Exodus 4:8

Exo 4:8 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.

Ver. 8. The voice of the first sign.] God’s signs have a voice, and words. {Psa 105:27} They speak not only to our eyes, but ears; as those many prodigies did before the last desolation of Jerusalem; as the terrible tempest at Rome in 1516, - the same year that Luther began to stir, - that so struck the church where Pope Leo was creating his cardinals, that it removed the child Jesus out of the lap of his mother, and the keys out of St Peter’s hand. So the two suns seen in London at the coming in of King Philip on Feb. 15, 1553: the new star in Cassiopeia in 1572: the prodigious comet {a} in 1618, &c.

{a} Oυδεις κωμητης οστις ου κακον φερει.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Exo_4:8-9

They will believe the voice of the latter sign.

The paralysis of doubt

A man needs not to be a thorough unbeliever, overtly renouncing all allegiance to revealed truth, in order to become useless in the pulpit and religiously powerless in society. He needs only to put a note of interrogation after some of the articles of his creed. That is enough, without absolutely erasing them. The hesitant is as impotent for spiritual good as the heretic. The man who is shooting for the Queens cup may as well attempt to hold his rifle with a paralysed arm as take aim with a trembling hand. That tremor will be fatal to success in hitting the mark. Truth uttered questioningly and apologetically will prove an arrow of conviction to no mans soul. This, it seems to me, rather than absolute and pronounced infidelity, is the bane and weakness of the age. It pervades the pulpit and the pew. From the former, doctrines may be still propounded with logical accuracy, with great precision of definition, with much beauty and felicity of illustration, but with not enough of conviction to drive them forcibly home. The rifle is a beautiful piece of mechanism, but there is something amiss with the powder. (J. Halsey.)

The Divine treatment of human doubt

I. The Divine being recognizes the probability that men will not welcome the truth upon its first presentation to them. Yet the message proclaimed by Moses was--

1. Adapted to their condition Announcing freedom. The tendency of all unbelief is to intensify slavery of moral nature.

2. Wonderfully simple.

3. Divinely authenticated. Miracles will not convince a sceptic.

II. The Divine being mercifully makes provision for the conviction and persuasion of men in reference to the reality of the truth proclaimed, notwithstanding their confirmed unbelief. This method of treatment is--

1. Considerate. Every facility given for complete investigation.

2. Merciful. Sign after sign.

3. Condescending.

III. The persistent unbelief of men is likely to awaken evidences of truth indicative of the divine displeasure (Exo_4:9).

1. Evidences that recall past sorrows. Reminding of murder of children in river.

2. Evidences prophetic of future woe. Indicating a strange and unhappy change in their condition, if they embraced not the message of Moses. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)

The voice of the first sign

1. It speaks of the thraldom of man.

2. It speaks of the inability of man to liberate himself therefrom.

3. It speaks of the agency that God has provided for the freedom of man.

4. It speaks of the strange unwillingness of man to credit the tidings of freedom. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)

Miracles

1. Miracles at first may miss their end, and not persuade men to faith.

2. Second miracles may do that which the first failed to effect.

3. Gods word and promise alone can make miracles themselves effectual means of faith.

4. Miracles have voices which should command faith and obedience. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)

Ministers exposed to unbelief

That a true minister, notwithstanding--

1. His call.

2. His spiritual preparation.

3. His knowledge of the Divine name.

4. His supreme moral power, and--

5. Intimate communion with God--is exposed to the unbelief of those whom he seeks to benefit. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)

The obstinacy of unbelief

It will reject the truth.

