Exodus 4:6
WEB
Yahweh said furthermore to him, “Now put your hand inside your cloak.” He put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow.
BSB
Furthermore, the LORD said to Moses, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, his hand was leprous, white as snow.
KJV
¶ And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H559
v — say
Derivation: a primitive root;
to say (used with great latitude)
KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, × desire, determine, × expressly, × indeed, × intend, name, × plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), × still, × suppose, talk, tell, term, × that is, × think, use (speech), utter, × verily, × yet.
vb — utter
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
1. Say
2. Say in the heart (= think)
3. Promise
4. Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
H3068
n-pr — Existent, Jeho-vah
Derivation: from 1961;
(the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jeho-vah, Jewish national name of God
KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
n.pr.dei — God
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
I. יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
II.
1. יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
2. the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
3. יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
H5750
adv — iteration, continuance, again, repeatedly, still, more
Derivation: or עֹד; from 5749;
properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again, repeatedly, still, more
KJV: again, × all life long, at all, besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer, (any) more(-over), × once, since, (be) still, when, (good, the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet (within).
subst — a going round
עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides
H935
v — go, come
Derivation: a primitive root;
to go or come (in a wide variety of applications)
KJV: abide, apply, attain, × be, befall, besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, × certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out, upon, to pass), depart, × doubtless again, eat, employ, (cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be fallen, fetch, follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war), grant, have, × indeed, (in-) vade, lead, lift (up), mention, pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, × (well) stricken (in age), × surely, take (in), way.
vb — come in
בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go
Qal
1. come in
2. come (approach, arrive)
3. go, i.e. walk, associate with
4. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given
Hiph.
1. cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)
2. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)
Hoph.
a. be brought in (of pers. and things)
b. be brought
c. be introduced, put
H4994
inj — 'I pray', 'now', 'then'
Derivation: a primitive particle of incitement and entreaty, which may usually be rendered;
'I pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the Imperative or Future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction
KJV: I beseech (pray) thee (you), go to, now, oh.
part. of entreaty — I
נָא part. of entreaty or exhortation, I (we) pray, now (enclitic)
H3027
n-f — hand, open, power, means, direction, closed
Derivation: a primitive word;
a hand (the open one [indicating power, means, direction, etc.], in distinction from 3709, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote [as follows]
KJV: ( be) able, × about, armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, × bounty, broad, (broken-) handed, × by, charge, coast, consecrate, creditor, custody, debt, dominion, × enough, fellowship, force, × from, hand(-staves, -y work), × he, himself, × in, labour, large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, × mine, ministry, near, × of, × order, ordinance, × our, parts, pain, power, × presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, swear, terror, × thee, × by them, × themselves, × thine own, × thou, through, × throwing, thumb, times, × to, × under, × us, × wait on, (way-) side, where, wide, × with (him, me, you), work, yield, × yourselves.
n.f — hand
יָד 1604 n.f. hand
1. hand
2. Fig. = strength, power
3. Fig. = side
4. יָד is used in various special, technical senses:—
a. sign, monument
b. part, fractional part or share
c. time, repetition
d. axle-trees
e. stays, supports for laver
f. tenons on sides of boards of tabernacle
g. a (beckoning) hand
5. יַד with prep.
H2436
n-m — bosom
Derivation: or חֵק; and חוֹק; from an unused root, apparently meaning to inclose;
the bosom (literally or figuratively)
KJV: bosom, bottom, lap, midst, within.
n.[m.] — bosom
חֵיק, חֵק n.[m.] bosom
1. of fold of garment, at breast
2. carry in bosom
3. bosom as part of body
H3318
v — go, bring, out
Derivation: a primitive root;
to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.
KJV: × after, appear, × assuredly, bear out, × begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail, fall (out), fetch forth (out), get away (forth, hence, out), (able to, cause to, let) go abroad (forth, on, out), going out, grow, have forth (out), issue out, lay (lie) out, lead out, pluck out, proceed, pull out, put away, be risen, × scarce, send with commandment, shoot forth, spread, spring out, stand out, × still, × surely, take forth (out), at any time, × to (and fro), utter.
vb — go out
יָצָא 1068 vb. go or come out
Qal
1. go or come out or forth
a. from (מִן) a place
b. go forth from (the presence of) a person
c. in technical senses
d. of flight, involving escape
e. depart
f. of inanimate things
g. with especial emphasis on idea of origin, source
h. of children as going forth from loins (of father)
2.
a. go forth to a place
b. go forward, proceed to or toward something
c. come or go forth, with esp. ref. to purpose or result
3. of combinations
Hiph.
1. cause to go or come out, bring out, lead out
2. fig. obj. persons, bring out of (מִן) distress, etc.
3. bring out animals
4. inanimate obj.
5. fig. subj. י׳, bring forth from (מִן)
Hoph. be brought forth
H2009
dp — lo!
Derivation: prolongation for 2005;
lo!
KJV: behold, lo, see.
