What does Exodus Chapter 4 verse 24 mean?

Answer 1

FIRST AN INTRO: The Lord's concern for His chosen people can be seen in the call of Moses. So great was Moses that forever after the Lord and His people have used him as a standard, or model, of a prophet. Even Jesus Christ was called a prophet like unto Moses (see Acts 3:22 ; 7:37 ; Deuteronomy 18:15, 18-19 ; 1 Nephi 22:20-21 ; 3 Nephi 20:23-24 ). Indeed, Moses was a similitude or living symbol of Jesus Christ (see Moses 1:6 ). Moses was a man who, like us, possessed both weaknesses and strengths. The key to Moses' character is his meekness, the capacity to be molded by the Lord and His Spirit. "Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth" ( Numbers 12:3 ). In this chapter you will learn of Moses' foreordination, his youthful preparation, the patient tempering of his character in the desert, his call from God, and his assumption of prophetic leadership. Perhaps it will encourage you to analyze your life so that, like Moses, you can identify your weaknesses, purge yourself of them, and take up the assignment the Lord has for you in this life. Like Nephi, you may be led to say "let us be strong like unto Moses" ( 1 Nephi 4:2 ). Elder Mark E. Petersen testified: "The true Moses was one of the mightiest men of God in all time. . . . "He walked and talked with God, received of divine glory while yet in mortality, was called a son of God, and was in the similitude of the Only Begotten. "He saw the mysteries of the heavens and much of creation, and received laws from God beyond any other ancient man of whom we have record." ( Moses, p. 49.) THE MEANING: The King James Version lacks detail in this account. The Joseph Smith Translation indicates that the Lord was angry with Moses for failing to circumcise his son. It appears that Zipporah had not wanted to circumcise Gershom but relented when the Lord expressed His anger to Moses. "And it came to pass, that the Lord appeared unto him as he was in the way, by the inn. The Lord was angry with Moses, and his hand was about to fall upon him, to kill him; for he had not circumcised his son. "Then Zipporah took a sharp stone and circumcised her son, and cast the stone at his feet, and said, Surely thou art a bloody husband unto me. "And the Lord spared Moses and let him go, because Zipporah, his wife, circumcised the child. And she said, Thou art a bloody husband. And Moses was ashamed, and hid his face from the Lord, and said, I have sinned before the Lord. "And the Lord said unto Aaron, go into the wilderness to meet Moses, and he went and met him, in the mount of God; in the mount where God appeared unto him; and Aaron kissed him." ( JST, Exodus 4:24-27 .)