Exodus 6

God Reassures Moses

1 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now you are going to see what I am about to do to Pharaoh. When I flex My power, he is going to let you all go. In fact, he will kick you all out himself.’

2 God continued, ‘I am the Lord.’

3 ‘I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but I did not fully reveal My name, the Lord, to them.’

4 ‘I made a promise with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they were just living as strangers.’

5 ‘Now I have heard the groaning of My people in Egypt, and I remember the promise I made to them.’

6 ‘So tell the Israelites: I am the Lord, and I am about to free you all from slavery in Egypt. I am going to save you with My mighty power and lay down some serious judgment on Egypt.’

7 ‘I will make you all My people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord, your God, who saved you from slavery in Egypt.’

8 ‘I will bring you to the land I promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as your own. I am the Lord.’

9 Moses told all this to the Israelites, but they did not want to hear it. They were too beat down from the hard work and their suffering.

God Sends Moses Back to Pharaoh

10 Then the Lord told Moses,

11 ‘Go back to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and tell him to let the Israelites go out of his land.’

12 But Moses said, ‘Lord, if the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh, I am not good at speaking.’

13 But the Lord told Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh again and gave them orders about leading the Israelites out of Egypt.

The Family of Moses and Aaron

14 These are the heads of the families in Israel: Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, had sons, Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These were his clans.

15 Simeon had sons, Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul (whose mom was a Canaanite). These were his clans.

16 Levi had sons too, Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.

17 The clans of Gershon were Libni and Shimei.

18 Kohath’s sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.

19 Merari’s sons were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of Levi.

20 Amram married his aunt Jochebed, and they had Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.

21 Izhar’s sons were Korah, Nepheg, and Zikri.

22 Uzziel’s sons were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.

23 Aaron married Elisheba (Amminadab’s daughter and Nahshon’s sister), and they had Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

24 Korah’s sons were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These were the Korahite clans.

25 Eleazar (Aaron’s son) married one of Putiel’s daughters, and they had Phinehas. These were the heads of the Levite families.

God Calls Moses Again

26 This is the same Aaron and Moses that God told to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, tribe by tribe.

27 They are the ones who spoke to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to free the Israelites. Same Moses and Aaron.

28 Now, when the Lord spoke to Moses in Egypt,

29 He said, ‘I am the Lord. Tell Pharaoh everything I tell you.’

30 But Moses said, ‘I cannot speak well. Why would Pharaoh listen to me,’