서론
無標題
英文原文
Much ado there was to bring Moses to his work, and when the ice was broken, some difficulty having occurred in carrying it on, there was no less ado to put him forward in it. Witness this chapter, in which, I. God satisfies Moses himself in an answer to his complaints in the close of the foregoing chapter, Ex 6:1. II. He gives him fuller instructions than had yet been given him what to say to the children of Israel, for their satisfaction (Ex 6:2-8), but to little purpose, Ex 6:9. III. He sends him again to Pharaoh, Ex 6:10,11. But Moses objects against (Ex 6:12), upon which a very strict charge is given to him and his brother to execute their commission with vigour, Ex 6:13. IV. Here is an abstract of the genealogy of the tribes of Reuben and Simeon, to introduce that of Levi, that the pedigree of Moses and Aaron might be cleared (Ex 6:14-25), and then the chapter concludes with a repetition of so much of the preceding story as was necessary to make way for the following chapter.
1-13
The Promise of Deliverance (1491 BC)
拯救的應許（主前1491年）
¹ 耶和華對摩西說、現在你必看見我向法老所行的事、使他因我大能的手容以色列人去、且把他們趕出他的地。
² 神曉諭摩西說、我是耶和華。
³ 我從前向亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各、顯現為全能的神、至於我名耶和華、他們未曾知道。
⁴ 我與他們堅定所立的約、要把他們寄居的迦南地賜給他們。
⁵ 我也聽見以色列人被埃及人苦待的哀求、我也記念我的約。
⁶ 所以你要對以色列人說、我是耶和華、我要用伸出來的膀臂重重地刑罰埃及人、救贖你們脫離他們的重擔、不作他們的苦工。
⁷ 我要以你們為我的百姓、我也要作你們的神、你們要知道我是耶和華你們的神、是救你們脫離埃及人之重擔的。
⁸ 我起誓應許給亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的那地、我要把你們領進去將那地賜給你們為業、我是耶和華。
⁹ 摩西這樣告訴以色列人、只是他們因苦工愁煩、不肯聽他的話。
此處，I. 神用這次交涉必成功的保證，平息了摩西的怨言，重申在Ex 3:20給他的應許：*此後他必容你們去。*當摩西智窮力竭，恨不得留在米甸，而不願到埃及來使壞的更壞——當他完全不知如何是好之時——那時耶和華對摩西說，為要安撫他的心：「現在你必看見我向法老所行的事（Ex 6:1）；如今這事到了緊要關頭，壞到不能再壞，法老驕傲到了極點，以色列苦到了極處，如今正是我顯現的時候。」見Ps 12:5，現在我必起來。請注意，人的絕境正是神施行幫助與拯救的時機。摩西一直期待著神要作甚麼；如今他要看見神所要作的，終於要看見他的日子，Job 24:1。摩西一直在試自己能作甚麼，卻一事無成。「好，」神說，「現在你必看見我要作甚麼；且由我來對付這個驕傲的人吧，」Job 40:12,13。請注意，當神把工作攬在自己手中時，神對他教會的拯救便要成就。因我大能的手，即被大能的手所迫，*他必容他們去。*請注意，正如有些人被神恩典的大能帶回本分之中——他們在他發怒的日子成了甘心樂意的；照樣另一些人則被神公義的大能所制伏，那不肯屈膝的被折斷。
II. 神給他進一步的指示，使他和以色列百姓都能得著鼓勵，盼望這事有榮耀的結局。當從以下得安慰：
1. 從神的名——耶和華——而得，Ex 6:2,3。他以這話起首：我是耶和華，也就是我是那我是，是一切存在、福樂與無限完全的源頭。列祖認識這名，卻不曾在這事上認識這名所表明的那位。神如今要藉著他的名耶和華被人認識，也就是，(1.) 一位成就他所應許的神，從而使人對他的應許生發信心。(2.) 一位完成他所開始之工、成全自己作為的神。在創造的記載中，直到天地都造齊了，神才被稱為耶和華，Ge 2:4。當聖徒的拯救在永生裏得以完全時，他便要因他的名耶和華被人認識（Re 22:13）；在那之前，他們要在他們的力量與支持上尋見他作伊勒沙代——全能的神，一位充足的神，一位足夠且將永遠足夠的神，Mic 7:20。
2. 從他的約而得：我與他們堅定所立的約，Ex 6:4。請注意，神所立的約他都堅定；這約被神的權能與真實建立在最穩固的根基上。我們大可把一切押在這根基上。
