Bible verse by verse

[_The Erotic Apologist]

(Hitchens falls short on many a religious argument, but your appeal to authority via his quotation is duly noted)

That may be so, but in this instance he's spot on. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.

[_subgenius]

(Hitchens falls short on many a religious argument, but your appeal to authority via his quotation is duly noted)

That may be so, but in this instance he's spot on. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.

Wow, do you live by cliché' only?...and besides Truzzi obviously copied Laplace, who spoke of evidence...not proof.
Ironically, Truzzi also offered intellectual condemnation on those who would offer negative claims without "proof"...called them "pseudoskeptics", a moniker you likely wear well.
nevertheless, you seem to draw form the "validating quotes" well of those who would consider human existence as bound by bio-chemistry alone...devoid of any real individuality and the ability to ever choose otherwise.

proof-claim-bible.jpg

again, your cursory knowledge is showing. The Bible/Scripture is not a "claim" as you would hope (and pray) that it is.
Clearly, it is a self-evident proposition.

[_gdemetz]

Good Sub!

[_LittleNipper]

Genesis 50:1-26 And so Father Jacob died and Joseph cried over his father's body. And Joseph had his father embalmed according to the way of the Egyptians taking 40 days, with 70 days of weeping by the Egyptians. And Joseph goes to Pharaoh and explains how his father had him sware that he was to be buried in Canaan in the family crypt, and Joseph asks that he be allowed to leave to do his father's bidding. Pharaoh agrees that Joseph must fulfill his oath. And Joseph goes to bury his father, and with him goes all the servants of Pharaoh, elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt. Of the house of Joseph everyone went, and all his brethren, and all the house of his father. Only their infants, their flocks, and their herds, have been left behind the land of Goshen. Also there went with him chariots and horsemen. And they come to the threshing-area of Atad, beyond the Jordan, and they mourned greatly there for a week. The Canaanite inhabitants of the land, note this mourning in the threshing area of Atad. Therefore they came to refer to the area as 'The mourning of the Egyptians.' So Jacob got what he wished. They buried him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a crypt, from Ephron the Hittite, fronting Mamre. Joseph and everyone turned back to Egypt, after the burial. Now, the brothers wonder if Joseph will now hate them for all the evil which they did to him since the father was now died... The brothers go to Joseph and say that their father had commanded, that the brothers ask Joseph to please bear with the transgression and sin of the brothers --- for they have done evil. They are now servants of the God of their father. Joseph cried as they spoke to him. And his brothers also fall before him, and tell him they are now Joseph's servants. Joseph tells them not to fear, that he is not about to replace God. Joseph says while they had designed an evil plan, God changed it into a good plan to keep alive many people. Joesph tells them not to fear. He will protect them and their children; and he comforted them. And Joseph lived in Egypt with his family. Joseph lived a hundred and ten years, seeing Ephraim's sons of three generations. Also the sons of Machir, son of Manasseh, are born while Joseph is living. Joseph tells his relatives that he is dying, and wants to be buried with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He makes his sons so swear reminding them that God is watching them. Joseph dies, and they embalm him, and he is placed in a scarcophagus in Egypt.


Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And Joseph falleth on his father's face, and weepeth over him, and kisseth him;

2 and Joseph commandeth his servants, the physicians, to embalm his father, and the physicians embalm Israel;

3 and they fulfil for him forty days, for so they fulfil the days of the embalmed, and the Egyptians weep for him seventy days.

4 And the days of his weeping pass away, and Joseph speaketh unto the house of Pharaoh, saying, `If, I pray you, I have found grace in your eyes, speak, I pray you, in the ears of Pharaoh, saying,

5 My father caused me to swear, saying, Lo, I am dying; in my burying-place which I have prepared for myself in the land of Canaan, there dost thou bury me; and now, let me go up, I pray thee, and bury my father, and return;'

6 and Pharaoh saith, `Go up and bury thy father, as he caused thee to swear.'

7 And Joseph goeth up to bury his father, and go up with him do all the servants of Pharaoh, elders of his house, and all the elders of the land of Egypt,

8 and all the house of Joseph, and his brethren, and the house of his father; only their infants, and their flock, and their herd, have they left in the land of Goshen;

9 and there go up with him both chariot and horsemen, and the camp is very great.

