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The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Exodus 4:4

"Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail," the LORD said to Moses. So he reached out his hand and caught the snake, and it turned back into a staff in his hand.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Call;   Communion;   Condescension of God;   Israel;   Miracles;   Moses;   Sign;   Token;   Scofield Reference Index - Miracles;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Hands, the;   Miracles;   Miracles Wrought through Servants of God;   Prophets;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Miracle;   Sinai;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Moses;   Snake;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Prophecy, Prophets;   Rod, Staff;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Exodus;   Moses;   Prayer;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Miracles;   Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types - Rod;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Moses;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Exodus, the;   Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Moses;   Tail;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Miracle;   Moses;   Resurrection;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
The LORD said to Moshe, "Put forth your hand, and take it by the tail." He put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand.
King James Version
And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
Lexham English Bible
And Yahweh said to Moses, "Reach out your hand and grasp it by its tail"—" (And he reached out his hand and grabbed it, and it became a staff in his palm.)—
New Century Version
but the Lord said to him, "Reach out and grab the snake by its tail." When Moses reached out and took hold of the snake, it again became a stick in his hand.
New English Translation
But the Lord said to Moses, "Put out your hand and grab it by the tail"—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—
Amplified Bible
But the LORD said to Moses, "Reach out your hand and grasp it by the tail." So he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—
New American Standard Bible
But the LORD said to Moses, "Reach out with your hand and grasp it by its tail"—so he reached out with his hand and caught it, and it turned into a staff in his hand—
Geneva Bible (1587)
Againe the Lorde saide vnto Moses, Put foorth thine hand, and take it by the tayle. Then he put foorth his hande and caught it, and it was turned into a rod in his hand.
Legacy Standard Bible
And Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail"—so he stretched out his hand and took hold of it, and it became a staff in his hand—
Contemporary English Version
"Pick it up by the tail!" the Lord told him. And when Moses did this, the snake turned back into a walking stick.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then Adonai said to Moshe, "Put your hand out and take it by the tail." He reached out with his hand and took hold of it, and it became a staff in his hand.
Darby Translation
And Jehovah said to Moses, Stretch out thy hand and take it by the tail—and he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—
Easy-to-Read Version
but the Lord said to him, "Reach out and grab the snake by its tail." When Moses reached out and caught the snake's tail, the snake became a walking stick again.
English Standard Version
But the Lord said to Moses, "Put out your hand and catch it by the tail"—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—
George Lamsa Translation
And the LORD said to Moses, Put forth your hand and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand;
Good News Translation
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Reach down and pick it up by the tail." So Moses reached down and caught it, and it became a walking stick again.
Christian Standard Bible®
The Lord told Moses, “Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail.” So he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand.
Literal Translation
And Jehovah said to Moses, Send out your hand and take it by the tail. And he sent out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand;
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But ye LORDE saide vnto him: Stretch forth thine hande, & take it by the tayle. Then stretched he forth his hande, and toke it, and it became a staff agayne in his hande.
American Standard Version
And Jehovah said unto Moses, Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail (and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand);
Bible in Basic English
And the Lord said to Moses, Put out your hand and take it by the tail: (and he put out his hand and took a grip of it and it became a rod in his hand:)
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the Lorde sayde vnto Moyses: Put foorth thy hande, and take it by the tayle. And therefore he put foorth his hande, and caught it: and it became a rodde in his hande.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail--and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand--
King James Version (1611)
And the Lord said vnto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the taile: And he put foorth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the Lord said to Moses, Stretch forth thine hand, and take hold of its tail: so he stretched forth his hand and took hold of the tail,
English Revised Version
And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail: (and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand:)
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the Lord seide, Holde forth thin hond, and take the tail therof; he stretchide forth, and helde, and it was turned in to a yerde.
Young's Literal Translation
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 --
Update Bible Version
And Yahweh said to Moses, Put forth your hand, and take it by the tail: (and he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand:)
Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD said to Moses, Put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
World English Bible
Yahweh said to Moses, "Put forth your hand, and take it by the tail." He put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a rod in his hand.
New King James Version
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Reach out your hand and take it by the tail" (and he reached out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand),
New Living Translation
Then the Lord told him, "Reach out and grab its tail." So Moses reached out and grabbed it, and it turned back into a shepherd's staff in his hand.
New Life Bible
But the Lord said to Moses, "Put out your hand and take it by its tail." So Moses put out his hand and caught it. And it became a stick in his hand.
New Revised Standard
Then the Lord said to Moses, "Reach out your hand, and seize it by the tail"—so he reached out his hand and grasped it, and it became a staff in his hand—
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Yahweh said unto Moses, Put forth thy hand, and take it by its tail: So he put forth his hand, and laid hold of it, and it became a staff in his hand: -
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord said: Put out thy hand, and take it by the tail. He put forth his hand, and took hold of it, and it was turned into a rod.
Revised Standard Version
But the LORD said to Moses, "Put out your hand, and take it by the tail" --so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand--
THE MESSAGE
God said to Moses, "Reach out and grab it by the tail." He reached out and grabbed it—and he was holding his staff again. "That's so they will trust that God appeared to you, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand and grasp it by its tail"—so he stretched out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand—

