Moses is back in Egypt. The elders of Israel believe his message (Exodus 4:31), as the Lord had promised (Exodus 3:18). Now Moses goes with Aaron to Pharaoh, who refuses to obey, just as God had foretold (Exodus 3:19–20). The mission seems to have failed. Pharaoh makes slavery even harder for the Israelites. Then the Israelites complain in vain to Pharaoh; and they oppose Moses and Aaron. Moses goes to God with his complaint, who answers that he will take care of the exodus. In Exodus 5 it becomes clear that God continues with his plan, despite the opposition of Pharaoh (Exodus 5:2), the people of Israel (Exodus 5:21), and the complaint of Moses (Exodus 5:22–23). It is all God’s work—to him be the glory.
1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’”