The History Resumed
Ex. 6:26-30, NIV
26It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, "Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions."
27They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt—this same Moses and Aaron.
28Now when the LORD spoke to Moses in Egypt,
29he said to him, "I am the LORD. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt everything I tell you."
30But Moses said to the LORD, "Since I speak with faltering lips (uncircumcised{2} lips), why would Pharaoh listen to me?"
Commentary
26. It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, "Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions."
"It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said"
Moses and Aaron were Israelites; like Christ was, who was to be the Prophet and Priest, the Redeemer and Lawgiver of the people of Israel. Moses returns to his narrative and repeats the charge God had given him to deliver his message to Pharaoh and his objection against it. Those who have spoken unadvisedly with their lips should reflect upon it regretfully, as Moses seems to do here. It is profitable to place no confidence in ourselves. All our sufficiency must be in the Lord. We never can trust ourselves too little or our God too much. I can do nothing by myself, said the apostle, but I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Aaron's name is listed first because he was the eldest and because he prophesied in Egypt before Moses, though Moses had more poise than Aaron, and therefore the actual reason may be the modesty of Moses; though in the following verse, Moses' name is listed before Aaron's, to show that they were equal, and perhaps the thing was relatively unimportant to the historian and done without any thought and intention, however, these words are emphatically expressed, on purpose to point out the persons to future ages:
"Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions."
Which is the charge he gave them both, Exodus 6:13, and the account of which is returned to again, after an interruption by the genealogy previously recorded: Israel was to be brought out: according to their divisions (their armies); signifying their great numbers and the order in which they were to march out of Egypt, as they did, not by flight, nor in confusion, but a formidable manner, and in great composure and order, with these two men, Moses and Aaron, as their generals at the head of them.
27. They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt—this same Moses and Aaron.
"They (Moses and Aaron) were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh, king of Egypt," in the name of the Lord of hosts; and demanded Israel's release from Egypt, and they continued to make the demand until they had prevailed upon him to let them go.
"about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt—this same Moses and Aaron.
These are the same men, Moses and Aaron, also commissioned to speak to the Pharaoh on behalf of Israel: cf.{1} vv. 11, 13, 26, which is repeated, so that it may be known who were the deliverers of Israel, what their names were, what tribe they were from, from whom they descended, and who their parents were, at least Aaron's.
It is to be observed that Moses or his contemporaries are consistently represented as being in the fourth generation (cf.{4} Genesis 15:16) from one or other of Jacob's sons: thus Levi, Kohath, Amram, Moses (here, Vv. 16, 18, 20); Levi, Kohath, I?har, Kora?, (Vv. 16, 18, 21, Numbers 14:1); Levi, Kohath, Uzziel, Mishael (Leviticus 10:4); Reuben, Pallu, Eliab, Dathan (Numbers 26:7-9).
28. Now, when the LORD spoke to Moses in Egypt,
These verses (28-30) are closely connected with Exodus 7. They are a recapitulation of the main points in Exodus 6, rendered necessary by the long parenthesis (Exodus 6:14-27), and serve to unite Exodus 7 with the previous narrative. They contain no new information. In Exodus 6:28-30, the thread of the history, which was broken off at Exodus 6:12, is resumed
Moses and Aaron were Israelites, raised and advanced by their brethren (The People of God) as Christ also should be by Christians, Christ who was to be the Prophet and Priest, the Redeemer and Lawgiver of the people of Israel and all people, for all time.
Moses returns to his narrative and repeats the responsibility God had given him to deliver his message to Pharaoh and his objection against it.
Note: (I repeat; “Those who have spoken unadvisedly should reflect upon it regretfully,” as Moses seems to do here. “I can do nothing by myself, said the apostle, but I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” it is rewarding to place no confidence in ourselves; all our sufficiency must be in the Lord. We never can trust ourselves too little or our God too much.
This verse and the following verses belong to the next chapter. They distinctly mark the beginning of a subdivision of the narrative.
Moreover, it came to pass on the day when “the Lord spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt.” This verse depends upon the following for the gist of it, which shows what it was the Lord said to Moses on the day he spoke to him in Egypt when he was come there, which is as follows: And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt,
After its interruption by v. 13, the narrative stream here and the genealogy, Vv. 14–27, is resumed, v. 29 recapitulating the beginning and end of God's words to Moses, Vv. 2 and 11, and v. 30 repeating Moses' objection in v. 12. Exodus 7:1-5 is thus really the sequel and answer to Exodus 6:12.
The remainder of this chapter is scarcely more than a recapitulation. The author, or compiler, having interposed his genealogical section, has to take up the narrative from verse 12, where he broke off and does so by almost repeating the words of verses 10-12. The only significant addition is the insertion of the words - "I am the Lord" (ver. 29). The only significant variation is the substitution of "Speak thou unto Pharaoh all that I say unto thee (ibid.{1}) for "Speak unto Pharaoh... that he let the children of Israel go out of his land."
29. “he said to him, "I am the LORD. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt everything I tell you."
"Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt everything I tell you."
"That he let Israel go; and that in case of refusal, he would punish him and his people with this and the other plagues, one after another, and slay him and their firstborn." It is not improbable that every revelation made to Moses was authenticated by these initial words - which have the force of that initial phrase, so constant in the latter prophets - "Thus saith the Lord."
“Everything I tell you.”
The general command thus expressed was probably appended the particular injunction of verse 11, not here repeated – “Speak unto Pharaoh, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land."
Those that go on God's errand must not balk at declaring the whole counsel of God.
30 But Moses said to the LORD, "Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?"
"Since I speak with faltering{3} lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?"
As he had said in Exodus 6:13, this is only a repetition of what is said there to lead on to what is related in the following chapter: how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me? So wretched a person, and so poor a speaker, and he a mighty king, surrounded with wise counselors and eloquent orators. And Moses said to the Lord, "Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?"
The disobedience of both Moses and the people shows that their deliverance came only from God's free mercy.
General Notes:
{1} ibidem; in the same place —used to indicate that a reference is from the same source as a previous reference.
{2} Uncircumcised is used in Scripture to denote the unsuitableness in anything to answer its proper purpose; the carnal heart and depraved nature of fallen man are wholly unsuited to the services of God and the purposes of his glory.
{3}Faltering lips. Moses spoke with a “stammer.”
{4} cf. compare with (used to refer a reader to another written work or another part of the same written work).
