Moses and Aaron Sent to Pharaoh
Exodus 6:28-7:7
Exo.6.28 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויהי: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- ביום: PREP
- דבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בארץ: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,def
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
Parallels
- Exodus 3:10 (thematic): God calls and speaks to Moses concerning action in Egypt — same thematic moment of divine commission regarding Israel’s deliverance from Egypt.
- Exodus 6:2 (verbal): Immediate chapter parallel where the formula 'God spoke to Moses' appears; both verses record direct divine speech to Moses and the revelation of God's identity.
- Exodus 7:1 (thematic): God again speaks to Moses about his role before Pharaoh ('I have made you like God to Pharaoh'), continuing the theme of divine instruction given to Moses in the Egyptian setting.
- Exodus 10:1 (structural): Another instance in the plague narrative where the note 'And the LORD said unto Moses' introduces God's directives to Moses regarding Pharaoh and the plagues — same narrative function and setting.
Alternative generated candidates
- And it happened on the day when YHWH spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt:
- And it happened on the day when YHWH spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt.
Exo.6.29 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וידבר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לאמר: INF,qal,infc
- אני: PRON,1,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- דבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- כל: DET
- אשר: PRON,rel
- אני: PRON,1,sg
- דבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אליך: PREP+PRON,2,m,sg
Parallels
- Exodus 3:14 (verbal): God's self‑identification (אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה / the name יהוה) underlies the formula “I am the LORD” used in 6:29 — same divine name and claim of authority.
- Exodus 3:10 (thematic): Initial commissioning of Moses to go to Pharaoh parallels 6:29's command to speak to Pharaoh — same mission and interlocutor.
- Exodus 4:12 (thematic): God's assurance that He will be with Moses' mouth and teach him what to say connects to the instruction in 6:29 to relay God's words to Pharaoh.
- Exodus 7:1-2 (structural): Immediate narrative fulfillment: God declares Moses a ‘god to Pharaoh’ and appoints Aaron as his prophet — shows how the command in 6:29 is to be carried out.
- Leviticus 19:2 (verbal): The recurring priestly/devotional formula “I am the LORD” (אָנֹכִי יְהוָה) functions as an authoritative seal for commands, echoing the phrase used in 6:29 to authorize Moses' message.
Alternative generated candidates
- And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 'I am YHWH. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to you.'
- And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying: I am YHWH; speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to you.
Exo.6.30 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לפני: PREP
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- הן: PART
- אני: PRON,1,sg
- ערל: ADJ,m,sg,abs
- שפתים: NOUN,f,du,abs
- ואיך: CONJ+ADV
- ישמע: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- אלי: PREP+PRON,1,sg
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
Parallels
- Exod.4.10 (verbal): Moses' earlier objection about his speech ("I have uncircumcised lips" / "I am slow of speech and slow of tongue") — same complaint of inability to speak effectively.
- Exod.3.11 (thematic): Moses' initial reluctance and sense of personal inadequacy for God's commission ("Who am I that I should go?") — theme of unsuitability to the task.
- Isa.6.5 (verbal): Prophetic confession of impurity of speech ("Woe is me... for I am a man of unclean lips") — similar language about 'unclean/uncircumcised lips' and unworthiness to speak for God.
- Jer.1.6 (thematic): Jeremiah objects to his call with an inability to speak ("I cannot speak, for I am a child") — parallels the motif of a hesitant, self-disqualified prophet/leader.
- Judg.6.15 (thematic): Gideon's protest of personal weakness and low status ("How can I save Israel?... my family is the weakest") — another Israelite leader's expression of inadequacy in response to God's call.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Moses said before YHWH, 'Behold, I am uncircumcised of lips, and how will Pharaoh listen to me?'
- And Moses said before YHWH, Behold, I am uncircumcised of lips; and how will Pharaoh listen to me?
Exo.7.1 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ראה: VERB,qal,imperat,2,m,sg
- נתתיך: VERB,qal,perf,1,?,sg+PRON,2,m,sg
- אלהים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- לפרעה: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואהרן: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אחיך: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- יהיה: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- נביאך: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
Parallels
- Exodus 4:16 (verbal): Earlier instruction that Aaron will be Moses’ spokesman and that Moses will be ‘to him instead of God’—direct verbal parallel to ‘I have made you as God… and Aaron shall be your prophet.’
- Exodus 7:2 (verbal): Immediate narrative restatement of the same roles (Aaron to speak, Moses to act as God to Pharaoh), repeating and clarifying the function named in 7:1.
- Numbers 12:6-8 (thematic): Emphasizes Moses’ unique, direct relationship and authority from God (‘with him I speak mouth to mouth’), undergirding his exceptional role as God’s representative before Pharaoh.
