Exodus

The Lord said to Moses:

“Now you will see that I will overcome him and oblige him to let you go, even force him to drive you out of his land.”

Moses’s Mission I

God spoke to Moses, saying:

“I am the Lord!

I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty. Still, I did not make myself known to them by the name of Lord.

I established my covenant with them, promising to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as strangers.

Now I remember my covenant as I hear the groaning of the Israelites enslaved by the Egyptians.

Therefore, say this to them: “I am the Lord. I will take you out of Egypt’s burden and free you from its bondage; I will redeem you with the strength of my mighty hand.

I will make you my people, and you will know that I am the Lord your God, who delivered you from Egyptian slavery.

I will bring you to the land I promised to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you as your own. I am the Lord.”

This is how Moses spoke to the people of Israel, but they did not listen, so discouraged were they by their cruel slavery.

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

“Go and speak to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and tell him to let the people of Israel leave the country.”

But Moses said:

“If the Israelites paid no attention to me, how then will Pharaoh listen to me, a man who has difficulty expressing himself?”

But the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron and ordered them, as well as Pharaoh, to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt.

Lists of Heads of Families

These were the heads of the tribes: Sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben.

Sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon.

These are the sons of Levi with their descendants: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived for one hundred thirty-seven years.

Sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei and their descendants.

Sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived for 133 years.

Sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the descendants of Levi with their families.

Amram married his aunt, Jochebed, and they had two sons, Aaron and Moses. Amram lived a hundred and thirty-seven years.

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

The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.

Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah and Abiasaph. These are the families of the Korahites.

Eleazar, son of Aaron, married one of Putiel’s daughters and Phinehas was their son. These are the heads of the families of the Levites, listed by their clans.

It was to Aaron and Moses that the Lord said, “Bring the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt in divisions.”

It was they who spoke with Pharaoh, king of Egypt, about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt. Yes, it was Moses and Aaron.

Mosses’ Mission II

When the Lord spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt,

he said:

“I am the Lord. Say to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, all that I tell you.”

But Moses replied:

“I am a poor speaker, and why would Pharaoh listen to me?”