Exodus 4:5 kjv
That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
Exodus 4:5 nkjv
"that they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you."
Exodus 4:5 niv
"This," said the LORD, "is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers?the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob?has appeared to you."
Exodus 4:5 esv
"that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you."
Exodus 4:5 nlt
"Perform this sign," the LORD told him. "Then they will believe that the LORD, the God of their ancestors ? the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ? really has appeared to you."
Exodus 4 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 3:6 | He said also, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” | God reveals His identity as the patriarchal God to Moses. |
| Ex 3:15 | "The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob... this is my name forever" | God declares this name as His memorial for all generations. |
| Gen 12:7 | Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” | God's first appearance and promise to Abraham. |
| Gen 26:24 | The Lord appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of Abraham your father. Do not fear..." | God's appearance and promise reaffirmed to Isaac. |
| Gen 28:13 | And behold, the Lord stood above it and said, “I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac." | God's appearance and promise reaffirmed to Jacob. |
| Gen 50:24 | Then Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will visit you and bring you up... to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.” | Joseph’s deathbed prophecy reiterates the covenant promise. |
| Dt 1:32 | But in spite of this, you did not believe the Lord your God, | Warning against Israel's recurring lack of belief in God. |
| Num 14:11 | And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me..." | God's frustration with Israel's persistent unbelief despite signs. |
| 1 Ki 18:36 | ...“O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel..." | Elijah invokes God's covenant name to demonstrate His power. |
| Isa 51:1-2 | "Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah who bore you... when he was but one I called him..." | Recalling the patriarchal origins encourages faithfulness in God's power. |
| Ez 20:5-6 | On that day I swore to them to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them... a land flowing with milk and honey... | God remembers His oath to bring Israel into the promised land. |
| Mic 7:20 | You will show faithfulness to Jacob and steadfast love to Abraham, as you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old. | Prophetic reminder of God's enduring covenant promises. |
| Mt 22:32 | “‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living.” | Jesus uses this phrase to prove the resurrection. |
| Mk 12:26-27 | “And as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’?" | Jesus links God's identity to the patriarchs, proving life beyond death. |
| Lk 20:37-38 | But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. For he is not God of the dead, but of the living... | Another instance of Jesus citing this passage for resurrection. |
| Jn 3:16 | For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. | Ultimate example of belief leading to life. |
| Jn 20:31 | But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. | Purpose of written word to elicit belief in Christ. |
| Acts 3:13 | The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus... | Peter connects the God of the patriarchs to the resurrected Jesus. |
| Acts 7:2-5 | And Stephen said: “Brothers and fathers, hear me. The God of glory appeared to our father Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia..." | Stephen's sermon highlights God's historical appearances to the patriarchs. |
| Acts 7:32 | “‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob.’ And Moses trembled and did not dare to look." | Stephen recounts Moses' encounter with God using this phrasing. |
| Rom 1:16 | For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes... | Emphasizes the centrality of belief in salvation. |
| Rom 10:17 | So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. | Faith is generated by receiving God's word. |
| Heb 3:12 | Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. | A warning against the danger of an unbelieving heart. |
| Heb 11:6 | And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. | Defines the necessity of belief for pleasing God. |
| Jas 2:19 | You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! | Illustrates that belief must extend beyond mere intellectual assent. |
Exodus 4 verses
Exodus 4 5 Meaning
Exodus 4:5 clarifies the divine purpose behind the miraculous sign of Moses' staff turning into a snake. This specific sign was granted so that the Israelites would believe in the true identity of the One who commissioned Moses: Yahweh, the Lord, the covenant God who had made eternal promises to their ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and who had now tangibly appeared to Moses. It underscores that God's plan for deliverance is rooted in His unwavering commitment to His ancient covenants and is presented with undeniable proof to foster faith in His chosen messenger.
