2. The Lord answered, “What's that in your hand?”“A walking stick,” Moses replied.
3. “Throw it down!” the Lord commanded. So Moses threw the stick on the ground. It immediately turned into a snake, and Moses jumped back.
4. “Pick it up by the tail!” the Lord told him. And when Moses did this, the snake turned back into a walking stick.
5. “Do this,” the Lord said, “and the Israelites will believe that you have seen me, the God who was worshipped by their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
6. Next, the Lord commanded Moses, “Put your hand inside your shirt.” Moses obeyed, and when he took it out, his hand had turned white as snow—like someone with leprosy.
7. “Put your hand back inside your shirt,” the Lord told him. Moses did so, and when he took it out again, it was as healthy as the rest of his body.
15-16. Aaron will speak to the people for you, and you will be like me, telling Aaron what to say. I will be with both of you as you speak, and I will tell each of you what to do.
17. Now take this walking stick and use it to perform miracles.
18. Moses went to his father-in-law Jethro and asked, “Please let me return to Egypt to see if any of my people are still alive.”“All right,” Jethro replied. “I hope all goes well.”
19. But even before this, the Lord had told Moses, “Leave the land of Midian and return to Egypt. Everyone who wanted to kill you is dead.”
20. So Moses put his wife and sons on donkeys and headed for Egypt, holding the walking stick that had the power of God.
21. On the way the Lord said to Moses:When you get to Egypt, go to the king and work the miracles I have shown you. But I will make him so stubborn that he will refuse to let my people go.
22. Then tell him that I have said, “Israel is my firstborn son,
23. and I commanded you to release him, so he could worship me. But you refused, and now I will kill your firstborn son.”
24. One night while Moses was in camp, the Lord was about to kill him.