3. 從他的憐憫而得（Ex 6:5）：我也聽見以色列人被埃及人苦待的哀求；他所指的是他們因近來所受的苦待而發的哀聲。請注意，神留意他百姓災難的加增，也觀察仇敵如何步步緊逼。
4. 從他當下的定意而得，Ex 6:6-8。此處是一重又一重的保證，向他們保證必得榮耀地從埃及出來（Ex 6:6），並必得著迦南地為業（Ex 6:8）：我要用伸出來的膀臂救贖你們。我要使你們脫離。我要救贖你們。我要領你們進入迦南地，且*我要將那地賜給你們。*讓人為自己的不信而羞愧——竟需要如此的反覆保證；也讓神因他俯就的恩典得榮耀——竟為滿足我們而賜下如此反覆的保證。
5. 從他在這一切事上恩慈的旨意而得——這些旨意偉大，且與他相稱，Ex 6:7。(1.) 他定意要使他們有福：我要以你們為我的百姓，作獨特的子民，我也要作你們的神；除此之外，我們不必再求，也不能再求甚麼使我們有福了。(2.) 他定意要使自己得榮耀：*你們要知道我是耶和華。*神必達成他自己的目的，我們若也以此為我們的首要目的，就必不至短缺。如今，人會想，這些好話、安慰的話，本當使垂頭喪氣的以色列人重新振作，忘卻自己的苦難；然而相反，他們的苦難使他們對神的應許無動於衷（Ex 6:9）：*他們因愁煩不肯聽從。*也就是說，[1.] 他們被愁苦所佔據，以致無心理會他。[2.] 他們因近來的失望而十分消沉，以致不肯相信他。[3.] 他們對法老的權勢與怒氣心存畏懼，以至自己不敢在拯救之事上稍作一點行動。請注意，*第一，*心中愁煩的人往往把本該享有的安慰推開，自設障礙。見Isa 28:12。*第二，*強烈的情緒抵擋堅強的安慰。我們若放縱自己於不滿與煩躁之中，就剝奪了自己本可從神的話語與護理得著的安慰，那時若我們毫無安慰，只能怪自己。
¹⁰ 耶和華曉諭摩西說、
¹¹ 你進去告訴埃及王法老、容以色列人出他的地。
¹² 摩西在耶和華面前說、以色列人尚且不聽我的話、法老怎肯聽我這拙口笨舌的人呢。
¹³ 耶和華吩咐摩西亞倫往以色列人和埃及王法老去、把以色列人從埃及地領出來。
此處，I. 神第二次差遣摩西到法老那裏（Ex 6:11），帶著與先前同樣的信息，要命令他——後果自負——容以色列人出去。請注意，神在開始懲罰之前，先重申他的誡命。那些屢次蒙召離罪卻徒然的人，仍要一次又一次地蒙召，無論他們聽或不聽，Eze 3:1。經上說神藉著先知砍伐罪人（Ho 6:5），正表明了擊打的反覆。我多次願意聚集你的兒女。
II. 摩西提出推辭，像一個灰心、想要放棄這事業的人，Ex 6:12。他推辭說，1. 法老不會聽的無可能：「以色列人尚且不聽我的話；他們對我所說的毫不在意、毫不置信；何況法老呢？他怎能聽我呢？若他們因心靈愁煩而聽不進那能安撫他們、安慰他們的話，他那因心靈怒氣——他的驕傲與狂妄——就更聽不進只會激怒、惹他發怒的話了。」若神名義上的百姓不聽他的使者，怎能指望那公然與神為敵的人聽呢？請注意，那些稱為基督徒之人的頑梗與悖逆，大大叫傳道人灰心，使他們幾乎對那些無神論、褻瀆之人絕望。我們本想作器皿使以色列人聯合，煉淨他們、使他們純潔，安慰他們、使他們和睦；但他們若不聽我們，我們又怎能指望在不具備這等關係的人身上奏效呢？但在神凡事都能。2. 他推辭自己拙於言辭的軟弱：我是拙口笨舌的人；這話在Ex 6:30又重複一次。他心知自己沒有口才，不善辭令；他的才幹不在這方面。這推辭神先前已給了足夠的回答，因此他本不當再堅持，因為恩典的充足隨時能補足天然的不足。請注意，我們的軟弱雖當使我們謙卑，卻不當使我們在為神所作的任何服事上灰心、不盡己所能。他的能力是在我們的軟弱上顯得完全。
III. 神再次把亞倫與摩西同列在使命之中，並以自己的權威介入，終止了這場爭論，憑他們對那位大君王的效忠，鄭重地囑咐他們，要盡可能迅速而忠心地執行。當摩西重複他那已被駁倒的論調時，便再無人與他理論，神只是向他——也向亞倫——頒下吩咐，無論對以色列人還是對法老，Ex 6:13。請注意，神的權威足以答覆一切推辭，並約束我們順服，不可發怨言、不可爭論，Php 2:14。連摩西自己也需要受吩咐，提摩太也是一樣，1Ti 6:13，2Ti 4:1。
英文原文
The Promise of Deliverance (1491 BC)
¹ Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou 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.
² And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD:
³ And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
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.
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.
⁶ Wherefore say unto 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:
⁷ And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
⁸ And I will bring you in unto 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.
⁹ And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
