Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?
English Standard Version (ESV)
This isn't just about God's power; it's about his intimate involvement in our very being. God is asking Moses, "Don't you realize I'm the one who fashioned the very instrument you're struggling with?" He's highlighting that he's not just the creator of the universe, but the one who personally designed our senses and abilities, including the power of speech itself.
Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Moses has just expressed his deep reluctance to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, citing his lack of eloquence. God responds by reminding Moses that He is the creator of all human faculties, including speech, and therefore has the power to grant or withhold them. This exchange sets the stage for God's further commissioning of Moses and Aaron for their difficult task.
Moses felt inadequate, thinking his speech impediment was a permanent roadblock. But God reminded him of a more profound truth about our very existence.
God's direct question, 'Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?' is a powerful assertion of His sovereignty. It's not just about Moses' speech; it's about the fundamental reality of human existence. God is the Creator of every faculty, every sense, and every ability. He is not limited by the conditions we perceive as permanent or insurmountable.
Moses' excuse was his lack of eloquence. But God's response wasn't just a 'go ahead,' it was a promise of active involvement.
God doesn't just permit us to do things; He actively empowers us. When Moses expressed his inability to speak well, God didn't simply say, 'It's okay, go anyway.' Instead, He declared, 'I will be with your mouth and teach you what you ought to say' (Exodus 4:12).
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Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the one true God, signifying His eternal, self-existent, and covenant-keeping nature. It is the name revealed to Moses at the burning bush, emphasizing His faithfulness to His promises.
illem · Hebrew Adjective
A state of inability to speak, often viewed in Scripture as under God's sovereign control regarding its occurrence or origin, emphasizing His power over human faculties.
cheresh · Hebrew Adjective
The state of physical inability to hear; biblically, God is often portrayed as the sovereign Creator who determines human physical conditions, demonstrating His absolute authority over all created beings.
piqqeach · Hebrew Adjective
One who possesses the faculty of sight; biblically, God is acknowledged as the author of all human physical abilities, emphasizing His role as Creator and sustainer of life.
iwwer · Hebrew Adjective
The state of being unable to see; Scripture highlights God's sovereign role in both the existence and the spiritual significance of physical impairments in the context of His unfolding purposes.
This divine dialogue happens at a pivotal moment where Moses, the chosen leader, doubts his own ability to speak. God's question reminds Moses that the very ability to speak, or to be mute, deaf, or blind, comes from Him. It underscores that God's power is not limited by human frailty, and He can empower anyone He chooses, even one who feels inadequate.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Moses Called to Lead
God appears to Moses in the burning bush and commissions him to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. Moses expresses deep reluctance, citing his lack of eloquence.
c. 1446 BC
God Appoints Aaron as Spokesman
To address Moses's stammering and reluctance, God appoints his brother Aaron to speak for him, acknowledging Aaron's eloquence and relationship to Moses.
c. 1446 BC
Moses Returns to Egypt
Despite his reservations, Moses, accompanied by Aaron, returns to Egypt to confront Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites.
c. 1446 BC
First Plague: Water Turned to Blood
Moses and Aaron perform their first miracle, turning the Nile River to blood, demonstrating God's power over Egyptian gods and the land itself.
c. 1446 BC
Pharaoh's Heart Hardened
Following the first plague, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, leading to a series of nine more plagues as God demonstrates His power and judgment upon Egypt.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Depart Egypt
After the tenth plague, the Israelites are finally released from Egyptian bondage, beginning their exodus from slavery.
This passage echoes Exodus 4:11 by showing God empowering a reluctant prophet who feels inadequate, similar to Moses's stammering.
Matthew 10:19Jesus assures His disciples that the Holy Spirit will give them the words to speak in difficult situations, paralleling God's promise to Moses to be with his mouth.
1 Corinthians 1:27This verse highlights God's consistent pattern of choosing the seemingly weak and foolish to accomplish His purposes, underscoring the theological point made in Exodus 4:11 about God's sovereign power over human abilities.
Isaiah 45:9This passage directly challenges human arrogance by asserting God's absolute sovereignty over creation, including the very faculties of sight and speech, much like the rhetorical questions posed in Exodus 4:11.
Job 12:10This verse affirms that all life and breath comes from God, reinforcing the idea presented in Exodus 4:11 that He is the ultimate source of all physical abilities and disabilities.
clarkeExodus 4:11: "And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?"
Who hath made man's mouth? etc. - Cannot he who formed the mouth, the whole organs of speech, and hath given the gift of speech also, cannot he give utterance? God can take away those gifts and restore them again. Do not provoke him: he who created the eye, the ear, and the mouth, hath also made the blind, the deaf, and the dumb.
ellicottExodus 4:11: "And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?"
(11) Who maketh. —Rather, hath made. Exodus 4:12Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.( 12 ) I will be with thy mouth. —To suggest words (see Matthew 10:19-20 ), and assist utterance. Comp. the reluctance of Jeremiah ( Jeremiah 1:6 ), and God’s dealings with him ( Jeremiah 1:7-9 ).
This isn't just about God's power; it's about his intimate involvement in our very being. God is asking Moses, "Don't you realize I'm the one who fashioned the very instrument you're struggling with?" He's highlighting that he's not just the creator of the universe, but the one who personally designed our senses and abilities, including the power of speech itself.
Moses has just expressed his deep reluctance to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, citing his lack of eloquence. God responds by reminding Moses that He is the creator of all human faculties, including speech, and therefore has the power to grant or withhold them. This exchange sets the stage for God's further commissioning of Moses and Aaron for their difficult task.
Moses has just expressed his deep reluctance to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, citing his lack of eloquence. God responds by reminding Moses that He is the creator of all human faculties, including speech, and therefore has the power to grant or withhold them. This exchange sets the stage for God's further commissioning of Moses and Aaron for their difficult task.
"Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?" — This isn't just about God's power; it's about his intimate involvement in our very being. God is asking Moses, "Don't you realize I'm the one who fashioned the very instrument you're struggling with?…
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Last reviewed October 2026