Exodus 4:2
1 Then Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to my voice? For they may say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’”
And the LORD asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.
3 “Throw it on the ground,” said the LORD. So Moses threw it on the ground, and it became a snake, and he ran from it.
4 “Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail,” the LORD said to Moses, who reached out his hand and caught the snake, and it turned back into a staff in his hand.
Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- And the LORD asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.
- KJV
- And the LORD said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.
- WEB
- The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.”
- ASV
- And Jehovah said unto him, What is that in thy hand? And he said, A rod.
- DARBY
- And Jehovah said to him, What is that in thy hand? And he said, A staff.
- BLB
- And YHWH said to him, “What [is] in your hand?” And he said, “A staff.”
- ÅB
- Da sa Herren til ham: Hva er det du har i hånden? Han svarte: En stav.
- OTB
- Herren spurte ham: «Hva er det du har i hånden?» Han svarte: «En stav.»
- B1930
- Da sa Herren til ham: Hvad er det du har i hånden? Han svarte: En stav.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Exodus 4:20
So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.
Read in contextExodus 4:17
But take this staff in your hand so you can perform signs with it.”
Read in contextPsalms 110:2
The LORD extends Your mighty scepter from Zion: “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”
Read in contextIsaiah 11:4
but with righteousness He will judge the poor, and with equity He will decide for the lowly of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth and slay the wicked with the breath of His lips.
Read in contextGenesis 30:37
Jacob, however, took fresh branches of poplar, almond, and plane trees, and peeled the bark, exposing the white inner wood of the branches.
Read in contextLeviticus 27:32
Every tenth animal from the herd or flock that passes under the shepherd’s rod will be holy to the LORD.
Read in contextMicah 7:14
Shepherd with Your staff Your people, the flock of Your inheritance. They live alone in a woodland, surrounded by pastures. Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
Read in context