6 Then the Lord spoke to Moses. He said, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. Because of my powerful hand, he will let the people of Israel go. Because of my mighty hand, he will drive them out of his country.”

2God continued, “I am the Lord. 3I appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as the Mighty God. But I did not show them the full meaning of my name, The Lord.

4“I also made my covenant with them. I promised to give them the land of Canaan. That is where they lived as outsiders. 5Also, I have heard the groans of the Israelites. The Egyptians are keeping them as slaves. But I have remembered my covenant.

6“So tell the people of Israel, ‘I am the Lord. I will throw off the heavy load the Egyptians have put on your shoulders. I will set you free from being slaves to them. I will reach out my arm and save you with mighty acts when I judge Egypt.

7“ ‘I will take you to be my own people. I will be your God. You will know that I am the Lord your God when I throw off the load the Egyptians have put on your shoulders.

8“ ‘I will bring you to the land I promised with an oath to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I lifted up my hand and promised it to them. The land will belong to you. I am the Lord.’ ”

9Moses reported those things to the Israelites. But they didn’t listen to him. That’s because they had lost all hope and had to work very hard.

10Then the Lord said to Moses, 11“Go. Tell Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to let the people of Israel leave his country.”

12But Moses spoke to the Lord. “The people won’t listen to me,” he said. “So why would Pharaoh listen to me? After all, I don’t speak very well.”

The Family Line of Moses and Aaron

13The Lord had spoken to Moses and Aaron. He had talked with them about the Israelites and about Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. He had commanded Moses and Aaron to bring the people of Israel out of Egypt.

14Here were the leaders of the family groups of Reuben, Simeon and Levi.

Reuben was the oldest son of Israel. His sons were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. Those were the family groups of Reuben.

15The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul. Shaul was the son of a woman from Canaan. Those were the family groups of Simeon.

16Here were the names of the sons of Levi that were recorded in their family history. They were Gershon, Kohath and Merari. Levi lived for 137 years.

17The sons of Gershon, by their family groups, were Libni and Shimei.

18The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. Kohath lived for 133 years.

19The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi.

Those were the family groups of Levi that were recorded in their family history.

20Amram got married to his father’s sister Jochebed. Aaron and Moses were born in Amram’s family line. Amram lived for 137 years.

21The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg and Zicri.

22The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan and Sithri.

23Aaron married Elisheba. She was the daughter of Amminadab and the sister of Nahshon. She had Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar by Aaron.

24The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah and Abiasaph. Those were the family groups of Korah.

25Eleazar, the son of Aaron, married one of the daughters of Putiel. She had Phinehas by Eleazar.

Those were the leaders of the families of Levi that were recorded by their groups.

26The Lord had spoken to that same Aaron and Moses. He had told them, “Bring the Israelites out of Egypt like an army on the march.” 27They spoke to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, about bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt. They were that same Moses and Aaron.

Aaron Speaks for Moses

28The Lord had spoken to Moses in Egypt. 29He had told him, “I am the Lord. Tell Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, everything I tell you.”

30But Moses said to the Lord, “I don’t speak very well. So why would Pharaoh listen to me?”