Here, I. God silences Moses's complaints with the assurance of success in this negotiation, repeating the promise made him in Ex 3:20, After that, he will let you go. When Moses was at his wit's end, wishing he had staid in Midian, rather than have come to Egypt to make bad worse—when he was quite at a loss what to do—Then the Lord said unto Moses, for the quieting of his mind, "Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh (Ex 6:1); now that the affair has come to a crisis, things are as bad as they can be, Pharaoh is in the height of pride and Israel in the depth of misery, now is my time to appear." See Ps 12:5, Now will I arise. Note, Man's extremity is God's opportunity of helping and saving. Moses had been expecting what God would do; but now he shall see what he will do, shall see his day at length, Job 24:1. Moses had been trying what he could do, and could effect nothing. "Well," says God, "now thou shalt see what I will do; let me alone to deal with this proud man," Job 40:12,13. Note, Then the deliverance of God's church will be accomplished, when God takes the work into his own hands. With a strong hand, that is, being forced to it by a strong hand, he shall let them go. Note, As some are brought to their duty by the strong hand of God's grace, who are made willing in the day of his power, so others by the strong hand of his justice, breaking those that would not bend.
II. He gives him further instructions, that both he and the people of Israel might be encouraged to hope for a glorious issue of this affair. Take comfort,
1. From God's name, Jehovah, Ex 6:2,3. He begins with this, I am Jehovah, the same with, I am that I am, the fountain of being, and blessedness, and infinite perfection. The patriarchs knew this name, but they did not know him in this matter by that which this name signifies. God would now be known by his name Jehovah, that is, (1.) A God performing what he had promised, and so inspiring confidence in his promises. (2.) A God perfecting what he had begun, and finishing his own work. In the history of the creation, God is never called Jehovah till the heavens and the earth were finished, Ge 2:4. When the salvation of the saints is completed in eternal life, then he will be known by his name Jehovah (Re 22:13); in the meantime they shall find him, for their strength and support, El-shaddai, a God all-sufficient, a God that is enough and will be so, Mic 7:20.
