Exodus 4:24

KJV

¶ And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the LORD met him, and sought to kill him.

KJV (with Strong's)

And it came to pass by the way {H1870} in the inn {H4411}, that the LORD {H3068} met {H6298} him, and sought {H1245} to kill {H4191} him.

Complete Jewish Bible

At a lodging-place on the way, ADONAI met Moshe and would have killed him,

Berean Standard Bible

Now at a lodging place along the way, the LORD met Moses and was about to kill him.

American Standard Version

And it came to pass on the way at the lodging-place, that Jehovah met him, and sought to kill him.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Exodus 4:24 records a startling and terrifying encounter where the LORD confronts Moses during his journey back to Egypt, intending to take his life. This sudden divine intervention, occurring at a temporary lodging, serves as a stark revelation of God's absolute holiness and His unwavering demand for covenant obedience. It highlights that even God's chosen instruments are not exempt from His foundational commands, particularly concerning the circumcision of Moses' son, the neglect of which brought about this severe divine judgment.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This dramatic incident immediately follows God's detailed commission to Moses at the burning bush in [Exodus 3](/exodus/3 "Exodus 3 - The Burning Bush and Moses' Call") and [Exodus 4](/exodus/4 "Exodus 4 - Moses' Return to Egypt"). Moses has overcome his initial reluctance, received miraculous signs, and is now returning to Egypt with his family, carrying the "rod of God" ([Exodus 4:20](/exodus/4-20 "Exodus 4:20 - Moses' Rod")). Just prior to this verse, God has delivered a chilling message for Pharaoh, warning that if he refuses to release Israel—God's "firstborn son"—then God will slay Pharaoh's own firstborn son ([Exodus 4:22-23](/exodus/4-22-23 "Exodus 4:22-23 - God's Warning to Pharaoh")). This pronouncement of impending judgment on Egypt's firstborn sets a somber and serious tone, underscoring God's sovereign power and His readiness to execute judgment, which then unexpectedly turns upon Moses himself.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The setting, "in the inn" (Hebrew: _malon_), refers to a temporary lodging place, often a caravanserai or a designated campsite along a travel route, rather than a modern hotel. Such places were common for travelers in the ancient Near East. The critical cultural element here is circumcision, the physical sign of the [Abrahamic covenant](/genesis/17-9-14 "Genesis 17:9-14 - The Covenant of Circumcision"). Instituted by God in [Genesis 17](/genesis/17 "Genesis 17 - The Abrahamic Covenant"), circumcision was a non-negotiable command for all male descendants of Abraham, to be performed on the eighth day. Its neglect was a profound act of disobedience, signifying a rejection of the covenant and rendering the uncircumcised individual "cut off from his people" ([Genesis 17:14](/genesis/17-14 "Genesis 17:14 - Consequences of Uncircumcision")). This cultural and religious mandate forms the crucial backdrop for understanding God's severe reaction to Moses' oversight.
* **Key Themes:** This passage powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in Exodus and the Pentateuch. It emphasizes God's **holiness** and **sovereignty**, demonstrating that He is not only the deliverer of His people but also the righteous judge who demands obedience from all, including His chosen leaders. The theme of **covenant fidelity** is paramount, as Moses' failure to circumcise his son represents a serious breach of the foundational covenant with Abraham. This incident also introduces the theme of **divine judgment and mercy**, showing God's readiness to execute judgment for disobedience, yet also providing a means of averting it through immediate obedience. Furthermore, it highlights the **accountability of leadership**, underscoring that those called to represent God must first ensure their own lives and households are in alignment with His commands.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **LORD (Hebrew, _Yᵉhôvâh'_):** This is the Tetragrammaton, the personal, covenantal name of God, revealing Him as the self-Existent, Eternal One. The use of this name here emphasizes that it is the covenant-keeping God, the one who called Moses and is about to deliver Israel, who confronts Moses, highlighting the seriousness of the covenant breach.
* **met (Hebrew, _pâgash'_):** This primitive root means "to come in contact with, whether by accident or violence." In this context, it denotes a direct, intentional, and confrontational encounter. It's not a casual meeting but a divine intervention with a specific, forceful purpose.
* **sought (Hebrew, _bâqash'_):** This verb signifies a strong, active intention or desire. It means "to search out (by any method), to strive after, to require, to seek." When paired with "to kill," it indicates God's resolute and immediate intent to take Moses' life, not merely a fleeting thought or a passive observation.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And it came to pass by the way in the inn":** This phrase sets the scene, indicating that the event occurred during Moses' journey back to Egypt, at a temporary lodging place. The mundane setting underscores the sudden and unexpected nature of God's intervention, demonstrating that divine judgment can manifest in ordinary circumstances when covenant obligations are neglected.
* **"that the LORD met him":** This clause reveals the direct and personal nature of the confrontation. It is not an indirect warning or a prophetic word, but the personal presence of the LORD Himself, engaging Moses in a terrifying encounter. The verb "met" implies a deliberate act of interception.
* **"and sought to kill him":** This is the shocking climax of the verse. The Creator of life, the God who has just commissioned Moses to deliver His people, actively intended to take Moses' life. This intent reveals the extreme gravity of the unstated offense, which the subsequent verse clarifies as the failure to circumcise his son. It underscores God's absolute holiness and His demand for strict obedience to His covenant commands, even from His chosen servant.

