GodsWord - Exodus - 6

6:1  Then the LORD said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. I will show him my power, and he will let my people go. I will show him my power, and he will throw them out of his country."

6:2  God spoke to Moses, "I am the LORD.

6:3  I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but I didn't make myself known to them by my name, the LORD.

6:4  I even made a promise to give them Canaan, the land where they lived as foreigners.

6:5  Now I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians hold in slavery, and I have remembered my promise.

6:6  "Tell the Israelites, 'I am the LORD. I will bring you out from under the oppression of the Egyptians, and I will free you from slavery. I will rescue you with my powerful arm and with mighty acts of judgment.

6:7  Then I will make you my people, and I will be your God. You will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the forced labor of the Egyptians.

6:8  I will bring you to the land I solemnly swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as your own possession. I am the LORD.'"

6:9  Moses reported this to the Israelites. But they would not listen to him because they were so discouraged by their back breaking work.

6:10  Then the LORD spoke to Moses,

6:11  "Go tell Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) to let the Israelites leave his country."

6:12  But Moses protested to the LORD, "The Israelites wouldn't listen to me. Why would Pharaoh listen to me? I'm such a poor speaker."

6:13  The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh (the king of Egypt). He commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

6:14  These were the heads of the families: The sons of Reuben, Israel's firstborn, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. These were the families descended from Reuben.

6:15  The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. These were the families descended from Simeon.

6:16  These are the names of the sons of Levi listed in birth order: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.

6:17  The sons of Gershon listed by their families were Libni and Shimei.

6:18  The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.

6:19  The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the families descended from Levi listed in birth order.

6:20  Amram married his father's sister Jochebed. She gave birth to Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.

6:21  The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.

6:22  The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.

6:23  Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon. She gave birth to Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

6:24  The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These were the families descended from Korah.

6:25  Eleazar, son of Aaron, married one of the daughters of Putiel. She gave birth to Phinehas. These were the heads of Levite households listed by their families.

6:26  This was the same Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, "Bring the Israelites out of Egypt in organized family groups."

6:27  They--this same Moses and Aaron--told Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) to let the Israelites leave Egypt.

6:28  At that time the LORD spoke to Moses in Egypt.

6:29  He said to Moses, "I am the LORD. Tell Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) everything I tell you."

6:30  But Moses said to the LORD, "Why would Pharaoh listen to me?"