Exodus 4:19
And the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This wasn't just a gentle reminder from God; it was an urgent command. The phrasing "Go, return" indicates God was pushing Moses to act immediately, as if he had been delaying after receiving permission from his father-in-law. The reassurance that his enemies were dead wasn't just about safety; it was a divine removal of Moses's potential guilt or fear, clearing the way for obedience.
Moses had just received God's commission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, but he hesitated, fearful of returning to face the pharaoh. After getting permission from his father-in-law, Jethro, to leave Midian, God reiterates the command, reassuring Moses that the men who previously wanted him dead are now gone, removing a significant obstacle and fear. This divine word spurs Moses to finally depart for Egypt with his family.
Moses had already received his commission, but he lingered. Why the delay, and how did God address it?
After God's initial call in Exodus 3, Moses obtained permission from his father-in-law, Jethro, to return to Egypt (Exodus 4:18). However, he still hesitated. The text implies Moses might have been carrying a hidden fear: the men who had sought his life years ago when he killed the Egyptian were likely still alive and powerful.
God, understanding this unspoken concern, speaks to Moses again while he is still in Midian. The instruction is direct and urgent: "Go, return into Egypt." The crucial reassurance follows: "for all the men who were seeking your life are dead." This wasn't just a new command; it was God removing a significant obstacle – Moses's fear of retribution. It's a powerful reminder that God knows our hidden anxieties and addresses them precisely when we need it most.
Forty years had passed since Moses fled Egypt. Why the delay now, and what does it reveal about human nature?
The commentaries highlight a crucial detail: Moses had already received Jethro's permission to leave Midian (Exodus 4:18) but seemed to delay his departure. God's command in verse 19, "Go, return," is described as peremptory—an urgent, almost forceful instruction.
This reveals a common human tendency: even when given permission and a clear commission, we can hesitate. Moses's previous act of killing the Egyptian and his subsequent exile likely left a deep psychological scar. While he may not have vocalized this fear, it lingered. God's assurance addresses this by confirming that the threat from forty years prior had been neutralized by time and divine providence. It's a testament to God's patience and His understanding of the complexities of the human heart, allowing Moses time to process, and then stepping in to remove the final barrier.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
Refers to the unique, personal name of the covenant God of Israel, YHWH. It signifies His eternal self-existence, faithfulness, and His active role in the redemption of His people.
c. 1446 BC
Moses kills an Egyptian
Moses, in his youth, strikes down and kills an Egyptian who was oppressing an Israelite. This act forces Moses to flee Egypt to escape Pharaoh's wrath.
c. 1446 BC - c. 1406 BC
Moses lives in Midian
Moses spends forty years in the land of Midian, living as a shepherd and marrying Zipporah, daughter of Jethro. During this time, the Egyptians involved in his pursuit likely die of natural causes or old age.
c. 1406 BC
God commissions Moses at the burning bush
God appears to Moses in a burning bush and commissions him to return to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of slavery. Moses expresses his fear and reluctance.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
Moses receives confirmation and encouragement
The LORD speaks to Moses again in Midian, urging him to return to Egypt. God assures Moses that his life is no longer in danger, as those who sought to kill him are dead.
c. 1406 BC
This passage reveals that Moses initially fled Egypt after killing an Egyptian, and Pharaoh was actively seeking his life at that time. God reminding Moses that those who sought his life are dead directly addresses this past danger.
1 Samuel 22:23Similar to Exodus 4:19, David reassures Abiathar that he is safe, stating, 'I am with your life all the time that he who sought your life sought mine also.' This highlights how God can remove threats to His chosen servants.
Matthew 2:20This verse recounts an angel telling Joseph, 'Go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead.' It echoes the same divine assurance given to Moses that the danger has passed.
Acts 7:23-29Stephen's speech recounts Moses' flight from Egypt after killing the Egyptian and his subsequent life in Midian. This context emphasizes the forty years that passed, making God's reassurance in Exodus 4:19 a significant removal of a long-standing fear.
gillExodus 4:19: "And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life."
And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian,.... After he had obtained leave of his father-in-law to quit Midian, but before he left it: go, return into Egypt: that is, directly, immediately; before he had only given him a commission at large to go thither, but had not fixed the time when he should go; but now he orders him to set forward at once: for all the men are dead whi…
bensonExodus 4:19: "And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life."
Exodus 4:19-20 . The Lord said unto Moses — This seems to have been a second vision, whereby God calls him to the present execution of the command given before. The rod of God — His shepherd’s crook, so called, as it was God’s instrument in so many glorious works.
This wasn't just a gentle reminder from God; it was an urgent command. The phrasing "Go, return" indicates God was pushing Moses to act immediately, as if he had been delaying after receiving permission from his father-in-law. The reassurance that his enemies were dead wasn't just about safety; it was a divine removal of Moses's potential guilt or fear, clearing the way for obedience.
Moses had just received God's commission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, but he hesitated, fearful of returning to face the pharaoh. After getting permission from his father-in-law, Jethro, to leave Midian, God reiterates the command, reassuring Moses that the men who previously wanted him dead are now gone, removing a significant obstacle and fear. This divine word spurs Moses to finally depart for Egypt with his family.
Moses had just received God's commission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt, but he hesitated, fearful of returning to face the pharaoh. After getting permission from his father-in-law, Jethro, to leave Midian, God reiterates the command, reassuring Moses that the men who previously wanted him dead are now gone, removing a significant obstacle and fear. This divine word spurs Moses to finally depart for Egypt with his family.
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Moses departs for Egypt
Moses, accompanied by his wife and sons, journeys back to Egypt with the rod of God, ready to confront Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites.
"And the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.”" — This wasn't just a gentle reminder from God; it was an urgent command. The phrasing "Go, return" indicates God was pushing Moses to act immediately, as if he had been delaying after receiving permiss…
