Exodus 6:12
in Exodus 6But 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?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Moses spake before Jehovah, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?
KJV
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?
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This verse in Exodus 6
Commentary
6 notes on this verseUncircumcised lips? - The word ערל aral, which we translate uncircumcised, seems to signify any thing exuberant or superfluous. Had not Moses been remarkable for his excellent beauty, I should have thought the passage might be rendered protuberant lips; but as this sense cannot be admitted for the above reason, the word must refer to some natural impediment in his speech; and probably means a want of distinct and ready utterance, either occasioned by some defect in the organs of speech, or impaired knowledge of the Egyptian language after an absence of forty years. See Clarke’s note on Exo 4:10.
This site's exposition
If the Israelites will not listen to me
Moses argues from the smaller case to the larger: if his own people will not listen, Pharaoh will not. Adam Clarke takes the Hebrew behind unskilled in speech, uncircumcised of lips, as an impediment in speech.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And Moses spake before the Lord,....
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.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
No perverse complaints or careless indifference on their part retarded the development of His gracious purposes. On the contrary, here, as generally, the course of His providence is slow in the infliction of judgments, while it moves more quickly, as it were, when misery is to be relieved or benefits conferred.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Uncircumcised lips - An uncircumcised ear is one that does not hear clearly; an uncircumcised heart one slow to receive and understand warnings; uncircumcised lips, such as cannot speak fluently. The recurrence of the hesitation of Moses is natural; great as was the former trial this was far more severe; yet his words always imply fear of failure, not of personal danger (see Exo 3:11).
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
BEHOLD, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAVE NOT HEARKENED UNTO ME because You have done nothing [for Israel] so that my words should be acceptable to them. AND HOW THEN SHALL PHARAOH HEAR ME?
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
Rashi wrote: “The purport of this command is explained in the second section, 71 Further, Verses 29-30. after the order of genealogy.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
17 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר | vaydaber | and he spoke | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֔ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| לִפְנֵ֥י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָ֖ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לֵאמֹ֑ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הֵ֤ן | hen | here! | H2005 → | 316 times |
| בְּנֵֽי־ | benei- | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁמְע֣וּ | shameu | they have listened | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֵלַ֔י | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| וְאֵיךְ֙ | veeikh | and how? | H349 → | |
| יִשְׁמָעֵ֣נִי | yishmaeni | will he listen to me | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| פַרְעֹ֔ה | faroh | Pharaoh | H6547 → | 274 times |
| וַאֲנִ֖י | vaani | and I | H589 → | 874 times |
| עֲרַ֥ל | ʾaral | [am] uncircumcised of | H6189 → | 35 times |
| שְׂפָתָֽיִם׃ פ | sefatayim | lips | H8193 → | 176 times |
וַיְדַבֵּ֣רand he spoke
vaydaberH1696 →1141 times
מֹשֶׁ֔הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
לִפְנֵ֥י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָ֖הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לֵאמֹ֑ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
הֵ֤ןhere!
henH2005 →316 times
בְּנֵֽי־[the] people of
benei-H1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
שָׁמְע֣וּthey have listened
shameuH8085 →1159 times
אֵלַ֔יto me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
וְאֵיךְ֙and how?
veeikhH349 →
יִשְׁמָעֵ֣נִיwill he listen to me
yishmaeniH8085 →1159 times
פַרְעֹ֔הPharaoh
farohH6547 →274 times
וַאֲנִ֖יand I
vaaniH589 →874 times
עֲרַ֥ל[am] uncircumcised of
ʾaralH6189 →35 times
שְׂפָתָֽיִם׃ פlips
sefatayimH8193 →176 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Jeremiah 6:10To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed, so they cannot hear. See, the word of the LORD has become offensive to them; they find…
it leads to
- Acts 7:51
You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Jeremiah 7:26
Yet they would not listen to Me or incline their ear, but they stiffened their necks and did more evil than their fathers.
- John 7:7
The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me, because I testify that its works are evil.
- Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes…
- Acts 7:51
Through
Exodus 4:10“Please, Lord,” Moses replied, “I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and tongue.”
it leads to
- Jeremiah 1:6
“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!”
- Exodus 4:1
Then Moses answered, “What if they do not believe me or listen to my voice? For they may say, ‘The LORD has not appeared to you.’”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Acts 7:22
So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.
- Jeremiah 1:6
Through
Jeremiah 1:6“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!”
it leads to
- Exodus 4:10–16
“Please, Lord,” Moses replied, “I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and tongue.”
- Exodus 4:10–16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies13
About Exodus
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.