10 And they come unto the threshing-floor of Atad, which [is] beyond the Jordan, and they lament there, a lamentation great and very grievous; and he maketh for his father a mourning seven days,

11 and the inhabitant of the land, the Canaanite, see the mourning in the threshing-floor of Atad, and say, `A grievous mourning [is] this to the Egyptians;' therefore hath [one] called its name `The mourning of the Egyptians,' which [is] beyond the Jordan.

12 And his sons do to him so as he commanded them,

13 and his sons bear him away to the land of Canaan, and bury him in the cave of the field of Machpelah, which Abraham bought with the field for a possession of a burying-place, from Ephron the Hittite, on the front of Mamre.

14 And Joseph turneth back to Egypt, he and his brethren, and all who are going up with him to bury his father, after his burying his father.

15 And the brethren of Joseph see that their father is dead, and say, `Peradventure Joseph doth hate us, and doth certainly return to us all the evil which we did with him.'

16 And they give a charge for Joseph, saying, `Thy father commanded before his death, saying,

17 Thus ye do say to Joseph, I pray thee, bear, I pray thee, with the transgression of thy brethren, and their sin, for they have done thee evil; and now, bear, we pray thee, with the transgression of the servants of the God of thy father;' and Joseph weepeth in their speaking unto him.

18 And his brethren also go and fall before him, and say, `Lo, we [are] to thee for servants.'

19 And Joseph saith unto them, `Fear not, for [am] I in the place of God?

20 As for you, ye devised against me evil -- God devised it for good, in order to do as [at] this day, to keep alive a numerous people;

21 and now, fear not: I do nourish you and your infants;' and he comforteth them, and speaketh unto their heart.

22 And Joseph dwelleth in Egypt, he and the house of his father, and Joseph liveth a hundred and ten years,

23 and Joseph looketh on Ephraim's sons of the third [generation]; sons also of Machir, son of Manasseh, have been born on the knees of Joseph.

24 And Joseph saith unto his brethren, `I am dying, and God doth certainly inspect you, and hath caused you to go up from this land, unto the land which He hath sworn to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.'

25 And Joseph causeth the sons of Israel to swear, saying, `God doth certainly inspect you, and ye have brought up my bones from this [place].'

26 And Joseph dieth, a son of an hundred and ten years, and they embalm him, and he is put into a coffin in Egypt.

[_LittleNipper]

Exodus 1:1-22 We start with the names of the sons of Israel who came into Egypt with Jacob:
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. And all the persons born through Jacob are seventy persons ---- Joseph, he was already in Egypt. And Joseph dies, as did all his brothers, and all that generation. The kindred of Israel are fruitful, and they spread, and multiply, and are very very strong, and the land is filled with them. there comes a new king over Egypt, who never knew Joseph. He tells his people that the sons of Israel are taking over everything beyond us. This king says that something needs to be done fast or these people will take over and could side with our enemies in the time of war. So princes of tribute are set over the Israelites, to make them carry the burden, and build store-cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses. And the more the Israelites are burdened the stronger and more fruitful they become. This totally upsets the Egyptians. The Egyptians cause the sons of Israel to serve harder and make their lives difficult doing all the grunt work. The israelites work with clay, and making brick, and in every part of crop farming. All their service was strenuous. The king of Egypt speaketh to the Hebrew midwive (One of this group is named Shiphrah, and the name of another is Puah), and tells them when Hebrew women bear, and they have look on the baby, sons are to be annihilated; keep ony the daughters.
The midwives fear what God might do, and do not do as the king of Egypt has told them, and keep the boys alive. The king of Egypt calls the midwives, and asks them, why have they done this thing, and not destroyed the baby boys? The midwives tell Pharaoh, that the Hebrew women are lively and not like Egyptian women. The babies are borne before they even get there. God protects the midwives, and the people multiply, and get stronger. And it happens that because the midwives have feared God, that He provides for them families. So Pharaoh declares to all his people, sons must be thrown in the Nile when born, and every daughter is to be kept alive.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And these [are] the names of the sons of Israel who are coming into Egypt with Jacob; a man and his household have they come;

2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah,

3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin,

4 Dan, and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

5 And all the persons coming out of the thigh of Jacob are seventy persons; as to Joseph, he was in Egypt.

6 And Joseph dieth, and all his brethren, and all that generation;

7 and the sons of Israel have been fruitful, and they teem, and multiply, and are very very mighty, and the land is filled with them.

