God sought to kill Moses, as indicated by the pronoun "him" in verse 24, which seems to refer back to Moses in verse 21. Moses was aware that all Israelites should be circumcised on the eighth day, a requirement of the Abrahamic covenant. However, Moses did not circumcise his son, likely due to his Midianite wife Zipporah's objection to the practice. As Moses was returning to Egypt to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land, God could not allow him to lead when he had not ensured his own family followed the covenant, signified by circumcision. God's action to cut Moses off underscores the seriousness with which God views adherence to His covenant.