Exodus 6:1-10

1 The LORD said to Moshe, "Now you shall see what I will do to Par`oh, for by a strong hand he shall let them go, and by a strong hand he shall drive them out of his land."

2 God spoke to Moshe, and said to him, "I am the LORD;

3 and I appeared to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya`akov, as El Shaddai; but by my name the LORD I was not known to them.

4 I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Kana`an, the land of their travels, in which they lived as aliens.

5 Moreover I have heard the groaning of the children of Yisra'el, whom the Mitzrim keep in bondage, and I have remembered my covenant.

6 Therefore tell the children of Yisra'el, 'I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Mitzrim, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm, and with great judgments:

7 and I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brings you out from under the burdens of the Mitzrim.

8 I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Avraham, to Yitzchak, and to Ya`akov; and I will give it to you for a heritage: I am the LORD.'"

9 Moshe spoke so to the children of Yisra'el, but they didn't listen to Moshe for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

10 The LORD spoke to Moshe, saying,

Exodus 6:1-10 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.