... and that's what makes it so interesting, at least to me.

At one level, Exodus tells the story of the tribes descended from Jacob/Israel becoming a nation. At another level, it's a transition from tribal legend (Genesis, of which many components are shared by other tribes in that part of the world) to tribal history (Joshua, et seq.). Somewhere in that transition is another: from a God who occasionally manifests personally - "comes down", in human form - to a God who manifests symbolically: burning bushes, pillars of smoke and fire, auras over the Ark in the Tabernacle, etc.

I don't know, but I intend to learn, whether Exodus 4 is the last instance of God manifesting as a person (and if not, when was the last?)... but here's a attempt to address the issue you raise:

Punishment without stated purpose is pointless. If, for instance, Moses just suddenly dies, nobody learns anything about who or why. That early in the development of Israel's relationship with YHWH, the concept of disembodied omniscience and omnipotence didn't exist yet - nor did the much later idea that illogical setbacks in personal lives can and should be attributed to "God's will".

I commend to your attention the first few chapters of The Source by James Michener - the book that got me started on this subject 37 years ago.