⁶ “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak;^(A) I am too young.”^(B)

¹² But Moses said to the Lord, “If the Israelites will not listen^(A) to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips^[a]?”^(B)

¹⁰ Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”^(A)

¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute?^(B) Who gives them sight or makes them blind?^(C) Is it not I, the Lord? ¹² Now go;^(D) I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.”^(E)

¹³ But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.”^(F)

¹⁴ Then the Lord’s anger burned^(G) against Moses and he said, “What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet^(H) you, and he will be glad to see you. ¹⁵ You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth;^(I) I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. ¹⁶ He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth^(J) and as if you were God to him.^(K)

⁷ “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child^(A) and do not know how to carry out my duties. ⁸ Your servant is here among the people you have chosen,^(B) a great people, too numerous to count or number.^{(C) 9} So give your servant a discerning^(D) heart to govern your people and to distinguish^(E) between right and wrong. For who is able^(F) to govern this great people of yours?”

³⁰ But Moses said to the Lord, “Since I speak with faltering lips,^(A) why would Pharaoh listen to me?”

¹³ But I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! The prophets^(A) keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine.^(B) Indeed, I will give you lasting peace^(C) in this place.’”

Signs for Moses

4 Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen^(A) to me and say, ‘The Lord did not appear to you’?”

¹⁰ Then I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! How completely you have deceived^(A) this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’^(B) when the sword is at our throats!”