Exodus 6:30
in Exodus 6But in the LORD’s presence Moses replied, “Since I am unskilled in speech, why would Pharaoh listen to me?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Moses said before Jehovah, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?
KJV
And Moses said before the Lord, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?
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This verse in Exodus 6
Commentary
5 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
Now on the day that the LORD spoke to Moses
on Exodus 6:28-30
The narrative picks up where verse 13 left it, and Moses raises the same objection in the words he had used at verse 12. The book has now recorded his objections at 3:11, 4:1, 4:10, 4:13, verse 12 and here.
This site's exposition
Since I am unskilled in speech
Moses repeats the objection of verse 12 that he is unskilled in speech. The Hebrew speaks of uncircumcised lips, lips unfit for their task. The LORD's answer follows in 7:1, where Aaron is appointed to speak for him.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Moses says, "Behold, I have a weak voice, how will Pharaoh listen to me?" He appears to excuse himself for the weakness of his voice, not only due to the great number of the people but also due to the condition of one man. It would be remarkable if his voice were so weak that he could not be heard even by one man. Or perhaps the royal dignity did not allow them to speak at close range? For God says to Moses, "Behold, I gave you as a god to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother will be your prophet."
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And Moses said before the Lord, behold, I am of uncircumcised lips,.... As he had done, Exo 6:13, and this is only a repetition of what is there said, in order to lead on to what is related in the following chapter: how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me? so mean a person, and so poor a speaker, and he a mighty king, surrounded with wise counsellors and eloquent orators.
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.
The words behind it
12 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֥אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֖ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| לִפְנֵ֣י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| יְהוָ֑ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| הֵ֤ן | hen | here! | H2005 → | 316 times |
| אֲנִי֙ | ʾani | I | H589 → | 874 times |
| עֲרַ֣ל | ʾaral | [am] uncircumcised of | H6189 → | 35 times |
| שְׂפָתַ֔יִם | sefatayim | lips | H8193 → | 176 times |
| וְאֵ֕יךְ | veeikh | and how? | H349 → | |
| יִשְׁמַ֥ע | yishma' | will he listen | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| אֵלַ֖י | ʾelai | to me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| פַּרְעֹֽה׃ פ | paroh | Pharaoh | H6547 → | 274 times |
וַיֹּ֥אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
מֹשֶׁ֖הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
לִפְנֵ֣י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
יְהוָ֑הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
הֵ֤ןhere!
henH2005 →316 times
אֲנִי֙I
ʾaniH589 →874 times
עֲרַ֣ל[am] uncircumcised of
ʾaralH6189 →35 times
שְׂפָתַ֔יִםlips
sefatayimH8193 →176 times
וְאֵ֕יךְand how?
veeikhH349 →
יִשְׁמַ֥עwill he listen
yishma'H8085 →1159 times
אֵלַ֖יto me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
פַּרְעֹֽה׃ פPharaoh
parohH6547 →274 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
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!”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 6:12
But 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?”
- Acts 7:22
So Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.
- 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.’”
- 2 Corinthians 11:6
Although I am not a polished speaker, I am certainly not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every way possible.
- Jeremiah 1:6
Through
Exodus 6:12But 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?”
it leads to
- 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.”
- Jeremiah 6:10
To 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…
- Leviticus 26:41
and I acted with hostility toward them and brought them into the land of their enemies—and if their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled and they will make amends for their iniquity,
- Exodus 4:10
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; Augustine of Hippo, QUESTIONS ON EXODUS 16; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.