God Reassures Moses
Study note
God told Moses that He would force Pharaoh to let the people go with a mighty hand. He reminded Moses that He had appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but His personal name, the Lord (Yahweh), He was now revealing in a new way. God made seven 'I will' promises: I will bring you out, I will free you, I will redeem you, I will take you as my people, I will be your God, I will bring you to the land, and I will give it to you.
1 Then the LORD said to Moses, Now shall you see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.
2 God spoke directly to Moses: "I am the Lord." And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD:
3 "I revealed myself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty. But I did not let them fully know me by my personal name — the Lord." And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
4 "I also made a binding promise to them. I told them I would give them the land of Canaan, the very land where they lived as outsiders." And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.
5 "Now I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, who are being held as slaves by the Egyptians. And I have remembered every word of my covenant." And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.
6 "So deliver this message to the Israelites: 'I am the Lord, and I will free you from the crushing weight the Egyptians have put on you. I will rescue you from being their slaves. I will buy you back with my mighty arm and with powerful acts of judgment.'" Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
7 "'I will claim you as my very own people, and I will be your God. When I do this, you will finally know that I am the Lord your God — the one who freed you from your suffering under the Egyptians.'" And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
8 "'Then I will bring you into the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will hand it over to you as your permanent home. I am the Lord.'" And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.
The People Refuse to Listen
Study note
Moses delivered God's message to the Israelites, but they were so crushed by their slavery that they would not listen. Then God told Moses to go back to Pharaoh. Moses protested, saying that if even his own people would not listen, how could he expect Pharaoh to listen, especially since he was not a skilled speaker. Moses used the phrase 'uncircumcised lips,' meaning his speech was not good enough.
9 Moses shared all of this with the Israelites, but they could not bring themselves to believe it. Their spirits had been completely broken by the brutality of their slavery. And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
10 Then the Lord spoke to Moses again. And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
11 "Go to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and demand that he let the Israelites leave his country." Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.
12 Moses replied to the Lord, "The Israelites themselves will not even listen to me! So why on earth would Pharaoh? Especially since I struggle with speaking." And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?
13 But the Lord gave both Moses and Aaron their mission. He commanded them to go to both the Israelites and Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and lead the Israelites out of Egypt. And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.
The Family Line of Moses and Aaron
Study note
The text pauses the story to give a family record of the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and especially Levi, which was the tribe of Moses and Aaron. This genealogy traces the line from Levi through Kohath to Amram, who married Jochebed and had Moses and Aaron. Aaron married Elisheba, and they had four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. This family record confirmed that Moses and Aaron had the proper authority to lead the people.
14 Here is a record of the leaders of their family groups. The sons of Reuben, Israel's firstborn, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These became the clans descended from Reuben. These be the heads of their fathers' houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben.
15 Simeon's sons were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul. Shaul's mother was a Canaanite woman. These became the clans descended from Simeon. And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon.
16 Here are the sons of Levi, listed with their families: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived a total of one hundred and thirty-seven years. And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years.
17 Gershon's sons and the clans that came from them were Libni and Shimei. The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families.
18 Kohath's sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived a total of one hundred and thirty-three years. And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years.
19 Merari's sons were Mahli and Mushi. All of these were the family groups of Levi, listed by generation. And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.
20 Amram married Jochebed, his father's sister. She bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived a total of one hundred and thirty-seven years. And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.
21 Izhar's sons were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.
22 Uzziel's sons were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Zithri. And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri.
23 Aaron married Elisheba. She was the daughter of Amminadab and the sister of Nahshon. She bore Aaron four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
24 Korah's sons were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These were the family groups that descended from Korah. And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites.
25 Aaron's son Eleazar married one of Putiel's daughters, and she bore him Phinehas. These were the heads of the Levite family groups, clan by clan. And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families.
God Sends Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh Again
Study note
The chapter returns to the main story, restating that Moses and Aaron were the ones God had chosen to bring Israel out of Egypt. Despite Moses' continued protests about his poor speaking ability, God commanded him to go and deliver His message to Pharaoh.
26 This Aaron and this Moses are the very ones the Lord told, "Lead the Israelites out of Egypt, group by group." These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.
27 Moses and Aaron are the very ones who went before Pharaoh. They told the king of Egypt to set the Israelites free. These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron.
28 Here is what happened when the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt. And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt,
29 The Lord instructed Moses, "I am the Lord. Go and repeat to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, every word I tell you." That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee.
30 But Moses objected to the Lord, "I have so much trouble speaking clearly. Pharaoh will never pay attention to me." And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?