And the LORD said unto Moses in Midian, Go, return into Egypt: for all the men are dead which sought thy life.
In Midian, after Moses had consented to go, God commanded him to return to Egypt to carry out the mission he had been given. Before that assurance he had gone to his father-in-law Jethro and obtained permission to take his family back to Egypt, without daring to disclose his message to Pharaoh for fear Jethro would be unwilling to let his wife and children accompany him on so dangerous an undertaking. The command was given to strengthen Moses and remove his fear of returning. The assurance was that all the men in Egypt who had sought his life were dead, removing the danger that had driven him away.
The return came after forty years away. The deaths included the Pharaoh who had decreed that Moses be put to death, and another had taken over the government, so the Pharaoh before whom Moses was to appear was not the same one, for nearly all Egyptian kings bore the title Pharaoh. Even with the former pursuers gone, the return remained a dangerous mission.
In obedience to the assurance, Moses left Midian for Egypt with his family. He had earlier agreed that Zipporah should go back to Midian so she would not witness the judgments coming upon Egypt.
In Midian, after Moses had consented to go, God commanded him to return to Egypt to carry out the mission he had been given. Before that assurance he had gone to his father-in-law Jethro and obtained permission to take his family back to Egypt, without daring to disclose his message to Pharaoh for fear Jethro would be unwilling to let his wife and children accompany him on so dangerous an undertaking. The command was given to strengthen Moses and remove his fear of returning. The assurance was that all the men in Egypt who had sought his life were dead, removing the danger that had driven him away.
The return came after forty years away. The deaths included the Pharaoh who had decreed that Moses be put to death, and another had taken over the government, so the Pharaoh before whom Moses was to appear was not the same one, for nearly all Egyptian kings bore the title Pharaoh. Even with the former pursuers gone, the return remained a dangerous mission.
In obedience to the assurance, Moses left Midian for Egypt with his family. He had earlier agreed that Zipporah should go back to Midian so she would not witness the judgments coming upon Egypt.