Exodus 4:18-20

Moses Leaves Midian For Egypt (Exodus 4:18).

This is a section of powerful contrasts. On the one hand Jethro is Moses' tribal leader with acknowledged rights (Exodus 4:18 a), on the other Yahweh demands lordship over Moses and his family, represented by the sign of circumcision. On the one hand Pharaoh is threatening Yahweh's firstborn son, and in return Yahweh threatens Pharaoh's firstborn son, meanwhile Moses is also seen as under threat because his son has not been circumcised which would be the sign that he was one of God's chosen people. Equally powerful is the parallel contrast that while those who are in Egypt who threatened Moses' life are dead, Yahweh will seek to slay Moses, something only averted by the blood of circumcision. We are reminded that it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Hebrews 10:31)

This brings out what serious issues were seen as involved here. The major questions were two, firstly as to whom Moses owed submission, that was why the circumcision of his son was so important. This may suggest that his wife was refusing to allow her son to be circumcised out of loyalty to her own tribe, and was reminding Moses of his tribal obligations. Once she agreed to the circumcision the issue was resolved, which may have been why she was so angry at being thwarted. The second issue was the vital importance to Yahweh of the deliverance of Israel, His son, His firstborn, which not even Moses must be allowed to frustrate. When it came to sons Yahweh's was of premier importance.

Analysis of the passage:

a Moses requests of Jethro, his tribal leader, the right to visit his family in Egypt (Exodus 4:18 a).

b Jethro tells him to ‘go in peace' (Exodus 4:18 b).

c Yahweh tells Moses to return to Egypt because those who sought his life were dead (Exodus 4:19).

d Moses takes his wife and sons and sets out to return to the land of Egypt (unaware of the threat that is looming over himself and his son) (Exodus 4:20 a).

e Moses takes the staff of God in his hand (Exodus 4:20 b).

e Yahweh tells Moses to be sure that he performs before Pharaoh all the wonders which Yahweh has put in his hand, but Yahweh will harden his heart so that he will not let them go (Exodus 4:21).

d He is to say to Pharaoh that Israel is His firstborn son, but because Pharaoh will refuse to let his firstborn son go He will slay Pharaoh's firstborn son (Exodus 4:22).

c On his way to his lodging Yahweh meets Moses and seeks to kill him (it is in Midian that his life is threatened because Yahweh is angry at his divided loyalties) (Exodus 4:24).

b Zipporah circumcises his son and casts the foreskin at his feet saying, ‘Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me, Yahweh then leaves him alone (he can go in peace) (Exodus 4:25 a).

a She said a bridegroom of blood because of the circumcision (which is a sign which demonstrates that he is bound to Yahweh and not to his tribal leader) (Exodus 4:26 b).

Here the parallels are interesting. In ‘a' Moses requests of Jethro, his tribal leader, the right to visit his family in Egypt, while in the parallel he is rather to be bound to Yahweh through the Abrahamic covenant by circumcision, a situation sealed by blood. In ‘b' Jethro tells him to go in peace, while in the parallel he finds peace from the anger of Yahweh through the shedding of blood and the circumcision of his son. In ‘c' Yahweh tells Moses to return to Egypt (as Yahweh's man) because those who sought his life were dead, while in the parallel his life is under threat because Yahweh still lives and is being ignored by him so that he prefers to remain Midian's man. In ‘d' Moses takes his wife and sons and sets out to return to the land of Egypt (unaware of the threat that is looming over them because of his son), while in the parallel in coming to Egypt he is to face Pharaoh with the fact that Israel is His firstborn son, and because Pharaoh will refuse to let his firstborn son go He will slay Pharaoh's firstborn son. In ‘e' Moses takes the staff of God in his hand, and in the parallel Yahweh tells Moses to be sure that he performs before Pharaoh all the wonders which Yahweh has put in his hand (through the staff of God), but Yahweh will harden his heart so that he will not let them go.

Exodus 4:18

‘And Moses went and returned to Yether, his in-law, and said to him, “Let me go, I pray you, and return to my kinsmen (‘brothers') who are in Egypt and see whether they are still alive.” And Yithro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”

In Genesis 49:4

‘yether' signifies having the pre-eminence. Thus the name Jethro (Yether, Yithro as above) may be Reuel's title as either tribal leader or priest. It was to him in his official capacity that Moses came for he wished to absent himself from the tribe to see whether his kinsmen were still alive. He did not tell him the real reason for his going. Had he done so his father-in-law might not have been so willing to see him go, and Moses clearly did not consider that a theophany from Yahweh had anything to do with Jethro who was a priest of the god of Midian. Had Jethro known of Yahweh Moses would surely have told him a lot more, for then Yahweh's command would have been significant to Jethro and of great importance. This counts against Jethro even knowing of Yahweh, except possibly as Moses' strange personal and family God.

The fact that Moses' son (possibly his firstborn is in mind, although we might then have expected it to be stated) had not been circumcised might suggest divided loyalties by Moses between obedience to Yahweh and response to his current circumstances, indicating resistance from his wife and possibly his family and tribe with regard to his loyalty to Yahweh and what they saw as a barbarous rite of circumcision. What follows settles once and for all where the loyalty of he and his family must lie.

It is equally possible the Reuel had died and that Jethro his brother-in-law is in mind. Either way the point is that ‘Yether' (Jethro) was leader of the family tribe. he had to be consulted. Tribal loyalty was seen as extremely important and no tribe liked to be diminished by losing a valuable member. He could not just go off at will. On the other hand family loyalty was seen as equally important, so permission was unlikely to be refused.

Jethro acknowledged his right to visit his kinsfolk and gave consent. ‘Go in peace.' He was assuring him that there would be no dispute or ill will in the tribe at his departure. Later when the deliverance had taken place Moses would keep Jethro informed of events and Jethro would come to visit him and acknowledge his responsibility to accompany the people he had delivered to Canaan (Exodus 18:1). Thus Moses did what was fitting towards his tribe.

But Yahweh would only say ‘go in peace' to Moses once the issue of his loyalties had been settled by the circumcision of his son (possibly his firstborn for each son individually spoken of in this passage is a firstborn).

Exodus 4:19

‘And Yahweh said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return to Egypt, for all the men who sought your life are dead.”

Some time had passed since his call, for he had had to bring the sheep back to the tribe and then seek the right time to prepare to visit Egypt, and as we know he was not at all keen on the idea. Besides, haste would not have been looked on as courteous. But then the word came from Yahweh that it was time to depart, both forcefully and yet with comfort. Initially, he is reminded, he will have nothing to fear, for those who remembered his misdeed were no more. Note the stress on ‘in Midian'. Yahweh can speak anywhere.

But in context in the background is another threat of death. Yahweh Himself will threaten him with death because of his failure in loyalty (Exodus 4:24).

Exodus 4:20

‘And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them on an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.'

Moses took his family with him and set off. By now he had ‘sons'. His wife and sons seemingly rode on an ass, while he walked with them. ‘He returned to the land of Egypt.' We would say ‘and he began his journey back to Egypt', but we have seen this method (of summarising prior to giving the detail) before, in Genesis.

“And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.” He knew that this was the sign of his God-given authority and his one weapon against the wisdom and armies of Egypt. Now it was not just his staff, it was the staff of God.