January 14, 2025
God Is Faithful and Purposeful.
Exodus 4-6
Cal Baker
Big Book Idea
God redeems His people, sets them apart, and reveals Himself.
Key Verse | Exodus 4:11-12
Then the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak."
Exodus 4-6
Moses Given Powerful Signs
1 Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’” 2 The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 3 And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. 4 But the LORD said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.” 6 Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” 1 4:6 Hebrew into your bosom; also verse 7 And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous 2 4:6 Leprosy was a term for several skin diseases; see Leviticus 13 like snow. 7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh. 8 “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign. 9 If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”
10 But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.” 14 Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart. 15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do. 16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.”
Moses Returns to Egypt
18 Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 And the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” 20 So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.
21 And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”
24 At a lodging place on the way the LORD met him and sought to put him to death. 25 Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son's foreskin and touched Moses' 3 4:25 Hebrew his feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” 26 So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision.
27 The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with which he had sent him to speak, and all the signs that he had commanded him to do. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel. 30 Aaron spoke all the words that the LORD had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.
Making Bricks Without Straw
1 Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” 2 But Pharaoh said, “Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and moreover, I will not let Israel go.” 3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God, lest he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword.” 4 But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you take the people away from their work? Get back to your burdens.” 5 And Pharaoh said, “Behold, the people of the land are now many, 4 5:5 Samaritan they are now more numerous than the people of the land and you make them rest from their burdens!” 6 The same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen, 7 “You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as in the past; let them go and gather straw for themselves. 8 But the number of bricks that they made in the past you shall impose on them, you shall by no means reduce it, for they are idle. Therefore they cry, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.’ 9 Let heavier work be laid on the men that they may labor at it and pay no regard to lying words.”
10 So the taskmasters and the foremen of the people went out and said to the people, “Thus says Pharaoh, ‘I will not give you straw. 11 Go and get your straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced in the least.’” 12 So the people were scattered throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw. 13 The taskmasters were urgent, saying, “Complete your work, your daily task each day, as when there was straw.” 14 And the foremen of the people of Israel, whom Pharaoh's taskmasters had set over them, were beaten and were asked, “Why have you not done all your task of making bricks today and yesterday, as in the past?”
15 Then the foremen of the people of Israel came and cried to Pharaoh, “Why do you treat your servants like this? 16 No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, ‘Make bricks!’ And behold, your servants are beaten; but the fault is in your own people.” 17 But he said, “You are idle, you are idle; that is why you say, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.’ 18 Go now and work. No straw will be given you, but you must still deliver the same number of bricks.” 19 The foremen of the people of Israel saw that they were in trouble when they said, “You shall by no means reduce your number of bricks, your daily task each day.” 20 They met Moses and Aaron, who were waiting for them, as they came out from Pharaoh; 21 and they said to them, “The LORD look on you and judge, because you have made us stink in the sight of Pharaoh and his servants, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.”
22 Then Moses turned to the LORD and said, “O Lord, why have you done evil to this people? Why did you ever send me? 23 For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has done evil to this people, and you have not delivered your people at all.”
God Promises Deliverance
1 But the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a strong hand he will send them out, and with a strong hand he will 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, 5 6:3 Hebrew El Shaddai but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. 4 I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as sojourners. 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the people of Israel whom the Egyptians hold as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. 6 Say therefore to the people of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will deliver you from slavery to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment. 7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.’” 9 Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.
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.
The Genealogy of Moses and Aaron
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?”
Table of Contents
Introduction to Exodus
Timeline
Author and Date
Exodus (meaning exit) is best understood to have been written primarily by Moses, like the rest of the Pentateuch, though some details (such as the narrative of his death in Deuteronomy 34) were clearly added at a later time. It also appears that some language and references were updated for later readers. There is no consensus among scholars as to the date when the events of the exodus took place. A common view is that the exodus occurred in c. 1446 B.C. This is based on the calculation of 480 years from Israel’s departure from Egypt to the fourth year of Solomon’s reign (c. 966 B.C.; see 1 Kings 6:1). However, because Exodus 1:11 depicts Israel working on a city called Raamses, some scholars believe that this would suggest that the exodus occurred during the reign of Raamses II in Egypt (c. 1279–1213 B.C.), possibly around 1260 B.C. (see note on 1 Kings 6:1).
