Exodus 6

1 The 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.”

2 God spoke to Moses, and said to him, “I am the LORD.

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.

4 I 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.

5 Moreover I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage, and I have remembered my covenant.

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.

7 I 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.

8 I 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.’”

9 Moses spoke so to the children of Israel, but they didn’t listen to Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

10 The 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.”

12 Moses 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?”

13 The 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.

14 These 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.

15 The 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.

16 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 one hundred thirty-seven years.

17 The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families.

18 The sons of Kohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel; and the years of the life of Kohath were one hundred thirty-three years.

19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations.

20 Amram 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.

21 The sons of Izhar: Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.

22 The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.

23 Aaron took Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, as his wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

24 The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites.

25 Eleazar 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.

26 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.”

27 These are those who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are that Moses and Aaron.

28 On the day when the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt,

29 The LORD said to Moses, “I am the LORD. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I tell you.”

30 Moses said before the LORD, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh listen to me?”

Around Exodus 6

Context

Context for this book is being written. A note appears here only once it names its sources.

AI explanation

Exodus 6 · Written by an AI model · Not reviewed by a theological reader

This explanation was written by an AI model to help you get started. It names no sources and can contain mistakes. Scripture comes first, and context with sources is shown separately on this page.

What this chapter says

Moses has just asked why God has not rescued his people, and God answers with a flood of promises. “I am the LORD.” He appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and he has heard the groaning of Israel and remembered his covenant. He will bring them out, redeem them with an outstretched arm, take them as his people, and be their God.

But when Moses tells the Israelites, they don't listen, for anguish of spirit and cruel bondage. Moses tells God that if Israel won't listen, Pharaoh certainly won't, since his lips are uncircumcised. God commands him and Aaron to go anyway.

Then the narrative pauses for a family record of Reuben, Simeon and Levi, which leads to Amram, Jochebed, and their sons Aaron and Moses.

Background

After the setback in Exodus 5, the chapter restates the heart of the promise in several verbs of rescue, which Jewish tradition connects with the cups of the Passover meal. The statement about God's name in verse 3 has been discussed by readers for a long time, because the name appears earlier in Genesis. The genealogy may feel like an interruption, but it places Moses and Aaron in the line of Levi and shows that these leaders belong to the people they serve. The same two brothers speak to Pharaoh in Exodus 7.

About this explanation

Written by Claude Sonnet 5.5, an AI model, on 22 October 2026. It draws on the WEB text and general knowledge and was not checked against sources by a person. Every quotation from Scripture is checked automatically against the WEB text.

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World English Bible. Public-domain source and edition notes