Exodus 6:2-27

God Promises Freedom

2 Then God spoke to Moses, telling him, "I am Yahweh.

3 I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty,^[a] but I did not make My name Yahweh known to them.

4 I also established My covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land they lived in as foreigners.

5 Furthermore, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are forcing to work as slaves, and I have remembered My covenant.

6 "Therefore tell the Israelites: I am Yahweh, and I will deliver you from the forced labor of the Egyptians and free you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm^[b] and great acts of judgment.

7 I will take you as My people, and I will be your God.^[c] You will know that I am Yahweh your God, who delivered you from the forced labor of the Egyptians.

8 I will bring you to the land that I swore^[d] to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord."

9 Moses told this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their broken spirit and hard labor.

10 Then the Lord spoke to Moses,

11 "Go and tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go from his land."

12 But Moses said in the Lord's presence: "If the Israelites will not listen to me, then how will Pharaoh listen to me, since I am such a poor speaker?"^[e]

13 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them commands concerning both the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.

Genealogy of Moses and Aaron

14 These are the heads of their fathers' families: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These are the clans of Reuben.

15 The sons 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 sons of Levi according to their genealogy: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.

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

18 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.

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

20 Amram married his father's sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.

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

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

23 Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon. She bore him Nadab and Abihu,^[f] Eleazar and Ithamar.

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

25 Aaron's son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the Levite families by their clans.

26 It was this Aaron and Moses whom the Lord told, "Bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt according to their divisions."

27 Moses and Aaron were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt in order to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

Exodus 6:2-27 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. Gn 17:1; 35:11
• [b]. Dt 4:34; Ps 136:10-12
• [c]. Lv 26:12; Jr 7:23; 11:4
• [d]. Lit raised My hand
• [e]. Lit I have uncircumcised lips
• [f]. Lv 10:1-3