And the LORD said to him, What is that in your hand? And he said, A rod.
a rod.
Exodus 4:17,20 And thou shalt take this rod in thine hand, wherewith thou shalt do signs…
Genesis 30:37 And Jacob took him rods of green poplar, and of the hazel and chesnut tree; and pilled white strakes in them, and made the white appear which was in the rods.
Leviticus 27:32 And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD.
“What is that in your hand?”
The question draws attention to the ordinary object Moses is holding, a shepherd's staff. This staff symbolizes Moses' identity and occupation as a shepherd, a common profession in the ancient Near East. Shepherds were often seen as humble and lowly, yet God frequently uses the humble to achieve His plans, as seen with David, the shepherd who became king (1 Samuel 16:11-13). The staff will become a tool for God's power, foreshadowing how God can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.
“A staff,” he replied.
Moses' response is straightforward, indicating the simplicity of the object. The staff, a tool of his trade, represents authority and support, common in the life of a shepherd. In biblical symbolism, the staff can represent guidance and protection, as seen in Psalm 23:4, "Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me." This staff will later become a symbol of God's power when it is used to perform miracles, such as turning into a serpent (Exodus 4:3) and parting the Red Sea (Exodus 14:16). The staff's transformation into a tool of divine power prefigures the way Christ uses ordinary elements, like bread and wine, to convey His grace.
The conversation is already underway—God has appeared in the burning bush and commissioned Moses to lead Israel out of Egypt (Exodus 3:4–4:1). Now, “the LORD asked him,” showing a personal God who speaks, listens, and enters dialogue with His servants (Jeremiah 1:7–9; Acts 9:4–6). The question initiates action, demonstrating that God involves ordinary people in His extraordinary plans.
Key implications:
• Divine initiative: God starts the conversation and directs the mission, just as He did with Isaiah (“Whom shall I send?” Isaiah 6:8).
• Personal engagement: The Lord’s question invites participation rather than mere observation.
• Assurance of presence: By addressing Moses directly, God reaffirms His earlier promise, “I will be with you” (Exodus 3:12).
The Lord zeroes in on Moses’ everyday object. Shepherds routinely carried staffs; for forty years in Midian, this tool was as common to Moses as a hammer to a carpenter. God highlights what Moses already possesses, echoing similar moments when He uses what people have at hand:
• Elisha to the widow—“Tell me, what do you have in the house?” (2 Kings 4:2).
• Jesus regarding the boy’s lunch—“Here is a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish” (John 6:9).
• David selecting five stones for his sling (1 Samuel 17:40).
• Shamgar wielding an oxgoad (Judges 3:31).
Lessons drawn:
– God often starts with the familiar, not the spectacular.
– He invites us to recognize resources already given to us.
– Availability outweighs impressiveness; God’s power rests on surrendered tools.
Moses’ answer sounds insignificant, yet that very staff will:
• Become a serpent and back again (Exodus 4:3–4).
• Turn the Nile to blood (Exodus 7:17–20).
• Part the Red Sea (Exodus 14:16).
• Bring water from the rock (Exodus 17:5–6).
• Stand as the “rod of God” in battle against Amalek (Exodus 17:9–13).
Symbolism and application:
– Shepherd’s authority: A staff guides, rescues, and corrects sheep (Psalm 23:4). God transforms the shepherd’s rod into a symbol of divine authority.
– Proof of calling: The staff becomes the tangible sign God promised in Exodus 4:17, “Take this staff in your hand so you can perform the signs with it.”
– Ongoing dependence: Even after miracles, Moses must keep holding the staff in obedience, reminding him that power flows from God, not the object (Numbers 20:11–12).
Exodus 4:2 shows God initiating a personal, practical dialogue with Moses. By asking about the staff, the Lord directs attention to what Moses already holds, revealing a principle seen throughout Scripture: God takes ordinary people and ordinary things, fills them with His power, and accomplishes extraordinary purposes. The staff teaches that when we place whatever is “in our hand” at His disposal, He turns simple tools into instruments of deliverance and testimony to His glory.
(2) A rod.--Most commentators regard the "rod" of Moses as his shepherd's crook, and this is certainly possible; but the etymology of the word employed seems rather to point to an ordinary staff, or walking-stick. Egyptians of rank usually carried long batons; and one suggestion is, that the rod of Moses was "that which he had been accustomed to carry as the son of Pharaoh's daughter." But even if this was still in his possession after forty years of exile, he is not likely to have taken it with him when he went a-shepherding. Probably the "rod" was a common staff, such as a shepherd of eighty years old might need for a support.Verse 2. - A rod. Or "a staff." Some suppose the ordinary shepherd's staff, or crook, to be meant; but it is objected that this would have been an unfit object to have brought into the presence of Pharaoh (Kalisch), being unsuitable for a court, and emblematic of an occupation which the Egyptians loathed (Genesis 46:34); and the suggestion is therefore made, that it was the baton or long stick commonly carried by Egyptians of good position and especially by persons in authority. But Moses in Midian, forty years after he quitted Egypt, is not likely to have possessed such an article; nor, if he had possessed it, would he have taken it with him when shepherding. Probably a simple staff, the natural support of a man of advanced years, is meant.