God Promises Deliverance

1But the LORD said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh, for because of My mighty hand he will let the people go; because of My strong hand he will drive them out of his land.”

2God also told Moses, “I am the LORD. 3I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by My name the LORD I did not make Myself known to them. 4I also established My covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the land where they lived as foreigners. 5Furthermore, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered My covenant. 6Therefore tell the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians and deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7I will take you as My own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8And I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the LORD!’ ” 9Moses relayed this message to the Israelites, but on account of their broken spirit and cruel bondage, they did not listen to him.

Moses and Aaron Sent to Pharaoh

10So the LORD said to Moses, 11“Go and tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his land.” 12But in the LORD’s presence Moses replied, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, then why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I am unskilled in speech?

Genealogies of Moses and Aaron

13Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge concerning both the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.

14These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were the clans of Reuben. 15The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. These were the clans of Simeon. 16These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years. 17The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimei, by their clans. 18The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years. 19The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites according to their records. 20And Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years. 21The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. 22The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri. 23And Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. 24The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These were the clans of the Korahites. 25Aaron’s son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These were the heads of the Levite families by their clans.

Moses and Aaron's Story Recounted

26It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, “Bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by their divisions.” 27 Moses and Aaron were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt in order to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

28Now on the day that the LORD spoke to Moses in Egypt, 29He said to him, “I am the LORD; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt everything I say to you.” 30But in the LORD’s presence Moses replied, “Since I am unskilled in speech, why would Pharaoh listen to me?”