Exodus 4:5-7 KJV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 4:1-9

I. Moses objects that in all probability the people would not hearken to his voice (Exod. 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 (Exod. 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 4:5

That they may believe ,.... The elders and people of Israel; for this miracle was wrought not for the confirmation of Moses's faith; for, as Aben Ezra observes, the sign of the burning bush was given to him to confirm his faith, that it was God that appeared to him, and called him to this work; but this was wrought to confirm the faith of the Israelites in his divine mission: that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 4:6

And the Lord said furthermore unto him ,.... Continued his discourse, and gave him another sign: put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom ; within his coat, under that part of the garment next to his breast: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow ; that is, white as snow, as the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan, through the leprosy that was upon it; it was a leprosy of the white sort, and which is reckoned the worst and most... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 4:7

And he said, put thine hand into thy bosom again ,.... With the leprosy on it: and he put his hand into his bosom again, and plucked it out of his bosom ; quickly after he had put it in: and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh ; it was cured of the leprosy, and recovered its colour, and was as sound as before, and as any other part of his body. This was a very astonishing miracle, that he should be at once smote with a leprosy; that this should be only in his hand, and... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:5

That they may believe - This is an example of what is called an imperfect or unfinished speech, several of which occur in the sacred writings. It may be thus supplied: Do this before them, that they may believe that the Lord hath appeared unto thee. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:6

His hand was leprous as snow - That is, the leprosy spread itself over the whole body in thin white scales; and from this appearance it has its Greek name λεπρα , from λεπις , a scale. Dr. Mead says, "I have seen a remarkable case of this in a countryman, whose whole body was so miserably seized with it, that his skin was shining as if covered with snow; and as the surfuraceous scales were daily rubbed off, the flesh appeared quick or raw underneath." The leprosy, at least among the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:5

Verse 5 5.That they may believe. This spectacle, then, was not shewn to Moses once only, but the power was imparted to him also of frequently repeating the miracle; both to acquire credit from the Israelites, and to repress the audacity of Pharaoh. For although the sentence is incomplete, there is no ambiguity in the sense, viz., that Moses is armed with power from heaven to make his vocation sure, and that none may doubt him to be a Prophet divinely commissioned. It would be tedious here to... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:6

Verse 6 6.Put now thy hand into thy bosom. By this sign Moses was instructed that what is in the greatest vigour withers away at once, at the command of God; and that what is dry is thus restored to its original vigour; in a word, the statement of Paul was confirmed by it, that God “calleth those things which be not, as though they were.” (Romans 4:17.) It was, so to say, a kind of leprosy, when Moses was banished from the court into the land of Midian, where he led his flock through wild and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 4:1-5

The intent of the first sign. Primarily, no doubt, the object was to empower Moses to show forth a sign easily, readily, without preparation, and so at any moment. He had come to the time of life at which he naturally carried a staff. That he should be able at his will to transform that dead piece of vegetable matter into an active, living organism, would show him endued with supernatural power over both the vegetable and animal worlds, and give him a means, always ready to his hand, of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 4:1-9

The third difficulty: how is Moses to deal with an incredulous Israel? With the mention of this third difficulty, we begin to see how much of doubt, self-distrust, and reluctance disturbed the mind of Moses. And no wonder. This revelation and commandment of God had come very suddenly upon him; and though strong assurances and sufficient information were readily given, yet he could not all at once receive the comforts which flowed from them. Had he attended to what God said by way of... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 4:1-9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 4:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 4:6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 4:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:5

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:6

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:5

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 4:6

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 4:1-5

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 4:1-9

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