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Exodus 4:27-6:13
The Message
Exodus 4:27-6:13
The Message
27-28 God spoke to Aaron, “Go and meet Moses in the wilderness.” He went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. Moses told Aaron the message that God had sent him to speak and the wonders he had commanded him to do.
29-31 So Moses and Aaron proceeded to round up all the leaders of Israel. Aaron told them everything that God had told Moses and demonstrated the wonders before the people. And the people trusted and listened believingly that God was concerned with what was going on with the Israelites and knew all about their affliction. They bowed low and they worshiped.
Moses and Aaron and Pharaoh
5 After that Moses and Aaron approached Pharaoh. They said, “God, the God of Israel, says, ‘Free my people so that they can hold a festival for me in the wilderness.’”
2 Pharaoh said, “And who is God that I should listen to him and send Israel off? I know nothing of this so-called ‘God’ and I’m certainly not going to send Israel off.”
3 They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness so we can worship our God lest he strike us with either disease or death.”
4-5 But the king of Egypt said, “Why on earth, Moses and Aaron, would you suggest the people be given a holiday? Back to work!” Pharaoh went on, “Look, I’ve got all these people freeloading, and now you want to reward them with time off?”
6-9 Pharaoh took immediate action. He sent down orders to the slave-drivers and their underlings: “Don’t provide straw for the people for making bricks as you have been doing. Make them get their own straw. And make them produce the same number of bricks—no reduction in their daily quotas! They’re getting lazy. They’re going around saying, ‘Give us time off so we can worship our God.’ Crack down on them. That’ll cure them of their whining, their god-fantasies.”
10-12 The slave-drivers and their underlings went out to the people with their new instructions. “Pharaoh’s orders: No more straw provided. Get your own straw wherever you can find it. And not one brick less in your daily work quota!” The people scattered all over Egypt scrambling for straw.
13 The slave-drivers were merciless, saying, “Complete your daily quota of bricks—the same number as when you were given straw.”
14 The Israelite foremen whom the slave-drivers had appointed were beaten and badgered. “Why didn’t you finish your quota of bricks yesterday or the day before—and now again today?”
15-16 The Israelite foremen came to Pharaoh and cried out for relief: “Why are you treating your servants like this? Nobody gives us any straw and they tell us, ‘Make bricks!’ Look at us—we’re being beaten. And it’s not our fault.”
17-18 But Pharaoh said, “Lazy! That’s what you are! Lazy! That’s why you whine, ‘Let us go so we can worship God.’ Well then, go—go back to work. Nobody’s going to give you straw, and at the end of the day you better bring in your full quota of bricks.”
19 The Israelite foremen saw that they were in a bad way, having to go back and tell their workers, “Not one brick short in your daily quota.”
20-21 As they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them. The foremen said to them, “May God see what you’ve done and judge you—you’ve made us stink before Pharaoh and his servants! You’ve put a weapon in his hand that’s going to kill us!”
22-23 Moses went back to God and said, “My Master, why are you treating this people so badly? And why did you ever send me? From the moment I came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, things have only gotten worse for this people. And rescue? Does this look like rescue to you?”
6 God said to Moses, “Now you’ll see what I’ll do to Pharaoh: With a strong hand he’ll send them out free; with a strong hand he’ll drive them out of his land.”
2-6 God continued speaking to Moses, reassuring him, “I am God. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as The Strong God, but by my name God (I-Am-Present) I was not known to them. I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, the country in which they lived as sojourners. But now I’ve heard the groanings of the Israelites whom the Egyptians continue to enslave and I’ve remembered my covenant. Therefore tell the Israelites:
6-8 “I am God. I will bring you out from under the cruel hard labor of Egypt. I will rescue you from slavery. I will redeem you, intervening with great acts of judgment. I’ll take you as my own people and I’ll be God to you. You’ll know that I am God, your God who brings you out from under the cruel hard labor of Egypt. I’ll bring you into the land that I promised to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and give it to you as your own country. I AM God.”
9 But when Moses delivered this message to the Israelites, they didn’t even hear him—they were that beaten down in spirit by the harsh slave conditions.
10-11 Then God said to Moses, “Go and speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt so that he will release the Israelites from his land.”
