King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
Complete Jewish Bible:
"If they won't believe you or heed the evidence of the first sign, they will be convinced by the second.
Berean Standard Bible:
And the LORD said, “If they refuse to believe you or heed the witness of the first sign, they may believe that of the second.
American Standard Version:
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe{H539} thee, neither hearken{H8085} to the voice{H6963} of the first{H7223} sign{H226}, that they will believe{H539} the voice{H6963} of the latter{H314} sign{H226}.
Cross-References (KJV):
Exodus 4:30
- And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
Exodus 4:31
- And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
Deuteronomy 32:39
- ¶ See now that I, [even] I, [am] he, and [there is] no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither [is there any] that can deliver out of my hand.
Isaiah 28:10
- For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little:
Job 5:18
- For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.
2 Kings 5:7
- And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, [Am] I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
John 12:37
- ¶ But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:
Explore This Verse Across Other Resources:
Commentary for Exodus 4:8
1. **Themes:**
- **Divine Assurance:** God reassures Moses of His power and presence, emphasizing that He will provide signs to authenticate Moses' mission.
- **Faith and Signs:** The verse highlights the importance of belief and the role of miraculous signs in strengthening faith among those who are skeptical.
- **Moses' Doubt and God's Response:** Moses' lack of confidence in his ability to convince the Israelites leads to God's provision of signs, illustrating divine accommodation of human weakness.
2. **Historical Context:**
- **The Exodus Narrative:** Set within the larger story of the Israelite liberation from Egyptian slavery, this verse is part of God's commissioning of Moses as His spokesperson to Pharaoh.
- **Moses' Call:** At the burning bush, Moses is initially reluctant to accept his role as deliverer, citing his lack of eloquence and the people's potential disbelief.
- **Signs as Tools of Persuasion:** In a polytheistic and sign-oriented culture, miraculous signs were essential to validate the authority of a messenger from a deity.
In Exodus 4:8, God provides Moses with a contingency plan, promising additional signs to convince the Israelites of God's intent to deliver them, should the initial sign fail to persuade. This reflects the broader biblical theme of God's willingness to meet people where they are, using tangible proofs to bolster faith in His promises.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H539
There are 176 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אָמַן
Transliteration: ʼâman
Pronunciation: aw-man'
Description: a primitive root; (Isaiah 30:21; interchangeable with אָמַן, to go to the right hand); properly, to build up or support; to foster as a parent or nurse; figuratively to render (or be) firm or faithful, to trust or believe, to be permanent or quiet; morally to be true or certain; hence, assurance, believe, bring up, establish, [phrase] fail, be faithful (of long continuance, stedfast, sure, surely, trusty, verified), nurse, (-ing father), (put), trust, turn to the right. - Strong's Number: H8085
There are 1072 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁמַע
Transliteration: shâmaʻ
Pronunciation: shaw-mah'
Description: a primitive root; to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.); [idiom] attentively, call (gather) together, [idiom] carefully, [idiom] certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, [idiom] diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear(-ken, tell), [idiom] indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim(-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, [idiom] surely, tell, understand, whosoever (heareth), witness. - Strong's Number: H6963
There are 436 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: קוֹל
Transliteration: qôwl
Pronunciation: kole
Description: or קֹל; from an unused root meaning to call aloud; a voice or sound; [phrase] aloud, bleating, crackling, cry ([phrase] out), fame, lightness, lowing, noise, [phrase] hold peace, (pro-) claim, proclamation, [phrase] sing, sound, [phrase] spark, thunder(-ing), voice, [phrase] yell. - Strong's Number: H7223
There are 174 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: רִאשׁוֹן
Transliteration: riʼshôwn
Pronunciation: ree-shone'
Description: or רִאשֹׁן; from רִאשָׁה; first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun); ancestor, (that were) before(-time), beginning, eldest, first, fore(-father) (-most), former (thing), of old time, past. - Strong's Number: H226
There are 140 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אוֹת
Transliteration: ʼôwth
Pronunciation: oth
Description: probably from אוּת (in the sense of appearing); a signal (literally or figuratively), as aflag, beacon, monument, omen, prodigy, evidence, etc.; mark, miracle, (en-) sign, token. - Strong's Number: H314
There are 104 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אַחֲרוֹן
Transliteration: ʼachărôwn
Pronunciation: akh-ar-one'
Description: or (shortened) אַחֲרֹן; from אָחַר; hinder; generally, late or last; specifically (as facing the east) western; after (-ward), to come, following, hind(-er, -ermost, -most), last, latter, rereward, ut(ter) most.