Exodus Chapter 4
Other Translations
asv (asv) - eBible.org engASV USFM
1
And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty.
2
But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall despoil the Egyptians.
3
And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, Jehovah hath not appeared unto thee.
4
And Jehovah said unto him, What is that in thy hand? And he said, A rod.
5
And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
6
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);
7
that they may believe that Jehovah, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
8
And Jehovah said furthermore unto him, Put now thy hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom: and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as
9
white as snow.
10
And he said, Put thy hand into thy bosom again. (And he put his hand into his bosom again; and when he took it out of his bosom, behold, it was turned again as his
11
other flesh.)
12
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.
13
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe even these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.
14
And Moses said unto Jehovah, Oh, Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
15
And Jehovah said unto him, Who hath made man’s mouth? or who maketh
16
a man dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? is it not I, Jehovah?
17
Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt speak.
18
And he said, Oh, Lord, send, I pray thee, by the hand of him whom thou wilt send.
19
And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is there not Aaron thy brother the Levite? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
20
And thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
21
And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people; and it shall come to pass, that he shall be to thee a mouth, and thou shalt be to him as God.
22
And thou shalt take in thy hand this rod, wherewith thou shalt do the signs.
23
And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said unto him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return unto my brethren that are in Egypt, and see whether they be yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
24
And Jehovah said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt; for all the men are dead that sought thy life.
25
And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand.
26
And Jehovah said unto Moses, When thou goest back into Egypt, see that thou do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in thy hand: but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.
27
And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, Israel is my son, my first-born:
28
and I have said unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me; and thou hast refused to let him go: behold, I will slay thy son, thy first-born.
29
And it came to pass on the way at the lodging-place, that Jehovah met him, and sought to kill him.
30
Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said, Surely a bridegroom of blood art thou to me.
31
So he let him alone. Then she said, A bridegroom of blood
darby (darby) - eBible.org Darby 1890 plaintext
1
And Moses answered and said, But behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, Jehovah has not appeared to thee.
2
And Jehovah said to him, What is that in thy hand? And he said, A staff.
3
And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.
4
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 —
5
that they may believe that Jehovah, theGod of their fathers, theGod of Abraham, theGod of Isaac, and theGod of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.
6
And Jehovah said moreover to him, Put now thy hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom, and took it out, and behold, his hand was leprous, as snow.
7
And he said, Put thy hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again, and took it out of his bosom, and behold, it was turned again as his flesh.
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 other sign.
9
And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also those two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour [it] on the dry [land]; and the water that thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry [land].
10
And Moses said to Jehovah, Ah Lord! I am not eloquent, neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken to thy servant, for I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue.
11
And Jehovah said to him, Who gave man a mouth? or who maketh dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? [have] not I, Jehovah?
12
And now go, and I will be with thy mouth, and will teach thee what thou shalt say.
13
And he said, Ah Lord! send, I pray thee, by the hand [of him whom] thou wilt send.
14
Then the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also behold, he goeth out to meet thee; and when he seeth thee he will be glad in his heart.
15
And thou shalt speak unto him, and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
16
And he shall speak for thee unto the people; and it shall come to pass that he shall be to thee for a mouth, and thou shalt be to him forGod.
17
And thou shalt take this staff in thy hand, with which thou shalt do the signs.
18
And Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, Let me go, I pray thee, and return to my brethren who are in Egypt, that I may see whether they are yet alive. And Jethro said to Moses, Go in peace.
19
And Jehovah said to Moses in Midian, Go, return to Egypt; for all the men are dead who sought thy life.
20
And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them riding upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff ofGod in his hand.
21
And Jehovah said to Moses, When thou goest to return to Egypt, see that thou do all the wonders before Pharaoh that I have put in thy hand. And I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.
22
And thou shalt say to Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah: Israel is my son, my firstborn.
23
And I say to thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me. And if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill thy son, thy firstborn.
24
And it came to pass on the way, in the inn, that Jehovah came upon him, and sought to slay him.
25
Then Zipporah took a stone and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, A bloody husband indeed art thou to me!
26
And he let him go. Then she said, A bloody husband — because of the circumcision.
27
And Jehovah said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses. And he went, and met him on the mountain ofGod, and kissed him.
28
And Moses told Aaron all the words of Jehovah who had sent him, and all the signs that he had commanded him.