Theme
The overarching theme of Exodus is the fulfillment of God’s promises to the patriarchs. The success of the exodus must be credited to the power and purpose of God, who remembers his promises, punishes sin, and forgives the repentant. The book highlights Moses’ faithfulness and prayerfulness.
Key Themes
- Covenant promises. The events and instructions in Exodus are described as the Lord remembering his covenant promises to Abraham (2:24; 3:6, 14–17; 6:2–8). The promises extend to both Abraham’s descendants and all the nations of the world (Gen. 12:1–3). They include land (which Israel will inhabit), numerous offspring (which will secure their ongoing identity), and blessing (God cares for them and other nations). The fulfillment of these promises is rooted in Israel’s covenant relationship with the Lord (Gen. 17:7–8).
- Covenant mediator. Moses mediates between the Lord and his people. Through Moses the Lord reveals his purposes to Israel and sustains the covenant relationship.
- Covenant presence. God’s presence with his people is highlighted throughout the book of Exodus.
Outline
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Exodus of Israel from Egypt (1:1–18:27)
- Setting: Israel in Egypt (1:1–2:25)
- Call of Moses (3:1–4:31)
- Moses and Aaron: initial request (5:1–7:7)
- Plagues and exodus (7:8–15:21)
- Journey (15:22–18:27)
- Covenant at Sinai (19:1–40:38)
- Setting: Sinai (19:1–25)
- Covenant words and rules (20:1–23:33)
- Covenant confirmed (24:1–18)
- Instructions for the tabernacle (25:1–31:17)
- Moses receives the tablets (31:18)
- Covenant breach, intercession, and renewal (32:1–34:35)
- Tabernacle: preparation for the presence (35:1–40:38)
The Journey to Mount Sinai
1446 B.C.
Scholars disagree about the precise route of the exodus, but most agree that Mount Sinai is the site that today is called Jebel Musa (“Mountain of Moses”).
Fact: Putting words in his mouth?
Putting words in his mouth? When God appointed Aaron as Moses’ spokesperson (4:16), Moses was probably already familiar with the idea of someone being the "mouth" of another person. In ancient Egypt, there was a high official known as "the mouth of the king" whose job was to speak to the people of Egypt on behalf of Pharaoh.
Fact: As numerous as the stars
As numerous as the stars. As the book of Exodus begins, some 350 years have passed since the end of Genesis. The 70 Israelites who went to Egypt have grown into a great multitude. This fulfills God’s promise to multiply Abraham’s descendants and to make them a blessing to all the nations of the world (Gen. 12:1–3; 15:5).
Fact: On eagles’ wings
On eagles’ wings. The kind of eagle that the author of Exodus probably had in mind had a wingspan of 8 to 10 feet (2–3 m), making it a fitting symbol of the Lord’s ability to rescue his people from their life of slavery in Egypt.
Fact: God’s glory fills the tabernacle
Israel has witnessed some incredible events, such as the 10 plagues and the parting of the Sea. Now, at the end of Exodus, God’s glory fills the tabernacle and he will lead them to the Promised Land.
Fact: Pharaoh
Pharaoh. Egypt’s kings, called pharaohs, had absolute power over everything in Egypt. The OT mentions at least 10 different pharaohs.
Fact: Why was straw needed for making bricks?
Why was straw needed for making bricks? To withstand the harsh weather in Egypt, buildings needed especially strong bricks. Mixing straw with the clay allowed the clay to bind together and helped the bricks to dry evenly (5:10).
The Setting of Leviticus
c. 1446 B.C.
The book of Exodus finishes with Moses and Israel having constructed and assembled the tabernacle at the base of Mount Sinai. The book of Leviticus primarily records the instructions the Lord gives to Moses from the tent of meeting, but also includes narratives of a few events related to the tabernacle. (Regarding the date of the exodus, see Introduction to Exodus, and note on 1 Kings 6:1.)
