (People in the Bible is never the plural form of person.)

7. The text states, “the people believed.” Is that good? It would have been good if it had been permanent. Belief (the same as faith) can be permanent or temporary. If it is temporary, it won’t last.

8. Why did the Israeli elders hearken to Aharon and Moshe? They hearkened because:

Yehovah visited the children of Israel
Yehovah saw the humiliation of the children of Israel

The elders were the most affected by the mistreatment of the Israelis since they watched them grow up as their own children, and they heard their sorrowful expressions on a daily basis. They were ready for Yehovah to do something.

9. What does visited mean in, “they hearkened because Yehovah visited the children of Israel”? To visit in the Bible is to personally come in order to take action for or against a person or a group. This was a good visitation; Yehovah personally came to take action for the Israelis, and to bring them out of slavery.

10. To whom did they bow? They bowed to Yehovah (whom they didn’t see, because He wasn’t appearing to them).

11. What does “they worshipped” mean? This means that they (the elders) prostrated—lay down flat—before Yehovah, showing that they were willing to submit to Him and to do what He commanded.

May 21, 2010July 5, 2017

Exodus 4_18 Moshe’s Return Trip

Moshe’s Return Trip

Background and Printed Text: Exodus 4:18-31

I. Moshe Leaves (verse 18)

Questions

1. Why does the text need to say that Moshe walked? Isn’t that obvious?

2. Why didn’t Moshe tell Jethro about his conversation with Yehovah at this time, but instead made up the story about seeing whether his brethren were still alive?

3. What did Jethro mean by “Walk to peace”?

II. The Green Light (verses 19-20)

Questions

1. Moshe already decided to go to Egypt. Why did Yehovah again tell him to Walk and to return [to] Egypt?

2. What were the men seeking who were seeking Moshe’s being?

3. Who had been seeking Moshe’s being?

4. Why did Moshe take his wife and sons? Wouldn’t they be in the way?

5. Did Moshe also ride on an ass?

6. What does “he returned landward Egypt” mean?

7. Why is that rod called the rod of the Gods?

III. Specific Commands (verses 21-23)

Yehovah continued, “And I said unto thee, ‘Send my son! And he will serve me!’ And thou refused to send him!”

Yehovah then threatened Pharaoh: “Behold, I am slaying thy son thy firstborn!”

Questions

1. What was Yehovah commanding Moshe when He said, “See all the wonders that I have put into thy hand during thy walking to return Egyptward”?

2. Yehovah then commanded, “And do them to the faces of Pharaoh.” What was different about this command?

3. What does “I will grasp his heart” mean?

4. What will be the result if Yehovah grasps the king’s mind?

5. Why would Yehovah aid Pharaoh to not send the people? Isn’t that the opposite of what Yehovah desires to do?

6. Yehovah said, “And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh…” How would Moshe get to see Pharaoh?

7. Yehovah told Moshe to tell Pharaoh, “Israel is my son—my firstborn!” What does that mean, in what way is that true, and why is that so important?

IV. Moshe Is Nearly Killed (verses 24-26)

Moshe was en route—he was already on the road. He had come to an inn to spend at least one night.

Yehovah desisted—that is, He ceased (from seeking to kill him).

Zipporah had more to say: “A sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage to circumcise!”

Questions

1. What does “in the way” mean?

2. The text states, “And Yehovah met him. And He sought to kill him.” Doesn’t that conflict with Yehovah’s assigning him to go to Egypt?

3. The text then states, “And Zipporah took a stone. And she cut the foreskin of her son.” What was she doing, and why was she doing this?

4. What does “she struck to his feet” mean, and why did she do that?

5. What did she mean by, “thou art to me a sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage”?

6. What does “He desisted from him” mean?

7. Zipporah continued to speak after Yehovah left. She then said, “A sealed-one- of bloods -by-marriage to circumcise!” What did she mean?

V. Moshe and Aaron (verses 27-28)

Yehovah next spoke to Aharon: “Walk desertward to meet Moshe.” Moshe did as he was told. He walked, and he met him in the Mountain of the Gods. Moshe kissed Aharon and vice versa.

Moshe told Aharon all the speeches of Yehovah Who sent him, and he also told all the signs that He commanded him.

Questions

1. Since there were deserts all around, how did Aharon know which way is desertward? How could he possibly just happen to run into Moshe?

2. What is this Mountain of the Gods?

3. Who kissed whom (verse 27)?

4. Moshe told Aharon all about the speeches of Yehovah and the signs. Why did Aharon believe Moshe?

5. Who sent Moshe, according to this text?

VI. Signs (verses 29-31)

Moshe and Aharon walked together. They did gather all the elders of the children of Israel. Aharon did the speaking, telling what Yehovah said to Moshe.

Questions

1. If Aharon was a slave, how was he able to just walk into and out of Egypt?

2. How did they gather all the elders of the children of Israel?

3. Who did the speaking to the elders?

4. Who did the signs (to the eyes of the people)?

5. What does “to the eyes of the people” mean?

6. Why is people singular instead of plural?

7. The text states, “the people believed.” Is that good?

8. Why did the Israeli elders hearken to Aharon and Moshe?

9. What does visited mean in, “they hearkened because Yehovah visited the children of Israel”?

10. To whom did they bow?

11. What does “they worshipped” mean?