Contextual Overview

1Then Moses answered, "What if they refuse to believe me or listen to my voice? For they may say, 'The LORD has not appeared to you.'" 2And the LORD asked him, "What is that in your hand?" "A staff," he replied. 3"Throw it on the ground," said the Lord. So Moses threw it on the ground, and it became a snake, and he ran from it. 4"Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail," the LORD said to Moses. So he reached out his hand and caught the snake, and it turned back into a staff in his hand.5"This is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers-the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob-has appeared to you." 6Furthermore, 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. 7"Put your hand back inside your cloak," said the LORD. So Moses put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his skin. 8And the LORD said, "If they refuse to believe you or heed the witness of the first sign, they may believe that of the second. 9But if they do not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. Then the water you take from the Nile will become blood on the ground."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

put forth: Genesis 22:1, Genesis 22:2, Psalms 91:13, Mark 16:18, Luke 10:19, Acts 28:3-6

And he put: John 2:5

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 6:7 - put out

Cross-References

Genesis 4:16
So Cain went out from the presence of the LORD and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
Genesis 4:17
And Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain built a city and named it after his son Enoch.
Genesis 4:19
And Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.
Genesis 4:20
And Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and raise livestock.
Genesis 15:17
When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, behold, a smoking firepot and a flaming torch appeared and passed between the halves of the carcasses.
Exodus 13:12
you are to present to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the LORD.
Leviticus 9:24
Fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the altar. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown.
Numbers 16:35
And fire came forth from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.
Numbers 18:12
I give you all the freshest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain that the Israelites give to the LORD as their firstfruits.
Numbers 18:17
But you must not redeem the firstborn of an ox, a sheep, or a goat; they are holy. You are to sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat as an offering made by fire, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the Lord said to Moses, put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail,.... Which to do might seem most dangerous, since it might turn upon him and bite him; this was ordered, partly that Moses might be assured it was really a serpent, and not in appearance only; and partly to try his courage, and it suggested to him, that he need not be afraid of it, it would not hurt him: the above learned doctor observes l, that he is commanded to take it by the tail; for to meddle with the serpent's head belonged not to Moses, but to Christ that spake to him out of the bush:

and he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand; as it was before. Some think this refers to the threefold state of the Israelites, first to their flourishing estate under Joseph, when they were as a rod or staff, then to their dejected state, by this rod cast to the ground, and become a serpent, and lastly to their restoration and liberty, by its becoming a rod again: others refer it to Christ, who is the power of God, and the rod of his strength, and who in his state of humiliation was like this rod, cast to the ground and became a serpent, of which the brazen serpent was a type, and who by his resurrection from the dead regained his former power; but perhaps they may be most right who think it refers to the service and ministry of Moses, which seemed terrible to him at first, like a hurtful serpent, from which he fled; but after he was confirmed by the word of God, he readily undertook it.

l De Vita Mosis, l. 1. 614.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 4:4. He put forth his hand, and caught it — Considering the light in which Moses had viewed this serpent, it required considerable faith to induce him thus implicitly to obey the command of God; but he obeyed, and the noxious serpent became instantly the miraculous rod in his hand! Implicit faith and obedience conquer all difficulties; and he who believes in God, and obeys him in all things, has really nothing to fear.


 
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