6:1   The LORD God told Moses: Soon you will see what I will do to the king. Because of my mighty power, he will let my people go, and he will even chase them out of his country.

6:2   My name is the LORD.

6:3   But when I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, I came as God All-Powerful and did not use my name.

6:4   I made an agreement and promised them the land of Canaan, where they were living as foreigners.

6:5   Now I have seen how the people of Israel are suffering because of the Egyptians, and I will keep my promise.

6:6   Here is my message for Israel: "I am the LORD! And with my mighty power I will punish the Egyptians and free you from slavery.

6:7   I will accept you as my people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I was the one who rescued you from the Egyptians.

6:8   I will bring you into the land that I solemnly promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and it will be yours. I am the LORD!"

6:9   When Moses told this to the Israelites, they were too discouraged and mistreated to believe him.

6:10   Then the LORD told Moses

6:11   to demand that the king of Egypt let the Israelites leave.

6:12   But Moses replied, "I'm not a powerful speaker. If the Israelites won't listen to me, why should the king of Egypt?"

6:13   But the LORD sent Aaron and Moses with a message for the Israelites and for the king; he also ordered Aaron and Moses to free the people from Egypt.

6:14   The following men were the heads of their ancestral clans: The sons of Reuben, Jacob's oldest son, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.

6:15   The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman.

6:16   Levi lived to be one hundred thirty-seven; his sons were Gershon, Kohath, and Merari.

6:17   Gershon's sons were Libni and Shimei.

6:18   Kohath lived to be one hundred thirty-three; his sons were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel.

6:19   Merari's sons were Mahli and Mushi. All of the above were from the Levi tribe.

6:20   Amram lived to be one hundred thirty-seven. He married his father's sister Jochebed, and they had two sons, Aaron and Moses.

6:21   Izhar's sons were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.

6:22   Uzziel's sons were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.

6:23   Aaron married Elisheba. She was the daughter of Amminadab and the sister of Nahshon; they had four sons, Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.

6:24   Korah's sons were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph.

6:25   Aaron's son Eleazar married one of Putiel's daughters, and their son was Phinehas. This ends the list of those who were the heads of clans in the Levi tribe.

6:26   The LORD had commanded Aaron and Moses to lead every family and tribe of Israel out of Egypt,

6:27   and so they ordered the king of Egypt to set the people of Israel free.

6:28   When the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt,

6:29   he said, "I am the LORD. Tell the king of Egypt everything I say to you."

6:30   But Moses answered, "You know I am a very poor speaker, and the king will never listen to me."