Chapter 6
Commentary:
6:1- This wording hyperlinks back to Exodus 3:19 where God said Pharaoh would not let Israel go except by a strong hand (or possibly “even with a strong hand”; see our class from 11/29 for that discussion). Now, Yahweh says that Pharaoh will let Israel go with a strong hand and drive them out by the same. With the same level of force needed to get the point across to Pharaoh, Pharaoh himself will send Israel away. Indeed, the less time we spend fighting the right decision, the less hurt we will often experience in the end.
6:2- Notice how frequently God’s name, Yahweh, is brought up in these chapters. Establishing His identity in contrast to the gods of Egypt is very important when Israel has been in slavery under those gods for 400 years.
6:3- “God Almighty” is the Hebrew title El Shaddai. El is a basic Hebrew word for God, the singular of elohim. It’s also the name of one of the main Canaanite deities, one whose recorded actions often align with those of Yahweh. Some scholars believe Yahweh used that word El to describe Himself in order associate with that particular god since the early Hebrews would have known El from their culture. In essence, Yahweh would be saying, “You know that god El from those Canaanite religions? That’s actually Me. Let me tell you the real story without their spin.” In the Canaanite myths, El was like an old fuddy-duddy who was overthrown by another god called, wait for it, Ba’al. The Tanakh is in a cultural debate with the Canaanite religious texts about how to portray El and which god was the hero of the story. Shaddai is a bit of a debated term with two main possible meanings that are quite different. Traditionally, commentators and translators have claimed the word means mighty or strong or even mountain. But another option has gained prominence more recently, suggesting the term is rooted in the Hebrew word for breasts, shadim. The connotation then would not be of a strong warrior but of a caring and compassionate parent, like how a nursing mother treats her babies. I think there is something to this theory since most of the uses of El Shaddai in Genesis are in passages about children or the mercy and compassion of God. They don’t really contain the idea of Yahweh as a warrior. The last use of El Shaddai in Genesis is Genesis 49:25, and that verse even has the Hebrew word for breasts in the same sentence. With all this considered, I do lean to the position that the name El Shaddai is meant to portray God as a gentle parent. There are other passages and names that present Him as a warrior, but I believe that these are meant to show a different side of Him. Although a few translations (including KJV, ASV, and YLT) have the word Jehovah here, it’s actually Yahweh. Jehovah doesn’t really exist. Before you pick up your stoning stones, allow me to explain. The Hebrew name of God is Yahweh. As time passed and more rules were added to the Jewish faith, many Jews believed they shouldn’t ever say the name of God, as a sign of respect and a way to make sure they didn’t use it in vain. Given even more time, some decided to take the vowels from the Hebrew word for master (Adonai) and combine them with the consonants from Yahweh. So a-o-ai (vowels from Adonai) plus Y-h-w-h (consonants from Yahweh) became Yahowaih or Yehovah, or in good English, Jehovah. Jehovah is a word made from other words and passed along a few languages. It does not show up in Hebrew or Greek. It's by no means a sin to call God Jehovah. It’s just not technically accurate. There’s a big debate on how to translate this verse, and the main reason is because the Patriarchs did actually know God by His name Yahweh.
Abraham:
"And Abram said, Lord GOD [YAHWEH], what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus?” (Genesis 15:2)
“And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah [YAHWEH]-jireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen.” (Genesis 22:14)
Isaac:
“And he removed from thence, and digged another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the Lord [YAHWEH] hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.” (Genesis 26:22)
Jacob:
“And, behold, the Lord stood above it, and said, I am the Lord [YAHWEH] God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;” (Genesis 28:13)
Some scholars have suggested a solution by reframing this verse as a four line poem ending in a question, like below:
I am Yahweh.
I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as El Shaddai.
My name is Yahweh.
Didn’t I make myself known to them?
This makes more sense to me, keeps the Bible consistent, and is grammatically possible. In this case, the Patriarchs did know the name Yahweh, but the Israelites had likely forgotten it in the 400 years of slavery. The point of emphasizing it so much then is to let the people know that just as Yahweh worked on behalf of their ancestors, so He is working on their behalf now.
6:4- Literally, “the sojournings in which they sojourned.” That’s not good English, but Hebrew likes to use the same root word side by side to add emphasis. You can almost hear the weariness in it.