2. From his covenant: I have established my covenant, Ex 6:4. Note, The covenants God makes he establishes; they are made as firm as the power and truth of God can make them. We may venture our all upon this bottom.
3. From his compassions (Ex 6:5): I have heard the groaning of the children of Israel; he means their groaning on occasion of the late hardships put upon them. Note, God take notice of the increase of his people's calamities, and observes how their enemies grow upon them.
4. From his present resolutions, Ex 6:6-8. Here is line upon line, to assure them that they should be brought triumphantly out of Egypt (Ex 6:6), and should be put in possession of the land of Canaan (Ex 6:8): I will bring you out. I will rid you. I will redeem you. I will bring you into the land of Canaan, and I will give it to you. Let man take the shame of his unbelief, which needs such repetitions; and let God have the glory of his condescending grace, which gives us such repeated assurances for our satisfaction.
5. From his gracious intentions in all these, which were great, and worthy of him, Ex 6:7. (1.) He intended their happiness: I will take you to me for a people, a peculiar people, and I will be to you a God; more than this we need not ask, we cannot have, to make us happy. (2.) He intended his own glory: You shall know that I am the Lord. God will attain his own ends, nor shall we come short of them if we make them our chief end too. Now, one would think, these good words, and comfortable words, should have revived the drooping Israelites, and cause them to forget their misery; but, on the contrary, their miseries made them regardless of God's promises (Ex 6:9): They harkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit. That is, [1.] They were so taken up with their troubles that they did not heed him. [2.] They were so cast down with their late disappointment that they did not believe him. [3.] They had such a dread of Pharaoh's power and wrath that they durst not themselves move in the least towards their deliverance. Note, First, Disconsolate spirits often put from them the comforts they are entitled to, and stand in their own light. See Isa 28:12. Secondly, Strong passions oppose strong consolations. By indulging ourselves in discontent and fretfulness, we deprive ourselves of the comfort we might have both from God's word and from his providence, and must thank ourselves if we go comfortless.
¹⁰ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,
¹¹ Go in, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, that he let the children of Israel go out of his land.
¹² And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?
¹³ And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, and gave them a charge unto the children of Israel, and unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt.
Here, I. God sends Moses the second time to Pharaoh (Ex 6:11) upon the same errand as before, to command him, at his peril, that he let the children of Israel go. Note, God repeats his precepts before he begins his punishments. Those that have often been called in vain to leave their sins must yet be called again and again, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear, Eze 3:1. God is said to hew sinners by his prophets (Ho 6:5), which denotes the repetition of the strokes. How often would I have gathered you?
II. Moses makes objections, as one discouraged, and willing to give up the cause, Ex 6:12. He pleads, 1. The unlikelihood of Pharaoh's hearing: "Behold the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; they give no heed, no credit, to what I have said; how then can I expect that Pharaoh should hear me? If the anguish of their spirit makes them deaf to that which would compose and comfort them, much more will the anger of his spirit, his pride and insolence, make him deaf to that which will but exasperate and provoke him." If God's professing people hear not his messengers, how can it be thought that his professed enemy should? Note, The frowardness and untractableness of those that are called Christians greatly discourage ministers, and make them ready to despair of success in dealing with those that are atheistical and profane. We would be instrumental to unite Israelites, to refine and purify them, to comfort and pacify them; but, if they hearken not to us, how shall we prevail with those in whom we cannot pretend to such an interest? But with God all things are possible. 2. He pleads the unreadiness and infirmity of his own speaking: I am of uncircumcised lips; it is repeated, Ex 6:30. He was conscious to himself that he had not the gift of utterance, had no command of language; his talent did not lie that way. To this objection God had given a sufficient answer before, and therefore he ought not to have insisted upon it, for the sufficiency of grace can supply the defects of nature at any time. Note, Though our infirmities ought to humble us, yet they ought not to discourage us from doing our best in any service we have to do for God. His strength is made perfect in our weakness.
