Exodus 4: First Blood

YINR 929: Tanach Yomi · Nov 12, 2025 · 3m

After Moshe finally relents to God’s request to travel to Egypt and confront Pharaoh, the Torah introduces a mysterious and startling episode that seems almost disconnected from the narrative:

“At a night encampment on the way, God encountered him and sought to kill him.” (Exodus 4:24): וַיְהִי בַדֶּרֶךְ בַּמָּלוֹן וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁהוּ ה׳ וַיְבַקֵּשׁ הֲמִיתוֹ

“So Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched his legs with it, saying, ‘You are truly a bridegroom of blood to me!’” (Exodus 4:25): וַתִּקַּח צִפֹּרָה צֹר וַתִּכְרֹת אֶת־עָרְלַת בְּנָהּ וַתַּגַּע לְרַגְלָיו וַתֹּאמֶר…