Exodus 4 19

Exodus 4:19 kjv

And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.

Exodus 4:19 nkjv

Now the LORD said to Moses in Midian, "Go, return to Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead."

Exodus 4:19 niv

Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead."

Exodus 4:19 esv

And the LORD said to Moses in Midian, "Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead."

Exodus 4:19 nlt

Before Moses left Midian, the LORD said to him, "Return to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you have died."

Exodus 4 verses

Exodus 4 19 Meaning

Exodus 4:19 reveals a direct command from the Lord to Moses while he was in Midian. God instructs Moses to "Go back to Egypt" and provides the crucial reason: "for all the men who were seeking your life are dead." This verse signifies God's specific timing and active provision, assuring Moses that the immediate personal threat that caused him to flee Egypt forty years prior has been entirely removed, thus clearing the path for him to fulfill his divine mission. It marks a pivotal turning point, transforming Moses' past fear into a divinely ordained certainty to return.

Exodus 4 19 Context

Exodus 4:19 is situated after Moses' profound encounter with God at the burning bush in Midian (Ex 3) and before his physical return to Egypt (Ex 4:20). Moses had spent forty years in exile, tending sheep, after fleeing Pharaoh's wrath for killing an Egyptian taskmaster (Ex 2:15). God had previously revealed His intent to send Moses to Pharaoh to deliver Israel. However, Moses presented several objections and hesitations (Ex 3:11-4:17), rooted in perceived inadequacy and, implicitly, the danger of returning to Egypt. This verse directly addresses a key, unstated fear—the danger to his life from Pharaoh. The previous Pharaoh who sought his life had either died, or new circumstances made his pursuit of Moses' life no longer a direct threat. This divine communication is a specific assurance, a necessary word of enabling grace, clearing a path for Moses to accept and proceed with his monumental commission.

Exodus 4 19 Word analysis

• Now the Lord said (וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה - vayyōʾmer YHWH):

  • וַיֹּאמֶר (vayyōʾmer): The waw-consecutive with the imperfect verb form often indicates a continuation of narrative flow, a direct and immediate action in the unfolding story. It underscores God's active, ongoing engagement with Moses.
  • יְהוָה (YHWH): The personal covenant name of God, frequently translated as "LORD." This name emphasizes God's self-existence, eternal nature, faithfulness to His covenant promises, and His specific relationship with Israel and His chosen servants like Moses. It asserts divine authority for this command.
  • Significance: God is not merely suggesting, but authoritatively declaring and directing. The use of YHWH reinforces that the command stems from the faithful covenant-keeping God who revealed Himself at the burning bush.

• to Moses (אֶל־מֹשֶׁה - ʾel-Mosheh):

  • אֶל־ (ʾel-): A preposition meaning "to" or "towards."
  • מֹשֶׁה (Mosheh): Moses, the designated deliverer.
  • Significance: This is a direct, personal communication. God speaks directly to Moses, demonstrating the intimacy and specificity of His call.

• in Midian (בְּמִדְיָן - bĕMidyan):

  • בְּ (bĕ-): A preposition meaning "in" or "at."
  • מִדְיָן (Midyan): The land where Moses had resided for forty years. It served as his place of exile, preparation, and divine encounter.
  • Significance: Pinpoints the geographical and chronological setting. This marks the culmination of Moses' period of preparation in the wilderness; his time of refuge and pastoral obscurity is definitively over. God calls him from the periphery back to the heart of the action.

• “Go back (לֵךְ שֻׁבְ - lek shuv):

  • לֵךְ (lek): Imperative form of "to go" (הָלַךְ - halakh).
  • שֻׁבְ (shuv): Imperative form of "to return" (שׁוּב - shuv).
  • Significance: This is a double imperative, a strong and unequivocal command. It signals a complete reversal of Moses' forty-year flight and signals a clear redirection of his life. There's no longer an option but a direct directive.

• to Egypt (מִצְרָיִם - Mitsrayim):

  • מִצְרָיִם (Mitsrayim): Hebrew for Egypt. The land of Israel's bondage.
  • Significance: This specifies the destination of his new mission, the very place he feared to return. It is where God's people are enslaved, and where God's mighty acts will be displayed.

• for (כִּי - kî):

  • כִּי (kî): A conjunction meaning "for," "because," "indeed." It introduces the reason or justification for the command.
  • Significance: God provides the basis for His command, alleviating Moses' potential fears or lingering reluctance by explaining the altered circumstances. It’s divine assurance before action.

