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Exodus 6

Exodus book home•Chapter 6 of 40•30 verses

Chapter overviewAt a glance + deeper study

REVIEWED OVERVIEW

Exodus 6 Overview

Exodus 6 answers the crisis of chapter 5 with God’s own promises. The LORD identifies himself, recalls his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and repeatedly declares what he will do: bring Israel out, rid them of bondage, redeem them with an outstretched arm, take them as his people, be their God, and bring them into the promised land. Israel cannot hear Moses because of anguish and cruel bondage. Moses again questions his ability to speak before Pharaoh. A genealogy then situates Moses and Aaron within Levi’s family and confirms the identity of the men commissioned to lead Israel out.

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Before you read Exodus 6

Coming from

Exodus 5 ends with Israel’s burdens increased and Moses asking God why the mission has brought further evil upon the people.

In this chapter

God answers by centering the mission in his covenant identity and repeated “I will” promises rather than in Moses’ strength.

Leads into

Exodus 7 resumes the confrontation with Pharaoh and begins the public signs and plagues.

Key understanding

Major truths in this chapterExplore deeper

Truth 1

Deliverance rests on the LORD’s covenant faithfulness and action, not on Israel’s emotional strength or Moses’ confidence.

Truth 2

The repeated “I will” statements make God the primary actor in redemption from Egypt.

Truth 3

Israel’s inability to listen because of anguish is treated as the effect of crushing bondage, not as proof that God’s promise has failed.

Truth 4

Redemption includes both release from slavery and a covenant relationship: “I will take you to me for a people.”

Truth 5

The genealogy roots Moses and Aaron in real family history and identifies the appointed leaders.

Connections to the rest of ScriptureExplore deeper

Connection 1

Genesis 15, 17, 26, and 28 supply the covenant promises invoked here.

Connection 2

Leviticus and Deuteronomy later develop the covenant identity expressed in “I will be to you a God.”

Connection 3

Romans 9 cites Exodus-era revelation in Paul’s larger argument about God’s purpose and mercy.

Connection 4

Revelation repeatedly uses redemption-from-bondage imagery in worship and final deliverance, though the historical Exodus remains unique.

What is clear, and where care is neededExplore deeper

Keep this clear 1

The statement about God’s name in verse 3 should be read carefully with Genesis, where the name LORD appears. The verse emphasizes the patriarchs’ experience of God and the fuller covenant significance now being disclosed, not necessarily total ignorance of the name’s sound.

Keep this clear 2

Israel’s anguish should not be condemned simplistically; the text recognizes how severe bondage affects the ability to receive encouragement.

Keep this clear 3

The genealogy is not filler. It establishes lineage, especially the Levitical identity of Moses and Aaron.

Keep this clear 4

Moses’ “uncircumcised lips” is an expression of inadequacy in speech, not a new covenant sign concerning his mouth.

Read Exodus 6 watching for…

Every “I will” statement from the LORD.

The link between redemption and covenant relationship.

Israel’s anguish and inability to hear.

The genealogy’s focus on Levi, Kohath, Amram, Aaron, and Moses.

How the chapter shifts confidence away from Moses and onto God.

Chapter outline4 sections

1-8God promises deliverance and remembers his covenant 9-13Israel will not hear and Moses is sent again 14-27The families of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi are recorded 28-30Moses repeats his concern before the LORD

Then 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.

And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD:

And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.

And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.

Wherefore say unto 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 a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.

And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,

Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.

And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?

And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

These be the heads of their fathers' houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben.

And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon.

And 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 an hundred thirty and seven years.

The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families.

And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years.

And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.

And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.

And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.

And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri.

And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites.

And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families.

These 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.

These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron.

And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt,

That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee.

And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?

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Exodus 6:2

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