Exodus 4:7 kjv
And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again; and plucked it out of his bosom, and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh.
Exodus 4:7 nkjv
And He said, "Put your hand in your bosom again." So he put his hand in his bosom again, and drew it out of his bosom, and behold, it was restored like his other flesh.
Exodus 4:7 niv
"Now put it back into your cloak," he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.
Exodus 4:7 esv
Then God said, "Put your hand back inside your cloak." So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.
Exodus 4:7 nlt
"Now put your hand back into your cloak," the LORD said. So Moses put his hand back in, and when he took it out again, it was as healthy as the rest of his body.
Exodus 4 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 4:1-5 | ...if they will not believe you, nor heed the message of the first sign, that they may believe the message of the latter sign. | The immediate context of signs validating Moses' mission. |
| Ex 7:3 | But I will harden Pharaoh's heart... and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. | God's purpose for signs: to demonstrate power before Pharaoh. |
| Num 12:9-10 | ...when the cloud departed from over the tabernacle, behold, Miriam was leprous, like snow. | Divine judgment via leprosy. |
| Deut 34:10-12 | And there has not arisen since in Israel a prophet like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, in all the signs and wonders... | Moses' unique prophetic role validated by signs. |
| 2 Kgs 5:7,14 | ...to cure a man of his leprosy? ... And his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. | Naaman's healing illustrates the miraculous nature of such restoration. |
| Psa 103:3 | He heals all your diseases... | God's nature as a healer. |
| Isa 53:5 | ...and by His stripes we are healed. | Prophetic imagery of spiritual healing through the Messiah. |
| Matt 8:2-3 | And behold, a leper came to Him... Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. | Jesus demonstrating power over leprosy, fulfilling the type. |
| Mark 1:40-42 | A leper came to Him... And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed. | Jesus' healing authority over leprosy. |
| Luke 5:12-13 | While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man full of leprosy. ...and immediately the leprosy left him. | Another account of Jesus' healing of leprosy. |
| Luke 7:22 | ...the blind receive sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear... | Jesus listing signs of His messianic identity, including cleansing lepers. |
| John 3:2 | No one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him. | The purpose of miraculous signs as evidence of divine presence. |
| John 10:25 | The works that I do in My Father’s name, these bear witness of Me. | Jesus' works (miracles) testifying to His divine origin. |
| Acts 2:22 | Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs... | Apostolic declaration of Jesus' validation through signs. |
| Acts 3:6-8 | ...in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. ... And immediately his feet and ankles received strength. | Apostles performing immediate, complete healing by God's power. |
| Heb 2:3-4 | ...how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord... God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit... | God validating His message and messengers with signs and wonders. |
| Jas 1:22 | But be doers of the word, and not hearers only... | Moses' obedience (putting his hand back in) as an example of doing the word. |
| Isa 38:5 | ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years. | God's direct intervention in physical conditions. |
| Ps 30:2 | O LORD my God, I cried to You, and You healed me. | Testimony of God's healing power. |
| Jer 30:17 | For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds... | God's promise of complete physical restoration for Israel. |
Exodus 4 verses
Exodus 4 7 Meaning
Exodus 4:7 describes the immediate, supernatural restoration of Moses' hand from severe leprosy to its original, healthy state. This second sign, given by God, powerfully demonstrated His ability to both afflict and heal, affirming His divine authority and confirming Moses as His chosen messenger before a skeptical audience.
Exodus 4 7 Context
This verse is part of God's dialogue with Moses at the burning bush in Midian. Moses, deeply apprehensive about fulfilling God's call to lead Israel out of Egypt, expresses doubts that the Israelites or Pharaoh would believe him (Ex 4:1). In response, God provides three powerful signs to confirm Moses' divine appointment and authority. The first sign transformed Moses' staff into a serpent and back; the second, detailed in verses 6 and 7, miraculously inflicts and then removes leprosy from Moses' hand. The progression from an inanimate object to Moses' own body demonstrates an increasing intimacy and directness of God's power. Leprosy (Hebrew: tzara'at) was not just a physical ailment but a profound symbol of impurity, often associated with divine judgment. Its instantaneous removal signifies God's complete power over sickness, sin, and death, affirming His ability to purify and restore.
