1 Yahweh said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh, 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 Moses, and said to him, "I am Yahweh; 3 and I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name Yahweh I was not known to them. 4 I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their travels, in which they lived as aliens. 5 Moreover I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Therefore tell the children of Israel, 'I am Yahweh, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, 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 Yahweh your God, who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it to you for a heritage: I am Yahweh.'" 9 Moses spoke so to the children of Israel, but they didn't listen to Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. 10 Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, 11 "Go in, speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land." 12 Moses spoke before Yahweh, saying, "Behold, the children of Israel haven't listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, who am of uncircumcised lips?" 13 Yahweh spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and gave them a command to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. 14 These are the heads of their fathers' houses. The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben. 15 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon. 16 These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari; and the years of the life of Levi were one hundred thirty-seven years. 17 The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families. 18 The sons of Kohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel; and the years of the life of Kohath were one hundred thirty-three years. 19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations. 20 Amram took Jochebed his father's sister to himself as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty-seven years. 21 The sons of Izhar: Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri. 22 The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Sithri. 23 Aaron took Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, as his wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 24 The sons of Korah: Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. 25 Eleazar Aaron's son took one of the daughters of Putiel as his wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers' houses of the Levites according to their families. 26 These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom Yahweh said, "Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies." 27 These are those who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are that Moses and Aaron. 28 It happened on the day when Yahweh spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29 that Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying, "I am Yahweh. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to you." 30 Moses said before Yahweh, "Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh listen to me?"
God encourages Moses, and promises to show wonders upon Pharaoh, and to bring out his people with a strong hand, Exodus 6:1. He confirms this promise by his essential name Jehovah, Exodus 6:2, Exodus 6:3; by the covenant he had made with their fathers, Exodus 6:4, Exodus 6:5. Sends Moses with a fresh message to the Hebrews, full of the most gracious promises, and confirms the whole by appealing to the name in which his unchangeable existence is implied, Exodus 6:6-8. Moses delivers the message to the Israelites, but through anguish of spirit they do not believe, Exodus 6:9. He receives a new commission to go to Pharaoh, Exodus 6:10, Exodus 6:11. He excuses himself on account of his unreadiness of speech, Exodus 6:12. The Lord gives him and Aaron a charge both to Pharaoh and to the children of Israel, Exodus 6:13. The genealogy of Reuben, Exodus 6:14; of Simeon, Exodus 6:15; of Levi, from whom descended Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, Exodus 6:16. The sons of Gershon, Exodus 6:17; of Kohath, Exodus 6:15; of Merari, Exodus 6:19. The marriage of Amram and Jochebed, Exodus 6:20. The sons of Izhar and Uzziel, the brothers of Amram, Exodus 6:21, Exodus 6:22. Marriage of Aaron and Elisheba, and the birth of their sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar, Exodus 6:23. The sons of Korah, the nephew of Aaron, Exodus 6:24. The marriage of Eleazar to one of the daughters of Putiel, and the birth of Phinehas, Exodus 6:25. These genealogical accounts introduced for the sake of showing the line of descent of Moses and Aaron, Exodus 6:26, Exodus 6:27. A recapitulation of the commission delivered to Moses and Aaron, Exodus 6:29, and a repetition of the excuse formerly made by Moses, Exodus 6:30.
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, Exodus 6:1, 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, Exodus 6:6 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, Exodus 6:10, 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, Exodus 6:14, who were the persons appointed of God to be the instruments of bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt, Exodus 6:26.
(Exodus 6:1-9) God renews his promise.
(Exodus 6:10-13) Moses and Aaron again sent to Pharaoh.
(v. 14-30) The parentage of Moses and Aaron.
*More commentary available by clicking individual verses.