6:6- The claim “I am Yahweh” bookends God’s message to Israel through Moses. It’s here at the start of verse 6 and is repeated at the end of verse 8. Hebrew frequently employs chiasm, chi being the Greek letter that looks like an X. Chiasms have several different forms and can be infinitely complex, but the basic structure is
A
B
B’
A’
You say a line, then another line, then rephrase that last line, then rephrase the first line, getting you back to the beginning. Sometimes whole books of the Tanakh are arranged like this, and it’s nerdy and awesome. But I bring it up here because it’s about to show up in our chapter. This is the first instance of God’s promising redemption to His people. We have churchified the word, but if you strip away all the connotation it has for us now, redemption just means to buy something back, to pay for something. Yahweh literally means that He will buy these slaves for Himself and set them free.
6:7- Yahweh is choosing a people group to be His representatives. In light of how the nations were divided up amongst spiritual beings in Genesis 11, this action is significant. It’s like when two people decide, “I want to live with you the rest of my life and no one else gets you!” It’s marriage terminology. Yahweh is presenting Himself as the suitor for Israel if they’ll have Him.
6:8- Literally, “the land concerning which I raised my hand to give to Abraham...” One is reminded of the American courtroom practice of putting a hand on a Bible and raising the other to heaven. God metaphorically raised His hand to heaven as a sign of His intention to keep His word to the Patriarchs (cf Hebrews 6:13).
6:9- Literally, “They didn’t hear Moses because of shortness of breath.” You can have God working right in front of you but still have a hard time appreciating it because of the hurt you’re facing. Christians often say they wish they could live in Bible times in order to see God working in miraculous ways, as if that would remove any doubt or frustration from their faith. But times really haven’t changed that much. God still works miracles today, and people still struggled to believe back then. It’s more about what you choose to focus on and whether or not you’re looking for the little ways He works every day. Even back then, plagues and Red Sea crossings weren’t the norm. But God was active in little life-giving ways every day for the people who were looking for His working. Moses’ message to Israel was accurate and legitimate, but it didn’t make a difference because of the pain the Israelites were feeling. Just because something is true does not automatically mean it is right to say at any given moment. Truth spoken in the wrong spirit or at the wrong time loses its power. In times of hurt, we would often do better to say nothing than to say something that might be true but wouldn’t be helpful at that moment.
6:12- Interesting that Moses chooses the metaphor of uncircumcised lips so soon after the circumcision incident in chapter 4. Perhaps he was saying, “Ok, I got the physical part of the covenant down now, but I still don’t think I’m skilled enough with my words to match the magicians.”
6:13- Notice that God doesn’t directly address Moses’ concern this time. But the text says that He spoke to Moses and Aaron, so perhaps that was the answer—“Remember that I brought Aaron along for you. You’ll be fine.” I find intriguing that God has now demanded (KJ: charge) their freedom. It’s no longer a request or a direction. It’s a command. God is intent on achieving liberation and equality at any cost even if Israel does not think it’s worth it.
6:14- To our western minds, this section comes out of nowhere and feels jarring and unnecessary. But in Genesis, genealogies are used as section markers. Whenever the phrase “These are the generations of” appears in Genesis, one section is ending and another is beginning. Exodus is picking up some of that same framework. The part of the story where the Israelites were in slavery and Moses was a nobody is coming to an end. The Exodus is beginning. Also note that it’s not a full genealogy. The list goes in order of age for Jacob’s children starting with Reuben and Simeon just to get us to Levi since Moses and Aaron were Levites. But observe that once their families are laid out, we don’t talk about any other tribes. This genealogical aside is just to reestablish in your mind how Aaron and Moses fit into the broader story. A few Levites who will be key to the story later on are mentioned, but the focus is on Moses and Aaron.
6:20- This verse is a tad awkward in light of what Moses would later write in Leviticus 18:16-17.
6:26-30 Here’s an example of that chiasm structure mentioned previously: How will Pharaoh listen to me if Israel wouldn’t? I can’t speak well. Speak to Pharaoh. Lead Israel out of Egypt. They told Pharaoh to let Israel out of Egypt. I am Yahweh; speak to Pharaoh. How will Pharaoh listen to me if Israel wouldn’t? I can’t speak well. By using a slightly awkward grammatical structure, the narrator keeps drawing our attention back to Moses and Aaron as the focal point.
Suggested Meditation:
Over time, our ideas of God change. Whether we admit it or not, they’re often shaped by our personal experiences more than what Scripture actually says. What you believe about God will affect the way you worship Him and the way you treat others. Every so often, it’s a good idea to reflect on how you’re currently viewing God in your mind and how that is affecting your actions. This week, take some time to consider the implications of God’s being El Shaddai, the comforting parent in your life. What does that mean? Do you have a category for Him to be that kind of refuge/safe space for you? What do you imagine He’d be saying to you that perhaps you never heard a parent say but wish they had?
Next Week:
The signs begin, another sea serpent, and eat your heart out, David Copperfield.