Exodus 4 7 Word analysis
- Then he said: Indicates God speaking directly, confirming the next action as a divine command.
- 'Put your hand back: This command is a test of obedience, requiring Moses to re-engage with the potential for affliction, despite just having witnessed and experienced the disease.
- into your cloak.' Hebrew: כְּנָף (kenaph) literally "wing" or "skirt" of a garment, representing the outer fold or bosom where things might be carried. It signifies a commonplace, hidden action.
- So he put it back into his cloak,: Demonstrates Moses' immediate and trusting obedience to God's instruction, a vital quality for a divine messenger.
- and when he took it out again, The simple action conceals the extraordinary, divine work occurring supernaturally.
- behold, Hebrew: הִנֵּה (hineh). An interjection emphasizing immediate, surprising, or striking attention; signaling a direct manifestation of God's miraculous intervention.
- it was restored Hebrew: וַיָּשָׁב (vayyashav) from the root שׁוּב (shuv), meaning "to return" or "restore." Here, it signifies a complete and perfect return to its original, healthy state. The passive voice implies it was acted upon by a greater power, God.
- like the rest of his flesh. Hebrew: כִּבְשָׂרוֹ (kiv'saro) meaning "like his flesh." Emphasizes absolute normality and soundness; there was no blemish, scar, or remaining mark of the previous leprosy. The healing was total and comprehensive.
- 'Put your hand back into your cloak.' So he put it back into his cloak,: This command and Moses' immediate obedience highlight the requirement of faith and compliance in receiving divine manifestations. The cloak conceals the action, underscoring that the miracle's power resides in God's hidden work, not human manipulation.
- and when he took it out again, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.: This phrase highlights the instantaneous and visible confirmation of God's power. The immediate transformation, witnessed personally by Moses, served as an irrefutable sign for him first, strengthening his own conviction before he presented it to others.
Exodus 4 7 Bonus section
The immediate and perfect nature of the restoration in Exodus 4:7 contrasts sharply with any known ancient medical treatments, emphasizing that this was solely a divine act, not a natural phenomenon or a gradual recovery. The specific nature of the ailment—leprosy—carried profound implications within ancient Hebrew understanding, going beyond mere physical illness to symbolize uncleanness and often divine displeasure. Therefore, God's immediate reversal of this condition was a direct message of His authority over spiritual impurity and His power to make clean. For Moses, witnessing this intimate display of power on his own body served as a crucial faith-building moment, preparing him mentally and spiritually for the daunting task of confronting Pharaoh and leading a reluctant people. It provided him with an irrefutable, personal testimony of God's active presence and power, vital for addressing the Israelites' skepticism, particularly after generations of slavery.
Exodus 4 7 Commentary
Exodus 4:7 narrates the remarkable climax of the second sign God gave Moses, showcasing a dual miracle: the instant infliction of leprosy (v. 6) and its equally swift, complete reversal. This not only provided an undeniable proof of divine power for a hesitant Moses but also served as a clear message for the Israelites and Pharaoh. Leprosy in the ancient Near East was a deeply feared and religiously impure condition, making its instantaneous cure an unambiguous act of God, indicating His absolute sovereignty over life, death, purity, and disease. This sign was tailor-made to convince Moses and later the Israelites that YHWH, their God, commanded such authority, being able to judge (inflict) and save (heal) as He willed. Moses’ obedience in placing his hand back into his cloak further underscores the principle that God works through humble human submission. The perfect restoration ("like the rest of his flesh") left no doubt, prefiguring the total healing and redemption God offers.
Examples:
- A preacher performs a powerful action of obedience (like forgiving someone who wronged them) and witnesses an unexpected breakthrough in their ministry, mirroring Moses' personal experience of the sign.
- A person afflicted with a spiritual burden, after seeking divine guidance and performing an act of repentance (putting their hand "back in" spiritual submission), experiences sudden and complete spiritual restoration and peace.