- Deuteronomy 18:15-18 (thematic): God’s promise to raise a prophet like Moses and to put words in that prophet’s mouth highlights the institution of prophetic mediation—paralleling the assigned roles in Exodus where Moses/Aaron function as God’s representative and spokesman.
Alternative generated candidates
- And YHWH said to Moses, 'See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.'
- And YHWH said to Moses: See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.
Exo.7.2 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אתה: PRON,2,m,sg
- תדבר: VERB,qal,impf,2,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- כל: DET
- אשר: PRON,rel
- אצוך: VERB,qal,impf,1,c,sg+PRON,2,m,sg
- ואהרן: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אחיך: NOUN,m,sg,abs+PRON,2,m,sg
- ידבר: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ושלח: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מארצו: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs+PRON,3,m,sg
Parallels
- Exodus 4:14–16 (verbal): God tells Moses that Aaron will be his spokesman—'he shall be thy mouth'—directly anticipating Exodus 7:2's instruction that Aaron speak to Pharaoh.
- Exodus 7:1 (structural): Immediate parallel in the narrative: God appoints Moses' role before Pharaoh and names Aaron as his prophet/spokesman, restating the same delegation of speech.
- Exodus 5:1 (quotation): Moses and Aaron together confront Pharaoh with the demand 'Let my people go,' showing the execution of the commission in Exodus 7:2.
- Exodus 4:27–31 (verbal): Aaron meets Moses and carries out the signs and words God commanded, demonstrating Aaron functioning as Moses' mouth and agent among the people.
- Numbers 12:6–8 (allusion): Contrast/allusion to Moses' unique prophetic access to God—while Moses receives direct revelation, Aaron serves as interlocutor and public spokesman in the Exodus episodes.
Alternative generated candidates
- 'You shall speak all that I command you, and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, and let him send the Israelites out of his land.'
- You shall speak all that I command you, and Aaron your brother shall speak to Pharaoh, that he send the Israelites out from his land.
Exo.7.3 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ואני: PRON,1,sg
- אקשה: VERB,qal,impf,1,?,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- לב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- והרביתי: CONJ+VERB,hiph,perf,1,_,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- אתתי: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ואת: CONJ
- מופתי: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- בארץ: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,def
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
Parallels
- Exod.4:21 (quotation): Same formula: God declares he will harden Pharaoh's heart and multiply signs and wonders—earlier announcement of the same action.
- Exod.7:13 (verbal): Immediate narrative instance where Pharaoh's heart is hardened and Egyptian magicians replicate signs, echoing the hardening/signs motif.
- Exod.9:12 (verbal): Repetition of the theme that the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart in the course of the plagues—continues the hardening formula.
- Exod.14:4 (thematic): God states he will harden Pharaoh so he will pursue Israel, that God may gain honor—explains the purpose behind hardening.
- Rom.9:17-18 (allusion): Paul cites God's raising up and hardening of Pharaoh to demonstrate divine sovereignty and purpose—New Testament theological reflection on the Exodus motif.
Alternative generated candidates
- 'And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and I will multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.'
- And I will harden the heart of Pharaoh, and I will multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.
Exo.7.4 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ולא: CONJ
- ישמע: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- אלכם: PREP+PRON,2,m,pl
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ונתתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,_,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- ידי: NOUN,f,pl,cons
- במצרים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- והוצאתי: VERB,hiph,perf,1,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- צבאתי: NOUN,m,sg,abs,1,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- עמי: NOUN,m,sg,abs+1s
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מארץ: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- בשפטים: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- גדלים: ADJ,m,pl,abs
Parallels
- Exodus 3:19-20 (verbal): Same promise that Pharaoh will not listen and God will stretch out his hand against Egypt to bring out Israel — shares key wording and the sequence of signs/judgments.
- Exodus 4:21 (verbal): God warns Moses that he will harden Pharaoh's heart so he will not let the people go — relates to Pharaoh's refusal to listen and God's active role in compelling the display of power.
- Exodus 6:1 (verbal): God's declaration that Moses will see what he will do to Pharaoh and that by a mighty hand Pharaoh will let Israel go echoes the same theme of divine action and deliverance by great judgments.
- Exodus 9:16 (thematic): God tells Moses that he raised Pharaoh up to show his power and that his name be proclaimed — explains the theological purpose behind the judgments mentioned in 7:4.
- Deuteronomy 26:8 (verbal): The confession formula 'the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm' parallels the imagery of God putting his hand upon Egypt and rescuing Israel.
Alternative generated candidates
- 'And Pharaoh will not listen to you, and I will lay my hand upon Egypt, and I will bring out my hosts, my people, the Israelites, from the land of Egypt with great judgments.'
