“And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe thee, neither hearken to the voice of the first sign, that they will believe the voice of the latter sign.”
God acknowledges the possibility that Moses' audience will not be convinced by the first sign or the second — if they do not believe these two signs or listen to you. The escalating structure of authentication mirrors the later structure of the plagues: each refusal calls forth a greater display. God is not surprised by human resistance; He plans for it. The three-level sign structure here — snake/staff, leprous/healed hand, water/blood — corresponds to different levels of persuasion. Some people will believe at the first sign. Others require more. The plagues themselves follow this logic, escalating in severity and scope until refusal is no longer rational but only willful. 2 Peter 3:9 says God is patient, not wanting anyone to perish — the multiple signs are an expression of that patience. God gives more opportunity for belief than the minimum required, because the goal is always genuine response, not mechanical compliance.
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