Exodus 6:3-13

3 and I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, as God Almighty, but by my name the LORD (YHWH) I was not known to them.

4 And I also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, in which they were strangers.

5 And likewise I have heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered my covenant.

6 Therefore say unto the sons of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will free you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm and with great judgments.

7 And I will take you as my people, and I will be your God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning which I raised my hand to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it unto you for a heritage: I am the LORD.

9 In this manner Moses spoke unto the sons of Israel, but they did not hearken unto Moses because of their anguish of spirit and cruel bondage.

10 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying,

11 Go in, speak unto Pharaoh, king of Egypt, that he let the sons of Israel go out of his land.

12 And Moses answered before the LORD, saying, Behold, the sons of Israel do not hearken unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, seeing I am of uncircumcised lips?

13 Then the LORD spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron and gave them a commandment unto the sons of Israel and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

Exodus 6:3-13 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.