And the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.”
19. And the Lord said Lat., “had said.” unto Moses Some connect this sentence with what follows, as if God had spoken to his servant after permission to return had been given him by his father-in-law; but my opinion rather is, that what had before been omitted is here inserted out of its place. Such repetition is frequent in the Scriptures.
Moses honored his father-in-law by asking leave before departing, showing that divine commission does not free us from the duties we owe in our station. God knew the secret fear that held him back, dread of his old enemies, and assured him the way was clear.
AI summary
Commenting on Exodus 4:18-23
And the Lord said unto Moses in Midian,.... After he had obtained leave of his father-in-law to quit Midian, but before he left it: go, return into Egypt: that is, directly, immediately; before he had only given him a commission at large to go thither, but had not fixed the time when he should go; but now he orders him to set forward at once...