22 Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “(A)Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? 23 Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, (B)and You have not rescued Your people at all.”

God Promises Action

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for [a](C)under compulsion he will let them go, and [b]under compulsion he will drive them out of his land.”

God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am (D)the Lord; and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as [c](E)God Almighty, but by (F)My name, [d]Lord, I did not make Myself known to them. I also established (G)My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the [e]land in which they lived as strangers. Furthermore I have (H)heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. Say, therefore, to the sons of Israel, ‘(I)I am the Lord, and (J)I will bring you out from under the labors of the Egyptians, and I will rescue you from their bondage. I will also (K)redeem you with (L)an outstretched arm, and with great judgments. Then I will take you [f](M)as My people, and (N)I will be [g]your God; and (O)you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the labors of the Egyptians. I will bring you to the land which (P)I [h]swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and (Q)I will give it to you as a possession; (R)I am the Lord.’” So Moses said this to the sons of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses on (S)account of their [i]despondency and cruel bondage.

10 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 11 (T)Go, [j]tell Pharaoh king of Egypt [k]to let the sons of Israel go out of his land.” 12 But Moses spoke before the Lord, saying, “Behold, the sons of Israel have not listened to me; (U)how then will Pharaoh listen to me, as I am [l](V)unskilled in speech?” 13 Nevertheless, the Lord spoke to Moses and to Aaron and gave them a command concerning the sons of Israel and Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 6:1 Lit by a strong hand
  2. Exodus 6:1 Lit by a strong hand
  3. Exodus 6:3 Heb El Shaddai
  4. Exodus 6:3 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord
  5. Exodus 6:4 Lit land of their sojournings in which...
  6. Exodus 6:7 Lit to Me for a people
  7. Exodus 6:7 Lit to you for a God
  8. Exodus 6:8 Lit lifted up My hand
  9. Exodus 6:9 Or impatience
  10. Exodus 6:11 Lit speak to
  11. Exodus 6:11 Lit that he let
  12. Exodus 6:12 Lit uncircumcised of lips

22 So Moses returned to the Lord and asked him, “Lord, why have you caused trouble for this people? Why have you sent me here? 23 Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has caused trouble for this people, and you have done nothing to deliver your people.”

God Promises to Deliver Israel

The Lord told Moses, “Now you’re about to see what I’ll do to Pharaoh. Indeed, he’ll send them out under compulsion[a] and he’ll drive them out of his land violently.”[b]

Later, God told Moses, “I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty,[c] and did I not reveal to them my name ‘Lord’? I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land where they lived as resident aliens for a time. Also, I’ve heard the groaning of the Israelis whom the Egyptians have forced to labor for them, and I’ve remembered my covenant. Therefore, tell the Israelis, ‘I am the Lord. I’ll bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I’ll deliver you from their bondage. I’ll redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment.[d] I’ll take you for my own people,[e] and I’ll be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. I’ll bring you to the land that I swore[f] to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I’ll give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’”

Then Moses reported this to the Israelis, but they did not listen to Moses due to their irritation and impatience because there was no deliverance[g] and because of the cruel bondage.

10 Then the Lord told Moses, 11 “Go, speak to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, that he should let the Israelis go out of his land.”

12 Then Moses said right in front of the Lord, “Look, the Israelis didn’t listen to me, so how will Pharaoh? I’m not a persuasive speaker.”[h] 13 Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, issuing orders to them regarding the Israelis for delivery to Pharaoh, king of Egypt; that is, to bring the Israelis out of the land of Egypt.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 6:1 Lit. out by a strong hand
  2. Exodus 6:1 Lit. land by a strong hand
  3. Exodus 6:3 Heb. El Shaddai
  4. Exodus 6:6 Lit. great judgments
  5. Exodus 6:7 Lit. for Myself for a people
  6. Exodus 6:8 Lit. I lifted my hand
  7. Exodus 6:9 Lit. due to shortness of spirit
  8. Exodus 6:12 Lit. uncircumcised of lip; i.e. an unrefined speaker