Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, April 11th, 2026
Saturday in Easter Week
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Young's Literal Translation

Exodus 4:4

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 --

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:)
Berean Standard Bible
"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.
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.
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

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.'

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
And Cain goeth out from before Jehovah, and dwelleth in the land, moving about east of Eden;
Genesis 4:17
and Cain knoweth his wife, and she conceiveth, and beareth Enoch; and he is building a city, and he calleth the name of the city, according to the name of his son -- Enoch.
Genesis 4:19
And Lamech taketh to himself two wives, the name of the one Adah, and the name of the second Zillah.
Genesis 4:20
And Adah beareth Jabal, he hath been father of those inhabiting tents and purchased possessions;
Genesis 15:17
And it cometh to pass -- the sun hath gone in, and thick darkness hath been -- and lo, a furnace of smoke, and a lamp of fire, which hath passed over between those pieces.
Exodus 13:12
that thou hast caused every one opening a womb to pass over to Jehovah, and every firstling -- the increase of beasts which thou hast: the males [are] Jehovah's.
Leviticus 9:24
and fire cometh out from before Jehovah, and consumeth on the altar the burnt-offering, and the fat; and all the people see, and cry aloud, and fall on their faces.
Numbers 16:35
and fire hath come out from Jehovah, and consumeth the two hundred and fifty men bringing near the perfume.
Numbers 18:12
all the best of the oil, and all the best of the new wine, and wheat -- their first-[fruits] which they give to Jehovah -- to thee I have given them.
Numbers 18:17
`Only, the firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or the firstling of a goat, thou dost not ransom, holy they [are]: their blood thou dost sprinkle on the altar, and of their fat thou makest perfume, a fire-offering of sweet fragrance to Jehovah,

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile