Exodus Chapter 6 — God's Promise of Deliverance
God reaffirms His covenant with Moses, promising to deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage, while a genealogy establishes the lineage of Moses and Aaron.
1The LORD 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.”
2God spoke to Moses, and said to him, “I am the LORD.
3I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name the LORD*LORD or GOD in all caps is from the Hebrew יהוה Yahweh except when otherwise noted as being from the short form יה Yah. I was not known to them.
4I 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.
5Moreover I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered my covenant.
6Therefore tell the children of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, 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.
7I will take you to myself for a people. I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
8I 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 the LORD.’ ”
9Moses spoke so to the children of Israel, but they didn’t listen to Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
10The LORD 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.”
12Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, “Behold, the children of Israel haven’t listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, when I have uncircumcised lips?”
13The LORD 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.
14These 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.
15The 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.
16These 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.
17The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families.
18The sons of Kohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel; and the years of the life of Kohath were one hundred thirty-three years.
19The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations.
20Amram took Jochebed his father’s sister to himself as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. The years of the life of Amram were one hundred thirty-seven years.
21The sons of Izhar: Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.
22The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.
23Aaron took Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, as his wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
24The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites.
25Eleazar 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.
26These are that Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, “Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.”
27These are those who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are that Moses and Aaron.
28On the day when the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt,
29The LORD said to Moses, “I am the LORD. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I tell you.”
30Moses said before the LORD, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh listen to me?”
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Exodus 6:3
“I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty; but by my name the LORD I was not known to them.”
This verse marks a significant moment in the biblical narrative where God reveals a deeper level of His identity to Moses.
Exodus 6:6
“Therefore tell the children of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, 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.'”
This verse contains the core promise of redemption and the specific 'I will' statements of God's commitment to Israel.
Exodus 6:9
“Moses spoke so to the children of Israel, but they didn’t listen to Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.”
It illustrates the psychological and spiritual impact that prolonged suffering and slavery had on the people of Israel.
Chapter Summary
In Exodus Chapter 6, God responds to Moses' concerns by reaffirming His covenant and revealing Himself by His name, the LORD (Yahweh). He promises to deliver the Israelites from their heavy burdens in Egypt with an outstretched arm and great judgments. Despite these powerful promises, the Israelites are too discouraged by their harsh labor to listen to Moses. God then commands Moses to go back to Pharaoh, but Moses expresses doubt because of his uncircumcised lips. The chapter includes a detailed genealogy focusing on the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, specifically tracing the lineage of Moses and Aaron to establish their authority and heritage. The narrative concludes by re-emphasizing the divine charge given to Moses and Aaron to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt according to their divisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a metaphorical expression Moses uses to describe his perceived lack of eloquence or a speech impediment. He uses this term to express his feeling of inadequacy when tasked with speaking before Pharaoh.
The genealogy establishes the legal and ancestral lineage of Moses and Aaron. It serves to validate their leadership and identity within the tribe of Levi before the major events of the Exodus begin.
According to the text, the Israelites did not listen because of 'anguish of spirit' and 'cruel bondage.' Their extreme physical suffering and the worsening of their conditions had led to profound discouragement.
God revealed Himself by the name 'the LORD' (Yahweh), explaining that while the patriarchs knew Him as 'God Almighty' (El Shaddai), this specific name represented a new stage of His relationship with Israel.
Study Note
The transition from 'El Shaddai' to 'Yahweh' in verse 3 signifies a shift from God being known for His power to being known for His faithful fulfillment of covenant promises.
Related Chapters
Genesis 15
This chapter details the covenant God made with Abraham, which God explicitly remembers and reaffirms in Exodus 6.
Exodus 3
This provides the initial context for the revelation of God's name at the burning bush.
Exodus 7
This chapter follows Moses and Aaron as they begin the signs and plagues before Pharaoh as God commanded.
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