Deep Dive

Exodus 4:6

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Furthermore, the LORD said to Moses, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, his hand was leprous, white as snow.

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Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 6

This chapter, I. Continues and concludes God's discourse with Moses at the bush concerning this great affair of bringing Israel out of Egypt. 1. Moses objects the people's unbelief (Exo 4:1), and God answers that objection by giving him a power to work miracles, (1.) To turn his rod into a serpent, and then into a rod again (Exo 4:2-5). (2.) To make his hand leprous, and then whole again (Exo 4:6-8). (3.) To turn the water into blood (Exo 4:9). 2. Moses objects his own slowness of speech (Exo 4:10), and begs to be excused (Exo 4:13); but God answers this objection, (1.) By promising him his presence (Exo 4:11, Exo 4:12). (2.) By joining Aaron in commission with him (Exo 4:14-16). (3.) By putting an honour upon the very staff in his hand (Exo 4:17). II. It begins Moses's execution of his commission. 1. He obtains leave of his father-in-law to return into Egypt (Exo 4:18). 2. He receives further instructions and encouragements from God (Exo 4:19, Exo 4:21-23). 3. He hastens his departure, and takes his family with him (Exo 4:20). 4. He meets with some difficulty in the way about the circumcising of his son (Exo 4:24-26). 5. He has the satisfaction of meeting his brother Aaron (Exo 4:27, Exo 4:28). 6. He produces his commission before the elders of Israel, to their great joy (Exo 4:29-31). And thus the wheels were set a going towards that great deliverance.

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Tyndale Open Study Notesv. 6

4:6 severe skin disease: The Hebrew word underlying this phrase has traditionally been translated “leprosy.” However, the symptoms of this condition as described in the Bible are not those of the disease we know as leprosy (Hansen’s disease). The biblical term seems to describe several kinds of highly contagious inflammations and skin lesions.

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Original language

The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).

Strong's Concordancev. 6

יְהֹוָה (Yᵉhôvâh, H3068) — Jehovah, Jewish national name of God אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude) עוֹד (ʻôwd, H5750) — properly, iteration or continuance; used only adverbially (with or without preposition),… בּוֹא (bôwʼ, H935) — to go or come (in a wide variety of applications) יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), חֵיק (chêyq, H2436) — the bosom (literally or figuratively) יָצָא (yâtsâʼ, H3318) — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and… צָרַע (tsâraʻ, H6879) — to scourge, i.e. (intransitive and figurative) to be stricken with leprosy שֶׁלֶג (sheleg, H7950) — snow (probably from its whiteness)

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