【問】
出埃及記4:24為什麼神要殺摩西？4:25西坡拉割兒子的包皮為什麼神就放過了摩西？【答】
其實啟導本的註釋寫得很清楚，對於聖經讀者，主要有 2 個難題：- 原文難題：希伯來原文中有很多代名詞（pronoun）是不好去定義，指出哪個是哪個。
- 經文意義難題：才剛強硬要摩西回去帶領以色列人的耶和華神，怎麼轉眼間想要殺他？特別是背景內容提供的線索有限。
關於原文難題，除非是舊約專家，或是希伯來文學者，老實說只上過一點原文課程的學生，很難發表什麼高見。在此文的最下面，我列出和合本、新漢語譯本、New International Version、King James Version、English Standard Version、New Living Translation、The Message 共 7 個版本，可以看到大家在翻譯上困難：
4:25 是摩西的腳還是生殖器？
4:24-26 的經文中，其實「摩西」的名字在原文完全沒有出現過，只有代名詞「他」不斷地重複出現。
而我想這是小事，經文意義上的難題，才是大事。許多學者都有不同的解釋，我讀不完，也無法一一列出，只寫下我從經文脈絡中覺得比較可能，同時也是我個人較相信的解讀。
個人思考與整理
首先，v. 19 摩西在米甸被告知「尋索你命的人都死了」，所以我們必需知道，沒有任何的「人」會要摩西的命。
接下來便是回埃及地，一行四人騎驢回家鄉。我想 vv. 22-23 很重要，這裡是耶和華要摩西對法老說話的主軸：
21 耶和華對摩西說：「你回到埃及去的時候，要留意將我交在你手中的一切奇事行在法老面前。但我要任憑他的心剛硬，他必不放百姓走。 22 你要對法老說：『耶和華如此說：以色列是我的兒子，我的長子。 23 我對你說過：放我的兒子走，好事奉我。你還是不肯放他走。看哪，我要殺你頭生的兒子。』」（出 4:21-23）「兒子」不斷地出現在 vv. 22-23 中，以色列人是神的兒子（長子），不是埃及法老王的；神的兒子必須事奉神，而不是事奉法老王。在這裡預告，若是神的兒子不能事奉神，那麼法老王這個決策者，他的長子就會被殺。所以，vv. 22-23 中讓我們看到神很在意他的選民，不只是血統，而是以亞伯拉罕傳下來的割禮之約作為憑據。在當時，割禮代表與耶和華立約，而不受割禮的人，必須被剪除（詳參創世記 Gen 17:9-14）。
然後才進到 vv. 24-26 的難解經文：
- v. 24：耶和華遇見他，想殺他。到底「他」是指誰？
- v. 25：西坡拉的確割下他兒子的陽皮
- v. 25：不管是碰腳或是碰下體，又是「他的」，只是不知「他」是誰？
- v. 25：西坡拉說你真是我的血郎，的確是對摩西說的
- v. 26：耶和華才放了他。這個「他」是誰？
若是把代名詞拿掉，我們翻譯就會變成貼近原文，但可能更看不懂：
24 在路上住宿的地方，耶和華遇見他，想要殺他。25 西坡拉就拿一塊火石，割下她兒子的陽皮，碰他的腳，說：「你真是我的帶血的新郎了！」26 這樣他放過了他，她說帶血的新郎，指得是割禮。我的結論便是：
- 不論 v. 24 耶和華想要殺誰（摩西還是他兒子）？以及 v.26 誰被放過？主要的原因都是割禮。
- 因為其實摩西的兒子到從出埃及記到現在，一直都不是主角，所以我覺得要殺摩西的機率較大。
- 到底碰誰的腳或是下體，我暫時無法判斷。
- 從 vv. 19-23 的預備，再接著讀 vv. 24-26，都會看見神對於祂的百姓（也就是祂的兒子）十分在意。而對等的回應便是割禮的印記。
- 若是摩西的割禮不正確，他自己該搞定，神殺他合理。
- 就算是是摩西的兒子割禮沒弄好，也是神所不允許的，帳與責任仍都在摩西身上。神要帶領祂的兒子的這件任務執行者，在兒子的身份上是認真、守約、且不能被挑剔的。
附上各英文譯本的翻譯：
最常見的【和合本】 - 24 摩西在路上住宿的地方，耶和華遇見他，想要殺他。 25 西坡拉就拿一塊火石，割下他兒子的陽皮，丟在摩西腳前，說：「你真是我的血郎了！」 26 這樣，耶和華才放了他。西坡拉說：「你因割禮就是血郎了。」
我個人偏愛的【新漢語譯本】 - 24 在路上，到了住宿的地方，上主遇見摩西，想要殺他。25 西坡拉取來一塊火石，割下她兒子的包皮，拿來觸碰摩西的腳註1；她說，「你實在是我帶血的新郎了！」26 這樣，上主註2放過了他。那時她說到帶血的新郎，指的是割禮。 註1*腳可能是下體的委婉說法 註2*上主直譯為他
英文最普及的【NIV】- 24 At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses[a] and was about to kill him. 25 But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it.[b] “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. 26 So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.) [a] Hebrew him [b] The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.
一直有人以為是唯一正確英文譯本【KJV】- 24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
強調是以原文文法為基礎的英文譯本【ESV】- 24 At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. 25 Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses'[a] feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” 26 So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision. [a] Hebrew his
用字較簡單，且白話的英文譯本【NLT】- 24 On the way to Egypt, at a place where Moses and his family had stopped for the night, the Lord confronted him and was about to kill him. 25 But Moses’ wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She touched his feet[a] with the foreskin and said, “Now you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” 26 (When she said “a bridegroom of blood,” she was referring to the circumcision.) After that, the Lord left him alone. [a] The Hebrew word for “feet” may refer here to the male sex organ.
完全以經文意思為導向，整段式翻譯的英文譯本【The Message】- 24-26 On the journey back, as they camped for the night, God met Moses and would have killed him but Zipporah took a flint knife and cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched Moses’ member with it. She said, “Oh! You’re a bridegroom of blood to me!” Then God let him go. She used the phrase “bridegroom of blood” because of the circumcision.
一直有人以為是唯一正確英文譯本【KJV】- 24 And it came to pass by the way in the inn, that the Lord met him, and sought to kill him. 25 Then Zipporah took a sharp stone, and cut off the foreskin of her son, and cast it at his feet, and said, Surely a bloody husband art thou to me. 26 So he let him go: then she said, A bloody husband thou art, because of the circumcision.
強調是以原文文法為基礎的英文譯本【ESV】- 24 At a lodging place on the way the Lord met him and sought to put him to death. 25 Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses'[a] feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” 26 So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision. [a] Hebrew his
用字較簡單，且白話的英文譯本【NLT】- 24 On the way to Egypt, at a place where Moses and his family had stopped for the night, the Lord confronted him and was about to kill him. 25 But Moses’ wife, Zipporah, took a flint knife and circumcised her son. She touched his feet[a] with the foreskin and said, “Now you are a bridegroom of blood to me.” 26 (When she said “a bridegroom of blood,” she was referring to the circumcision.) After that, the Lord left him alone. [a] The Hebrew word for “feet” may refer here to the male sex organ.
完全以經文意思為導向，整段式翻譯的英文譯本【The Message】- 24-26 On the journey back, as they camped for the night, God met Moses and would have killed him but Zipporah took a flint knife and cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched Moses’ member with it. She said, “Oh! You’re a bridegroom of blood to me!” Then God let him go. She used the phrase “bridegroom of blood” because of the circumcision.
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