III. God again joins Aaron in commission with Moses, and puts an end to the dispute by interposing his own authority, and giving them both a solemn charge, upon their allegiance to their great Lord, to execute it with all possible expedition and fidelity. When Moses repeats his baffled arguments, he shall be argued with no longer, but God gives him a charge, and Aaron with him, both to the children of Israel and to Pharaoh, Ex 6:13. Note, God's authority is sufficient to answer all objections, and binds us to obedience, without murmuring or disputing, Php 2:14. Moses himself has need to be charged, and so has Timothy, 1Ti 6:13, 2Ti 4:1.
14-30
Genealogies of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi (1491 BC)
流便、西緬、利未的家譜（主前1491年）
¹⁴ 以色列人家長的名字記在下面。以色列長子流便的兒子是哈諾、法路、希斯崙、迦米；這是流便的各家。
¹⁵ 西緬的兒子是耶母利、雅憫、阿轄、雅斤、瑣轄，還有迦南女子所生的掃羅；這是西緬的各家。
¹⁶ 利未眾子的名字按著他們的後代記在下面：就是革順、哥轄、米拉利。利未一生的歲數是一百三十七歲。
¹⁷ 革順的兒子按著家室是立尼、示每。
¹⁸ 哥轄的兒子是暗蘭、以斯哈、希伯倫、烏薛。哥轄一生的歲數是一百三十三歲。
¹⁹ 米拉利的兒子是抹利和母示；這是利未人的各家，按著他們的後代。
²⁰ 暗蘭娶了他父親的妹妹約基別為妻，他給他生了亞倫和摩西。暗蘭一生的歲數是一百三十七歲。
²¹ 以斯哈的兒子是可拉、尼斐、細基利。
²² 烏薛的兒子是米沙利、以利撒反、西提利。
²³ 亞倫娶了亞米拿達的女兒、拿順的妹妹以利沙巴為妻，他給他生了拿答、亞比戶、以利亞撒、以他瑪。
²⁴ 可拉的兒子是亞惜、以利加拿、亞比亞撒；這是可拉的各家。
²⁵ 亞倫的兒子以利亞撒娶了普鐵的一個女兒為妻，他給他生了非尼哈。這是利未人的家長，都按著他們的各家。
²⁶ 耶和華說：將以色列人按著他們的軍隊從埃及地領出來的，就是這亞倫、摩西。
²⁷ 對埃及王法老說要將以色列人從埃及領出來的，這摩西、亞倫就是這二人。
²⁸ 當耶和華在埃及地對摩西說話的日子，
²⁹ 他向摩西說：「我是耶和華；我對你說的一切話，你都要告訴埃及王法老。」
³⁰ 摩西在耶和華面前說：「看哪，我是拙口笨舌的人，法老怎肯聽我呢？」
一、這裡我們看到一份家譜，並非使徒所譴責的那種無窮的家譜（提前1:4），因它歸結於摩西、亞倫這兩位偉大的先祖，在此插入是要表明他們正是以色列人，與他們所奉差要拯救的人骨肉相連，是從他們弟兄中間興起來的——正如基督也將如此，祂要作以色列民的先知和祭司、救贖主和立法者，祂的家譜也當像這樣被謹慎保存。這裡記了三個支派宗族的家長，與創46:1-34的記載相符。萊特富特博士認為，流便、西緬、利未在此單獨受此尊榮，是因為他們被臨終的父親留下恥辱的記號——流便因亂倫，西緬和利未因屠殺示劍人；因此摩西要特別這樣尊榮他們，為要彰顯神在他們悔改和蒙赦免上的憐憫，作為日後信主之人的榜樣：看來前兩個支派之所以被提，不過是因著第三個支派，就是利未——因為摩西和亞倫，以及猶太教會的一切祭司，都是從利未而出的。這樣，利未支派早早就被分別出來。請留意：1. 摩西、亞倫和一切祭司所追溯譜系的哥轄，是利未的小兒子，出6:16。請注意，神賜恩惠並不按年齡的長幼和出生的先後，神的主權常揀選小的在大的以先，如此交義排列。2. 摩西的父親、祖父、曾祖父，即暗蘭、哥轄、利未的壽數在此都有記載；他們都享大壽，利未活到一百三十七歲，哥轄一百三十三歲，暗蘭一百三十七歲。摩西本人卻遠不及他們，而把七八十歲定為人壽的常度（詩90:10）；因為如今神的以色列已經繁衍成為大國，神的啟示又藉摩西的手寫成文字，不再依靠口傳，列祖長壽的兩大原因既已不復存在，從此人類所需的年日便較少。