Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse highlights that the most potent signs of God's power often involve transforming something commonplace and even intimate – Moses' own hand, hidden within his cloak – into something utterly terrifying and unnatural. It's a powerful reminder that God's intervention isn't always grandiose spectacle but can manifest through the most personal and unexpected means.
Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow.
English Standard Version (ESV)
God gives Moses a second sign to convince the Israelites, after Moses expresses doubt that they'll believe him. Moses is told to put his hand into his cloak, and when he pulls it out, it's covered in a snow-white leprosy, demonstrating God's power over sickness and the potential for affliction. Then, God instructs him to put his hand back in, and it's miraculously healed, emphasizing God's ability to restore and deliver.
Moses hesitated, doubting if the people would believe him. God responded not with an argument, but with a powerful demonstration that would speak louder than words.
God's commands are not suggestions; they carry inherent power. When God told Moses to put his hand in his cloak, He wasn't asking Moses to perform a trick. He was initiating a supernatural event.
A Divine Transformation
The miraculous transformation of Moses' hand wasn't just a display of power; it was a profound message about God's plan for His people.
The second miracle God gave Moses served a dual purpose: a credential for Moses and a promise for Israel.
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A Message of Hope and Judgment
Understand the original words
Yahweh · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the one true God, signifying His eternal, self-existent, and covenant-keeping nature. It is the name by which He made Himself known to His people.
metsora'ath · Hebrew Adjective
A collective term for various skin diseases in the Bible. It often symbolizes uncleanness, separation from the community, and the consequences of sin, requiring divine intervention for restoration.
The miraculous transformation of Moses' hand into a leprous state and back again served as a powerful, visceral sign. It underscored God's absolute authority over creation and offered a stark warning of divine judgment, while also symbolizing the potential for cleansing and restoration for the enslaved Israelites themselves.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites Enslaved in Egypt
Following a period of growth and prosperity, the Israelites faced increasing oppression under a new dynasty in Egypt, eventually leading to their enslavement and harsh labor.
c. 1406 BC
Moses Flees to Midian
After killing an Egyptian taskmaster, Moses fled from Pharaoh's wrath and found refuge in the land of Midian, where he became a shepherd and lived for many years.
c. 1406 BC
The Burning Bush Encounter
While tending his flock, Moses encountered God in a burning bush, where he was called to return to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of slavery.
c. 1406 BC— this verse
God Gives Moses Signs
To empower Moses and convince the Israelites of his divine commission, God provides him with miraculous signs: his staff turning into a serpent, and his hand becoming leprous and then healed.
c. 1406 BC
Moses Returns to Egypt
Accompanied by his brother Aaron, Moses journeyed back to Egypt to confront Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites, armed with God's signs and promises.
This section of Leviticus details the laws concerning leprosy, a disease so dreaded that its appearance, especially the pure white kind described in Exodus, was a sign of divine judgment and required strict quarantine.
Naaman's miraculous healing from leprosy by Elisha demonstrates God's power over this affliction, mirroring the instantaneous, supernatural nature of the sign given to Moses.
Romans 4:17This passage speaks of God 'calling into existence the things that do not exist,' which reflects the creative power displayed when Moses' hand was instantly transformed and then restored.
John 9:1-7Jesus heals a man born blind, another instance where a divine sign, this time involving a physical affliction, serves to reveal God's power and authenticate His messenger.
gillExodus 4:6: "And the LORD said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow."
And the Lord said furthermore unto him,.... Continued his discourse, and gave him another sign: put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom; within his coat, under that part of the garment next to his breast: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow; that is, whit…
calvinExodus 4:1-9: "And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee."
And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
Tunc dixit, Projice eum in terram. Et projecit in terram, et factus est serpens, et fugit Moses a conspectu ejus.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he…
This verse highlights that the most potent signs of God's power often involve transforming something commonplace and even intimate – Moses' own hand, hidden within his cloak – into something utterly terrifying and unnatural. It's a powerful reminder that God's intervention isn't always grandiose spectacle but can manifest through the most personal and unexpected means.
God gives Moses a second sign to convince the Israelites, after Moses expresses doubt that they'll believe him. Moses is told to put his hand into his cloak, and when he pulls it out, it's covered in a snow-white leprosy, demonstrating God's power over sickness and the potential for affliction. Then, God instructs him to put his hand back in, and it's miraculously healed, emphasizing God's ability to restore and deliver.
God gives Moses a second sign to convince the Israelites, after Moses expresses doubt that they'll believe him. Moses is told to put his hand into his cloak, and when he pulls it out, it's covered in a snow-white leprosy, demonstrating God's power over sickness and the potential for affliction. Then, God instructs him to put his hand back in, and it's miraculously healed, emphasizing God's ability to restore and deliver.
"Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow." — This verse highlights that the most potent signs of God's power often involve transforming something commonplace and even intimate – Moses' own hand, hidden within his cloak – into something utterly…
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Last reviewed October 2026