The Lord encourages Moses to hope for success from his name Jehovah, and the covenant he had made with the fathers of his people, Ex 6:1, orders him to assure the children of Israel that he would deliver them from their bondage and burdens, and bring them into the land of Canaan; but through their distress and anguish they hearkened not to him, Ex 6:6 but Moses is sent again to Pharaoh to demand the dismission of Israel, to which he seems unwilling, and both he and Aaron are charged both to go to the children of Israel, and to Pharaoh, Ex 6:10, next follows a genealogy of the tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, which seems to be given for the sake of Moses and Aaron, and to show their descent, Ex 6:14, who were the persons appointed of God to be the instruments of bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt, Ex 6:26.
Ver. 1. Then the Lord said unto Moses,.... In answer to the questions put to him, and the expostulations made with him:now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: in inflicting punishments on him: for with a strong hand shall he let them go; being forced to it by the mighty hand of God upon him; and it is by some rendered, "because of a strong hand" ; so Jarchi; for this is not to be understood of the hand of Pharaoh, but of the hand of God:and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land: not only be willing that they should go, but be urgent upon them to be gone, Ex 12:33.