Holman Christian Standard Bible

Hebrew Study Bible

1Then Moses answered, "What if they won't believe me and will not obey me but say, 'The LORD did not appear to you?"

1וַיַּ֤עַן מֹשֶׁה֙ וַיֹּ֔אמֶר וְהֵן֙ לֹֽא־ יַאֲמִ֣ינוּ לִ֔י וְלֹ֥א יִשְׁמְע֖וּ בְּקֹלִ֑י כִּ֣י יֹֽאמְר֔וּ לֹֽא־ נִרְאָ֥ה אֵלֶ֖יךָ יְהוָֽה׃

2The LORD asked him, "What is that in your hand?"" A staff," he replied.

2וַיֹּ֧אמֶר אֵלָ֛יו יְהוָ֖ה [מזה] (מַה־) (זֶּ֣ה‪‬) בְיָדֶ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר מַטֶּֽה׃

3Then He said, "Throw it on the ground." He threw it on the ground, and it became a snake. Moses ran from it,

3וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הַשְׁלִיכֵ֣הוּ אַ֔רְצָה וַיַּשְׁלִיכֵ֥הוּ אַ֖רְצָה וַיְהִ֣י לְנָחָ֑שׁ וַיָּ֥נָס מֹשֶׁ֖ה מִפָּנָֽיו׃

4but the LORD told him, "Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail." So he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand. "

4וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֔ה שְׁלַח֙ יָֽדְךָ֔ וֶאֱחֹ֖ז בִּזְנָב֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יָדוֹ֙ וַיַּ֣חֲזֶק בּ֔וֹ וַיְהִ֥י לְמַטֶּ֖ה בְּכַפּֽוֹ׃

5This will take place," He continued, "so they will believe that Yahweh, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you."

5לְמַ֣עַן יַאֲמִ֔ינוּ כִּֽי־ נִרְאָ֥ה אֵלֶ֛יךָ יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתָ֑ם אֱלֹהֵ֧י אַבְרָהָ֛ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י יִצְחָ֖ק וֵאלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹֽב׃

6In addition the LORD said to him, "Put your hand inside your cloak." So he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, his hand was diseased, white as snow.

6וַיֹּאמֶר֩ יְהוָ֨ה ל֜וֹ ע֗וֹד הָֽבֵא־ נָ֤א יָֽדְךָ֙ בְּחֵיקֶ֔ךָ וַיָּבֵ֥א יָד֖וֹ בְּחֵיק֑וֹ וַיּ֣וֹצִאָ֔הּ וְהִנֵּ֥ה יָד֖וֹ מְצֹרַ֥עַת כַּשָּֽׁלֶג׃

7Then He said, "Put your hand back inside your cloak." He put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, it had again become like the rest of his skin."

7וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הָשֵׁ֤ב יָֽדְךָ֙ אֶל־ חֵיקֶ֔ךָ וַיָּ֥שֶׁב יָד֖וֹ אֶל־ חֵיק֑וֹ וַיּֽוֹצִאָהּ֙ מֵֽחֵיק֔וֹ וְהִנֵּה־ שָׁ֖בָה כִּבְשָׂרֽוֹ׃

8If they will not believe you and will not respond to the evidence of the first sign, they may believe the evidence of the second sign.

8וְהָיָה֙ אִם־ לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֣ינוּ לָ֔ךְ וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁמְע֔וּ לְקֹ֖ל הָאֹ֣ת הָרִאשׁ֑וֹן וְהֶֽאֱמִ֔ינוּ לְקֹ֖ל הָאֹ֥ת הָאַחֲרֽוֹן׃

9And if they don't believe even these two signs or listen to what you say, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the Nile will become blood on the ground."

9וְהָיָ֡ה אִם־ לֹ֣א יַאֲמִ֡ינוּ גַּם֩ לִשְׁנֵ֨י הָאֹת֜וֹת הָאֵ֗לֶּה וְלֹ֤א יִשְׁמְעוּן֙ לְקֹלֶ֔ךָ וְלָקַחְתָּ֙ מִמֵּימֵ֣י הַיְאֹ֔ר וְשָׁפַכְתָּ֖ הַיַּבָּשָׁ֑ה וְהָי֤וּ הַמַּ֙יִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תִּקַּ֣ח מִן־ הַיְאֹ֔ר וְהָי֥וּ לְדָ֖ם בַּיַּבָּֽשֶׁת׃

10But Moses replied to the LORD, "Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent--either in the past or recently or since You have been speaking to Your servant--because I am slow and hesitant in speech."

10וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶל־ יְהוָה֮ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנָי֒ לֹא֩ אִ֨ישׁ דְּבָרִ֜ים אָנֹ֗כִי גַּ֤ם מִתְּמוֹל֙ גַּ֣ם מִשִּׁלְשֹׁ֔ם גַּ֛ם מֵאָ֥ז דַּבֶּרְךָ‪‬ אֶל־ עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֧י כְבַד־ פֶּ֛ה וּכְבַ֥ד לָשׁ֖וֹן אָנֹֽכִי׃

11Yahweh said to him, "Who made the human mouth? Who makes him mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, Yahweh?

11וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֵלָ֗יו מִ֣י שָׂ֣ם פֶּה֮ לָֽאָדָם֒ א֚וֹ מִֽי־ יָשׂ֣וּם אִלֵּ֔ם א֣וֹ חֵרֵ֔שׁ א֥וֹ פִקֵּ֖חַ א֣וֹ עִוֵּ֑ר הֲלֹ֥א אָנֹכִ֖י יְהוָֽה׃

12Now go! I will help you speak and I will teach you what to say."

12וְעַתָּ֖ה לֵ֑ךְ וְאָנֹכִי֙ אֶֽהְיֶ֣ה עִם־ פִּ֔יךָ וְהוֹרֵיתִ֖יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּדַבֵּֽר׃

13Moses said, "Please, Lord, send someone else."

13וַיֹּ֖אמֶר בִּ֣י אֲדֹנָ֑י שְֽׁלַֽח־ נָ֖א בְּיַד־ תִּשְׁלָֽח׃

14Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses, and He said, "Isn't Aaron the Levite your brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, he is on his way now to meet you. He will rejoice when he sees you.

14וַיִּֽחַר־ אַ֨ף יְהוָ֜ה בְּמֹשֶׁ֗ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הֲלֹ֨א אַהֲרֹ֤ן אָחִ֙יךָ֙ הַלֵּוִ֔י יָדַ֕עְתִּי כִּֽי־ דַבֵּ֥ר יְדַבֵּ֖ר ה֑וּא וְגַ֤ם הִנֵּה־ הוּא֙ יֹצֵ֣א לִקְרָאתֶ֔ךָ וְרָאֲךָ֖ וְשָׂמַ֥ח בְּלִבּֽוֹ׃

15You will speak with him and tell him what to say. I will help both you and him to speak and will teach you both what to do.

15וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֔יו וְשַׂמְתָּ֥ אֶת־ הַדְּבָרִ֖ים בְּפִ֑יו וְאָנֹכִ֗י אֶֽהְיֶ֤ה עִם־ פִּ֙יךָ֙ וְעִם־ פִּ֔יהוּ וְהוֹרֵיתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֵ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֽׂוּן׃

16He will speak to the people for you. He will be your spokesman, and you will serve as God to him.

16וְדִבֶּר־ ה֥וּא לְךָ֖ אֶל־ הָעָ֑ם וְהָ֤יָה הוּא֙ יִֽהְיֶה־ לְּךָ֣ לְפֶ֔ה וְאַתָּ֖ה תִּֽהְיֶה־ לּ֥וֹ לֵֽאלֹהִֽים׃

17And take this staff in your hand that you will perform the signs with."

17וְאֶת־ הַמַּטֶּ֥ה הַזֶּ֖ה תִּקַּ֣ח בְּיָדֶ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר תַּעֲשֶׂה־ בּ֖וֹ אֶת־ הָאֹתֹֽת׃ פ

18Then Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, "Please let me return to my relatives in Egypt and see if they are still living." Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace."

18וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ מֹשֶׁ֜ה וַיָּ֣שָׁב ׀ אֶל־ יֶ֣תֶר חֹֽתְנ֗וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אֵ֣לֲכָה נָּ֗א וְאָשׁ֙וּבָה֙ אֶל־ אַחַ֣י אֲשֶׁר־ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וְאֶרְאֶ֖ה הַעוֹדָ֣ם חַיִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִתְר֛וֹ לְמֹשֶׁ֖ה לֵ֥ךְ לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃

19Now in Midian the LORD told Moses, "Return to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead."

19וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֤ה אֶל־ מֹשֶׁה֙ בְּמִדְיָ֔ן לֵ֖ךְ שֻׁ֣ב מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּי־ מֵ֙תוּ֙ כָּל־ הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־ נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃

20So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took God's staff in his hand.

