The Meaning of Exodus 4:25 Explained

Exodus 4:25

KJV: Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me.

YLT: and Zipporah taketh a flint, and cutteth off the foreskin of her son, and causeth it to touch his feet, and saith, 'Surely a bridegroom of blood art thou to me;'

Darby: 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!

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then Zipporah  took  a sharp stone,  and cut off  the foreskin  of her son,  and cast  [it] at his feet,  and said,  Surely a bloody  husband  [art] thou to me. 

What does Exodus 4:25 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 4:18-31 - Moses And Aaron Announce God's Purpose To Israel
So often the keenest tests of a man's fitness for his life-work are furnished by his behavior in his home. It may be that Zipporah had resisted the earlier imposition on her son of the initial rite of the Jewish faith and her proud soul had to yield. No man who has put his hand to God's plow can take counsel with flesh and blood, or look back. At whatever cost we must set our own house in order, before we can emancipate a nation.
When God designs it, He will contrive for us to meet the man, or men, who are to help us in our life mission. Our paths meet in the Mount of God. When the Alps were bored for the railway track, the work started on either side, and the workers met in the middle. Help is coming to you from unexpected quarters, and will meet you when you need it most. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 4

1  Moses's rod is turned into a serpent
6  His hand is leprous
10  He loathes his calling
13  Aaron is appointed to assist him
18  Moses departs from Jethro
21  God's message to Pharaoh
24  Zipporah circumcises her son
27  Aaron is sent to meet Moses
29  The people believe them

What do the individual words in Exodus 4:25 mean?

And took Zipporah a sharp stone and cut off - the foreskin of her son and cast [it] at his feet and said surely a bridegroom of blood you [are] to me
וַתִּקַּ֨ח צִפֹּרָ֜ה צֹ֗ר וַתִּכְרֹת֙ אֶת־ עָרְלַ֣ת בְּנָ֔הּ וַתַּגַּ֖ע לְרַגְלָ֑יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֧י חֲתַן־ דָּמִ֛ים אַתָּ֖ה לִֽי

וַתִּקַּ֨ח  And  took 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: יָקַח 
Sense: to take, get, fetch, lay hold of, seize, receive, acquire, buy, bring, marry, take a wife, snatch, take away.
צִפֹּרָ֜ה  Zipporah 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: צִפֹּרָה  
Sense: daughter of Reuel or Jethro, wife of Moses, and mother of Gershom and Eliezer.
צֹ֗ר  a  sharp  stone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: צֹר  
Sense: flint, hard pebble.
וַתִּכְרֹת֙  and  cut  off 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: כָּרַת  
Sense: to cut, cut off, cut down, cut off a body part, cut out, eliminate, kill, cut a covenant.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עָרְלַ֣ת  the  foreskin 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: הָעֲרָלֹות 
Sense: foreskin, uncircumcised.
בְּנָ֔הּ  of  her  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person feminine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
וַתַּגַּ֖ע  and  cast  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: נָגַע  
Sense: to touch, reach, strike.
לְרַגְלָ֑יו  at  his  feet 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, fdc, third person masculine singular
Root: רֶגֶל  
Sense: foot.
וַתֹּ֕אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person feminine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כִּ֧י  surely 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
חֲתַן־  a  bridegroom 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חָתָן  
Sense: son-in-law, daughter’s husband, bridegroom, husband.
דָּמִ֛ים  of  blood 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּם  
Sense: blood.
אַתָּ֖ה  you  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
לִֽי  to  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular

What are the major concepts related to Exodus 4:25?

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