Faced with the sheer magnitude of his calling, Moses experiences natural hesitation about his ability to convince the Israelites that he has truly experienced a divine revelation. He raises a practical concern, wondering what might happen if the people refuse to believe him, expressing a deep sense of uncertainty [שד״ל, הכתב והקבלה, שטיינזלץ]. However, this hesitation introduces a significant difficulty: God had already assured Moses that the people would listen to him. How, then, could Moses doubt a direct divine promise?
Commentators offer several perspectives to resolve this apparent contradiction. One approach suggests a distinction between the nation's leadership and the general public. While God promised that the elders would believe, Moses still feared the unpredictable reaction of the masses [אבן עזרא, חזקוני]. Another perspective argues that God’s prior statement was not an absolute guarantee of the future, but rather an expectation or command—meaning it was proper and right for the people to listen, though there was no absolute guarantee that they would [רמב״ן, הטור הארוך]. The primary approach among commentators, however, ties Moses's fear directly to Pharaoh. God had already revealed that the Egyptian king would refuse to let the Israelites go. Moses reasoned that while the people might initially listen, their faith would inevitably shatter the moment Pharaoh resisted. They would assume that if Moses were truly God's messenger, the king of Egypt would never dare defy Him, leading them to conclude that Moses had simply invented the entire mission [רמב״ן, ספורנו, הטור הארוך, מלבי״ם, רש״ר הירש, ביאור יש״ר, שפתי כהן, אברבנאל].
Beyond the challenge of Pharaoh's resistance, there is a deeper question regarding the exact nature of the Israelites' potential doubt. They would not necessarily deny God's existence or Moses's knowledge of God, but they might question whether he had experienced a direct, waking prophecy. They could easily suspect that Moses was acting out of his own personal wisdom or following a mere dream, rather than serving as an appointed messenger of the Creator [רלב״ג, ביאור יש״ר, אברבנאל, בכור שור]. Furthermore, the people might question Moses's personal standing. They could wonder why God would choose to reveal Himself to someone raised in the Egyptian palace and long disconnected from his brethren, especially when his brother Aaron was already serving as a prophet [העמק דבר]. Moses also felt he lacked the traditional prerequisites for prophecy, being merely a poor shepherd with a speech impediment. In fact, his fear that the people would not listen to his voice can be understood quite literally: they simply would not want to listen to his physical voice because of his stutter [אור החיים].
To overcome this deep-seated skepticism—especially given Pharaoh's impending stubbornness—the only way to authenticate Moses's mission was through miracles that actively altered the laws of nature, as only these could prove direct divine intervention [רלב״ג, מלבי״ם, אברבנאל, קאסוטו]. Yet, according to Midrashic tradition, Moses's initial doubt was viewed as highly improper. By questioning the faith of the Israelites, who were inherently a trusting and believing people, Moses was guilty of suspecting the innocent. For casting this aspersion on the nation, he was immediately punished with a leprous hand [הטור הארוך, תורה תמימה, שפתי כהן]. From this viewpoint, the miraculous signs God provided were not solely intended to convince the Israelites. Rather, they were primarily meant to bolster Moses's own self-confidence, ensuring he truly believed in his own capacity to carry out the mission [תורה תמימה].