Exodus 6:14-30

The Genealogy of Moses and Aaron

14 These are the heads of their fathers' houses: the ¹sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the clans of Reuben.

15 The ²sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the clans of Simeon.

16 These are the names of the ³sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, the years of the life of Levi being 137 years.

17 The ⁴sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, by their clans.

18 The ⁵sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, the years of the life of Kohath being 133 years.

19 The ⁶sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their generations.

20 ⁷Amram took as his wife Jochebed his father's sister, and she bore him Aaron and Moses, the years of the life of Amram being 137 years.

21 ⁸The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.

22 The ⁹sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.

23 Aaron took as his wife Elisheba, the daughter of ¹⁰Amminadab and the sister of ¹¹Nahshon, and she bore him ¹²Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

24 The ¹³sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the clans of the Korahites.

25 Eleazar, Aaron's son, took as his wife one of the daughters of Putiel, and ¹⁴she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites by their clans.

26 These are the Aaron and Moses ¹⁵to whom the LORD said: "Bring out the people of Israel from the land of Egypt ¹⁶by their hosts."

27 It was they who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing out the people of Israel from Egypt, this Moses and this Aaron.

28 On the day when the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt,

29 the LORD said to Moses, ¹⁷"I am the LORD; ¹⁸tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you."

30 But Moses said to the LORD, "Behold, ¹⁹I am of uncircumcised lips. How will Pharaoh listen to me?"

Exodus 6:14-30 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 6

The Lord encourages Moses to hope for success from his name Jehovah, and the covenant he had made with the fathers of his people, Ex 6:1-5, orders him to assure the children of Israel that he would deliver them from their bondage and burdens, and bring them into the land of Canaan; but through their distress and anguish they hearkened not to him, Ex 6:6-9 but Moses is sent again to Pharaoh to demand the dismission of Israel, to which he seems unwilling, and both he and Aaron are charged both to go to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh, Ex 6:10-13, next follows a genealogy of the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, which seems to be given for the sake of Moses and Aaron, and to show their descent, Ex 6:14-15, who were the persons appointed of God to be the instruments of bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt, Ex 6:26-30.

Cross References

• 1. Genesis 46:9; 1 Chronicles 5:3
• 2. Genesis 46:10; 1 Chronicles 4:24
• 3. Genesis 46:11; Numbers 3:17; 1 Chronicles 6:1, 16
• 4. Numbers 3:18; 1 Chronicles 6:17; 1 Chronicles 23:7
• 5. Numbers 3:19; Numbers 26:57; 1 Chronicles 6:2, 18
• 6. Numbers 3:20; 1 Chronicles 6:19; 1 Chronicles 23:21
• 7. See Exodus 2:1
• 8. Numbers 16:1; 1 Chronicles 6:37, 38
• 9. Leviticus 10:4; Numbers 3:30
• 10. Ruth 4:19, 20; 1 Chronicles 2:10; Matthew 1:4; Luke 3:33
• 11. Numbers 1:7; Numbers 2:3; Numbers 7:12, 17; Numbers 10:14; Matthew 1:4; Luke 3:32
• 12. Leviticus 10:1; Numbers 3:2; Numbers 26:60; 1 Chronicles 6:3; 1 Chronicles 24:1
• 13. 1 Chr. 6:22, 23, 37
• 14. Numbers 25:7, 11; Joshua 24:33; Psalms 106:30
• 15. ver. 13
• 16. Exodus 7:4; Exodus 12:17, 51; Numbers 33:1
• 17. See ver. 2
• 18. ver. 11; [Exodus 7:2]
• 19. [Isaiah 6:5]; See ver. 12