Exodus 6

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, Now shall you see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.

But the Lord told Moses, “Now you'll see what I'm going to do to Pharaoh. Using my great strength I will force him to let them go; because of my power he will send them out from his country.”

2 And God spoke to Moses, and said to him, I am the LORD:

God spoke to Moses and told him, “I am Yahweh!

3 And I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

I revealed myself as God Almighty to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, but they didn't know my name, ‘Yahweh.’

4 And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers.

I also confirmed my solemn agreement with them to give them the land of Canaan, the country where they were living as foreigners.

5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.

In addition I've heard the groans of the Israelites that the Egyptians are treating as slaves, and I haven't forgotten the agreement I promised them.

6 Why 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 rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:

So tell the Israelites, ‘I am the Lord and I will save you from the forced labor the Egyptians are making you do; I will set you free from being their slaves. I will rescue you using my power and imposing heavy punishments.

7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, which brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

I will make you my own people. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in Egypt.

8 And I will bring you in to the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD.

I will take you to the land that I solemnly promised to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you to own. I am the Lord!’”

9 And Moses spoke so to the children of Israel: but they listened not to Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

Moses explained this to the Israelites but they did not listen to him, because they were so discouraged and because of the hard labor they were forced to do.

10 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,

Then the Lord said to Moses,

11 Go in, speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.

“Go and speak to Pharaoh, king of Egypt. Tell him to let the Israelites leave his country.”

12 And Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not listened to me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?

But Moses replied, “Even my own people don't listen to me. Why would Pharaoh listen to me, especially since I'm such a poor speaker?”

13 And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, and gave them a charge to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.

But the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, and told them what to do regarding the people of Israel and Pharaoh, king of Egypt, in order to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

14 These be the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben.

These were the Israelite family heads. The sons of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel, were Hanok and Pallu, Hezron and Karmi. These were the families of Reuben.

15 And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon.

The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, (the son of a Canaanite woman). These were the families of Simeon.

16 And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years.

These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their genealogical records: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived for 137 years.

17 The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families.

The sons of Gershon, by families, were Libni and Shimei.

18 And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years.

The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived for 133 years.

19 And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.

The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the families of the Levites according to their genealogical records.

20 And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.

Amram married his father's sister Jochebed, and she had their sons Aaron and Moses. Amram lived for 137 years.

21 And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.

The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.

22 And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri.

The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.

23 And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bore him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon. She had their sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

24 And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites.

The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These were the Korahite families.

25 And Eleazar Aaron’s son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bore him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families.

Eleazar, son of Aaron, married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she had their son Phinehas. These are the ancestors of the Levite families, listed according to their clans. Eleazar son of Aaron married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she gave birth to his son, Phinehas. These are the heads of the Levite families, listed by family.

26 These are that Aaron and Moses, to whom the LORD said, Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.

Aaron and Moses mentioned here are the ones the Lord told, “Lead the Israelites out of Egypt, divided up in their respective tribes.”

27 These are they which spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron.

Moses and Aaron were also the ones who went to speak with Pharaoh, king of Egypt, about the Israelites leaving Egypt.

28 And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt,

When the Lord spoke to Moses in Egypt,

29 That the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak you to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say to you.

he said to him, “I am the Lord. Tell Pharaoh, king of Egypt, all that I tell you.”

30 And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh listen to me?

But Moses replied, “I'm not a good speaker—why would Pharaoh listen to me?”