1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “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.”
2 God continued, “I am the LORD. 3 I 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. 5 Also, 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. I throw off the load the Egyptians have put on your shoulders. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God. 8 I will bring you to the land I promised 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 .’ ”
9 Moses reported these 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.
10 Then the LORD said to Moses, 11 “Go. Tell Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to let the people of Israel leave his country.”
12 But Moses said to the LORD, “The people won’t listen to me. So why would Pharaoh listen to me? After all, I don’t speak very well.”
13 The 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.
14 Here were the leaders of the family groups of Reuben, Simeon and Levi.
Reuben was the oldest son of Israel. Reuben’s sons were
Hanok, Pallu, Hezron and Karmi.
These were the family groups of Reuben.
15 The sons of Simeon were
Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar and Shaul. Shaul was the son of a woman from Canaan.
These were the family groups of Simeon.
16 Here are the names of the sons of Levi written in their family record. They were
Gershon, Kohath and Merari.
Levi lived for 137 years.
17 The sons of Gershon, by their family groups, were
Libni and Shimei.
18 The sons of Kohath were
Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel.
Kohath lived for 133 years.
19 The sons of Merari were
Mahli and Mushi.
These are the family groups of Levi written in their family record.
20 Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed. Aaron and Moses were members of Amram’s family line.
Amram lived for 137 years.
21 The sons of Izhar were
Korah, Nepheg and Zikri.
22 The sons of Uzziel were
Mishael, Elzaphan and Sithri.
23 Aaron married Elisheba. She was the daughter of Amminadab and the sister of Nahshon. She had Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar by Aaron.
24 The sons of Korah were
Assir, Elkanah and Abiasaph.
These were the family groups of Korah.
25 Eleazar, the son of Aaron, married one of the daughters of Putiel. She had Phinehas by Eleazar.
These are the leaders of the families of Levi. Their names are written in their family records.
26 The LORD had spoken to this same Aaron and Moses. He had told them, “Bring the Israelites out of Egypt like an army on the march.” 27 They spoke to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, about bringing the people of Israel out of Egypt. It was this same Moses and Aaron.
28 The LORD had spoken to Moses in Egypt. 29 He had told him, “I am the LORD. Tell Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, everything I tell you.”
30 But Moses said to the LORD, “I don’t speak very well. So why would Pharaoh listen to me?”
(NIRV) Holy Bible, New International Reader’s Version®, NIrV® Copyright © 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Click here for more copyright information.