New International Version
Exodus 6:12
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 lips?”
Exodus 6:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Moses spake before the Lord, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?
- English Standard Version (ESV)But Moses said to the Lord, "Behold, the people of Israel have not listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?"
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Moses spoke before the Lord, saying, “The children of Israel have not heeded me. How then shall Pharaoh heed me, for I am of uncircumcised lips?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)“But Lord!” Moses objected. “My own people won’t listen to me anymore. How can I expect Pharaoh to listen? I’m such a clumsy speaker!”
Context of Exodus 6:12
10Then the Lord said to Moses, 11“Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his country.” But Moses said to the Lord, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with faltering lips?” 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 families: The sons of Reuben the firstborn son of Israel were Hanok and Pallu, Hezron and Karmi. These were the clans of Reuben.
Read all of Exodus 6Exodus 6:12 word by word
וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֔ה לִפְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה לֵאמֹ֑ר הֵ֤ן בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֣וּ אֵלַ֔י וְאֵיךְ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֣נִי פַרְעֹ֔ה וַאֲנִ֖י עֲרַ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽיִם׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Behold, the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- have not hearkenedשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- unto me; how then shall Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
- meאֲנִי'ănîy · IH589
- of uncircumcisedעָרֵל‛ârêl · uncircumcisedH6189
- lipsשָׂפָהώâphâh ώepheth · lipsH8193
Cross-references for Exodus 6:12
- Exodus 6:9Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.
- Exodus 3:13Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?”
- Exodus 4:29Moses and Aaron brought together all the elders of the Israelites,
- Exodus 5:19The Israelite overseers realized they were in trouble when they were told, “You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day.”
- Exodus 4:10Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”
- Exodus 6:30But Moses said to the Lord, “Since I speak with faltering lips, why would Pharaoh listen to me?”
- Leviticus 26:41which made me hostile toward them so that I sent them into the land of their enemies—then when their uncircumcised hearts are humbled and they pay for their sin,
- Deuteronomy 30:6The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.
- Isaiah 6:5“Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty.”
- Jeremiah 1:6“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”
- Jeremiah 6:10To whom can I speak and give warning? Who will listen to me? Their ears are closed so they cannot hear. The word of the Lord is offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.
- Jeremiah 9:26Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the wilderness in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”
- Acts 7:51“You stiff-necked people! Your hearts and ears are still uncircumcised. You are just like your ancestors: You always resist the Holy Spirit!
Commentaries on Exodus 6:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Uncircumcised lips? - The word ערל aral, which we translate uncircumcised, seems to signify any thing exuberant or superfluous. Had not Moses been remarkable for his excellent beauty, I should have thought the passage might be rendered protuberant lips; but as this sense cannot be admitted for the above reason, the word must refer to some natural impediment in his speech; and probably means a want of distinct and ready utterance, either occasioned by some…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12Uncircumcised lips - An uncircumcised ear is one that does not hear clearly; an uncircumcised heart one slow to receive and understand warnings; uncircumcised lips, such as cannot speak fluently. The recurrence of the hesitation of Moses is natural; great as was the former trial this was far more severe; yet his words always imply fear of failure, not of personal danger (see Exodus 3:11).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 10-13Verses 10-13 The faith of Moses was so feeble that he could scarcely be kept to his work. Ready obedience is always according to the strength of our faith. Though our weaknesses ought to humble us, yet they ought not to discourage us from doing our best in any service we have to do for God. When Moses repeats his baffled arguments, he is argued with no longer, but God gives him and Aaron a charge, both to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh. God's…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 10-13The crisis reached its lowest point. Even Moses returned to the same struggle he had faced at Mount Sinai. There, when God first called him, Moses had protested and said he was not able to do the task (3:1–4:13). Now Moses once again felt unsure and overwhelmed. However, God did not change his plan. He renewed his command and sent Moses forward again.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. how then shall ... who am of uncircumcised lips?--A metaphorical expression among the Hebrews, who, taught to look on the circumcision of any part as denoting perfection, signified its deficiency or unsuitableness by uncircumcision. The words here express how painfully Moses felt his want of utterance or persuasive oratory. He seems to have fallen into the same deep despondency as his brethren, and to be shrinking with nervous timidity from a…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 6:12
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 6
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New International Version — © NIV® 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica
Commentaries