Exodus 4:15-20 NIV

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:17

Thou shalt take this rod - From the story of Moses's rod the heathens have invented the fables of the thyrsus of Bacchus, and the caduceus of Mercury. Cicero reckons five Bacchuses, one of which, according to Orpheus, was born of the river Nile; but, according to the common opinion, he was born on the banks of that river. Bacchus is expressly said to have been exposed on the river Nile, hence he is called Nilus, both by Diodorus and Macrobius; and in the hymns of Orpheus he is named Myses,... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:18

Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren - Moses, having received his commission from God, and directions how to execute it, returned to his father-in-law, and asked permission to visit his family and brethren in Egypt, without giving him any intimation of the great errand on which he was going. His keeping this secret has been attributed to his singular modesty: but however true it might be that Moses was a truly humble and modest man, yet his prudence alone was sufficient to... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:19

In Midian - This was a new revelation, and appears to have taken place after Moses returned to his father-in-law previous to his departure for Egypt. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:20

His wife and his sons - Both Gershom and Eliezer, though the birth of the latter has not yet been mentioned in the Hebrew text. See Clarke's note on Exodus 2:22 . Set them upon an ass - The Septuagint reads the word in the plural, εκι τα ὑποζυγια , upon asses, as it certainly required more than one to carry Zipporah, Gershom, and Eliezer. The rod of God - The sign of sovereign power, by which he was to perform all his miracles; once the badge of his shepherd's office, and now... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:16

Verse 16 16.And he shall be thy spokesman. God destroys the pretext for his exemption, by assigning to his brother the office of spokesman, and yet does He not put the other in his place; nay, so merciful is the arrangement, that while He yields to His servant’s prayer, He yet confers honor upon him in spite of himself. The offices are thus divided — Moses is to have the authority, Aaron is to be the interpreter. Thus Moses is set before his brother, from no respect to his own dignity; because... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:17

Verse 17 17.And thou shalt take this rod. There is no doubt that God chose this shepherd’s rod to be the instrument of his power, in order the more to confound the pride of Pharaoh. For what but shame and reproach could it bring to Moses, that he should bear with him the crook with which he had heretofore guided his sheep in their folds and hovels? This symbol, then, of a rustic and contemptible occupation, was opposed to the scepter of Pharaoh, not without humiliation. In this respect,... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:18

Verse 18 18.And Moses went. It is surprising that Moses should have suppressed the vision whereby the mind of his father-in-law might have been most inclined to let him go; for he speaks merely of human feelings, that he desired to revisit his brethren and relations. Yet it must have been disagreeable to his father-in-law to lose his services, and that diligence and industry by which he had largely profited; nor could it have been pleasant to send away his daughter and grandchildren to a... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:19

Verse 19 19.And the Lord said (56) unto Moses Some connect this sentence with what follows, as if God had spoken to his servant after permission to return had been given him by his father-in-law; but my opinion rather is, that what had before been omitted is here inserted out of its place. Such repetition is frequent in the Scriptures. (57) Moses, therefore, adds to what he had already said, that the fear of danger was removed, since God had testified that the recollection of his having slain... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:20

Verse 20 20.And Moses took his wife. By taking his wife and children with him, Moses clearly and freely professed, that he was returning to Egypt, to dwell there. The ass upon which he set them, is a plain proof how humble was his condition, and how slender his substance. For it is improbable that he left either money or silver vessels or precious garments with his father-in-law, so as to present himself to his people in poverty and nakedness. But as he had been content in the land of Midian... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 4:1-17

The reluctance of Moses to undertake the part of leader, indicated by his first reply at his first calling, "Who am I that I should go?" etc. ( Exodus 3:11 ), was not yet overcome. God had promised that he would succeed; but he did not see how he could succeed, either with the people or with Pharaoh. It was not enough for him that God had declared, "They (the people) shall hearken unto thy voice" ( Exodus 3:18 ); he does not, cannot believe this, and replies: "Behold, they will not... read more

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:17

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:18

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:19

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:20

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:16

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:17

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:18

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:19

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:20

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 4:1-17

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