Covenantal Call and Dialogue
| Moses’ Questions and Concerns | Yahweh’s Responses and Signs |
|---|---|
| Who am I that I should go? (3:11). | I will be with you; when you come out of Egypt, you will serve me on this mountain (3:12). |
| What is your name, that I may tell the people who sent me? (3:13). | I AM WHO I AM: Yahweh, the God of your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (3:14–15). |
| How would the people believe that you have sent me? (4:1). | Yahweh turns Moses’ rod into a serpent then back into a rod (4:2–4); Yahweh makes Moses’ hand leprous and then heals it (4:6–7); Yahweh instructs Moses to turn water from the Nile into blood (4:9). |
| I am not eloquent; I am slow of speech (4:10). | I, Yahweh, am the one who made your mouth (4:11). |
| Please send someone else (4:13). | Aaron will go with you; you will speak my words to him and he will speak to the people for you (4:15–16). |
The Battle between Yahweh and the Rulers of Egypt
Exodus tells about the plagues God brings about as he frees his people from Egypt. The plagues affect areas of life supposedly protected by Egypt’s gods. Thus, they show God’s power over the gods of the world’s mightiest nation.
| Type of Plague | Reference | Warning? | Time of Warning | Instruction | Agent | Staff? | Pharaoh promises to let people go? | Pharaoh’s heart hardened? | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Cycle | 1. Nile to blood | 7:14–25 | Yes | In the morning | Go to Pharaoh; Stand | Aaron | Yes | — | Yes |
| 2. Frogs from the Nile | 8:1–15 | Yes | — | Go in to Pharaoh | Aaron | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 3. Dust to gnats | 8:16–19 | — | — | — | Aaron | Yes | — | Yes | |
| 2nd Cycle | 4. Flies | 8:20–32 | Yes | Early in the morning | Present yourself to Pharaoh | God | — | Yes | Yes |
| 5. Egyptian livestock die | 9:1–7 | Yes | — | Go in to Pharaoh | God | — | — | Yes | |
| 6. Boils | 9:8–12 | — | — | — | Moses | — | — | Yes | |
| 3rd Cycle | 7. Hail | 9:13–35 | Yes | Early in the morning | Present yourself before Pharaoh | Moses | — | Yes | Yes |
| 8. Locusts | 10:1–20 | Yes | — | Go in to Pharaoh | Moses | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 9. Darkness | 10:21–29 | — | — | — | Moses | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| 10. Death of firstborn | 11:1–10; 12:29–32 | Yes | — | — | God | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Parallels between Exodus and Numbers
| Ex. 18:1 | Advice from Moses’ father-in-law | Advice from Moses’ father-in-law | Num. 10:29 |
| Ex. 15:22 | Three-day journey to Sinai | Three-day journey from Sinai | Num. 10:33 |
| Ex. 15:22–26 | Complaint about water | Unspecified complaint | Num. 11:1–3 |
| Exodus 16 | Manna and quail | Manna and quail | Num. 11:4–15, 31–35 |
| Exodus 18 | Leaders appointed to assist Moses | Leaders appointed to assist Moses | Num. 11:16–30 |
| Ex. 15:20–21 | Miriam’s song of praise | Miriam and Aaron rebel | Numbers 12 |
| Ex. 17:8–16 | Israel defeats Amalek | Israel defeated by Amalek | Num. 14:39–45 |
| Ex. 17:1–7 | Water from rock | Water from rock | Num. 20:1–13 |
| Ex. 32:6 | People sacrifice to other gods | People sacrifice to other gods | Num. 25:2 |
| Ex. 32:27 | Killing of apostates demanded | Killing of apostates demanded | Num. 25:5 |
| Ex. 32:28–29 | Levites’ status enhanced | Levites’ (Phinehas’s) status enhanced | Num. 25:6–13 |
| Ex. 32:35 | Plague on the people | Plague on the people | Num. 25:9 |
Aaron
Aaron was Moses’ brother and his spokesperson before Israel and Pharaoh. When Pharaoh refused to release the Hebrews, Aaron stretched out his rod to bring plagues upon the Egyptians. He helped Moses lead the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness. At Sinai, however, Aaron gave in to the Israelites’ sinful demand and designed a golden calf for them to worship. On another occasion, when the Lord miraculously provided water in the wilderness, both Moses and Aaron failed to give proper honor to the Lord, and as a result they were forbidden entry into the Promised Land. As a descendant of Levi, Aaron became Israel’s first high priest, and all future priests were his descendants. (Exodus 4:15)
Ex. 4:10–12 slow of speech and of tongue. The magicians and advisers in Pharaoh’s court were proud of their speaking abilities. Moses was fully justified in being concerned about his ability to present his case before Pharaoh.