29
And Moses and Aaron went and gathered all the elders of the children of Israel;
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and Aaron spoke all the words that Jehovah had spoken to Moses, and did the signs before the eyes of the people.
31
And the people believed. And when they heard that Jehovah had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
lxxbrent (lxxbrent) - Septuagint (Brenton 1851) eBible USFM
1
And Moses answered and said, If they believe me not, and do not hearken to my voice (for they will say, God has not appeared to thee), what shall I say to them?
2
And the Lord said to him, What is this thing that is in thine hand? and he said, A rod.
3
And he said, Cast it on the ground: and he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses fled from it.
4
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,
5
and it became a rod in his hand,—that they may believe thee, that the God of thy fathers has appeared to thee, the God of Abraam, and God of Isaac, and God of Jacob.
6
And the Lord said again to him, Put thine hand into thy bosom; and he put his hand into his bosom, and brought his hand out of his bosom, and his hand became as snow.
7
And he said again, Put thy hand into thy bosom; and he put his hand into his bosom, and brought his hand out of his bosom, and it was again restored to the complexion of his [other] flesh.
8
And if they will not believe thee, nor hearken to the voice of the first sign, they will believe thee [because] of the voice of the second sign.
9
And it shall come to pass if they will not believe thee for these two signs, and will not hearken to thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river and pour it upon the dry land, and the water which thou shalt take from the river shall be blood upon the dry land.
10
And Moses said to the Lord, I pray, Lord, I have not been sufficient in former times, neither from the time that thou hast begun to speak to thy servant: I am weak in speech, and slow-tongued.
11
And the Lord said to Moses, Who has given a mouth to man, and who has made the very hard of hearing, and the deaf, the seeing and the blind? have not I, God?
12
And now go and I will open thy mouth, and will instruct thee in what thou shalt say.
13
And Moses said, I pray thee, Lord, appoint another able [person] whom thou shalt send.
14
And the Lord was greatly angered against Moses, and said, Lo! is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he will surely speak to thee; and, behold, he will come forth to meet thee, and beholding thee he will rejoice within himself.
15
And thou shalt speak to him; and thou shalt put my words into his mouth, and I will open thy mouth and his mouth, and I will instruct you in what ye shall do.
16
And he shall speak for thee to the people, and he shall be thy mouth, and thou shalt be for him in things pertaining to God.
17
And this rod that was turned into a serpent thou shalt take in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt work miracles.
18
And Moses went and returned to Jothor his father-in-law, and says, I will go and return to my brethren in Egypt, and will see if they are yet living. And Jothor said to Moses, Go in health. And in those days after some time, the king of Egypt died.
19
And the Lord said to Moses in Madiam, Go, depart into Egypt, for all that sought thy life are dead.
20
And Moses took his wife and his children, and mounted them on the beasts, and returned to Egypt; and Moses took the rod [which he had] from God in his hand.
21
And the Lord said to Moses, When thou goest and returnest to Egypt, see—all the miracles I have charged thee with, thou shalt work before Pharao: and I will harden his heart, and he shall certainly not send away the people.
22
And thou shalt say to Pharao, These things saith the Lord, Israel [is] my first-born.
23
And I said to thee, Send away my people, that they may serve me: now if thou wilt not send them away, see, I will slay thy first-born son.
24
And it came to pass [that] the angel of the Lord met him by the way in the inn, and sought to slay him.
25
And Sepphora having taken a stone cut off the foreskin of her son, and fell at his feet and said, The blood of the circumcision of my son is staunched:
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and he departed from him, because she said, The blood of the circumcision of my son is staunched.
27
And the Lord said to Aaron, Go into the wilderness to meet Moses; and he went and met him in the mount of God, and they kissed each other.
28
And Moses reported to Aaron all the words of the Lord, which he sent, and all the things which he charged him.
29
And Moses and Aaron went and gathered the elders of the children of Israel.
30
And Aaron spoke all these words, which God spoke to Moses, and wrought the miracles before the people.
31
And the people believed and rejoiced, because God visited the children of Israel, and because he saw their affliction: and the people bowed and worshipped.
vul1914 (vul1914) - Vulgate 1914 UTF-8 (sacredbible.org)
1
Respondens Moyses, ait: Non credent mihi, neque audient vocem meam, sed dicent: Non apparuit tibi Dominus.