Exodus 4 5 Context
Exodus chapter 4 immediately follows Moses' profound encounter with God at the burning bush in chapter 3, where God reveals His name and His intent to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage through Moses. Moses, despite the grand revelation, expresses profound doubt and inadequacy regarding his ability to convince the Israelites that God has truly appeared to him (Ex 4:1). In response to this specific concern, God provides two miraculous signs (staff to snake, hand to leprosy) to serve as concrete proof of divine commission, with a third sign promised if necessary. Verse 5 is God's explicit statement regarding the purpose of the first sign, directly addressing Moses' apprehension about the people's belief. Historically, the Israelites, having lived under long and harsh servitude, would need compelling evidence that their ancestral God remembered them and was now acting on their behalf, distinguishing Him from the numerous Egyptian deities they might have observed or encountered.
Exodus 4 5 Word analysis
- that they may believe: (למען יאמינו, lema'an ya'aminu) This phrase reveals the purpose (למען, lema'an "in order that") of the preceding action. The verb יאמינו (ya'aminu) comes from the root אמן ('aman), which means to be firm, steady, trustworthy, faithful. To "believe" here is not just intellectual assent but a profound act of trust, relying on God's word and messenger. This faith is foundational for their subsequent obedience and participation in the Exodus.
- that the Lord, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: This lengthy and highly significant appellation for God is deeply theological.
- the Lord: (יהוה, YHWH or Yahweh) This is God's unique covenant name, revealed just prior in Ex 3:14-15 as "I AM WHO I AM." Its use here links the present manifestation to His eternal, self-existent nature and His specific covenant relationship with Israel. This name had deep significance as it affirmed God's active presence and His personal relationship with His people, differentiating Him from pagan deities.
- the God of their fathers: (אלהי אבתם, Elohei avotam) This phrase immediately connects Yahweh to the preceding generations of the Israelites, emphasizing continuity with their history and the promises made to them. It would resonate with the collective memory of the people.
- the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob: This specific triple invocation is a formal, covenantal formula used throughout the Bible to emphasize God's unwavering faithfulness to the covenant promises made to the patriarchs (land, numerous descendants, blessing to nations). It serves to identify God as the same, living God who made and keeps these specific promises, thereby asserting His authority over against any foreign gods and affirming His claim to Israel. It highlights that this God is not a new deity but the timeless, covenant-keeping God of their heritage. This reiteration serves to reinforce divine continuity and historical reliability.
- has appeared to you: (נגלה אליך, niglah eleicha) The verb נגלה (niglah) means "to be revealed," "to appear," often used for divine manifestations (theophanies). This indicates a direct, personal encounter that makes God's presence evident. It signifies that God's intervention is not merely indirect but a tangible, personal disclosure to Moses, legitimizing him as God's chosen messenger and providing irrefutable proof for the people.
Exodus 4 5 Bonus section
The repetitive listing of "God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" is a deliberate rhetorical and theological strategy. It grounds God's current intervention firmly in the historical covenant that shaped Israel's identity, ensuring that the deliverance from Egypt is understood as a fulfillment of promises stretching back centuries, not a spontaneous, disconnected act. This particular phrasing is pivotal throughout redemptive history, appearing not only in the Old Testament to remind Israel of their unique relationship with God, but also invoked by Jesus in the New Testament to establish the reality of the resurrection (Mt 22:32), indicating that this God is "not God of the dead, but of the living," and that His covenants extend beyond earthly life. This reinforces God's unchanging nature and His eternal faithfulness to His people, making this verse a lynchpin for understanding the continuity of God's redemptive plan across the ages.
Exodus 4 5 Commentary
Exodus 4:5 encapsulates the foundational truth necessary for Israel's liberation: a firm belief in the authentic identity and power of the God who sends Moses. This verse functions as God's rationale for providing supernatural signs—they are for the sake of their faith. The detailed naming of God as "Yahweh, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" is far more than a simple title. It's a profound theological declaration affirming God's continuity with their past, His faithfulness to His covenant promises (especially the land and descendants), and His eternal, active presence in their lives. The choice of this specific identifier assures the enslaved Israelites that their ancestral covenant God, the One who personally manifested Himself to Moses, is indeed coming to deliver them. It directly counters any lingering polytheistic influences from Egypt or despair from prolonged servitude by rooting their hope in a proven, covenant-keeping God. The sign's purpose is not just wonder, but the establishment of trust in God's chosen leader and His power to act according to His ancient word.