• all the men (כִּי מֵתוּ כָּל־הָאֲנָשִׁים - kî metū kol-hāʾănāshîm):

  • כָּל־ (kol-): "All," indicating completeness and totality.
  • הָאֲנָשִׁים (hāʾănāshîm): "The men." Refers to those individuals, most likely agents of Pharaoh or even Pharaoh himself (Ex 2:15), who were directly seeking Moses' life due to his slaying of the Egyptian.
  • Significance: The word "all" is crucial. It provides absolute assurance; no lingering threats from his past are active.

• who were seeking your life (הַמְבַקְשִׁים אֶת־נַפְשֶׁךָ - hammĕvaqshim ʾet-nafshĕkha):

  • הַמְבַקְשִׁים (hammĕvaqshim): Participle, "those seeking" or "who sought."
  • אֶת־נַפְשֶׁךָ (ʾet-nafshĕkha): Idiom for "your life" or "your soul," in this context meaning "to kill you" or "to harm you grievously."
  • Significance: Directly addresses Moses' historical flight from the death warrant against him. God speaks to the core of Moses' unarticulated fear, the specific danger he previously ran from.

• are dead (מֵתוּ - metū):

  • מֵתוּ (metū): Qal perfect plural of "to die" (מוּת - mut). Expresses a completed action.
  • Significance: The past threat is definitively resolved. This statement emphasizes God's sovereignty over life and death, and His power to clear the path for His purposes. It strongly implies the passing of the Pharaoh who sought Moses' life.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Now the Lord said to Moses in Midian": This phrase emphasizes God's initiative, Moses' final setting before his call's full activation, and the personal nature of their divine-human encounter. It is a specific, direct, and authoritative divine utterance that sets the course for the deliverance narrative.
• "Go back to Egypt": This concise command is central to Moses' commission. It is an instruction that overrides personal comfort and past trauma, directing him towards the place of divine appointment and significant challenge. It underlines the reversal of his earlier flight.
• "for all the men who were seeking your life are dead": This forms the divine assurance and enablement. It removes the practical and psychological barrier to Moses' obedience. It speaks volumes about God's perfect timing, providential care, and sovereign removal of obstacles in the path of His chosen instruments. God addresses a fear Moses likely still held, validating his initial flight while simultaneously providing the "all clear" for his return.

Exodus 4 19 Bonus section

The "men who were seeking your life" undoubtedly include Pharaoh (Ex 2:15). The implication of them being "dead" means either Pharaoh died and his agents dispersed, or there was a change in the political climate in Egypt such that Moses' past offense was no longer pursued by the new regime (which is generally assumed to be a new Pharaoh mentioned in Ex 2:23). This divine declaration essentially wipes Moses' slate clean from the Egyptian justice system, freeing him to re-enter Egypt not as a fugitive, but as God's appointed ambassador. This also sets the stage for a new confrontation; the struggle will no longer be about Moses' personal safety from a past crime, but about the Lord's absolute demand for Israel's liberation from Pharaoh's grip. It transforms Moses' personal saga into the epic of God's redemption.

Exodus 4 19 Commentary

Exodus 4:19 serves as God's decisive "all clear" for Moses. After forty years of exile in Midian, and after Moses' repeated attempts to avoid the daunting divine commission to return to Egypt and confront Pharaoh, God addresses one of Moses' likely, yet unstated, greatest fears: the threat to his life from his past crime (Ex 2:15). God doesn't just command, but He also provides the enabling assurance by removing the specific historical obstacle. This demonstrates God's sovereignty over human lives and history; He orchestrates events, even the deaths of powerful men, to align with His perfect timing and accomplish His redemptive plan. It signifies that Moses’ safety is secured, not by his own might or discretion, but by divine providence. This divine act prepares Moses both psychologically and practically for the monumental task ahead, reminding him that God goes before His servant to clear the way. The verse underscores that God, when He gives a task, also removes the barriers to its fulfillment.

Practical examples:

• When a believer faces a calling from God, and a past mistake or current intimidating circumstance seems like a barrier, this verse reminds us that God can providentially remove those obstacles in His timing.
• It highlights God's strategic intervention, addressing core fears or legitimate dangers for His servants, much like when He clears a path for His purpose to be fulfilled in our lives.
• This teaches that sometimes the waiting period (like Moses' 40 years) is God's preparation, and His signal for action will come with all necessary assurance.