2
Dixit ergo ad eum: Quid est quod tenes in manu tua? Respondit: Virga.
3
Dixitque Dominus: Proiice eam in terram. Proiecit, et versa est in colubrum, ita ut fugeret Moyses.
4
Dixitque Dominus: Extende manum tuam, et apprehende caudam eius. Extendit, et tenuit, versaque est in virgam.
5
Ut credant, inquit, quod apparuerit tibi Dominus Deus patrum suorum, Deus Abraham, Deus Isaac, et Deus Iacob.
6
Dixitque Dominus rursum: Mitte manum tuam in sinum tuum. Quam cum misisset in sinum, protulit leprosam instar nivis.
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Retrahe, ait, manum tuam in sinum tuum. Retraxit, et protulit iterum, et erat similis carni reliquæ.
8
Si non crediderint, inquit, tibi, neque audierint sermonem signi prioris, credent verbo signi sequentis.
9
Quod si nec duobus quidem his signis crediderint, neque audierint vocem tuam: sume aquam fluminis, et effunde eam super aridam, et quidquid hauseris de fluvio, vertetur in sanguinem.
10
Ait Moyses: Obsecro Domine, non sum eloquens ab heri, et nudiustertius: et ex quo locutus es ad servum tuum, impeditioris et tardioris linguæ sum.
11
Dixit Dominus ad eum: Quis fecit os hominis? aut quis fabricatus est mutum et surdum, videntem et cæcum? nonne ego?
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Perge igitur, et ego ero in ore tuo: doceboque te quid loquaris.
13
At ille: Obsecro, inquit, Domine, mitte quem missurus es.
14
Iratus Dominus in Moysen, ait: Aaron frater tuus levites, scio quod eloquens sit: ecce ipse egreditur in occursum tuum, vidensque te lætabitur corde.
15
Loquere ad eum, et pone verba mea in ore eius: et ego ero in ore tuo, et in ore illius, et ostendam vobis quid agere debeatis.
16
ipse loquetur pro te ad populum, et erit os tuum: tu autem eris ei in his quæ ad Deum pertinent.
17
Virgam quoque hanc sume in manu tua, in qua facturus es signa.
18
Abiit Moyses, et reversus est ad Iethro socerum suum, dixitque ei: Vadam et revertar ad fratres meos in Ægyptum, ut videam si adhuc vivant. Cui ait Iethro: Vade in pace.
19
Dixit ergo Dominus ad Moysen in Madian: Vade, et revertere in Ægyptum: mortui sunt enim omnes qui quærebant animam tuam.
20
Tulit ergo Moyses uxorem suam, et filios suos, et imposuit eos super asinum, reversusque est in Ægyptum, portans virgam Dei in manu sua.
21
Dixitque ei Dominus revertenti in Ægyptum: Vide ut omnia ostenta quæ posui in manu tua, facias coram Pharaone: ego indurabo cor eius, et non dimittet populum.
22
Dicesque ad eum: Hæc dicit Dominus: Filius meus primogenitus Israel.
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Dixi tibi: Dimitte filium meum ut serviat mihi; et noluisti dimittere eum: ecce ego interficiam filium tuum primogenitum.
24
Cumque esset in itinere, in diversorio occurrit ei Dominus, et volebat occidere eum.
25
Tulit idcirco Sephora acutissimam petram, et circumcidit præputium filii sui, tetigitque pedes eius, et ait: Sponsus sanguinum tu mihi es.
26
Et dimisit eum postquam dixerat: Sponsus sanguinum ob circumcisionem.
27
Dixit autem Dominus ad Aaron: Vade in occursum Moysi in desertum. Qui perrexit obviam ei in Montem Dei, et osculatus est eum.
28
Narravitque Moyses Aaron omnia verba Domini quibus miserat eum, et signa quæ mandaverat.
29
Veneruntque simul, et congregaverunt cunctos seniores filiorum Israel.
30
Locutusque est Aaron omnia verba quæ dixerat Dominus ad Moysen: et fecit signa coram populo,
31
et credidit populus. Audieruntque quod visitasset Dominus filios Israel, et respexisset afflictionem illorum: et proni adoraverunt.
web (web) - WorldEnglish.Bible — CC0 modern update of ASV
1
Moses answered, “But, behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice; for they will say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’”
2
The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A rod.”
