Exodus 4:8

8 Then the LORD said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second.

Exodus 4:8 in Other Translations

8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

8 "If they will not believe you," God said, "or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign.

8 The LORD said to Moses, “If they do not believe you and are not convinced by the first miraculous sign, they will be convinced by the second sign.

8 "So if they don't trust you and aren't convinced by the first sign, the second sign should do it.

8 And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.

8 [Then the LORD said,] "If they won't believe you or pay attention to the first miraculous sign, they may believe the second.

8 "If they will not believe you and will not respond to the evidence of the first sign, they may believe the evidence of the second sign.

8 Then the LORD said, "Suppose they do not believe you or pay attention to the first miracle. Then maybe they will believe the second one.

Exodus 4:8 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 4:8

And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee
Will not give credit to the commission he had from God, but question the truth of it: neither hearken to the voice of the first sign;
which miracle wrought, spoke plain enough that he that wrought it, or for whose sake it was wrought, must be one come from God, or such a miracle would never be wrought by him or for him; but should any of the Israelites be still incredulous, it is supposed, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign;
which had a voice in it commanding belief that he was a messenger of God; the first sign respects his rod, the other his hand.

Exodus 4:8 In-Context

6 Then the LORD said, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” So Moses put his hand into his cloak, and when he took it out, the skin was leprous —it had become as white as snow.

7 “Now put it back into your cloak,” he said. So Moses put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored, like the rest of his flesh.

8 Then the LORD said, “If they do not believe you or pay attention to the first sign, they may believe the second.

9 But if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you, take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground. The water you take from the river will become blood on the ground.”

10 Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

Cross References

• 1. S Exodus 3:18
• 2. ver 30; Judges 6:17; 1 Kings 13:3; Isaiah 7:14; Jeremiah 44:29