8 And there riseth a new king over Egypt, who hath not known Joseph,

9 and he saith unto his people, `Lo, the people of the sons of Israel [is] more numerous and mighty than we;

10 give help! let us act wisely concerning it, lest it multiply, and it hath come to pass, when war happeneth, that it hath been joined, even it, unto those hating us, and hath fought against us, and hath gone out up of the land.'

11 And they set over it princes of tribute, so as to afflict it with their burdens, and it buildeth store-cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Raamses;

12 and as they afflict it, so it multiplieth, and so it breaketh forth, and they are vexed because of the sons of Israel;

13 and the Egyptians cause the sons of Israel to serve with rigour,

14 and make their lives bitter in hard service, in clay, and in brick, and in every [kind] of service in the field; all their service in which they have served [is] with rigour.

15 And the king of Egypt speaketh to the midwives, the Hebrewesses, (of whom the name of the one [is] Shiphrah, and the name of the second Puah),

16 and saith, `When ye cause the Hebrew women to bear, and have looked on the children; if it [is] a son -- then ye have put him to death; and if it [is] a daughter -- then she hath lived.'

17 And the midwives fear God, and have not done as the king of Egypt hath spoken unto them, and keep the lads alive;

18 and the king of Egypt calleth for the midwives, and saith to them, `Wherefore have ye done this thing, and keep the lads alive?'

19 And the midwives say unto Pharaoh, `Because the Hebrew women [are] not as the Egyptian women, for they [are] lively; before the midwife cometh in unto them -- they have borne!'

20 And God doth good to the midwives, and the people multiply, and are very mighty;

21 and it cometh to pass, because the midwives have feared God, that He maketh for them households;

22 and Pharaoh layeth a charge on all his people, saying, `Every son who is born -- into the River ye do cast him, and every daughter ye do keep alive.'

[_LittleNipper]

Exodus 2:1-25 What happens Is a man and woman (both Levites) are married and they eventually have a baby boy. This mother hides her son 3 months but finds she is unable to hide the baby any more and she finds a sturdy basket for the baby made of rushes. The mother dabbed it with tar and and resin, and placed the baby in it. She placed it among the weeds by the edge of the Nile. The sister of this baby, situated herself at a vantaged distance to know what what would happen to him. And a daughter of Pharaoh came down to swim at the River, and her maids are walking by the side of the River. She notices the ark in the midst of the weeds, and sends her handmaid, to retrieve it. And when the cover was lifted she saw the baby, and the baby and he began to weep. She fell in love with the baby but realized that it was Hebrew. Now, the baby's sister comes up to the daughter of Pharaoh. And this sister asks if she should go and get a nurse among the Hebrew women to suckle the child for her. Pharaoh's daughter bids her to get one at once. And this young virgin sister of the baby goes and gets her mother (the mother of the baby). The daughter of Pharaoh tells her to take this baby away, and suckle him for a wage. And the woman took the lad and suckled him. And the baby matured, and the mother brought him back to the daughter of Pharaoh. He became her son, and she named him "Moses" because -- from the water was he taken. And as it happened, as Moses became a man that he went out among his Hebrew family, and sees their troubles. And Moses sees an Egyptian guy, beating a Hebrew man. Moses looked around and saw no one, and murdered the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand. But when Moses goes out on the next day, two men (Hebrews working), see him. One asks why Moses murdered his "fellow Egyptian." This Hebrew worker asks Moses, who put Moses in charge over the Hebrews. Might Moses also murder Hebrews as Moses had slain the Egyptian? And Moses fears that everyone knows that he is a murderer... And Pharaoh does hear about it, and seeks to execute Moses. So Moses flees from the Palace, and goes and lives in the land of Midian, by the well. And there a priest of Midian has seven daughters. They come and draw water, and fill the troughs, watering the flock of their father. Some rowdy shepherds come and chase them away. And Moses comes out takes on the shepherds, protecting the sisters. He proceeds to water their flock. The sisters go to Reuel their father, who wonders what they are doing home so soon. They tell him of an Egyptian rescued them from the hands of shepherds and diligently watered the flock. Reuel asks where is this hero and why didn't they invite him in for something to eat at least! And Moses has no where to be and willingly chooses to dwell with the man. Reuel gives his daughter Zipporah to Moses. Zipporah bears a son, and names him Gershom, for Moses referred to himself as a sojourner in a strange land. And it happens that during this time that the king of Egypt dies. And things go from bad to worse for the sons of Israel. They sigh because of the heavy labor, and cry. Their cries are being heard by God. God hears their groaning, and God remembers His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob; and God sees the sons of Israel, and God knows EVERYTHING.


Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And there goeth a man of the house of Levi, and he taketh the daughter of Levi,

2 and the woman conceiveth, and beareth a son, and she seeth him that he [is] fair, and she hideth him three months,

3 and she hath not been able any more to hide him, and she taketh for him an ark of rushes, and daubeth it with bitumen and with pitch, and putteth the lad in it, and putteth [it] in the weeds by the edge of the River;

4 and his sister stationeth herself afar off, to know what is done to him.

5 And a daughter of Pharaoh cometh down to bathe at the River, and her damsels are walking by the side of the River, and she seeth the ark in the midst of the weeds, and sendeth her handmaid, and she taketh it,

6 and openeth, and seeth him -- the lad, and lo, a child weeping! and she hath pity on him, and saith, `This is [one] of the Hebrews' children.'

7 And his sister saith unto the daughter of Pharaoh, `Do I go? when I have called for thee a suckling woman of the Hebrews, then she doth suckle the lad for thee;'

8 and the daughter of Pharaoh saith to her, `Go;' and the virgin goeth, and calleth the mother of the lad,

9 and the daughter of Pharaoh saith to her, `Take this lad away, and suckle him for me, and I -- I give thy hire;' and the woman taketh the lad, and suckleth him.

10 And the lad groweth, and she bringeth him in to the daughter of Pharaoh, and he is to her for a son, and she calleth his name Moses, and saith, `Because -- from the water I have drawn him.'

11 And it cometh to pass, in those days, that Moses is grown, and he goeth out unto his brethren, and looketh on their burdens, and seeth a man, an Egyptian, smiting a man, a Hebrew, [one] of his brethren,

12 and he turneth hither and thither, and seeth that there is no man, and smiteth the Egyptian, and hideth him in the sand.

13 And he goeth out on the second day, and lo, two men, Hebrews, striving! and he saith to the wrong-doer, `Why dost thou smite thy neighbour?'

14 and he saith, `Who set thee for a head and a judge over us? to slay me art thou saying [it], as thou hast slain the Egyptian?' and Moses feareth, and saith, `Surely the thing hath been known.'

15 And Pharaoh heareth of this thing, and seeketh to slay Moses, and Moses fleeth from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelleth in the land of Midian, and dwelleth by the well.

16 And to a priest of Midian [are] seven daughters, and they come and draw, and fill the troughs, to water the flock of their father,

17 and the shepherds come and drive them away, and Moses ariseth, and saveth them, and watereth their flock.

18 And they come in to Reuel their father, and he saith, `Wherefore have ye hastened to come in to-day?'

19 and they say, `A man, an Egyptian, hath delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also hath diligently drawn for us, and watereth the flock;'

20 and he saith unto his daughters, `And where [is] he? why [is] this? -- ye left the man! call for him, and he doth eat bread.'

21 And Moses is willing to dwell with the man, and he giveth Zipporah his daughter to Moses,

22 and she beareth a son, and he calleth his name Gershom, for he said, `A sojourner I have been in a strange land.'

23 And it cometh to pass during these many days, that the king of Egypt dieth, and the sons of Israel sigh because of the service, and cry, and their cry goeth up unto God, because of the service;

24 and God heareth their groaning, and God remembereth His covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob;

25 and God seeth the sons of Israel, and God knoweth.

[_PrickKicker]

Is this your attempt to make it to 'God' status for all the posts... lol.

[_subgenius]

Is this your attempt to make it to 'God' status for all the posts... lol.

[_LittleNipper]

Exodus 3:1-22 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai, the mountain of God. The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses is amazed. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn. The Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, and God called out to Moses. The Lord warned Moses not to come closer and remove his sandals, because he is standing on holy ground. God says, "I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” Moses covered his face because he was afraid to look at God. The Lord told Moses that He saw the oppression of His people in Egypt. He heard their cries of distress caused by their harsh slave drivers. And He is aware of their suffering. He has come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land ---a land flowing with milk and honey. This is the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. God tells Moses to go to Pharaoh, and lead His people Israel out of Egypt. Moses protests to God saying that he is unimportant before Pharaoh and to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt. God answers that He will be with Moses. And as a sign, Moses is to say that the "I AM" has sent him. When Moses has brought the people out of Egypt, he will come worship God at this very mountain. Moses continues his protests. God tells Moses to tell the people, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” God also tells Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—has sent me to you." This is God's eternal name, to be remembered for all generations. Moses is to gather all the elders of Israel. Moses is to tell them that He has been watching closely, and sees how the Egyptians are treating them. God has promised to rescue Israel from oppression in Egypt. And lead them to a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. The elders of Israel will accept this message. Then you and the elders must go to the king of Egypt and tell him, that the Lord God of the Hebrews, has met with them. Please allow the Hebrews to take a three-day journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord God. God tells Moses that the answer will be no. The king of Egypt will not let them go unless a mighty hand forces him. God will strike the Egyptians, performing all kinds of miracles among them. Then finally he will let them go. God will cause the Egyptians to look favorably on them. They will give them gifts when they leave so they will not leave empty-handed. Every Israelite woman will ask for articles of silver and gold and fine clothing from her Egyptian neighbors and from the foreign women in their houses. They are to dress their sons and daughters with these, stripping the Egyptians of their wealth.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1And Moses hath been feeding the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, priest of Midian, and he leadeth the flock behind the wilderness, and cometh in unto the mount of God, to Horeb;

2 and there appeareth unto him a messenger of Jehovah in a flame of fire, out of the midst of the bush, and he seeth, and lo, the bush is burning with fire, and the bush is not consumed.

3 And Moses saith, `Let me turn aside, I pray thee, and I see this great appearance; wherefore is the bush not burned?'

4 and Jehovah seeth that he hath turned aside to see, and God calleth unto him out of the midst of the bush, and saith, `Moses, Moses;' and he saith, `Here [am] I.'

5 And He saith, `Come not near hither: cast thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place on which thou art standing is holy ground.'

6 He saith also, `I [am] the God of thy father, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob;' and Moses hideth his face, for he is afraid to look towards God.

7 And Jehovah saith, `I have certainly seen the affliction of My people who [are] in Egypt, and their cry I have heard, because of its exactors, for I have known its pains;

8 and I go down to deliver it out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to cause it to go up out of the land, unto a land good and broad, unto a land flowing with milk and honey -- unto the place of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

9 `And now, lo, the cry of the sons of Israel hath come in unto Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them,

10 and now, come, and I send thee unto Pharaoh, and bring thou out My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.'

11 And Moses saith unto God, `Who [am] I, that I go unto Pharaoh, and that I bring out the sons of Israel from Egypt?'

12 and He saith, `Because I am with thee, and this [is] to thee the sign that I have sent thee: in thy bringing out the people from Egypt -- ye do serve God on this mount.'

13 And Moses saith unto God, `Lo, I am coming unto the sons of Israel, and have said to them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you, and they have said to me, What [is] His name? what do I say unto them?'

14 And God saith unto Moses, `I Am That Which I Am;' He saith also, `Thus dost thou say to the sons of Israel, I Am hath sent me unto you.'

15 And God saith again unto Moses, `Thus dost thou say unto the sons of Israel, Jehovah, God of your fathers, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you; this [is] My name -- to the age, and this My memorial, to generation -- generation.

16 `Go, and thou hast gathered the elders of Israel, and hast said unto them: Jehovah, God of your fathers, hath appeareth unto me, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, I have certainly inspected you, and that which is done to you in Egypt;

17 and I say, I bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt, unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, unto a land flowing [with] milk and honey.

