Moses Leaves for Egypt
Moses asks Jethro for leave to return to Egypt, learns that those who sought his life are dead, and sets out with his wife, sons, and the staff of God. The journey begins under both ordinary family movement and divine command.
T18hen Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, “Please let me return to my brothers in Egypt to see if they are still alive.” 19Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who sought to kill you are dead.” 20So 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.
The LORD tells Moses to perform the wonders before Pharaoh, warns that Pharaoh’s heart will be hardened, and gives him the message that Israel is the LORD’s firstborn son. Pharaoh’s refusal to release that son will bring judgment on his own firstborn.
21The LORD instructed Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put within your power. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. 22Then tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says: ‘Israel is My firstborn son, 23and I told you to let My son go so that he may worship Me. But since you have refused to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son!’”
At a lodging place the LORD confronts Moses with death, and Zipporah’s circumcision of their son turns that threat aside. The journey is interrupted by a severe reminder that the one sent by God must not neglect the covenant sign.
24Now at a lodging place along 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 it to Moses’ feet. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. 26So the LORD let him alone. (When she said, “bridegroom of blood,” she was referring to the circumcision.)