Chapter 27: Return to Egypt
Moses was extremely cautious, with foresight and long-term planning.
In fact, after the initial fear, he was no longer very resistant to the voice. And once it had granted him the power to perform miracles, he was completely aligned with it.
Moses also desired that his people return to Canaan—a hope shared by all Hebrews. The difference was that Moses, who loved his people deeply, would not be satisfied with his own deliverance; he wanted all those he loved to be saved. The Bible describes Moses as "humble, meek, and gentle," and says his meekness surpassed all others in the world.
But virtue and miracles alone could not bring the Hebrews back to the Promised Land; he needed much more.
The Hebrews were organized by clans, with elders wielding absolute authority. Moses could be beloved by his people, but that did not mean he could override this tradition. Only the power of God could do so—but after overriding it, how could he maintain leadership and keep the Hebrews united?
A divided people would be slaughtered by the Canaanites. At that time, Canaan was divided into six city-states, recognized even by Ramesses as legitimate authorities that needed to be courted in wartime. They possessed sufficient military strength to destroy disunited Hebrews.
Moses, though humble, was also proud and untamed—entirely different from his ancestor Abraham. Abraham obeyed duties without discerning right from wrong; he even complied with God's unreasonable demand to sacrifice his child, a mere whim of God.
Placed in the same test, Moses would refuse. His faith was based on what he believed to be right.
Whether or not the voice was the Yahweh worshiped by himself, his people, and his ancestors, Moses needed sufficient assurance to carry out this great mission.
So Moses suppressed his excitement and made one last attempt to delay.
"Lord," he said, "I am not a man of words, and even since you spoke to me, I remain so. I am slow of speech and tongue. Perhaps you should send someone else."
The voice seemed choked, silent for a long while.
Moses was anxious. Had he been too greedy? Had he made the voice unwilling to continue?
But he had no choice. His greatest problem was being outnumbered and weak; he needed a supporter who would unconditionally back him, someone he could trust, articulate, and politically persuasive.
He worried needlessly. The voice immediately roared again:
"You… who made your mouth? Who made the tongue mute, the ear deaf, the eye seeing, and the eye blind? Was it not I, Yahweh? Go as I command! I know your brother Aaron, a Levite, is eloquent. He will rejoice at seeing you. I will grant you both eloquence, instructing you in all that you must do. He will speak for the people, you shall regard him as your mouth, and he shall regard you as God. You only need to hold the staff in your hand to perform miracles!"
Perfect, everything is set!
Aaron was exactly the right choice: his brother, eloquent, and now backed by divine assurance.
Moses joyfully agreed. He knelt, held the wooden staff, and swore to carry out this sacred mission. The flames in the thorns vanished; his sheep no longer wandered in circles. He could return.
He grasped the staff tightly and drove the sheep back to his father-in-law's home.
Jethro was a simple old man. By appearances, he was plain, though he had a strikingly beautiful daughter.
Of course, Moses was not interested in his father-in-law's looks. But to return to Egypt, he could not leave without notice; he intended not to go alone but to bring his wife.
Otherwise, how could he manage on the journey alone?
Sure, he could have done so—it was how he had come—but… he already had a wife. Why would he be alone?
Thus, Moses, with some guilt, confessed his identity to Jethro and requested: "Please allow me to take your daughter with me to see my brothers in Egypt, to see if they are still there."
"I see…" Jethro listened to his son-in-law's confession and request with emotion. "I always felt you were no ordinary man. I did not expect you to be so capable."
But wasn't he a little too capable? God himself appeared! Jethro's free son-in-law plan was completely ruined!
Jethro glanced at his worried daughter and silently lamented that he should not have let Moses sleep with her, though he knew there was nothing he could do.
If it were him, Jethro, and he saw an appealing woman, heaven or sea, he would find a way.
Then he asked, "You can return safely, then?"
Moses was deeply moved and replied, "My God allows me to return to Egypt. Those who sought my life are dead."
Whether they were truly dead or defeated by the Hittites on the battlefield, Moses did not know. But with the divine staff in hand, he felt confident. Without the staff, he could handle ten men; with it, why fear?
Sensing Moses' sincerity (or battle capability?), Jethro finally agreed. He also required Moses to bring a boy to serve Zipporah.
Moses consented and chose a sincere, honest child among the Midianites, naming him Gershom, to signify his time as a sojourner in a foreign land.
With everything ready, Moses brought Zipporah, bid farewell to Jethro, and set out for Egypt.
Meanwhile, in Egypt, in Ramesses' city, someone heard a voice like Moses' at night.
It was night.
As always upon returning to Egypt, Hachiman Hikigaya sat atop the palace, enjoying the breeze.
Then he heard the voice.
"You should go to the wilderness to meet your brother. He is sent by me. You shall be his mouth and tell the people, 'I have come. I send Moses.'"
The voice was not speaking to him, yet it could not escape Hachiman's perception.
Everything on Egyptian soil—the wind, sunlight, shadows, even the rain—was under Hachiman's awareness.
He rose suddenly, looking toward where the voice had appeared—that was where the slaves lived, and among them, the Hebrews were the most numerous.
"Finally, it has appeared." Hachiman laughed heartily. He did not approach but sat back down.
He knew the voice all too well. It was Horus'.
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