1. In opposition to the word of him by whom it is brought.

2. In opposition to the Divine power by which it is accompanied.

3. In opposition to the benevolent design it contemplates.

4. In opposition to accumulative demonstration. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)

The folly of rejecting the gospel of emancipation

One can hardly conceive a poor wayworn wretch, as he lies on the arid waste, punting with blackened lips and swollen tongue, striking the kind travellers flask from his hand, and spilling the precious water among the blistering sands. The slave boy--now an African bishop--exulted gleefully when a British cruiser snapped the fetters from his youthful limbs and bore him to free Liberia. Can folly surpass that insensate madness which makes the sinner spurn the clear, cool, crystal drops of life, and perversely traverse the wilds of sin? Can madness outrival that supreme folly which leads the hapless bondsman of sin to hug the chains of condemnation, and obstinately kiss the fetters of wrath?

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Exo 4:8. The voice of the first sign — The expression here is peculiarly proper and forcible; for God’s works have a voice as well as his word, to which we ought diligently to attend. And these miracles spoke aloud in the ear of reason, and said, Believe in him whom God hath sent. Bishop Warburton observes here (see Divine Legation, book 4, sect. 4) that “in the first ages of the world, men being obliged to supply the deficiencies of language by significant signs, mutual converse was carried on by a mixed discourse of words and actions. Hence came the eastern phrase of the voice of the sign; and use and custom improving what had arisen out of necessity into ornament, this practice subsisted long after the necessity was over, especially in the East, the natural temperament of the people in that part of the world inclining them to a mode of conversation which exercised their vivacity by motion, and gratified it by a perpetual representation of material images.”

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Or, the words confirmed by the first sign.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 8. If they will not believe - the voice of the first sign, c.] Probably intimating that some would be more difficult to be persuaded than others: some would yield to the evidence of the first miracle others would hesitate till they had seen the second; and others would not believe till they had seen the water of the Nile turned into blood, when poured upon the dry land; Ex 4:9.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(8) The voice of the first sign.—Not “the voice of Moses witnessed to by the first sign” (Rosenmüller), but the voice, which the sign itself might be regarded as uttering. (Comp. Psa_105:27, where Moses and Aaron are said to have proclaimed “the words of God’s signs.”) A miracle speaks to men.

They will believe, i.e., most of them. Accustomed to the tricks of the serpent charmers (see Exo_7:11 and comment ad loc.), the Israelites might be unmoved by the sight of the first miracle. They were then to be shown the second, which would be much more astonishing to them, having no parallel in their experience. This would persuade the greater number. As some, however, might still doubt, a third sign was provided. God is patient with all reasonable doubt.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

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.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

To the voice of the first sign; to the voice or word of God delivered and confirmed by the first sign. For Moses did not make dumb shows before them, but acquainted them with the mind of God therein. Or he saith

the voice, to note that God’s works have a voice to speak to us, which we must diligently observe. See Mic 6:9.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

8. First sign… latter sign — These signs are God’s voiceless but visible words to the people. But, like all other words, they may be heard or not, at the hearer’s option. No conceivable miracle can compel conviction. When Christ arose “some doubted.”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The voice of the first sign. Some understand "the voice of Moses as he gave them the first sign;" but it is better to regard the sign itself as speaking to them. According to the sacred writers everything that can teach us anything day, night, the heavens, the firmament, the beasts, the fowls of the air, the fishes, nay, the very stones have a voice. They teach us, speak to us, declare to us, cry out aloud, lift up their voice, shout, sing, proclaim God"s will, whether man will hear or whether he will forbear. (see Psa_19:1-3; Job_12:7, Job_12:3; Hab_2:11; Luk_19:40, etc.) Equally, or rather much more, must a miracle be regarded as having a voice. God speaks to us by it.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The voice of the first sign - God's works have a voice to speak to us, which we must diligently observe.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

pay attention

"acknowledge" or "accept"

translationWords

Yahweh

believe

sign

power

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

והאמינו לקל האת האחרון THEY WILL BELIEVE THE VOICE OF THE LATTER SIGN — As soon as you say to them, “On your account have I been smitten — because I uttered slander about you”, they will believe you, for they are already experienced in this: that those who combine to harm them are smitten by plagues, e. g., Pharaoh and Abimelech who were punished on Sarah’s account.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.