Exodus 4:12

4:10-17 Moses continued backward to the work God designed him for; there was much of cowardice, slothfulness, and unbelief in him. We must not judge of men by the readiness of their discourse. A great deal of wisdom and true worth may be with a slow tongue. God sometimes makes choice of those as his messengers, who have the least of the advantages of art or nature, that his grace in them may appear the more glorious. Christ's disciples were no orators, till the Holy Spirit made them such. God condescends to answer the excuse of Moses. Even self-diffidence, when it hinders us from duty, or clogs us in duty, is very displeasing to the Lord. But while we blame Moses for shrinking from this dangerous service, let us ask our own hearts if we are not neglecting duties more easy, and less perilous. The tongue of Aaron, with the head and heart of Moses, would make one completely fit for this errand. God promises, I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth. Even Aaron, who could speak well, yet could not speak to purpose, unless God gave constant teaching and help; for without the constant aid of Divine grace, the best gifts will fail.

Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth,.... And put words into it, and cause it to speak readily and powerfully; and so it appears that he was mighty in words, as well as in deeds, Acts 7:22 , and teach thee what thou shalt say; to Pharaoh, to the Israelites, and to Aaron, that was to speak for him, as is hereafter observed.

10-13. I am not eloquent—It is supposed that Moses labored under a natural defect of utterance or had a difficulty in the free and fluent expression of his ideas in the Egyptian language, which he had long disused. This new objection was also overruled, but still Moses, who foresaw the manifold difficulties of the undertaking, was anxious to be freed from the responsibility.

Jehovah both could and would provide for this defect. He had made man's mouth, and He made dumb or deaf, seeing or blind. He possessed unlimited power over all the senses, could give them or take them away; and He would be with Moses' mouth, and teach him what he was to say, i.e., impart to him the necessary qualification both as to matter and mode. - Moses' difficulties were now all exhausted, and removed by the assurances of God. But this only brought to light the secret reason in his heart. He did not wish to undertake the divine mission.

[Bible] 4:2. Then he said to him: What is that thou holdest in thy hand? He answered: A rod. 4:3. And the Lord said: Cast it down upon the ground. He cast it down, and it was turned into a serpent, so that Moses fled from it. 4:4. And the Lord said: Put out thy hand, and take it by the tail. He put forth his hand, and took hold of it, and it was turned into a rod. 4:5. That they may believe, saith he, that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared to thee. 4:6. And the Lord said again: Put thy hand into thy bosom. And when he had put it into his bosom, he brought it forth leprous as snow. 4:7. And he said: Put back thy hand into thy bosom. He put it back, and brought it out again, and it was like the other flesh. 4:8. If they will not believe thee, saith he, nor hear the voice of the former sign, they will believe the word of the latter sign. 4:9. But if they will not even believe these two signs, nor hear thy voice: take of the river water, and pour it out upon the dry land, and whatsoever thou drawest out of the river, shall be turned into blood. 4:10. Moses said: I beseech thee, Lord, I am not eloquent from yesterday and the day before; and since thou hast spoken to thy servant, I have more impediment and slowness of tongue. 4:11. The Lord said to him: Who made man's mouth? or who made the dumb and the deaf, the seeing and the blind? did not I? 4:12. Go therefore, and I will be in thy mouth; and I will teach thee what thou shalt speak. 4:13. But he said: I beseech thee, Lord, send whom thou wilt send. 4:14. The Lord being angry at Moses, said: Aaron the Levite is thy brother, I know that he is eloquent: behold he cometh forth to meet thee, and seeing thee, shall be glad at heart. 4:15. Speak to him, and put my words in his mouth: and I will be in thy mouth, and in his month, and will shew you what you must do.

[Reformed Biblical] h we must d iligently observe. See Mic_6:9. Exodus 4:9 The river Nile, well known to Moses, and called so by way of eminency, as Euphrates also is. Shall become, Heb. shall be, even shall be, i.e. it shall assuredly be so. Exodus 4:10 ## I am not eloquent; not able to deliver thy message acceptably and decent ly, either to Pharaoh or to the Israelites. Since thy appearance to me, thou hast made some change in my hand, but none in my tongue, but still I am, as I was, most unfit for so high an employment. But in deed he was therefore fit for it, as the unlearned apostles were for the preaching of the gospel, that the honour of their glorious works might be entirely given to God, and not to the instruments which he used. Exodus 4:11 Exodus 4:12 By my Spirit to direct and assist thee what and how to speak. Whence Moses, though he still seems to have remained slow in ## speech , yet was in truth mighty in words as well as deeds , Act_ 7:22. Compa re Mat_10:19 , 20. Exodus 4:13 By one who is fitter for the work than I am. Heb. Send by the hand of him whom ## thou wilt send, i.e. should send; for the future tense oft signifies what one should do. See Gen_20:9 34:7 Mal_1:6 2:7. Thou usest according to thy wisdom to choose fit instruments, and to use none but whom thou dost either find or make fit for their employment, which I am not. Others, Send by the hand of Messias, whom thou wilt certainly send, and canst not send at a fitter time, nor for better work. Moses

[Reformed Biblical] t a request (which God foresaw) might make his tyranny more manifest, and God’s vengeance upon him more just and remarkable. ## Sacrifice to the Lord our God, which they could not do freely and safely in Egypt, Exo_8:26. Exodus 3:19 ## I am sure; I know it infallibly beforehand. ## No, not by a mighty hand; though he see and feel the miraculous and dreadful works of a strong, yea, almighty hand, yet he will not consent to your going; which the history makes good. Nor did he let them go till he could hold them no longer, till the fear of his own life, and the clamours of his people, forced him to give way to it. And yet after that he repents of his permission, and laboured to bring them back again. Others, but or except by a strong hand , i.e. except by my almighty power he be forced to it. Both translations come to the same sense. Exodus 3:20 Exodus 3:21 ## I will give this people favour, so that they shall readily grant what the Israelites desire. See Exo_12:36. Exodus 3:22 ## Whether this was just or no, see Poole " Exo_12:36 " . ## Exodus 4:1 EXODUS CHAPTER 4 ## Moses’s objection, Exo_4:1. The answer, Exo_4:2. God turns his rod into a serpent, Exo_4:3-5. He adds another sign, Exo_4:6-8. And lest they would not believe, water is turned into blood, Exo_4:9. Moses’s objection, Exo_4:10. God argues with him, Exo_4:11. God’s command and promise, Exo_4:12. Moses’s answer, Exo_4:13. God is angry, and enjoins Aaron to the same employme