10 So the Lord said to Moses, 11 “Go in, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the people of Israel go out of his land.” 12 But Moses said to the Lord, “Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?” 13 But the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge about the people of Israel and about Pharaoh king of Egypt: to bring the people 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, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the clans of Reuben. 15 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the clans of Simeon. 16 These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari, the years of the life of Levi being 137 years. 17 The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, by their clans. 18 The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, the years of the life of Kohath being 133 years. 19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their generations. 20 Amram took as his wife Jochebed his father’s sister, and she bore him Aaron and Moses, the years of the life of Amram being 137 years. 21 The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. 22 The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri. 23 Aaron took as his wife Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and the sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 24 The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the clans of the Korahites. 25 Eleazar, Aaron’s son, took as his wife one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites by their clans.
26 These are the Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said: “Bring out the people of Israel from the land of Egypt by their hosts.” 27 It was they who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing out the people of Israel from Egypt, this Moses and this 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 say to you.” 30 But Moses said to the Lord, “Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips. How will Pharaoh listen to me?”
7 And the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. 2 You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the people of Israel go out of his land. 3 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, 4 Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. 5 The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.” 6 Moses and Aaron did so; they did just as the Lord commanded them. 7 Now Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.
Section Overview
This section transitions between the failed attempt at deliverance that led to the people’s discouragement (5:1–6:9) and the coming display of the Lord’s mighty hand that will lead to the people’s departure (7:8–11:10). It comprises three parts. In the first the Lord reissues his charge to Moses to go to Pharaoh, and Moses expresses his inability to do so (6:10–12). In the second the story is interrupted to provide Moses and Aaron’s genealogy (vv. 13–27). This is significant information for the original audience (cf. discussion below) and appropriately placed for the central role Moses and Aaron are about to play. The third part resumes the story and gives an overview of the coming chapters, underscoring the Lord’s coming deliverance of Israel (6:28–7:7). This should give the audience hope as the narrative turns to describe Moses and Aaron’s confrontations with Pharaoh (7:8–11:10).
Section Outline
I. Israel in Egypt: the Lord promises deliverance (1:1–11:10) . . .
E. Preparation for the deliverance to come (6:10–7:7)
1. The preparation begins: the Lord reissues his command for Moses and Aaron to confront Pharaoh (6:10–12)
2. The genealogy of Moses and Aaron (6:13–27)
3. The preparation resumed and an overview of what is to come (6:28–7:7)
Response
What Is the Relationship between the Beginning of Our Story and Our Usefulness?
In Israel’s world a person’s genealogy had possible implications for his social standing. This was true in terms of family of origin, with wealthier families often having more social sway. But it was true also (for males) in terms of birth order, with firstborn sons being regarded as the “firstfruits” of a father’s strength (Gen. 49:3) and entrusted with extra family responsibilities (cf. comment on 4:21–23).
In this genealogy, however, many key characters neither are the firstborn nor do they descend from the firstborn. The Levites play a crucial role at the all-important tabernacle but descend from Jacob’s third son (6:14–16). The priestly family is the most important among the Levites but come from Levi’s second son (6:16, 18, 20, 23, 25). And second-born Moses, not firstborn Aaron, is Israel’s key leader. The same occurs elsewhere. The Lord chooses second-born Jacob over firstborn Esau (Gen. 25:23). He likewise chooses David, who is eighth-born and the youngest of his brothers (1 Sam. 16:6–12).
Such decisions make clear the Lord does not abide by society’s rules when choosing those he will use. No matter our social status, family of origin, or place in our family, the Lord can use us as much as anyone else. If anything, the weaker we are in the world’s eyes, the more God delights to use us, so that the world might see that someone far greater than us has chosen to work through us (cf. 1 Cor. 1:26–29). This leads to a second question.
What Stands behind Our Usefulness?
While the Lord sends Moses and Aaron to deliver Israel, he will clearly be the one at work through them. He repeats the word “I” like hammer blows when describing Israel’s deliverance (Ex. 7:3–5). Moses and Aaron are his servants, but he is Israel’s ultimate deliverer.
Moses and Aaron need to hear this. By themselves, they cannot convince the world’s most powerful ruler to turn from his cruelty and give up a source of free labor. But it is just at this point that the Lord emphasizes that he himself will do this impossible task—because only he can do it. And Moses and Aaron respond in faith, relying not on their own strength but on the strength of Yahweh, the great I Am (7:6). We find strength to obey, even to try the impossible, not because of what we find within ourselves but because of the one we look to in faith to use us for his glory.
What Is the Relationship between the End of This Story and God’s Character?164
To Pharaoh’s sarcastic “Who is the Lord?” (5:2) the Lord has already answered in word (6:1–9)165 and now describes how he will answer in deed (7:3–5). These deeds will show all Egypt, and ultimately “all the earth” (9:16), who he is. His deeds will include both judgment and deliverance.
In terms of judgment, Fretheim’s comments are worth citing at length:
Public acts of judgment are in view. What Pharaoh and the Egyptians have done to God’s work of life and blessing in the world will not be overlooked. God will not be indifferent to evil. Acts of cruelty and ruthlessness, which bring people to the brink of despair, must be brought to justice and publicly exposed for what they are, so that the world will know that such anticreation deeds will not be tolerated. Indeed, unless there is judgment, the creation that God intends will be turned into chaos. . . . The reference to other nations hearing of God’s deeds (15:15–16; cf. 18:1, 8–12) focuses at just this point—they may well be next on God’s agenda for wiping out the evils of the world.166
In terms of deliverance, by bringing his people out of Egypt the Lord makes clear to Egypt and the world that he is Israel’s powerful God as well as their redeeming God. He not only fights against evil; he also fights to restore good. In Israel’s case he will lead her to “a land flowing with milk and honey” (3:8), a second Eden where his people can flourish under his loving care and provision. This pictures his intent for his creation and looks forward, together with his public judgments, to the day when in and through Jesus he will bring full and final justice to bear for all wrongs, dwell in the midst of his people as their God, wipe every tear from their eyes, and restore the world to the place of goodness, justice, mercy and love he intends it to be (Rev. 21:1–8). And that means that, as these stories unfold, they serve both as warnings to repent of evil and as encouragements to look to God for deliverance in the midst of it, fixing our eyes with hope on the return of Jesus, when all will be made right and new.Exodus 6:10–7:7