18 `And they have hearkened to thy voice, and thou hast entered, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye have said unto him, Jehovah, God of the Hebrews, hath met with us; and now, let us go, we pray thee, a journey of three days into the wilderness, and we sacrifice to Jehovah our God.

19 `And I -- I have known that the king of Egypt doth not permit you to go, unless by a strong hand,

20 and I have put forth My hand, and have smitten Egypt with all My wonders, which I do in its midst -- and afterwards he doth send you away.

21 `And I have given the grace of this people in the eyes of the Egyptians, and it hath come to pass, when ye go, ye go not empty;

22 and [every] woman hath asked from her neighbour, and from her who is sojourning in her house, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold, and garments, and ye have put [them] on your sons and on your daughters, and have spoiled the Egyptians.'

[_LittleNipper]

Exodus 4:1-31
Yet once again Moses pleaded again what if they won’t believe or listen or should even say that the Lord never appeared to Moses? God asked him what he had in his hand? Moses told God that he had a shepherd’s staff. The Lord has Moses throw down the staff, and it turns into a snake! The Lord has Moses reach out and grab its tail, and it turned back into a shepherd’s staff in his hand. Moses is to perform this sign so that they will believe that the Lord, the God of their ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—really has appeared to Moses.Then the Lord has Moses put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out again, his hand was white as snow with a severe skin disease. The Lord had Moses repeat the process and when he took it out again, it was as healthy as the rest of his body. The Lord tells Moses,If they are not convinced by the first miraculous sign, they will be convinced by the second sign. And if they still don’t believe, Moses is to take some water from the Nile River and pour it out on the dry ground and it will turn to blood. Moses pleaded with the Lord that he isn't very good with words and gets tongue-tied. God asks Moses who makes a person’s mouth, and decides which people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not God? God tells Moses that He will tell Moses what to say. Moses then tells God to send anyone else. The Lord becomes angry with Moses and says that He will utilize Moses' brother Aaron the Levite. God knows he speaks well, and he is on his way to meet Moses, presently. God will help both and tell them what to say and do. Aaron will become the spokesman to the people, Moses' ---- mouthpiece, and Moses will stand in the place of God for him, telling him what to say. God tells Moses not to forget his shepher's staff. So Moses goes back home to Jethro, his father-in-law and asks to be allowed to return to his relatives in Egypt. Moses doesn't even know if they are still alive. Jethro replies to Moses to go in pease... Before Moses leaves Midian, the Lord informs Moses that all those who wanted Moses killed have died --- now Moses has no more excuses (Note: God already knew the real issue). So Moses takes his wife and sons, puts them on a donkey, and heads back to the land of Egypt. In his hand he carries the staff of God. The Lord tells Moses, that upon arrival back in Egypt, go to Pharaoh and perform all the miracles God empowered Moses to do. But God tells Moses that Pharaoh's heart is hardened. He will refuse to let the people go. Moses is to tell him that Israel is God's firstborn son, and to let God's son go, so he can worship God. Since Pharaoh has refused, God will kill Pharaoh's firstborn son! On the way to Egypt, at a place where Moses and his family stops for the night, the Lord confronted Moses and is about to kill him, because his son was yet uncircumcised. So Moses’ wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She touched his feet with the foreskin saying Moses is a bridegroom of blood ----- referring to the circumcision. After that, the Lord left Moses alone. The Lord tells Aaron, to go out into the wilderness to meet Moses. Moses then told Aaron everything the Lord had commanded him to say. And he told him about the miraculous signs the Lord had commanded him to perform. Then Moses and Aaron returned to Egypt and called all the elders of Israel together. Aaron tells them everything the Lord has told Moses, and Moses performs the miraculous signs as they watched. The people of Israel are convinced that the Lord had sent Moses and Aaron. When they hear that the Lord had concern for them and seen their misery, they bow down and worship.

Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And Moses answereth and saith, `And, if they do not give credence to me, nor hearken to my voice, and say, Jehovah hath not appeared unto thee?'