- But Pharaoh will not listen to you, and I will lay my hand upon Egypt, and I will bring out my hosts, my people, the Israelites, from the land of Egypt with great judgments.
Exo.7.5 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וידעו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- כי: CONJ
- אני: PRON,1,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- בנטתי: VERB,qal,perf,1,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- ידי: NOUN,f,pl,cons
- על: PREP
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- והוצאתי: VERB,hiph,perf,1,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- בני: NOUN,m,pl,construct
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מתוכם: PREP+3,m,pl
Parallels
- Exod.6:7 (verbal): Same promise-language: God will bring Israel out and they/others shall ‘know that I am the LORD’—directly echoes the purpose clause of deliverance in 7:5.
- Exod.14:18 (verbal): At the Red Sea God declares the Egyptians will ‘know that I am the LORD’ when Israel is delivered—repeats the formula linking deliverance from Egypt to recognition of God.
- Ezek.20:20 (verbal): Uses the identical phrase (‘that they may know that I am the LORD’) in a covenantal context (Sabbath as a sign), echoing the motif of divine acts/ signs serving to make God known.
- Ps.78:43-51 (thematic): Retells the wonders and plagues in Egypt to show God’s power so nations/people would recognize him—thematic parallel showing the same revelatory purpose of the Egyptian events.
- Rom.9:17 (quotation): Paul cites the Exodus tradition (cf. Exod.9:16) that God raised up Pharaoh ‘that I might show my power,’ connecting the Exodus events to the theological purpose expressed in 7:5 (that peoples would know God).
Alternative generated candidates
- 'And the Egyptians shall know that I am YHWH, when I stretch out my hand over Egypt and bring out the Israelites from among them.'
- And the Egyptians shall know that I am YHWH, when I stretch out my hand over Egypt and bring out the Israelites from among them.
Exo.7.6 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויעש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואהרן: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כאשר: CONJ
- צוה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אתם: PRON,2,m,pl
- כן: ADV
- עשו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
Parallels
- Exodus 7:11 (verbal): Immediate narrative parallel: the Egyptian magicians 'did in like manner' with their enchantments—echoes the same concise wording ('they did so') describing actions taken.
- Exodus 12:50 (verbal): Exact formulaic expression: 'as the LORD commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they'—same language of faithful obedience to God's command.
- Leviticus 8:4 (verbal): Uses the same succinct declaration that Moses acted 'as the LORD commanded' in the priestly ordination—recurrent wording emphasizing Moses' obedience.
- Numbers 1:53 (structural): Parallel structural/theme: Israel performs actions 'according to the commandment of the LORD to Moses'—another instance of the narrative formula highlighting obedience to divine instruction through Moses.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Moses and Aaron did as YHWH commanded them; so they did.
- And Moses and Aaron did so; as YHWH commanded them, so they did.
Exo.7.7 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ומשה: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שמנים: NUM,card,m,pl
- שנה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ואהרן: CONJ+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- שלש: NUM,card,f,sg
- ושמנים: CONJ+NUM,card,m,pl
- שנה: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בדברם: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs,poss:3mp
- אל: NEG
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
Parallels
- Deut.34.7 (thematic): Gives Moses’ age at death (120) and notes his preserved vigor — bookends Moses’ life and highlights the significance of his being 80 when first confronting Pharaoh.
- Ps.90.10 (thematic): Gives the typical human lifespan as 'seventy or eighty years,' placing Moses’ age (80) within the biblical expectation of a full life and underscoring God’s use of those in later years.
- Exod.4.27-31 (structural): Narrates Aaron’s meeting with Moses and their joint obedience to God’s commission — sets up the same Moses–Aaron speaking partnership that is noted in 7:7 when they speak to Pharaoh.
- Acts 7.23-30 (allusion): Stephen’s retelling supplies the background chronology (Moses at 40, 40 years in Midian, then 40 more) that explains why Moses is 80 when he begins the mission to Egypt, explicitly linking age and calling.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.
- And Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.
And it happened on the day when YHWH spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt. And YHWH spoke to Moses, saying, 'I am YHWH. Speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to you.' And Moses said before YHWH, 'Look, I am uncircumcised of lips, and how will Pharaoh listen to me?' And YHWH said to Moses, 'See, I have set you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet.'
'You shall speak all that I command you, and Aaron your brother will speak to Pharaoh, that he send the Israelites out of his land.'
'And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and I will multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.'
'But Pharaoh will not listen to you, and I will lay my hand on Egypt, and I will bring out my hosts, my people, the Israelites, from the land of Egypt with great judgments.'
'And the Egyptians will know that I am YHWH, when I stretch out my hand over Egypt and bring out the Israelites from among them.' And Moses and Aaron did as YHWH commanded them; so they did. And Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.