3. 亞倫娶了以利沙巴（這名字與撒迦利亞之妻以利沙伯相同，米利暗則與馬利亞相同），她是猶大支派族長之一亞米拿達的女兒；因為利未支派與猶大支派常常通婚，出6:23。4. 不可忽略的是，摩西記下了他父親暗蘭與他自己的姑母約基別的婚姻（出6:20）；從民26:59看來，這應當嚴格理解為他父親的親妹妹，至少是同父異母的妹妹。這婚姻後來被禁止為亂倫（利18:12），這或許被看作他家族的瑕疵，雖然是在那律法頒布之前；然而摩西並不隱瞞，因為他求的不是自己的稱讚，而是本著對真理的誠實而寫，不論真理是向他微笑還是向他皺眉。5. 他以對所寫之人的特別尊榮作為結束，雖然他自己就是其中之一，出6:26,27。這摩西、亞倫就是神所揀選，在這次交涉中作祂全權大使的。他們就是神曾對之說話的（出6:26），又是替以色列人對法老說話的，出6:27。請注意，與神相交和對教會的貢獻，比任何別的事更使人得著真正的尊榮。那些神所與之交談、又蒙祂使用的人，實在是偉大的。那樣的摩西、亞倫正是如此；祂的眾聖徒也都分享這樣的尊榮，因為他們被造成為我們神的君王和祭司。
二、在本章末了，摩西回到他的敘述上——他先前略嫌突兀地中斷了（出6:13）——並重複：1. 神所給他要把信息傳給法老的吩咐（出6:29）：你要將我對你說的一切話都告訴他，作個忠心的使臣。請注意，奉神差遣的人不可避諱宣講神全部的旨意。2. 他對此的推辭，出6:30。請注意，凡曾用嘴唇冒失發言的人，都當常常帶著懊悔回想，正如摩西在此似乎所作的。
英文原文
Genealogies of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi (1491 BC)
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.
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.
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.
¹⁷ The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families.
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.
¹⁹ And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.
²⁰ And Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.
²¹ And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.
²² And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri.
²³ And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
²⁴ And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites.
²⁵ And Eleazar Aaron's son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families.
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.
²⁷ These are they which spake to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt: these are that Moses and Aaron.
²⁸ And it came to pass on the day when the LORD spake unto Moses in the land of Egypt,
²⁹ That the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, I am the LORD: speak thou unto Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I say unto thee.
³⁰ And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?