20וַיִּקַּ֨ח מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־ אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ וְאֶת־ בָּנָ֗יו וַיַּרְכִּבֵם֙ עַֽל־ הַחֲמֹ֔ר וַיָּ֖שָׁב אַ֣רְצָה מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־ מַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדֽוֹ׃

21The LORD instructed Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, make sure you do all the wonders before Pharaoh that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he won't let the people go.

21וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָה֮ אֶל־ מֹשֶׁה֒ בְּלֶכְתְּךָ֙ לָשׁ֣וּב מִצְרַ֔יְמָה רְאֵ֗ה כָּל־ הַמֹּֽפְתִים֙ אֲשֶׁר־ שַׂ֣מְתִּי בְיָדֶ֔ךָ וַעֲשִׂיתָ֖ם לִפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וַאֲנִי֙ אֲחַזֵּ֣ק אֶת־ לִבּ֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א יְשַׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־ הָעָֽם׃

22Then you will say to Pharaoh: This is what Yahweh says: Israel is My firstborn son.

22וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֶל־ פַּרְעֹ֑ה כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בְּנִ֥י בְכֹרִ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

23I told you: Let My son go so that he may worship Me, but you refused to let him go. Now I will kill your firstborn son!"

23וָאֹמַ֣ר אֵלֶ֗יךָ שַׁלַּ֤ח אֶת־ בְּנִי֙ וְיַֽעַבְדֵ֔נִי וַתְּמָאֵ֖ן לְשַׁלְּח֑וֹ הִנֵּה֙ אָנֹכִ֣י הֹרֵ֔ג אֶת־ בִּנְךָ֖ בְּכֹרֶֽךָ׃

24On the trip, at an overnight campsite, it happened that the LORD confronted him and sought to put him to death.

24וַיְהִ֥י בַדֶּ֖רֶךְ בַּמָּל֑וֹן וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֣הוּ יְהוָ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ הֲמִיתֽוֹ׃

25So Zipporah took a flint, cut off her son's foreskin, and threw it at Moses' feet. Then she said, "You are a bridegroom of blood to me!"

25וַתִּקַּ֨ח צִפֹּרָ֜ה צֹ֗ר וַתִּכְרֹת֙ אֶת־ עָרְלַ֣ת בְּנָ֔הּ וַתַּגַּ֖ע לְרַגְלָ֑יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֧י חֲתַן־ דָּמִ֛ים אַתָּ֖ה לִֽי׃

26So He let him alone. At that time she said, "You are a bridegroom of blood," referring to the circumcision.

26וַיִּ֖רֶף מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אָ֚ז אָֽמְרָ֔ה חֲתַ֥ן דָּמִ֖ים לַמּוּלֹֽת׃ פ

27Now the LORD had said to Aaron, "Go and meet Moses in the wilderness." So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him.

27וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶֽל־ אַהֲרֹ֔ן לֵ֛ךְ לִקְרַ֥את מֹשֶׁ֖ה הַמִּדְבָּ֑רָה וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ וַֽיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֛הוּ בְּהַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים וַיִּשַּׁק־ לֽוֹ׃

28Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and about all the signs He had commanded him to do.

28וַיַּגֵּ֤ד מֹשֶׁה֙ לְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן אֵ֛ת כָּל־ דִּבְרֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁלָח֑וֹ וְאֵ֥ת כָּל־ הָאֹתֹ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּֽהוּ׃

29Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the Israelites.

29וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹ֑ן וַיַּ֣אַסְפ֔וּ אֶת־ כָּל־ זִקְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

30Aaron repeated everything the LORD had said to Moses and performed the signs before the people.

30וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אַהֲרֹ֔ן אֵ֚ת כָּל־ הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־ דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־ מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָאֹתֹ֖ת לְעֵינֵ֥י הָעָֽם׃

31The people believed, and when they heard that the LORD had paid attention to them and that He had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

31וַֽיַּאֲמֵ֖ן הָעָ֑ם וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֡וּ כִּֽי־ פָקַ֨ד יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְכִ֤י רָאָה֙ אֶת־ עָנְיָ֔ם וַֽיִּקְּד֖וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ׃‪‬

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

Greek and Hebrew Study Bible courtesy Bible Hub and the Discovery Bible team.