God Promises Action

1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for [a]under compulsion he will [not only] let them go, but under compulsion he will drive them out of his land.”

2Then God spoke further to Moses and said to him, “I am the LORD. 3I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob (Israel) as God Almighty [El Shaddai], but by My [b]name, [c]LORD, I did not make Myself known to them [in acts and great miracles]. 4I also established My covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they lived as strangers (temporary residents, foreigners). 5And 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]. 6Therefore, say to the children of Israel, ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will free you from their bondage. I will redeem and rescue you with an outstretched (vigorous, powerful) arm and with great acts of judgment [against Egypt]. 7Then I will take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who redeemed you and brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8I will bring you to the land which I [d]swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel); and I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD [you have the promise of My changeless omnipotence and faithfulness].’” 9Moses told this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their [e]impatience and despondency, and because of their forced labor.

10The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 11“Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the children of Israel go out of his land.” 12But Moses said to the LORD, “Look, [my own people] the Israelites have not listened to me; so how then will Pharaoh listen to me, for I am [f]unskilled and inept in speech?” 13Then the LORD spoke 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.

The Heads of Israel

14These 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. 15The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon. 16These 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. 17The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, by their families. 18The sons of Kohath: Amram (Moses’ father), Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel; and Kohath lived a hundred and thirty-three years. 19The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of Levi according to their generations. 20Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she gave birth to Aaron and Moses; and Amram lived a hundred and thirty-seven years. 21The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. 22The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri. 23Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and the sister of Nahshon, and she gave birth to Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. 24The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These are the [extended] families of the Korahites. 25Eleazar, 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. 26These are [the same] Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, “Bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their [g]armies.” 27They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt; these are [the same] Moses and Aaron.

28Now it happened on the day when the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, 29that He said, “I am the LORD; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt everything that I say to you.” 30But Moses said before the LORD, “Look, I am [h]unskilled and inept in speech; how then will Pharaoh listen to me and pay attention to what I say?”

[a] 1 Lit with a strong hand.
[b] 3 See note 3:15.
[c] 3 Heb YHWH (Yahweh), usually rendered LORD, i.e. the One who would redeem Israel.
[d] 8 Lit lifted up My hand.
[e] 9 Lit shortness of spirit.
[f] 12 Lit uncircumcised of lips.
[g] 26 Or hosts. The Israelites left Egypt arranged by tribes as a quasi-army prepared to defend themselves, if necessary.
[h] 30 Lit uncircumcised of lips.