The first half of Exodus 4 continues with Moses’ last three protests. Having responded to Moses’ first two excuses by Exodus 3:15, God pressed on with instructions for Moses’ leadership without giving him a chance to speak. As soon as another opportunity arose, Moses voiced his third objection: “What if they don’t believe me?”; his fourth, “I am slow of speech;” and, lastly, his simple plea: “Send someone else.”

In the second half of Exodus 4 Moses has five short encounters: with Jethro; with the Lord for instruction; with the Lord’s assault against him; with Aaron; and with the Israelite elders. Each encounter prepared him for, and moved him significantly closer to, his first meeting with Pharaoh.

4:18–20 The first of the five encounters, with Jethro, serves to move the narrative forward. I…