Exodus 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 {H3068} said {H559} furthermore {H5750} unto him, Put {H935} now thine hand {H3027} into thy bosom {H2436}. And he put {H935} his hand {H3027} into his bosom {H2436}: and when he took {H3318} it out, behold, his hand {H3027} was leprous {H6879} as snow {H7950}.

Furthermore ADONAI said to him, "Now put your hand inside your coat." He put his hand in his coat; and when he took it out his hand was leprous, as white as snow.

Furthermore, the LORD said to Moses, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, his hand was leprous, white as snow.

And Jehovah said furthermore unto him, Put now thy hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow.

Commentary

Exodus 4:6 is part of God's response to Moses' hesitation and doubt regarding his commission to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. After Moses questioned who would believe him, God provided him with miraculous signs to validate his divine authority.

Context

Immediately preceding this verse, God had already given Moses the sign of the staff turning into a serpent (see Exodus 4:2-4). However, Moses still expressed concern that the people would not believe him (Exodus 4:1). In response, the LORD offers a second, even more dramatic sign involving Moses' own body, demonstrating God's power over health and disease.

Key Themes

  • Divine Power & Authority: The immediate transformation of Moses' hand shows God's direct and absolute power to alter physical reality, including inflicting and removing severe conditions like leprosy.
  • Signs and Wonders: This miracle is given specifically as a sign (Exodus 4:8) to convince the Israelites and Pharaoh that the LORD had indeed appeared to Moses. It serves as a powerful credential.
  • Addressing Doubt: God patiently provides evidence to address Moses' lack of confidence, equipping him with tangible proof for his mission.
  • Leprosy as a Symbol: In the Bible, leprosy (Hebrew: tsara'ath) often symbolized uncleanness and separation. Its sudden appearance and subsequent cleansing (shown in the next verse, Exodus 4:7) powerfully illustrated God's ability to bring judgment or uncleanness and then restore and make clean.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word translated "leprous" is tsara'ath. While often rendered 'leprosy', this term in the Old Testament covered a range of skin afflictions and defilements, not necessarily identical to modern Hansen's disease. The phrase "as snow" emphasizes the stark white, scale-like appearance associated with this severe condition, indicating its unmistakable and dramatic nature.

Reflection

This verse reminds us that God sometimes provides clear, undeniable evidence to confirm His messengers and His message, especially when facing significant resistance or doubt. The sudden infliction of leprosy highlights God's sovereignty over all aspects of life, including health and sickness. It also sets the stage for the reversal in the following verse, demonstrating His power not just to judge or afflict, but also to heal and restore. For those struggling with faith, this passage illustrates God's willingness to meet us with compelling proof, much like the signs and wonders that confirmed the early gospel message.

Note: If the commentary doesn’t appear instantly, please allow 2–5 seconds for it to load. It is generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash using a prompt focused on Biblical fidelity over bias. While the insights have been consistently reliable, we encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • 2 Kings 5:27

    The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper [as white] as snow.

  • Numbers 12:10

    ¶ And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam [became] leprous, [white] as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, [she was] leprous.
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