The Meaning of Exodus 4:5 Explained

Exodus 4:5

KJV: That they may believe that the LORD God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.

YLT: -- so that they believe that Jehovah, God of their fathers, hath appeared unto thee, God of Abraham, God of Isaac, and God of Jacob.'

Darby: that they may believe that Jehovah, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.

ASV: That they may believe that Jehovah, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

That they may believe  that the LORD  God  of their fathers,  the God  of Abraham,  the God  of Isaac,  and the God  of Jacob,  hath appeared  unto thee. 

What does Exodus 4:5 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 4:1-9 - God's Signs To Confirm Moses' Words
This wonderful chapter tells us how Moses' three misgivings were tenderly and sufficiently dealt with by his heavenly Friend. To his first misgiving God made answer by giving him three signs. Here first we meet with that rod which was so often stretched out, over the land of Egypt, over the sea, and during the sojourn in the Wilderness. Moses was but a rod, but what cannot a rod do, if handled by an Almighty hand!
Leprosy was the type of sin, and the cleansed hand suggests God's marvelous power in cleansing, and so qualifying for service, all who yield themselves to Him. The third sign of the water turned to blood was not less significant, revealing the divine power operating through this feeble human instrument to produce wonderful effects in the world of nature. We must not live on signs, but on the Holy Spirit, though the outward sign reassures and strengthens us. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 4

1  Moses's rod is turned into a serpent
6  His hand is leprous
10  He loathes his calling
13  Aaron is appointed to assist him
18  Moses departs from Jethro
21  God's message to Pharaoh
24  Zipporah circumcises her son
27  Aaron is sent to meet Moses
29  The people believe them

What do the individual words in Exodus 4:5 mean?

that they may believe that has appeared to you Yahweh God of their fathers the God of Abraham of Isaac and the God of Jacob
לְמַ֣עַן יַאֲמִ֔ינוּ כִּֽי־ נִרְאָ֥ה אֵלֶ֛יךָ יְהוָ֖ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י אֲבֹתָ֑ם אֱלֹהֵ֧י אַבְרָהָ֛ם יִצְחָ֖ק וֵאלֹהֵ֥י יַעֲקֹֽב

לְמַ֣עַן  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
יַאֲמִ֔ינוּ  they  may  believe 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַן 
Sense: to support, confirm, be faithful.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
נִרְאָ֥ה  has  appeared 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אֵלֶ֛יךָ  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהֵ֣י  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֲבֹתָ֑ם  of  their  fathers 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
אֱלֹהֵ֧י  the  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אַבְרָהָ֛ם  of  Abraham 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
יִצְחָ֖ק  of  Isaac 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִצְחָק  
Sense: son of Abraham by Sarah his wife and father of Jacob and Esau.
וֵאלֹהֵ֥י  and  the  God 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יַעֲקֹֽב  of  Jacob 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.