Exodus 6:9

9 Therefore Moses told all things to the sons of Israel, which assented not to him for the anguish of spirit, and for the full hard work by which they were troubled. (And so Moses told all these things to the Israelites, but they assented not to him, because of the anguish of their spirit, and all their hard labour, or all their tribulation.)

Exodus 6:9 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 6:9

And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel
After this manner, and in the above words, declaring all that the Lord made known to him, and promised to do for them; which one would have thought would have revived their spirits, and refreshed and comforted their hearts under their troubles, and encouraged a lively exercise of faith and hope of deliverance: but they hearkened not unto Moses;
being disappointed of deliverance by him, and their afflictions being increased, and lying heavy upon them, they were heartless and hopeless; for anguish of spirit;
trouble of mind and grief of heart, with which they were swallowed up; or "for shortness of breath" ^F2, being so pressed that they could hardly breathe, and so were incapable of attending to what was spoken to them: and for cruel bondage;
under which they laboured, and from which they had scarce any respite, and saw no way of deliverance from it.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F2 (xwr ruqm) "ob brevem anhelitum", Munster.

Exodus 6:9 In-Context

7 and I shall take you to me into a people, and I shall be your God; and ye shall know, for I am your Lord God, which have led you out of the prison of (the) Egyptians, (and I shall make you my people, and I shall be your God; and ye shall know, that I am the Lord your God, who led you out of your Egyptian prison,)

8 and have led you into the land, on which I raised [up] mine hand, that I should give it to Abraham, and to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I shall give to you that land to be had in possession (and I shall give you that land for a possession); I [am] the Lord.

9 Therefore Moses told all things to the sons of Israel, which assented not to him for the anguish of spirit, and for the full hard work by which they were troubled. (And so Moses told all these things to the Israelites, but they assented not to him, because of the anguish of their spirit, and all their hard labour, or all their tribulation.)

10 And the Lord spake to Moses, and said,

11 Enter thou, and speak to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, that he deliver the children of Israel from his land. (Go thou, and tell Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, that he must let the Israelites go out from his land.)