上帝應許拯救以色列人
1耶和華對摩西說：「你就要看見我怎樣用大能的手對付法老，那時他會讓以色列人走，甚至把他們趕出埃及！」 2上帝又對摩西說：「我是耶和華， 3我曾以全能上帝的身份向亞伯拉罕、以撒和雅各顯現，但沒有讓他們知道我的名字是耶和華。 4我向他們堅守所立的約，要把他們寄居的迦南賜給他們。 5我已聽見以色列人因受埃及人的奴役而發出的呼求，也想起了我的約。 6所以，你要轉告以色列人說，『我是耶和華。我要伸出臂膀重重地懲罰埃及，救贖你們脫離埃及人的轄制，脫離他們的奴役。 7我要接納你們做我的子民，我要做你們的上帝。這樣，你們就知道我是你們的上帝耶和華，曾救你們脫離埃及人的轄制。 8我必帶領你們進入我舉手起誓要給亞伯拉罕、以撒和雅各的那片土地，把它賜給你們作產業。我是耶和華。』」
9摩西把這番話轉告百姓，可是他們因為殘酷的勞役無比沮喪，不肯聽他的話。 10耶和華對摩西說： 11「你再去見法老，要他讓以色列人離開他的土地。」 12摩西卻說：「以色列人都不聽我的話，法老又怎麼肯聽我這拙口笨舌的人呢？」 13耶和華吩咐摩西和亞倫回到以色列人和法老那裡，要他們領以色列人離開埃及。
摩西和亞倫的族譜
14以下是以色列各宗族族長的名字：
以色列長子呂便的兒子是哈諾、法路、希斯崙和迦米。這些是呂便的宗族。
15西緬的兒子是耶姆利、雅憫、阿轄、雅斤、瑣轄和掃羅，掃羅的母親是迦南人。這些是西緬的各宗族。
16利未的兒子依次是革順、哥轄和米拉利，利未享年一百三十七歲。 17革順的兒子是立尼和示每，二人各成宗族。 18哥轄的兒子是暗蘭、以斯哈、希伯崙和烏薛，哥轄享年一百三十三歲。 19米拉利的兒子是抹利和姆示。這些是利未的各宗族。 20暗蘭娶了他父親的妹妹約基別，生了亞倫和摩西，暗蘭享年一百三十七歲。 21哥轄另一個兒子以斯哈生了可拉、尼斐和細基利。 22烏薛的兒子是米沙利、以利撒反和西提利。 23亞倫與亞米拿達的女兒、拿順的妹妹以利沙巴結婚，生了拿答、亞比戶、以利亞撒和以他瑪。 24可拉的兒子是亞惜、以利加拿和亞比亞撒，這些是可拉的各宗族。 25亞倫的兒子以利亞撒與普鐵的一個女兒結婚，生了非尼哈。以上是利未各宗族的族長。
26正是亞倫和摩西受耶和華之命，要按以色列人的宗族支派把他們帶出埃及。 27也是這二人要求埃及王法老讓他們把以色列人帶出埃及。 28那時，耶和華曾經在埃及對摩西說： 29「我是耶和華，你要把我吩咐你的一切話告訴埃及王法老。」 30摩西卻對耶和華說：「你看，我拙口笨舌，法老怎肯聽我的話？」
1Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh: because of my mighty hand he will let them go; because of my mighty hand he will drive them out of his country.’
2God also said to Moses, ‘I am the Lord. 3I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty,6:3 Hebrew El-Shaddai but by my name the Lord6:3 See note at 3:15. I did not make myself known to them. 4I also established my covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they resided as foreigners. 5Moreover, I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are enslaving, and I have remembered my covenant.
6‘Therefore, say to the Israelites: “I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. 7I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. 8And I will bring you to the land I swore with uplifted hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. I will give it to you as a possession. I am the Lord.” ’
9Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labour.
10Then the Lord said to Moses, 11‘Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.’
12But Moses said to the Lord, ‘If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips6:12 Hebrew I am uncircumcised of lips; also in verse 30?’
Family record of Moses and Aaron
13Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron about the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he commanded them to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.
14These were the heads of their families6:14 The Hebrew for families here and in verse 25 refers to units larger than clans.:
The sons of Reuben the firstborn son of Israel:
Hanok and Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.
These were the clans of Reuben.
15The sons of Simeon:
Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman.
These were the clans of Simeon.
16These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records:
Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
(Levi lived 137 years.)
17The sons of Gershon, by clans:
Libni and Shimei.
18The sons of Kohath:
Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
(Kohath lived 133 years.)
19The sons of Merari:
Mahli and Mushi.
These were the clans of Levi according to their records.
20Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, who bore him Aaron and Moses.
(Amram lived 137 years.)
21The sons of Izhar:
Korah, Nepheg and Zikri.
22The sons of Uzziel:
Mishael, Elzaphan and Sithri.
23Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
24The sons of Korah were:
Assir, Elkanah and Abiasaph.
These were the Korahite clans.
25Eleazar son of Aaron married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas.
These were the heads of the Levite families, clan by clan.
26It was this Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, ‘Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions.’ 27They were the ones who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt about bringing the Israelites out of Egypt – this same Moses and Aaron.
Aaron to speak for Moses
28Now when the Lord spoke to Moses in Egypt, 29he said to him, ‘I am the Lord. Tell Pharaoh king of Egypt everything I tell you.’
30But Moses said to the Lord, ‘Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?’
