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Exodus 4:21

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Exodus 4:21 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And Jehovah said unto Moses, When thou goest back into Egypt, see that thou do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in thy hand: but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And Jehovah said unto Moses, When thou goest back into Egypt, see that thou do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in thy hand: but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.
Exodus 4:21 — American Standard Version

Context — Exodus 4

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
18And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren that are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
19And Jehovah said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt; for all the men are dead that sought thy life.
20And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
21And Jehovah said unto Moses, When thou goest back into Egypt, see that thou do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in thy hand: but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.
22And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, Israel is my son, my first-born:
23and I have said unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me; and thou hast refused to let him go: behold, I will slay thy son, thy first-born.
24And it came to pass on the way at the lodging-place, that Jehovah met him, and sought to kill him.
← Exodus 4:20Exodus 4:22 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And the Lord said unto Moses, etc.] At the same time he appeared to him in Midian, and ordered him to go into Egypt, even before his departure thither: when thou goest to return into Egypt; and when got thither; for before the thing directed to in the next clause could not be done: see that thou do all these wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in thine hand; not the three signs or wonders, related in the preceding part of the chapter, for they were to be done not before Pharaoh, but before the children of Israel; but these are the wonders he was to do in the sight of Pharaoh, by inflicting the various plagues on him and his people, for refusing to let Israel go, and which God had put in…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“I will harden - Calamities which do not subdue the heart harden it. In the case of Pharaoh, the hardening was at once a righteous judgment, and a natural result of a long series of oppressions and cruelties. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“In thy hand - in thy power: I will harden his heart - After he has frequently harden'd it himself, wilfully shutting his eyes against the light, I will at last permit Satan to harden it effectually. Exodus 4:22”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“4:21-23 These verses summarize the events of the next several chapters, beginning with the request to let the people go so that they could worship God (5:3) and concluding with the final plague, the death of the firstborn (11:4-6). God was preparing the rescuer for the difficult task ahead (see 11:9).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“wonders: Exo 3:20 I will harden: Exo 7:3, Exo 7:13, Exo 9:12, Exo 9:35, Exo 10:1, Exo 10:20, Exo 14:8; Gen 6:3; Deu 2:30-33, Deu 2:36; Jos 11:20; Kg1 22:22; Psa 105:25; Isa 6:10, Isa 63:17; Joh 12:40; Rom 1:28, Rom 9:18; Rom 11:8-10; Co2 2:16; Th2 2:10-12; Pe1 2:8 Exodus 4:22”
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Related study paths

Read Exodus 4 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification