Exodus 4:20 kjv
And 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.
Exodus 4:20 nkjv
Then 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.
Exodus 4:20 niv
So 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.
Exodus 4:20 esv
So 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.
Exodus 4:20 nlt
So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to the land of Egypt. In his hand he carried the staff of God.
Exodus 4 20 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 3:10 | "Come now, therefore, and I will send you to Pharaoh..." | God's initial call and mission for Moses. |
| Exo 4:2 | The Lord said to him, "What is that in your hand?" And he said, "A staff." | The staff as a common shepherd's tool, yet chosen. |
| Exo 4:18-19 | "Go, return to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead." | God's instruction to return and reassurance. |
| Num 12:7-8 | "My servant Moses is faithful in all my house." | God's commendation of Moses' faithfulness. |
| Heb 3:5 | "Moses indeed was faithful in all God’s house as a servant." | New Testament confirmation of Moses' loyalty. |
| Exo 7:17 | "With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water." | The staff initiating the first plague (blood). |
| Exo 8:5 | "Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers..." | The staff used to bring forth the plague of frogs. |
| Exo 9:23 | "Moses stretched out his staff toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder." | The staff used to bring the plague of hail. |
| Exo 10:13 | "Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt..." | The staff used to bring the plague of locusts. |
| Exo 14:16 | "Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea." | The staff parting the Red Sea. |
| Exo 17:5-6 | "Take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile." | The staff bringing water from the rock at Horeb. |
| Num 20:8-11 | Moses disobeys God by striking the rock twice with the staff. | The staff's continued power, despite Moses' fault. |
| Psa 23:4 | "Your rod and your staff, they comfort me." | Poetic symbolism of divine guidance and protection. |
| Zech 9:9 | "Your king is coming to you... humble and mounted on a donkey." | Donkey as a symbol of humility, applied to future king. |
| Matt 21:5-7 | Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey's colt. | Fulfillment of Zech 9:9, Jesus' humble Triumphal Entry. |
| Isa 11:4 | "He shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth." | Messianic prophecy of Christ's authority and judgment. |
| Gen 12:1-4 | God calls Abram to leave his land; Abram takes his wife and Lot. | Early example of obedient faith, including family. |
| Acts 1:8 | "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you." | Disciples empowered by the Spirit for mission. |
| Matt 10:37-39 | Jesus' teaching on prioritizing Him above family, taking up the cross. | The demanding nature of God's calling and discipleship. |
| Luke 9:57-62 | Warnings about the cost of discipleship and full commitment. | Discipleship requires looking forward, not backward. |
| Phil 2:13 | "For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." | God's enabling power in human will and action. |
| 1 Tim 3:4-5 | A leader must manage his own household well. | Emphasizes the importance of family life alongside ministry. |
Exodus 4 verses
Exodus 4 20 Meaning
Exodus 4:20 signifies Moses' act of obedience as he fully embraces his divine commission to lead Israel out of Egypt. It portrays him commencing this perilous journey by taking his family with him, emphasizing the personal cost and inclusive nature of God's call. Crucially, he also takes "the staff of God," a humble shepherd's rod now transformed into a tangible symbol of divine authority, empowerment, and the miraculous tools God provides for His servants.
Exodus 4 20 Context
Exodus 4:20 serves as a critical bridge within the narrative, transitioning from Moses' divinely empowered calling and overcoming of personal doubts to the practical initiation of his mission. Preceding this verse, Moses has had a profound encounter with God at the burning bush, where he initially resisted God’s call to lead Israel (Exo 3-4:17). God had answered all of Moses' excuses by giving him miraculous signs (staff to snake, leprous hand, water to blood), promising His presence, and even providing Aaron as his spokesman.
In the immediate verses before Exodus 4:20, Moses returns to Jethro, his father-in-law, to gain permission to go to Egypt (Exo 4:18), and God reassures Moses that the men seeking his life are dead (Exo 4:19), removing a major psychological and physical barrier. Thus, Exodus 4:20 marks Moses' immediate and tangible act of obedience and faith. He no longer procrastinates; he prepares his family and sets out. The verse initiates the direct journey back to the very land he fled from in fear as a fugitive, now armed not with earthly power, but with God’s commission and His consecrated staff.
Exodus 4 20 Word analysis
- So Moses took: Hebrew: Vayiqqaḥ Mosheh (וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה). The verb laqach ("to take") implies a deliberate and active choice by Moses, demonstrating his commitment to the divine directive after previous reluctance. "Moses" (מֹשֶׁה, Mosheh), meaning "drawn out," reflects his foundational identity and role in redemption.
- his wife and his sons: Hebrew: et-ishtov v'et-banav (אֶת-אִשְׁתּוֹ וְאֶת-בָּנָיו). This signifies that God's calling encompasses and affects the entirety of an individual’s life, including family. It implies the personal sacrifice and involvement of his household in his arduous mission, setting a precedent for holistic faith. His known son Gershom is implicitly included here, with Eliezer later revealed in Exo 18:4.
- mounted them on a donkey: Hebrew: vayarkivem al-haḥamor (וַיַּרְכִּבֵם עַל-הַחֲמוֹר). Vayarkivem indicates Moses actively arranged for their transport. The "donkey" (חֲמוֹר, chamor), with the definite article, denotes a specific but typical animal for ancient nomadic travel. Donkeys were humble yet dependable modes of transport, contrasting with more prestigious options, thereby emphasizing the pragmatic, unostentatious beginning of Moses' monumental journey.
- and started back to the land of Egypt: Hebrew: vayashav artza Mitzrayim (וַיָּשָׁב אַרְצָה מִצְרַיִם). Vayashav ("and he returned") underscores Moses’ decisive turning point from flight to determined re-entry into the land of his persecution. "Land of Egypt" (אֶרֶץ מִצְרָיִם) specifies the formidable and dangerous destination, the heart of the powerful empire against whom God’s redemptive act would be displayed.
- And Moses took the staff of God in his hand: Hebrew: vayiqqaḥ Mosheh et-matteh ha'Elohim b'yado (וַיִּקַּח מֹשֶׁה אֶת-מַטֵּה הָאֱלֹהִים בְּיָדוֹ). The repetition of "and Moses took" emphasizes the importance of this specific action. The transformation of a mere "staff" (Exo 4:2) to "the staff of God" (מַטֵּה הָאֱלֹהִים, matteh ha'Elohim) signifies its divine consecration. It became not just Moses’ shepherd’s implement, but a direct extension of God’s power and authority, the visible tool for future miraculous interventions. "In his hand" asserts that it is held by Moses, but its power derives entirely from God.
Exodus 4 20 Bonus section
The journey mentioned in this verse symbolically mirrors the larger journey of faith that believers are called to embark upon, leaving behind past comforts and fears to enter into God's appointed path. The family's involvement, while presenting immediate logistical challenges, underscores the importance of a household united, where possible, in their commitment to God's leading, even if one member is the primary agent of the divine call. This journey from Midian back to Egypt signifies Moses confronting his past, transforming his former escape route into the path of destiny, driven not by fear of Pharaoh but by the empowering word of the Lord.
Exodus 4 20 Commentary
Exodus 4:20 is a powerful verse demonstrating Moses' profound transition from doubt and resistance to complete obedience. It is more than just a logistical account; it symbolizes his embrace of divine calling and the immediate provision of God's enablement. His inclusion of his family speaks to the all-encompassing nature of faith, indicating that following God's will can require the involvement and dedication of one's entire household, accepting the accompanying challenges and potential hardships. The choice of a humble donkey for travel further highlights that God uses simple means and calls individuals to approach their divine tasks without worldly pomp, relying instead on His strength.
The central theological significance lies in the description of the "staff of God." This common shepherd's implement becomes imbued with divine authority and miraculous power, acting as a tangible conduit for God's presence and intervention. It represents God equipping the one He sends, transforming the ordinary into a tool for the extraordinary. Moses carried this staff as a constant reminder of God's power and His commitment to His covenant, knowing that the real strength behind his mission resided not in himself, but in the Almighty. This staff would subsequently be used in almost every major miraculous display of the Exodus, solidifying its role as an emblem of God's active hand in history. The verse encapsulates a man fully aligning with God’s purpose, setting the stage for the dramatic unfolding of God's plan for Israel.