Exodus 4:18-5:1

Moses Returns to Egypt 18Then Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Let me return to my own people in Egypt to see if any of them are still alive.” Jethro said, “Go, and I wish you well.” 19Now the LORD had said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all those who wanted to kill you are dead.”

20So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand. 21The LORD said to Moses, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders I have given you the power to do. But I will harden his heart so that he will not let the people go. 22Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the LORD says: Israel is my firstborn son,

23and I told you, “Let my son go, so he may worship me.” But you refused to let him go; so I will kill your firstborn son.’ ” 24At a lodging place on the way, the LORD met Moses Hebrew him and was about to kill him. 25But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said.

26So the LORD let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.) 27The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him.

28Then Moses told Aaron everything the LORD had sent him to say, and also about all the signs he had commanded him to perform. 29Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites, 30and Aaron told them everything the LORD had said to Moses. He also performed the signs before the people, 31and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD was concerned about them and had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshiped.

Bricks Without Straw 1Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’ ”