Why does God come to kill Moses?

[Iowander]

In Exodus 4:24-27, God seeks to kill Moses but leaves him alone once Moses’ wife circumcises their son.

This is while Moses is on the way to begin the mission that God just sent him to do, so I don’t understand why God all of a sudden seems to change his mind.

The only way that I can make sense of this is that the son was born sometime after Moses’ encounter with God in the burning bush but before they set out on their journey. Maybe Moses is somehow intending to defy God at this point by not circumcising his son? Is this right? Can anyone explain it this passage to me?

 

[Barbkw]

Check out the footnotes to the NAB at the USCCB website:

usccb.org/nab/bible/exodus/exodus4.htm#foot6

[24-26] Apparently God was angry with Moses for having failed to keep the divine command given to Abraham in Genesis 17:10-12. Moses’ life is spared when his wife circumcises their son.

usccb.org/nab/bible/genesis/genesis17.htm#v10

This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you that you must keep: every male among you shall be circumcised. Circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and that shall be the mark of the covenant between you and me. Throughout the ages, every male among you, when he is eight days old, shall be circumcised, including houseborn slaves and those acquired with money from any foreigner who is not of your blood.

Yes, both the houseborn slaves and those acquired with money must be circumcised. Thus my covenant shall be in your flesh as an everlasting pact. If a male is uncircumcised, that is, if the flesh of his foreskin has not been cut away, such a one shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant."

For the Israelites and for the Jews, circumcision was a covenant promise with God the Father.

Covenant promises are called Sacraments in the Church.

Circumcision was a prefigurement of our Sacrament of Baptism with water in the New Covenant - entry into the family of God the Son.

 

[Iowander]

I understand all of that, but I’m asking why God changed his mind between verses 23 and 24:

21 And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 And you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my first-born son, 23 and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me”; if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay your first-born son.’” 24 At a lodging place on the way the LORD met him and sought to kill him.

If circumcision was an issue, why didn’t God bring it up in the burning bush conversation?

 

[Barbkw]

Don’t know how accurate these numbers are, found this quick searching the internet:

Abraham was born about 2015 BC (calculated from Genesis 11:26 etc)
He died in about 1840 BC. (Gen 25:7-10)

Moses was born about 1590 BC (Ex 6:16, 18, 20; 2:7 etc) and died when he was 120 years old (Deuteronomy 34:7).

So, between the death of Abraham and the birth of Moses there was about 250 years.

Read more: wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_years_are_between_Abraham_and_Moses#ixzz1JKhqunJV

 

[thistle]

In Exodus 4:24-27, God seeks to kill Moses but leaves him alone once Moses’ wife circumcises their son.

This is while Moses is on the way to begin the mission that God just sent him to do, so I don’t understand why God all of a sudden seems to change his mind.

The only way that I can make sense of this is that the son was born sometime after Moses’ encounter with God in the burning bush but before they set out on their journey. Maybe Moses is somehow intending to defy God at this point by not circumcising his son? Is this right? Can anyone explain it this passage to me?

D-R Bible, Haydock Commentary:

Ver. 24. The Lord met him, and would have killed him. This was an angel representing the Lord, who treated Moses in this manner, for having neglected the circumcision of his younger son: which his wife understanding, circumcised her child upon the spot, upon which the angel let Moses go. (Challoner) — Both his children were born about this time. But Eliezer, the younger, had not been circumcised; and therefore remained under the power of the destroying angel. (Origen, contra Cels. v.) Others think the angel was going to kill Moses. (Calmet)