21-23 God said to Moses, “When you get back to Egypt, be prepared: All the wonders that I will do through you, you’ll do before Pharaoh. But I will make him stubborn so that he will refuse to let the people go. Then you are to tell Pharaoh, ‘God’s Message: Israel is my son, my firstborn! I told you, “Free my son so that he can serve me.” But you refused to free him. So now I’m going to kill your son, your firstborn.’”

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24-26 On the journey back, as they camped for the night, God met Moses and would have killed him but Zipporah took a flint knife and cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched Moses’ member with it. She said, “Oh! You’re a bridegroom of blood to me!” Then God let him go. She used the phrase “bridegroom of blood” because of the circumcision.

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22 Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son,(A) 23 and I told you, “Let my son go,(B) so he may worship(C) me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’”(D)

24 At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses[a] and was about to kill(E) him.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 4:24 Hebrew him