Exodus 4 6

Exodus 4:6 kjv

And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow.

Exodus 4:6 nkjv

Furthermore the LORD said to him, "Now put your hand in your bosom." And he put his hand in his bosom, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, like snow.

Exodus 4:6 niv

Then the LORD said, "Put your hand inside your cloak." So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous?it had become as white as snow.

Exodus 4:6 esv

Again, the LORD said to him, "Put your hand inside your cloak." And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow.

Exodus 4:6 nlt

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now put your hand inside your cloak." So Moses put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out again, his hand was white as snow with a severe skin disease.

Exodus 4 verses

Exodus 4 6 meaning

Exodus 4:6 describes the second miraculous sign given by the LORD to Moses, intended to authenticate his divine commission to the hesitant Israelites. This sign involves Moses putting his hand inside his garment, only for it to instantly emerge afflicted with a severe form of leprosy, described as "white as snow." This instantaneous onset of a dreadful, ritually defiling disease, later miraculously reversed by God, demonstrated His absolute power over life, health, sickness, and the very fabric of creation, serving as irrefutable proof of His active involvement and support for Moses.

Exodus 4 6 Context

Exodus chapter 4 immediately follows Moses' encounter with God at the burning bush in chapter 3. Despite God revealing His name (YHWH) and His divine purpose to liberate Israel, Moses expresses multiple hesitations and objections. He is particularly concerned that the Israelites will not believe him or that the LORD has appeared to him (Exod 4:1). In response to this specific doubt, God grants Moses three demonstrative signs to authenticate his message and divine authority. The first sign was the staff turning into a serpent (Exod 4:2-5). This verse (4:6) presents the second sign, where God uses leprosy—a universally feared and religiously significant disease—to powerfully convey His ability to bring forth judgment or purification and to demonstrate supernatural power. These signs are not mere tricks; they are powerful demonstrations of YHWH's control over life, death, and nature, designed to solidify faith in Moses' mission.

Exodus 4 6 Word analysis

• Again (וַיֹּאמֶר־עוֹד): Signifies continuation and escalation. It highlights that God is patiently addressing Moses' further doubts or needs for reassurance, building upon the previous instruction and sign.
• the LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH): The sacred covenant name of God, indicating His self-existent, personal, and active nature. This name underscores that the miracles are from the One True God, distinguishing Him from any Egyptian deities or mere magic. It is God's own power on display.
• said to him (וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו): Emphasizes direct, personal, and verbal divine instruction, establishing God's authority over Moses.
• Now put your hand (הָבֵא נָא יָדְךָ - habe na yadeka): An imperative command, directly engaging Moses in the miraculous act. The "hand" (יָד - yad) in Hebrew Scripture frequently symbolizes power, strength, action, and agency. Here, Moses' own hand, the instrument of human activity, becomes the vessel for God's demonstration.
• inside your cloak (בְּחֵיקֶךָ - b’kheykekha): Lit. "in your bosom" or "garment fold." This signifies an intimate and concealed action. It highlights the instantaneous nature of the miracle, as the hand goes in normal and comes out transformed without any visible external intervention, emphasizing divine supernatural power.
• So Moses put his hand... (וַיָּבֵא יָדוֹ מוֹשֶׁה...): Moses' immediate obedience is critical. His willingness to participate demonstrates faith, however nascent, which God then validates with the miracle.
• when he took it out (וַיּוֹצִאֶהָ - vayyotzieha): Implies instantaneous transformation. The rapidity and suddenness of the event further testify to its divine origin.
• behold (וְהִנֵּה - vehinnêh): An interjection used to draw immediate attention to something startling, surprising, or dramatic. It prompts awe and acknowledges the miraculous nature of what is seen.
• his hand was leprous (יָדוֹ מְצֹרַעַת - yado metzora’at): The word tsara'ath (צָרַעַת) refers to a variety of severe, ritually defiling skin conditions, not exclusively modern Hansen's disease. In ancient Israel, such afflictions rendered one unclean and excluded from the community and God's worship (Lev 13-14). Its sudden onset here highlights God's power to afflict, signifying judgment, impurity, and even death, and thereby His supreme authority over all creation and disease.
• like snow (כַּשָּׁלֶג - kashsheleg): A simile emphasizing the extreme whiteness of the leprosy. This vivid image evokes the bleached, scaled appearance often associated with severe tsara'ath. It signifies the absolute purity of the disease (paradoxically), yet also implies something unnaturally white and stark, a symbol of blight and decay rather than purity. In an arid region like Egypt where snow is virtually unknown, this simile points to a phenomenon entirely foreign and divinely manifested.
• Words-group analysis:
  • "Put your hand inside your cloak": This specific action implies a direct and personal involvement for Moses, ensuring that he witnesses the miracle's inception intimately and that it is unmistakably tied to his person. It also contrasts the 'inside' (hidden, ordinary) with the 'outside' (revealed, miraculous).
  • "his hand was leprous, like snow": This phrase vividly portrays the dreadful consequence and the striking visual impact of the sign. It juxtaposes the personal "hand" with the terrible condition of "leprosy," made more stark by the visual intensity "like snow." This extreme defilement and disfigurement, often seen as a divine curse, underscores God's mighty and fearsome power to afflict, serving as a powerful warning and authentication.

Exodus 4 6 Bonus section

The second sign given to Moses progresses the demonstration of God's power. While the first sign (staff to serpent) showed God's power over creation and wild forces, the second (hand to leprosy) demonstrates God's dominion over life, health, purity, and disease, which directly impacts human life and status within the community. The contrast of the common, healthy hand turning "leprous like snow" emphasizes the miraculous immediacy and severity of God's work. The choice of leprosy also held significance in a world where physical imperfections were often associated with spiritual impurity or divine displeasure. This miracle shows God's authority over purity and impurity, an essential concept in Israelite religion. The temporary nature of the leprosy (Exod 4:7) is also crucial, demonstrating God's restorative power as well as His punitive ability. This dual power (to afflict and heal) makes the sign comprehensive.

Exodus 4 6 Commentary

Exodus 4:6 serves as a powerful demonstration of God's sovereignty over life and death, health and disease. Moses' hand, symbolic of his action and future leadership, is transformed by God to display supernatural power. Leprosy, being the most feared and ritually contaminating disease in ancient times, instantly renders the afflicted unclean and separated from community and God. God's ability to instantly bring on this dreadful affliction (and subsequently remove it, Exod 4:7) served several crucial purposes: it directly addressed Moses' fear that the Israelites would not believe God appeared to him (Exod 4:1); it authenticated Moses as a divine messenger; and it powerfully symbolized God's impending judgments on Egypt and His power to rescue His people. This sign foreshadows God's judgment and the eventual plagues that would come upon Egypt, demonstrating that YHWH has power over everything, including the most debilitating of human afflictions.