1 God Promises Action Then the Lsaid to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; forLit with a strong hand.under compulsion he will [not only] let them go, but under compulsion he will drive them out of his land.”
2 Then God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am the L.
3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob (Israel) as God Almighty [El Shaddai], but by MySee note 3:15.name,Heb YHWH (Yahweh), usually rendered Lord, i.e. the One who would redeem Israel.L, I did not make Myself known to them [in acts and great miracles].
4 I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as strangers (temporary residents, foreigners).
5 And I have also heard the groaning of the sons of Israel, whom the Egyptians have enslaved, and I have [faithfully] remembered My covenant [with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob].
6 Therefore, say to the children of Israel, ‘I am the L, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will free you from their bondage. I will redeemandrescue you with an outstretched (vigorous, powerful) arm and with great acts of judgment [against Egypt].
7 Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lyour God, who redeemed youandbrought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
8 I will bring you to the land which ILit lifted up My hand.swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel); and I will give it to you as a possession. I am the L[you have the promise of My changeless omnipotence and faithfulness].’ ”
9 Moses told this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of theirLit shortness of spirit.impatienceanddespondency, and because of their forced labor.
10 The Lspoke to Moses, saying,
11 “Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the children of Israel go out of his land.”
12 But Moses said to the L, “Look, [my own people] the Israelites have not listened to me; so how then will Pharaoh listen to me, for I amLit uncircumcised of lips.unskilledandinept in speech?”
13 Then the Lspoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them a command concerning the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.
14 The Heads of Israel These are the heads of their fathers’ households. The sons of Reuben, Israel’s (Jacob’s) firstborn: Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben.
15 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, 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 births: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; and Levi lived a hundred and thirty-seven years.
17 The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, by their families.
18 The sons of Kohath: Amram (Moses’ father), Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel; and Kohath lived a hundred and thirty-three years.
19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of Levi according to their generations.
20 Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she gave birth to Aaron and Moses; and Amram lived a hundred and thirty-seven years.
21 The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.
22 The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.
23 Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and the sister of Nahshon, and she gave birth to Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
24 The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These are the [extended] families of the Korahites.
25 Eleazar, Aaron’s son, married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she gave birth to Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ households of the Levites by their families.
26 These are [the same] Aaron and Moses to whom the Lsaid, “Bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by theirOr hosts. The Israelites left Egypt arranged by tribes as a quasi-army prepared to defend themselves, if necessary.armies.”
27 They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt; these are [the same] Moses and Aaron.
28 Now it happened on the day when the Lspoke to Moses in the land of Egypt,
29 that He said, “I am the L; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt everything that I say to you.”
30 But Moses said before the L, “Look, I amLit uncircumcised of lips.unskilledandinept in speech; how then will Pharaoh listen to meandpay attention to what I say?”