The LORD gives great power to Moses

1Moses asked the LORD, “Suppose everyone refuses to listen to my message, and no one believes that you really appeared to me?”

2The LORD answered, “What's that in your hand?”

“A walking stick,” Moses replied.

3“Throw it down!” the LORD commanded. So Moses threw the stick on the ground. It immediately turned into a snake, and Moses jumped back.

4“Pick it up by the tail!” the LORD told him. And when Moses did this, the snake turned back into a walking stick.

5“Do this,” the LORD said, “and the Israelites will believe that you have seen me, the God who was worshipped by their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”

6Next, the LORD commanded Moses, “Put your hand inside your shirt.” Moses obeyed, and when he took it out, his hand had turned white as snow—like someone with leprosy.4.6 leprosy: The word translated “leprosy” was used for many different kinds of skin diseases.

7“Put your hand back inside your shirt,” the LORD told him. Moses did so, and when he took it out again, it was as healthy as the rest of his body.

8-9Then the LORD said, “If no one believes either of these miracles, take some water from the River Nile and pour it on the ground. The water will immediately turn into blood.”

10Moses replied, “I have never been a good speaker. I wasn't one before you spoke to me, and I'm not one now. I am slow at speaking, and I can never think of what to say.”

11But the LORD answered, “Who makes people able to speak or makes them deaf or unable to speak? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Don't you know that I am the one who does these things? 12Now go! When you speak, I will be with you and give you the words to say.”

13Moses begged, “LORD, please send someone else to do it.”

14The LORD became irritated with Moses and said:

What about your brother Aaron, the Levite? I know he is a good speaker. He is already on his way here to visit you, and he will be happy to see you again. 15-16Aaron will speak to the people for you, and you will be like me, telling Aaron what to say. I will be with both of you as you speak, and I will tell each of you what to do. 17Now take this walking stick and use it to perform miracles.

Moses returns to Egypt

18Moses went to his father-in-law Jethro and asked, “Please let me return to Egypt to see if any of my people are still alive.”

“All right,” Jethro replied. “I hope all goes well.”

19But even before this, the LORD had told Moses, “Leave the land of Midian and return to Egypt. Everyone who wanted to kill you is dead.” 20So Moses put his wife and sons on donkeys and headed for Egypt, holding the walking stick that had the power of God.

21On the way the LORD said to Moses:

When you get to Egypt, go to the king and work the miracles I have shown you. But I will make him so stubborn that he will refuse to let my people go. 22Then tell him that I have said, “Israel is my firstborn son, 23and I commanded you to release him, so he could worship me. But you refused, and now I will kill your firstborn son.”4.23: Ex 12.29.

Zipporah's son is circumcised

24One night while Moses was in camp, the LORD was about to kill him. 25But Zipporah4.25 Zipporah: The wife of Moses (see 2.16-21). circumcised her son with a flint knife. She touched his4.25 his: Either Moses or the boy. legs with the skin she had cut off and said, “My dear son, this blood will protect you.”4.25 My dear son…you: Or “My dear husband, you are a man of blood” (meaning Moses). 26So the LORD did not harm Moses. Then Zipporah said, “Yes, my dear, you are safe because of this circumcision.”4.26 you are…circumcision: Or “you are a man of blood.”

Aaron is sent to meet Moses

27The LORD sent Aaron to meet Moses in the desert. So Aaron met Moses at Mount Sinai4.27 Mount Sinai: Hebrew “the mountain of God”. and greeted him with a kiss. 28Moses told Aaron what God had sent him to say; he also told him about the miracles God had given him the power to perform.

29Later they brought together the leaders of Israel, 30and Aaron told them what the LORD had sent Moses to say. Then Moses worked the miracles for the people, 31and everyone believed. They bowed down and worshipped the LORD because they knew that he had seen their suffering and was going to help them.