3
He said, “Throw it on the ground.” He threw it on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses ran away from it.
4
The LORD said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand, and take it by the tail.” He stretched out his hand, and took hold of it, and it became a rod 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.”
6
The LORD said furthermore to him, “Now put your hand inside your cloak.” He put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous, as white as snow.
7
He said, “Put your hand inside your cloak again.” He put his hand inside his cloak again, and when he took it out of his cloak, behold, it had turned again as his other flesh.
8
“It will happen, if they will not believe you or listen to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.
9
It will happen, if they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, that you shall take of the water of the river, and pour it on the dry land. The water which you take out of the river will become blood on the dry land.”
10
Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before now, nor since you have spoken to your servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.”
11
The LORD said to him, “Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes one mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Isn’t it I, the LORD?
12
Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak.”
13
Moses said, “Oh, Lord, please send someone else.”
14
The LORD’s anger burned against Moses, and he said, “What about Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Also, behold, he is coming out to meet you. When he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.
15
You shall speak to him, and put the words in his mouth. I will be with your mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do.
16
He will be your spokesman to the people. It will happen that he will be to you a mouth, and you will be to him as God.
17
You shall take this rod in your hand, with which you shall do the signs.”
18
Moses went and returned to Jethro his father-in-law, and said to him, “Please let me go and return to my brothers who are in Egypt, and see whether they are still alive.” Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.”
19
The LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go, return into Egypt; for all the men who sought your life are dead.”
20
Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them on a donkey, and he returned to the land of Egypt. Moses took God’s rod in his hand.
21
The LORD said to Moses, “When you go back into Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your hand, but I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go.
22
You shall tell Pharaoh, ‘The LORD says, Israel is my son, my firstborn,
23
and I have said to you, “Let my son go, that he may serve me;” and you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”
24
On the way at a lodging place, the LORD met Moses and wanted to kill him.
25
Then Zipporah took a flint, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet; and she said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me.”
26
So he let him alone. Then she said, “You are a bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.
27
The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” He went, and met him on God’s mountain, and kissed him.
28
Moses told Aaron all the LORD’s words with which he had sent him, and all the signs with which he had instructed him.
29
Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of Israel.
30
Aaron spoke all the words which the LORD had spoken to Moses, and did the signs in the sight of the people.
31
The people believed, and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had seen their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshiped.
ylt (ylt) - Bible.com YLT98 plain UTF-8
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 <FI>is<Fi> 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 <FI>is<Fi> 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 <FI>am<Fi> not a man of words, either yesterday, or before, or since Thy speaking unto Thy servant, for I <FI>am<Fi> 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 <FI>are<Fi> 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 <FI>is<Fi> 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 <FI>it<Fi> to touch his feet, and saith, `Surely a bridegroom of blood <FI>art<Fi> 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.
Explanations by Age Level
Explain Like I'm 5
A long, long time ago, there was nothing at all - no earth, no sky, no animals, no people. It was all dark and empty. But God was there! God is so powerful that He can make anything just by speaking. So God said "Let there be light!" and BOOM! There was light everywhere! God saw that the light was beautiful and good. He called the light "day" and the darkness "night." This was the very first day when God started making our wonderful world!
Explain Like I'm 10
Before anything existed - no planets, stars, or life - God decided to create the universe. The earth started out as a dark, empty place covered with water. But God's Spirit was there, ready to bring order and beauty to everything. When God spoke and said "Let there be light," light immediately appeared because God's words have incredible power. God looked at the light and was pleased with what He had made. He organized time by separating light (day) from darkness (night), creating the first 24-hour period. This shows us that God is organized and purposeful in everything He does.
Explain Like I'm 15
Genesis 1:1-5 establishes fundamental theological truths about God and creation. The Hebrew word "bara" (created) indicates creation from nothing (ex nihilo), demonstrating God's absolute sovereignty and power. The phrase "without form and void" (tohu wa-bohu) describes a state of chaos that God transforms into order. The Spirit of God "hovering" or "brooding" over the waters suggests active, caring involvement in creation. The creation of light before the sun (created on day 4) indicates that God Himself is the ultimate source of light and energy. The establishment of day and night creates the framework of time, showing that God operates within orderly patterns while transcending them. This passage refutes both atheistic materialism and pantheism, establishing that God is both transcendent (separate from creation) and immanent (actively involved in it).