Exodus 4:3

The Lord ¹  said, “Throw it to the ground.” So he threw it to the ground, and it became a snake, ²  and Moses ran from it.

The LORD said, "Throw it on the ground." Moses threw it on the ground and it became a snake, and he ran from it.

Then He said, "Throw it on the ground." So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it.

"Throw it down on the ground," the LORD told him. So Moses threw it down, and it became a snake! Moses was terrified, so he turned and ran away.

"Throw it on the ground." He threw it. It became a snake; Moses jumped back--fast!

And he said, Put it down on the earth. And he put it down on the earth and it became a snake; and Moses went running from it.

And he said, "Throw it on the ground." So he threw the staff on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses drew back from it.

And He said, "Cast it on the ground." So he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from it.

The Lord ¹  said, “Throw it to the ground.” So he threw it to the ground, and it became a snake, ²  and Moses ran from it.

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² sn The details of the verse are designed to show that there was a staff that became a snake. The question is used to affirm that there truly was a staff, and then the report of Moses running from it shows it was a genuine snake. Using the serpent as a sign would have had an impact on the religious ideas of Egypt, for the sacred cobra was one of their symbols.