Ex. 4:14 the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses. Moses was responsible for doing what God had told him. Still, the Lord helps Moses by making Aaron his spokesman.
Aaron
Aaron was Moses’ brother and his spokesperson before Israel and Pharaoh. When Pharaoh refused to release the Hebrews, Aaron stretched out his rod to bring plagues upon the Egyptians. He helped Moses lead the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness. At Sinai, however, Aaron gave in to the Israelites’ sinful demand and designed a golden calf for them to worship. On another occasion, when the Lord miraculously provided water in the wilderness, both Moses and Aaron failed to give proper honor to the Lord, and as a result they were forbidden entry into the Promised Land. As a descendant of Levi, Aaron became Israel’s first high priest, and all future priests were his descendants. (Exodus 4:15)
Ex. 4:16 He shall speak. A prophet is to speak only what God reveals, and all of what God reveals (see 7:1–2; Deut. 18:18–22). When God says that Moses shall be as God to Aaron, he is calling both of these men to faithfulness in speaking only what he reveals.
Covenantal Call and Dialogue
| Moses’ Questions and Concerns | Yahweh’s Responses and Signs |
|---|---|
| Who am I that I should go? (3:11). | I will be with you; when you come out of Egypt, you will serve me on this mountain (3:12). |
| What is your name, that I may tell the people who sent me? (3:13). | I AM WHO I AM: Yahweh, the God of your fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (3:14–15). |
| How would the people believe that you have sent me? (4:1). | Yahweh turns Moses’ rod into a serpent then back into a rod (4:2–4); Yahweh makes Moses’ hand leprous and then heals it (4:6–7); Yahweh instructs Moses to turn water from the Nile into blood (4:9). |
| I am not eloquent; I am slow of speech (4:10). | I, Yahweh, am the one who made your mouth (4:11). |
| Please send someone else (4:13). | Aaron will go with you; you will speak my words to him and he will speak to the people for you (4:15–16). |
Fact: Putting words in his mouth?
Putting words in his mouth? When God appointed Aaron as Moses’ spokesperson (4:16), Moses was probably already familiar with the idea of someone being the "mouth" of another person. In ancient Egypt, there was a high official known as "the mouth of the king" whose job was to speak to the people of Egypt on behalf of Pharaoh.
Ex. 3:1–4:17 Moses’ call at the burning bush marks the beginning of his role as mediator between the Lord and his people.
Ex. 4:21 I will harden his heart. The hardening of Pharaoh’s heart is referred to throughout chs. 4–14, emphasizing Pharaoh’s responsibility for his own actions (e.g., 8:15, 32; 9:34). However, the Lord states here that it is his sovereign hand that ultimately governs the events. Even if God hardens a sinner’s heart, however, that person still remains responsible for his sin. See Rom. 9:16–18.
Ex. 4:22–23 Israel is my firstborn son. God has remembered his covenant with Abraham (see Gen. 15:13–21). He will bring his people to the land promised to their fathers (see Gen. 15:16; 28:15). Israel’s true identity goes back to a time long before they had been in Egypt’s service.
Ex. 4:24–26 The covenant requires circumcision (Gen. 17:9–14). Failure to be circumcised may lead to being “cut off” (some form of severe punishment from God; see note on Ex. 12:15).
3:1–4:31 Call of Moses. These chapters focus primarily on the call of Moses at the burning bush (3:1–4:17). They also cover Moses’ return from Midian to Egypt: the peaceful departure from Jethro (4:18–20), the Lord’s reminder and further instruction to Moses (4:21–23), the preservation of Moses’ life by Zipporah (4:24–26), and the arrival of Aaron before Moses met with the elders of Israel (4:27–31).
Ex. 4:18–31 These verses are a transition from Moses’ exile in Midian to his return to Egypt.
Ex. 5:1 Thus says the LORD. Such statements of divine authority were common in the ancient Near East (compare v. 10) and among Hebrew prophets (e.g., Isa. 38:4–8; Jer. 2:1–2).
Fact: Pharaoh
Pharaoh. Egypt’s kings, called pharaohs, had absolute power over everything in Egypt. The OT mentions at least 10 different pharaohs.
Ex. 5:2 Pharaoh’s statement that he does not know the Lord may show a lack of knowledge of God’s true identity, but it also shows his defiance against any claim the Lord might have on him. By contrast, God’s desire is that his people might “know that I am the LORD” (8:10; see also 7:5, 17; 8:22; 9:14, 29; 10:2; 11:7).