#### Literary Devices
Exodus 4:24 employs several powerful literary devices. The sudden and unexpected divine confrontation creates **Suspense** and **Dramatic Irony**, as the reader is left to wonder why God, who just called Moses to deliver His people, would now seek to kill him. This heightens the tension and emphasizes the severity of the undisclosed transgression. The phrase "sought to kill him" is a stark example of **Anthropomorphism**, attributing human-like intention and action to God, making His divine wrath tangible and immediate. Furthermore, the entire episode functions as **Foreshadowing**, subtly preparing the reader for the themes of divine judgment and the necessity of atonement that will pervade the Exodus narrative, particularly in the plagues against Egypt and the institution of the Passover, where the shedding of blood is crucial for deliverance.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This terrifying encounter profoundly underscores the non-negotiable nature of God's covenant requirements and the severe consequences of disobedience, even for those in high standing with God. It reveals God's absolute holiness and impartiality, demonstrating that no one is above His law. For Moses, called to lead Israel as God's covenant people, his personal failure to uphold the covenant in his own household was a profound contradiction that God could not overlook. This incident serves as a powerful reminder that true spiritual authority and effectiveness in God's service flow from personal integrity and obedience to His commands.

* [Genesis 17:14](/genesis/17-14 "Genesis 17:14 - Consequences of Covenant Neglect"): "And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant."
* [Hebrews 12:6](/hebrews/12-6 "Hebrews 12:6 - God Disciplines Those He Loves"): "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."
* [1 Samuel 15:22](/1_samuel/15-22 "1 Samuel 15:22 - Obedience Over Sacrifice"): "And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams."

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Exodus 4:24 serves as a profound and sobering reminder that no one, regardless of their calling, gifting, or intimate relationship with God, is above His commands. It underscores the vital importance of obedience, particularly concerning the foundational tenets of faith and covenant. For believers today, this passage emphasizes that our walk with God must be consistent with His will, not just in public service but also in our private lives and families. It highlights God's expectation that those who lead His people must first be obedient themselves, ensuring their own households are in order. This narrative also subtly points to the concept of God's discipline for those He loves, aiming to bring them back into alignment with His perfect will and prepare them for faithful, unhindered service. It challenges us to examine areas of our lives where we might be neglecting clear biblical commands, reminding us that God's holiness demands our full and consistent obedience.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **What unconfessed sin or neglected command in my life might be hindering my walk with God or my effectiveness in His service?**
* **How does this passage challenge my understanding of God's holiness and His demand for obedience, even from His most favored servants?**
* **In what ways can I ensure that my private life and family align with God's commands, just as I strive for public obedience?**
* **How does God's willingness to discipline Moses encourage or convict me regarding His love and desire for my sanctification?**

### FAQ
**Why would God try to kill Moses, His chosen leader?**

Answer: God's intent to kill Moses was a direct consequence of Moses' failure to circumcise his son, a foundational command of the [Abrahamic covenant](/genesis/17-9-14 "The Covenant of Circumcision"). This act of disobedience was a serious breach of covenant fidelity, especially for someone called to lead God's people in upholding that very covenant. God's action underscores His absolute holiness and the non-negotiable nature of His commands, demonstrating that even His most favored servants are not exempt from accountability. It was a severe form of divine discipline, designed to bring Moses into immediate compliance with a command essential for his role as covenant mediator.

**What was the significance of circumcision in this event?**

Answer: Circumcision was the physical sign of the covenant God made with Abraham and his descendants ([Genesis 17:10-14](/genesis/17-10-14 "The Covenant of Circumcision")). It symbolized inclusion in God's chosen people and commitment to His covenant. Moses' failure to circumcise his son was a direct act of disobedience to this foundational command, effectively placing his son, and by extension, his household, outside the visible sign of the covenant. This was a critical failure for the man chosen to lead God's covenant people. Zipporah's swift action to perform the circumcision averted God's judgment, highlighting the critical importance of this covenant sign and the principle that obedience, even through the shedding of blood, was necessary to satisfy God's righteous demands.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Exodus 4:24 reveals God's severe judgment against covenant disobedience and the necessity of blood for atonement, it ultimately points forward to the perfect and ultimate fulfillment found in Jesus Christ. The blood of circumcision, a temporary and symbolic act of covenant initiation and purification, foreshadows the superior and once-for-all atonement provided by the blood of Jesus. Unlike the Old Covenant demands that even Moses, the great lawgiver, struggled to perfectly uphold, Christ perfectly fulfilled all righteousness ([Matthew 3:15](/matthew/3-15 "Matthew 3:15 - Jesus Fulfills All Righteousness")) and bore the full weight of God's judgment for sin on the cross ([2 Corinthians 5:21](/2_corinthians/5-21 "2 Corinthians 5:21 - Christ Became Sin for Us")). Through His sacrifice, believers are spiritually circumcised of heart by the Spirit, not by a physical cutting, but by the putting off of the body of the flesh ([Colossians 2:11](/colossians/2-11 "Colossians 2:11 - Spiritual Circumcision")). We enter a New Covenant relationship with God, not through adherence to outward signs, but by faith in Christ's completed work, where God's justice is fully satisfied and His mercy eternally extended to all who believe ([Romans 3:25-26](/romans/3-25-26 "Romans 3:25-26 - God's Righteousness Through Faith")). Moses' near-death experience underscores the deadly seriousness of sin and the absolute necessity of a blood atonement, ultimately finding its complete and final resolution in the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world ([John 1:29](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Genesis 17:14

And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.

Numbers 22:22

¶ And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants [were] with him.

Numbers 22:23

And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

Exodus 3:18

And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.

Leviticus 10:3

¶ Then Moses said unto Aaron, This [is it] that the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

Hosea 13:8

I will meet them as a bear [that is] bereaved [of her whelps], and will rend the caul of their heart, and there will I devour them like a lion: the wild beast shall tear them.

1 Chronicles 21:16

And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of the LORD stand between the earth and the heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders [of Israel, who were] clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.