I. We have here a genealogy, not an endless one, such as the apostle condemns (1Ti 1:4), for it ends in those two great patriots Moses and Aaron, and comes in here to show that they were Israelites, bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh whom they were sent to deliver, raised up unto them of their brethren, as Christ also should be, who was to be the prophet and priest, the Redeemer and lawgiver, of the people of Israel, and whose genealogy also, like this, was to be carefully preserved. The heads of the houses of three of the tribes are here named, agreeing with the accounts we had, Ge 46:1-34. Dr. Lightfoot thinks that Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, are thus dignified here by themselves for this reason, because they were left under marks of infamy by their dying father, Reuben for his incest and Simeon and Levi for their murder of the Shechemites; and therefore Moses would put this particular honour upon them, to magnify God's mercy in their repentance and remission, as a pattern to those that should afterwards believe: the two former seem rather to be mentioned only for the sake of a third, which was Levi, from whom Moses and Aaron descended, and all the priests of the Jewish church. Thus was the tribe of Levi distinguished betimes. Observe here, 1. That Kohath, from whom Moses and Aaron, and all the priests, derived their pedigree, was a younger son of Levi, Ex 6:16. Note, The grants of God's favours do not go by seniority of age and priority of birth, but the divine sovereignty often prefers the younger before the elder, so crossing hands. 2. That the ages of Levi, Kohath, and Amram, the father, grandfather, and great grandfather, of Moses, are here recorded; they all lived to a great age, Levi to 137, Kohath to 133, and Amram to 137. Moses himself came much short of them, and fixed seventy or eighty for the ordinary stretch of human life (Ps 90:10); for now that God's Israel was multiplied and had become a great nation, and divine revelation was by the hand of Moses committed to writing and no longer trusted to tradition, the two great reasons for the long lives of the patriarchs had ceased, and therefore henceforward fewer years must serve men. 3. That Aaron married Elisheba (the same name with that of the wife of Zecharias, Elizabeth, as Miriam is the same with Mary), daughter of Amminadab, one of the chief of the fathers of the tribe of Judah; for the tribes of Levi and Judah often intermarried, Ex 6:23. 4. It must not be omitted that Moses has recorded the marriage of his father Amram with Jochebed his own aunt (Ex 6:20); and it appears by Nu 26:59 that it must be taken strictly for his father's own sister, at least by the half blood. This marriage was afterwards forbidden as incestuous (Le 18:12), which might be looked upon as a blot upon his family, though before that law; yet Moses does not conceal it, for he sought not his own praise, but wrote with a sincere regard to truth, whether it smiled or frowned upon him. 5. He concludes it with a particular mark of honour on the persons he is writing of, though he himself was one of them, Ex 6:26,27. These are that Moses and Aaron whom God pitched upon to be his plenipotentiaries in this treaty. These were those to whom God spoke (Ex 6:26), and who spoke to Pharaoh on Israel's behalf, Ex 6:27. Note, Communion with God and serviceableness to his church are things that, above any other, put true honour upon men. Those are great indeed with whom God converses and whom he employs on his service. Such were that Moses and Aaron; and something of this honour have all his saints, who are made to our God kings and priests.
II. In the close of the chapter Moses returns to his narrative, from which he had broken off somewhat abruptly (Ex 6:13), and repeats, 1. The charge God had given him to deliver his message to Pharaoh (Ex 6:29): Speak all that I say unto thee, as a faithful ambassador. Note, Those that go on God's errand must not shun to declare the whole counsel of God. 2. His objection against it, Ex 6:30. Note, Those that have at any time spoken unadvisedly with their lips ought often to reflect upon it with regret, as Moses seems to do here.
要使摩西開始他的工作，著實費了一番功夫；而當事情既已開了頭，在進行中又遇到一些難處，要推動他繼續前行，同樣費了不少周折。本章即為明證。一、神回答了摩西在前章末了所發的怨言，使摩西自己得著滿足，出 6:1。二、神賜他比先前更完整的指示，告訴他要對以色列人說甚麼話，使他們得著滿足（出 6:2-8），卻收效甚微，出 6:9。三、神差他再到法老那裏，出 6:10,11。摩西卻提出反對（出 6:12），於是神向他和他哥哥下了極嚴厲的命令，要他們竭力執行使命，出 6:13。四、此處記載流便和西緬兩支派家譜的摘要，為要引出利未的家譜，好澄清摩西和亞倫的家系（出 6:14-25），然後本章以重述前文必要部分作結，為下一章鋪路。