2 And Jehovah saith unto him, `What [is] this in thy hand?' and he saith, `A rod;'

3 and He saith, `Cast it to the earth;' and he casteth it to the earth, and it becometh a serpent -- and Moses fleeth from its presence.

4 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Put forth thy hand, and lay hold on the tail of it;' and he putteth forth his hand, and layeth hold on it, and it becometh a rod in his hand --

5 `-- so that they believe that Jehovah, God of their fathers, hath appeared unto thee, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob.'

6 And Jehovah saith to him again, `Put in, I pray thee, thy hand into thy bosom;' and he putteth in his hand into his bosom, and he bringeth it out, and lo, his hand [is] leprous as snow;

7 and He saith, `Put back thy hand unto thy bosom;' and he putteth back his hand unto his bosom, and he bringeth it out from his bosom, and lo, it hath turned back as his flesh --

8 `-- and it hath come to pass, if they do not give credence to thee, and hearken not to the voice of the first sign, that they have given credence to the voice of the latter sign.

9 `And it hath come to pass, if they do not give credence even to these two signs, nor hearken to thy voice, that thou hast taken of the waters of the River, and hast poured on the dry land, and the waters which thou takest from the River have been, yea, they have become -- blood on the dry land.'

10 And Moses saith unto Jehovah, `O, my Lord, I [am] not a man of words, either yesterday, or before, or since Thy speaking unto Thy servant, for I [am] slow of mouth, and slow of tongue.'

11 And Jehovah saith unto him, `Who appointed a mouth for man? or who appointeth the dumb, or deaf, or open, or blind? is it not I, Jehovah?

12 and now, go, and I -- I am with thy mouth, and have directed thee that which thou speakest;'

13 and he saith, `O, my Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand Thou dost send.'

14 And the anger of Jehovah burneth against Moses, and He saith, `Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I have known that he speaketh well, and also, lo, he is coming out to meet thee; when he hath seen thee, then he hath rejoiced in his heart,

15 and thou hast spoken unto him, and hast set the words in his mouth, and I -- I am with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and have directed you that which ye do;

16 and he, he hath spoken for thee unto the people, and it hath come to pass, he -- he is to thee for a mouth, and thou -- thou art to him for God;

17 and this rod thou dost take in thy hand, with which thou doest the signs.'

18 And Moses goeth and turneth back unto Jethro his father-in-law, and saith to him, `Let me go, I pray thee, and I turn back unto my brethren who [are] in Egypt, and I see whether they are yet alive.' And Jethro saith to Moses, `Go in peace.'

19 And Jehovah saith unto Moses in Midian, `Go, turn back to Egypt, for all the men have died who seek thy life;'

20 and Moses taketh his wife, and his sons, and causeth them to ride on the ass, and turneth back to the land of Egypt, and Moses taketh the rod of God in his hand.

21 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `In thy going to turn back to Egypt, see -- all the wonders which I have put in thy hand -- that thou hast done them before Pharaoh, and I -- I strengthen his heart, and he doth not send the people away;

22 and thou hast said unto Pharaoh, Thus said Jehovah, My son, My first-born [is] Israel,

23 and I say unto thee, Send away My son, and he doth serve Me; and -- thou dost refuse to send him away -- lo, I am slaying thy son, thy first-born.'

24 And it cometh to pass in the way, in a lodging place, that Jehovah meeteth him, and seeketh to put him to death;

25 and Zipporah taketh a flint, and cutteth off the foreskin of her son, and causeth [it] to touch his feet, and saith, `Surely a bridegroom of blood [art] thou to me;'

26 and He desisteth from him: then she said, `A bridegroom of blood,' in reference to the circumcision.

27 And Jehovah saith unto Aaron, `Go to meet Moses into the wilderness;' and he goeth, and meeteth him in the mount of God, and kisseth him,

28 and Moses declareth to Aaron all the words of Jehovah with which He hath sent him, and all the signs with which He hath charged him.

29 And Moses goeth -- Aaron also -- and they gather all the elders of the sons of Israel,

30 and Aaron speaketh all the words which Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses, and doth the signs before the eyes of the people;

31 and the people believe when they hear that Jehovah hath looked after the sons of Israel, and that He hath seen their affliction; and they bow and do obeisance.