Exodus 4:13-17

⮝ Exodus 4

⮜ Law Analysis overview

13 Moses said, “Oh, Lord, please send someone else.” 14 YHWH’s anger burned against Moses, and he said, “What about Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Also, behold, he is coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with your mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. 16 He will be your spokesman to the people. It will happen that he will be to you a mouth, and you will be to him as God. 17 You shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.” Exodus 4:13-17WEB

Classification

The Command

This passage contains a series of positive commands, with immediate relevance, directed toward Moses:

• "thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God."
• "And thou shalt take in thy hand this rod, wherewith thou shalt do the signs."

The commands are a response to Moses's persistent request that God choose someone other than Moses to perform these works (see Exodus 4:10-12). God does not amend his command -- Moses is still the mouth of God -- but he appends to it the additional member, Aaron, who acts as the mouth of Moses.

Categories

These commands are part of the Principles and Definitions. They are relevant to an understanding of the Creator-Creation Distinction, as God makes the roles clear by in verse 16, "thou shalt be to him as God".

Fulfillment

This command was fulfilled by Moses and Aaron. They delivered the messages of God to Egypt and Israel, and Moses performed many signs with the staff (see verses 28-31).