H6879
v — scourge, be stricken with leprosy
Derivation: a primitive root;
to scourge, i.e. (intransitive and figurative) to be stricken with leprosy
KJV: leper, leprous.
vb. denom — be stricken with leprosy
[צָרַע] vb. denom., only in pass., be stricken with leprosy, leprous
Qal elsewh. as subst., = leper
Pu. leprous
H7950
n-m — snow, whiteness
Derivation: from 7949;
snow (probably from its whiteness)
KJV: snow(-y).
n.m — snow
שֶׁ֫לֶג n.m. snow
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Verses 1–9
Exodus 4:1–9
It was a very great honour that Moses was called to when God commissioned him to bring Israel out of Egypt; yet he is with difficulty persuaded to accept the commission, and does it at last with great reluctance, which we should rather impute to a humble diffidence of himself and his own sufficiency than to any unbelieving distrust of God and his word and power. Note, Those whom God designs for preferment he clothes with humility; the most fit for service are the least forward.
I. Moses objects that in all probability the people would not hearken to his voice (Exo 4:1), that is, they would not take his bare word, unless he showed them some sign, which he had not been yet instructed to do. This objection cannot be justified, because it contradicts what God had said (Exo 3:18), They shall hearken to thy voice. If God says, They will, does it become Moses to say, They will not? Surely he means, "Perhaps they will not at first, or some of them will not." If there should be some gainsayers among them who would question his commission, how should he deal with them? And what course should he take to convince them? He remembered how they had once rejected him, and feared it would be so again. Note, 1. Present discouragements often arise from former disappointments. 2. Wise and good men have sometimes a worse opinion of people than they deserve. Moses sad (Exo 4:1), They will not believe me; and yet he was happily mistaken, for it is said (Exo 4:31), The people believed; but then the signs which God appointed in answer to this objection were first wrought in their sight.
II. God empowers him to work miracles, directs him to three particularly, two of which were now immediately wrought for his own satisfaction. Note, True miracles are the most convincing external proofs of a divine mission attested by them. Therefore our Saviour often appealed to his works (as Joh 5:36), and Nicodemus owns himself convinced by them, Joh 3:2. And here Moses, having a special commission given him as a judge and lawgiver to Israel, has this seal affixed to his commission, and comes supported by these credentials.
1. The rod in his hand is made the subject of a miracle, a double miracle: it is but thrown out of his hand and it becomes a serpent; he resumes it and it becomes a rod again, Exo 4:2-4. Now, (1.) Here was a divine power manifested in the change itself, that a dry stick should be turned into a living serpent, a lively one, so formidable a one that Moses himself, on whom, it should seem, it turned in some threatening manner, fled from before it, though we may suppose, in that desert, serpents were no strange things to him; but what was produced miraculously was always the best and strongest of the kind, as the water turned to wine: and, then, that this living serpent should be turned into a dry stick again, this was the Lord's doing. (2.) Here was an honour put upon Moses, that this change was wrought upon his throwing it down and taking it up, without any spell, or charm, or incantation: his being empowered thus to act under God, out of the common course of nature and providence, was a demonstration of his authority, under God, to settle a new dispensation of the kingdom of grace. We cannot imagine that the God of truth would delegate such a power as this to an impostor. (3.) There was a significancy in the miracle itself. Pharaoh had turned the rod of Israel into a serpent, representing them as dangerous (Exo 1:10), causing their belly to cleave to the dust, and seeking their ruin; but now they should be turned into a rod again: or, thus Pharaoh had turned the rod of government into the serpent of oppression, from which Moses had himself fled into Midian; but by the agency of Moses the scene was altered again. (4.) There was a direct tendency in it to convince the children of Israel that Moses was indeed sent of God to do what he did, Exo 4:5. Miracles were for signs to those that believed not, Co1 14:22.
2. His hand itself is next made the subject of a miracle. He puts it once into his bosom, and takes it out leprous; he puts it again into the same place, and takes it out well, Exo 4:6, Exo 4:7. This signified, (1.) That Moses, by the power of God, should bring sore diseases upon Egypt, and that, at his prayer, they should be removed. (2.) That whereas the Israelites in Egypt had become leprous, polluted by sin, and almost consumed by oppression (a leper is as one dead, Num 12:12), by being taken into the bosom of Moses they should be cleansed and cured, and have all their grievances redressed. (3.) That Moses was not to work miracles by his own power, nor for his own praise, but by the power of God and for his glory; the leprous hand of Moses does for ever exclude boasting. Now it was supposed that, if the former sign did not convince, this latter would. Note, God is willing more abundantly to show the truth of his word, and is not sparing in his proofs; the multitude and variety of the miracles corroborate the evidence.
3. He is directed, when he shall come to Egypt, to turn some of the water of the river into blood, Exo 4:9. This was done, at first, as a sign, but, not gaining due credit with Pharaoh, the whole river was afterwards turned into blood, and then it became a plague. He is ordered to work this miracle in case they would not be convinced by the other two. Note, Unbelief shall be left inexcusable, and convicted of a wilful obstinacy. As to the people of Israel, God had said (Exo 3:18), They shall hearken; yet he appoints these miracles to be wrought for their conviction, for he that has ordained the end has ordained the means.
Cross-references: Exod 4:1 · Exod 3:18 · Exod 4:31 · John 5:36 · John 3:2 · Exod 4:2 · Exod 1:10 · Exod 4:5 · 1Cor 14:22 · Exod 4:6 · Exod 4:7 · Num 12:12 · Exod 4:9