Fact: Why was straw needed for making bricks?
Why was straw needed for making bricks? To withstand the harsh weather in Egypt, buildings needed especially strong bricks. Mixing straw with the clay allowed the clay to bind together and helped the bricks to dry evenly (5:10).
Ex. 5:15–16 In Pharaoh’s presence, Israel’s foremen refer to themselves as your servants, which is highlighted by its repetition. In stark contrast, the Lord has called Israel “my people” (v. 1).
Ex. 5:22–23 Although the Lord had promised that he would deliver his people (3:8) and had predicted that Pharaoh would resist letting them go (3:19–20; 4:21), Moses did not know exactly how this would happen. His first encounter with Pharaoh seemed to have brought evil by making both Israel’s situation and Pharaoh’s disposition worse than before.
Ex. 6:7 I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God expresses the central idea of Israel’s relationship with the Lord (see Deut. 7:6–9). God will give them great blessing, protection, and joy. and you shall know that I am the LORD your God. God will reveal himself to Israel through his acts on their behalf (see Ex. 10:2).
Ex. 6:3–8 God appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (e.g., Gen. 17:1; 26:2; 28:13), but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. This may mean that the patriarchs did not fully understand the essential character of God as represented by the name Yahweh.
Ex. 6:12 I am of uncircumcised lips (compare v. 30). It is difficult to determine whether Moses means something different from being “slow of speech and of tongue” (4:10). The phrase may echo 4:24–26. If so, Moses could be saying that he feels not only physically unable to speak (4:10) but also personally unfit to fulfill the task (compare Isa. 6:5).
Ex. 6:14–25 The genealogy begins as if the sons or heads of the household of Jacob’s sons will be listed in birth order (v. 14). First it names the sons of Reuben (v. 14b) and then Simeon (v. 15). Then it stops to focus on the sons of Levi (v. 16) and in particular on Aaron, Moses (v. 20), and Aaron’s sons (vv. 23, 25). The genealogy functions primarily to preserve (1) the family history of Moses and Aaron as the ones through whom the Lord led Israel out of Egypt, and (2) the history of Aaron’s sons as those who were called to be priests in Israel (see 28:1). Other figures in the genealogy are likely included because of their roles in events narrated in the book of Numbers: the sons of Korah (Ex. 6:24; Num. 16:1–50); and Aaron’s grandson Phinehas (Ex. 6:25; Num. 25:1–9). Like many biblical genealogies, this one does not include every single generation.
S4:012 Exodus 4-6
Listen NowDive Deeper | Exodus 4-6
I can find myself puzzled and somewhat frustrated with people in the Bible and how they lose sight of God so easily because of the challenge(s) they face. A great example of this comes in this passage, yet I find that they are strangely relatable.
At the beginning of this story, God tells Moses about His strategic plan to bring His people out of slavery. He also mentions in Exodus 4:21 that Pharaoh will not immediately let His people go because God will harden His heart. After that, Moses returns to Egypt and tells the Israelites about God's plan to rescue them. Then in Exodus 4:31 we see that "the people believed," and "they bowed their heads and worshiped."
Yet not long after this, in Exodus 5:20-22, the people are upset with Moses, and he begins to question God. When I was first reading this passage, I was baffled about how Moses and the Israelites could do this, especially considering how God had performed miracles for both of them, and God had told Moses this was going to happen.
Yet, this seems really familiar. The Bible teaches us about the promise of heaven that is given to those who put their trust in God through His Son, which inclines my heart to praise Him and follow Him. Oftentimes, we tend to lose sight of this promise, as a result of the challenges that the world throws at us, just as the Israelites did. We quickly forget that God's promise prevails over these challenges. As 1 Peter 4:12-13 says, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed."
At the end of this story, the Israelites are brought out of Egypt, just as God's people will be removed from their suffering here on earth one day. May we remember this as an encouragement to keep our focus on God and His promises.
This month's memory verse
"The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, 'The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.'"
– Exodus 34:6
Discussion Questions
1. If you are honest with yourself, do you always trust in God's faithfulness in all parts of your life?
2. How does looking back at God's past faithfulness help you trust God today?
3. What is a time in your life when you haven't trusted God's plan? How did it end?
4. What can you fully surrender to God today?