Exodus 6:10

6:10-13 The faith of Moses was so feeble that he could scarcely be kept to his work. Ready obedience is always according to the strength of our faith. Though our weaknesses ought to humble us, yet they ought not to discourage us from doing our best in any service we have to do for God. When Moses repeats his baffled arguments, he is argued with no longer, but God gives him and Aaron a charge, both to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh. God's authority is sufficient to answer all objections, and binds all to obey, without murmuring or disputing, Php 2:14.

Verses 10-12. - The Israelites having shown themselves, for the time, unimpressible, God commands Moses to make his next effort upon the Pharaoh. He is to enter into his presence once more, and demand, without circumlocution or obscurity, that the Israelites be allowed to quit the land (ver. 11). Moses, however, demurs. He had done God's will with respect to the people readily and at once, expecting that , as he had persuaded them before, so he would a second time. But he had been disappointed; the people had refused to listen to him. Immediately all his original self-distrust and diffidence recurred - even the old form of diffidence, distrust of his ability to persuade men ( Exodus 4:10 ). How shall he expect to persuade Pharaoh, who had already rejected him ( Exodus 5:2-5 ), when he bad just failed with his own countrymen, who previously had "believed" his report ( Exodus 4:31 )? Exodus 6:10

They hearkened not - The contrast between the reception of this communication and that recorded in Exodus 4:31 is accounted for by the change of circumstances. On the former occasion the people were comparatively at ease, accustomed to their lot, sufficiently afflicted to long for deliverance, and sufficiently free in spirit to hope for it. For anguish - See the margin; out of breath, as it were, after their cruel disappointment, they were quite absorbed by their misery, unable and unwilling to attend to any fresh communication.

9-11. Moses spake so unto the children of Israel—The increased severities inflicted on the Israelites seem to have so entirely crushed their spirits, as well as irritated them, that they refused to listen to any more communications (Ex 14:12). Even the faith of Moses himself was faltering; and he would have abandoned the enterprise in despair had he not received a positive command from God to revisit the people without delay, and at the same time renew their demand on the king in a more decisive and peremptory tone.

CHAPTER 6 Ex 6:1-13. Renewal of the Promise. 1. the Lord said unto Moses—The Lord, who is long-suffering and indulgent to the errors and infirmities of His people, made allowance for the mortification of Moses as the result of this first interview and cheered him with the assurance of a speedy and successful termination to his embassy.God encourageth Moses, Exodus 6:1; reneweth his covenant, confirms it by his name Jehovah, Exodus 6:3-8. Their unbelief, Exodus 6:9. God commands Moses to speak to Pharaoh to let Israel go, Exodus 6:10-13. The genealogy of Reuben, Exodus 6:14; of Simeon, Exodus 6:15; of Levi, Exodus 6:16; of Aaron, Exodus 6:23. Moses and Aaron spake to Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go, Exodus 6:27 With a strong hand; being compelled to do so by my powerful and terrible works.

When Moses communicated this solemn assurance of God to the people, they did not listen to him רוּה מּקּצר, lit., "for shortness of breath;" not "from impatience" (like קצר־רוּח, Proverbs 14:29 , in contrast to אפּים ארך), but from anguish, inward pressure, which prevents a man from breathing properly. Thus the early belief of the Israelites was changed into the despondency of unbelief through the increase of their oppression. This result also produced despondency in Moses' mind, so that he once more declined the commission, which followed the promise, viz., to go to Pharaoh and demand that he would let Israel go out of his land ( Exodus 6:11 ). If the children of Israel would not listen to him, how should Pharaoh hear him, especially as he was uncircumcised in the lips ( Exodus 6:12 )? שׁפתים ערל is one whose lips are, as it were, covered with a foreskin, so that he cannot easily bring out his words; in meaning the same as "heavy of mouth" in Exodus 4:10 . The reply of God to this objection is given in Exodus 7:1-5 . For, before the historian gives the decisive answer of Jehovah which removed all further hesitation on the part of Moses, and completed his mission and that of Aaron to Pharaoh, he considers it advisable to introduce the genealogy of the two men of God, for the purpose of showing clearly their genealogical relation to the people of Israel.

[Bible] 6:5. I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel, wherewith the Egyptians have oppressed them: and I have remembered my covenant. 6:6. Therefore say to the children of Israel: I am the Lord who will bring you out from the work-prison of the Egyptians, and will deliver you from bondage: and redeem you with a high arm, and great judgments. 6:7. And I will take you to myself for my people, I will be your God: and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from the work-prison of the Egyptians: 6:8. And brought you into the land, concerning which I lifted up my hand to give it to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: and I will give it you to possess: I am the Lord. 6:9. And Moses told all this to the children of Israel: but they did not hearken to him, for anguish of spirit, and most painful work. 6:10. And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: 6:11. Go in, and speak to Pharao king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land. 6:12. Moses answered before the Lord: Behold the children of Israel do not hearken to me: and how will Pharao hear me, especially as I am of uncircumcised lips? Uncircumcised lips... So he calls the defect he had in his words, or utterance. 6:13. And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, and he gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharao the king of Egypt, that they should bring forth the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. 6:14. These are the heads of their houses by their families. The sons of Ruben the firstborn of Israel: Henoch and Phallu, Hesron and Charmi. 6:15. These are the kindreds of Ruben. The sons of Simeon, Jamuel and Jamin, and Ahod, and Jachin, and Soar, and Saul the son of a Chanaanitess: these are the families of Simeon. 6:16. And these are the names of the sons of Levi by their kindreds: Gerson, and Caath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi were a hundred and thirty-seven. 6:17. The sons of Gerson: Lobni and Semei, by their kindreds.

God commands Moses to speak to Pharaoh to let Israel go, Exodus 6:10-13. The genealogy of Reuben, Exodus 6:14; of Simeon, Exodus 6:15; of Levi, Exodus 6:16; of Aaron, Exodus 6:23. Moses and Aaron spake to Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go, Exodus 6:27 With a strong hand; being compelled to do so by my powerful and terrible works. Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThen the Lord said unto Moses,.... In answer to the questions put to him, and the expostulations made with him: now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: in inflicting punishments on him: for with a strong hand shall he let them go; being forced to it by the mighty hand of God upon him; and it is by some rendered, "because of a strong hand" (s); so Jarchi; for this is not to be understood of the hand of Pharaoh, but of the hand of God: and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land: not only be willing that they should go, but be urgent upon them to be gone, Exodus 12:33. (s) "propter manum validam"; so some in Drusius. Geneva Study BibleThen the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.