Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 4:4
And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
Verse 4. He put forth his hand, and caught it] Considering the light in which Moses had viewed this serpent, it required considerable faith to induce him thus implicitly to obey the command of God; but he obeyed, and the noxious serpent became instantly the miraculous rod in his hand! Implicit faith and obedience conquer all difficulties; and he who believes in God, and obeys him in all things, has really nothing to fear.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The tail was the dangerous part; whereby God would try Mosess faith, and prepare him for the approaching difficulties.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And the Lord said to Moses, put forth thy hand, and take it by the tail,…. Which to do might seem most dangerous, since it might turn upon him and bite him; this was ordered, partly that Moses might be assured it was really a serpent, and not in appearance only; and partly to try his courage, and it suggested to him, that he need not be afraid of it, it would not hurt him: the above learned doctor observes l, that he is commanded to take it by the tail; for to meddle with the serpent’s head belonged not to Moses, but to Christ that spake to him out of the bush:
and he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand; as it was before. Some think this refers to the threefold state of the Israelites, first to their flourishing estate under Joseph, when they were as a rod or staff, then to their dejected state, by this rod cast to the ground, and become a serpent, and lastly to their restoration and liberty, by its becoming a rod again: others refer it to Christ, who is the power of God, and the rod of his strength, and who in his state of humiliation was like this rod, cast to the ground and became a serpent, of which the brazen serpent was a type, and who by his resurrection from the dead regained his former power; but perhaps they may be most right who think it refers to the service and ministry of Moses, which seemed terrible to him at first, like a hurtful serpent, from which he fled; but after he was confirmed by the word of God, he readily undertook it.
l De Vita Mosis, l. 1. 614.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) Take it by the tail.Those who venture to handle poisonous snakes, like the modern Egyptians and the inhabitants of the coast of Barbary, generally take hold of them by the neck, in which case they are unable to bite. To test the faith and courage of Moses, the command is given him to lay hold of this serpent by the tail.
He put forth his hand.Faith triumphed over instinct. Moses had fled from the snake when first he saw it (Exo. 4:3). Now he is daring enough to stoop down, put his hand on the creatures tail, and so lift it up.
It became a rod.Its real nature returned to it. Once more it was, not a stiffened serpent, but an actual staff, or walking-stick.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Mar 16:18 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 4:4 And the LORD said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:
Ver. 4. Take it by the tail. ] Which was dreadful to be done, because of the antipathy and likely danger; but faith fortifies the heart against the fear of the creature, and carries a man through the difficulty of duty.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
caught it = stiffened it. Same word as “hardened” Pharaoh’s heart.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
put forth: Gen 22:1, Gen 22:2, Psa 91:13, Mar 16:18, Luk 10:19, Act 28:3-6
And he put: Joh 2:5
Reciprocal: 2Ki 6:7 – put out