Exodus 4:18-27
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 4
18Then Moses departed and returned to his father-in-law Jethro, and said to him, 'Please, let me go, that I may return to my brothers who are in Egypt, and see if they are still alive.' And Jethro said to Moses, 'Go in peace.' 19Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, 'Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.' 20So Moses took his wife and his sons and mounted them on a donkey, and returned to the land of Egypt. Moses also took the staff of God in his hand.
21And the Lord said to Moses, 'When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
22Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: 'Israel is My son, My firstborn.
23So I said to you, ‘Let My son go so that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I am going to kill your son, your firstborn.'?’?'
24But it came about at the overnight encampment on the way, that the Lord met Moses, and sought to put him to death.
25So Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at Moses’ feet; and she said, 'You are indeed a groom of blood to me!'
26So He left him alone. At that time she said, 'You are a groom of blood'— because of the circumcision.
King James Version
Chapter 4
18And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father in law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren which are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace. 19And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life. 20And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand. 21And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. 22And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: 23And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.
24And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him.
25Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.
26So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
Christian Standard Bible
19Now in Midian the Lord told Moses, "Return to Egypt, for all the men who wanted to kill you are dead."
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.
21The Lord instructed Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, make sure you do before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he won’t let the people go.
22And you will say to Pharaoh: This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.
23I told you: Let my son go so that he may worship me, but you refused to let him go. Look, I am about to kill your firstborn son!"
24On the trip, at an overnight campsite, it happened that the Lord confronted him and intended to put him to death.
25So Zipporah took a flint, cut off her son’s foreskin, threw it at Moses’s feet, and said, "You are a bridegroom of blood to me!"
26So he let him alone. At that time she said, "You are a bridegroom of blood," referring to the circumcision.
New Living Translation
21And the Lord told Moses, 'When you arrive back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles I have empowered you to do. But I will harden his heart so he will refuse to let the people go.
22Then you will tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.
23I commanded you, 'Let my son go, so he can worship me.' But since you have refused, I will now kill your firstborn son!’'
24On the way to Egypt, at a place where Moses and his family had stopped for the night, the Lord confronted him and was about to kill him.
25But Moses’ wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She touched his feet with the foreskin and said, 'Now you are a bridegroom of blood to me.'
26(When she said 'a bridegroom of blood,' she was referring to the circumcision.) After that, the Lord left him alone.
English Standard Version
Chapter 4
18Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, "Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive." And Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace." 19And the Lord said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead." 20So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.
21And the Lord said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.
22Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son,
23and I say to you, "Let my son go that he may serve me." If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’"
24At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death.
25Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son 's foreskin and touched Moses ' feet with it and said, "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!"
26So he let him alone. It was then that she said, "A bridegroom of blood," because of the circumcision.
New International Version
19Now the Lord had said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead."
20So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.
21The Lord said to Moses, "When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go.
22Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son,
23and I told you, "Let my son go, so he may worship me." But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’ "
24At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him.
25But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. "Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me," she said.
26So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said "bridegroom of blood," referring to circumcision.)
New King James Version
19Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.”
20Then Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
21And the Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.
22Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.
23So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn.” ’ ”
24And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the Lord met him and sought to kill him.
25Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and cut off the foreskin of her son and cast it at Moses’ feet, and said, “Surely you are a husband of blood to me!”
26So He let him go. Then she said, “ You are a husband of blood!”—because of the circumcision.