12 Moses answered God, “Look—the Israelites won’t even listen to me. How do you expect Pharaoh to? And besides, I stutter.”
13 But God again laid out the facts to Moses and Aaron regarding the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he again commanded them to lead the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.
Exodus 4:27-6:13
New International Version
Exodus 4:27-6:13
New International Version
27 The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he met Moses at the mountain(A) of God and kissed(B) him. 28 Then Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and also about all the signs he had commanded him to perform.
29 Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders(C) of the Israelites, 30 and Aaron told them everything the Lord had said to Moses. He also performed the signs(D) before the people, 31 and they believed.(E) And when they heard that the Lord was concerned(F) about them and had seen their misery,(G) they bowed down and worshiped.(H)
Bricks Without Straw
5 Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go,(I) so that they may hold a festival(J) to me in the wilderness.’”
2 Pharaoh said, “Who is the Lord,(K) that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.”(L)
3 Then they said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us take a three-day journey(M) into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, or he may strike us with plagues(N) or with the sword.”
4 But the king of Egypt said, “Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their labor?(O) Get back to your work!” 5 Then Pharaoh said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous,(P) and you are stopping them from working.”
6 That same day Pharaoh gave this order to the slave drivers(Q) and overseers in charge of the people: 7 “You are no longer to supply the people with straw for making bricks;(R) let them go and gather their own straw. 8 But require them to make the same number of bricks as before; don’t reduce the quota.(S) They are lazy;(T) that is why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to our God.’(U) 9 Make the work harder for the people so that they keep working and pay no attention to lies.”
10 Then the slave drivers(V) and the overseers went out and said to the people, “This is what Pharaoh says: ‘I will not give you any more straw. 11 Go and get your own straw wherever you can find it, but your work will not be reduced(W) at all.’” 12 So the people scattered all over Egypt to gather stubble to use for straw. 13 The slave drivers kept pressing them, saying, “Complete the work required of you for each day, just as when you had straw.” 14 And Pharaoh’s slave drivers beat the Israelite overseers they had appointed,(X) demanding, “Why haven’t you met your quota of bricks yesterday or today, as before?”
15 Then the Israelite overseers went and appealed to Pharaoh: “Why have you treated your servants this way? 16 Your servants are given no straw, yet we are told, ‘Make bricks!’ Your servants are being beaten, but the fault is with your own people.”
17 Pharaoh said, “Lazy, that’s what you are—lazy!(Y) That is why you keep saying, ‘Let us go and sacrifice to the Lord.’ 18 Now get to work.(Z) You will not be given any straw, yet you must produce your full quota of bricks.”
19 The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.” 20 When they left Pharaoh, they found Moses and Aaron waiting to meet them, 21 and they said, “May the Lord look on you and judge(AA) you! You have made us obnoxious(AB) to Pharaoh and his officials and have put a sword(AC) in their hand to kill us.”(AD)
God Promises Deliverance
22 Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Why, Lord, why have you brought trouble on this people?(AE) Is this why you sent me? 23 Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has brought trouble on this people, and you have not rescued(AF) your people at all.”
6 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: Because of my mighty hand(AG) he will let them go;(AH) because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.”(AI)
2 God also said to Moses, “I am the Lord.(AJ) 3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty,[a](AK) but by my name(AL) the Lord[b](AM) I did not make myself fully known to them. 4 I also established my covenant(AN) with them to give them the land(AO) of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners.(AP) 5 Moreover, I have heard the groaning(AQ) of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.(AR)
6 “Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.(AS) I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem(AT) you with an outstretched arm(AU) and with mighty acts of judgment.(AV) 7 I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.(AW) Then you will know(AX) that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you to the land(AY) I swore(AZ) with uplifted hand(BA) to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.(BB) I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.’”(BC)
9 Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.(BD)
10 Then the Lord said to Moses, 11 “Go, tell(BE) Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.”(BF)
12 But Moses said to the Lord, “If the Israelites will not listen(BG) to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips[c]?”(BH)
Family Record of Moses and Aaron
13 Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.(BI)
Footnotes
- Exodus 6:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai
- Exodus 6:3 See note at 3:15.
- Exodus 6:12 Hebrew I am uncircumcised of lips; also in verse 30
The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.