Lectionary Calendar
Friday, July 25th, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Exodus 6:9

So Moses told this to the Israelites, but the people would not listen to him. They were working so hard that they were not patient with Moses.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Despondency;   Moses;   Thompson Chain Reference - Despair;   Hope-Despair;  

Dictionaries:

- Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - God;   Person, Personhood;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Exodus, Book of;   Spirit;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Moses;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Anguish;   Exodus, the Book of;   Feeble-Minded;   Psychology;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Moshe spoke so to the children of Yisra'el, but they didn't listen to Moshe for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
King James Version
And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
Lexham English Bible
And Moses spoke thus to the Israelites, but they did not listen to Moses, because of discouragement and because of hard work.
New Century Version
So Moses told this to the Israelites, but they would not listen to him. They were discouraged, and their slavery was hard.
New English Translation
Moses told this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and hard labor.
Amplified Bible
Moses told this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their impatience and despondency, and because of their forced labor.
New American Standard Bible
So Moses said this to the sons of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses on account of their despondency and cruel bondage.
Geneva Bible (1587)
So Moses told the children of Israel thus: but they hearkened not vnto Moses, for anguish of spirit and for cruel bondage.
Legacy Standard Bible
So Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses on account of their weakness of spirit and hard slavery.
Contemporary English Version
When Moses told this to the Israelites, they were too discouraged and mistreated to believe him.
Complete Jewish Bible
Moshe said this to the people of Isra'el. But they wouldn't listen to him, because they were so discouraged, and their slavery was so cruel.
Darby Translation
And Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not listen to Moses from anguish of spirit, and from hard service.
English Standard Version
Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.
George Lamsa Translation
And Moses spoke so to the children of Israel; but they did not listen to him, because of their misery and because of bondage.
Good News Translation
Moses told this to the Israelites, but they would not listen to him, because their spirit had been broken by their cruel slavery.
Christian Standard Bible®
Moses told this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their broken spirit and hard labor.
Literal Translation
And Moses spoke to the sons of Israel. And they did not listen to Moses, from anguish of spirit and from hard bondage.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Moses tolde this vnto the childre of Israel. But they herkened not vnto him, for very anguysh of sprete, & for sore laboure.
American Standard Version
And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
Bible in Basic English
And Moses said these words to the children of Israel, but they gave no attention to him, because of the grief of their spirit and the cruel weight of their work.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Moyses tolde the children of Israel euen so: but they hearkened not vnto Moyses for anguishe of spirite and for cruell bondage.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Moses spoke so unto the children of Israel; but they hearkened not unto Moses for impatience of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
King James Version (1611)
And Moses spake so vnto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not vnto Moses, for anguish of spirit, and for cruell bondage.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel, and they hearkened not to Moses for faint-heartedness, and for their hard tasks.
English Revised Version
And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
Berean Standard Bible
Moses relayed this message to the Israelites, but on account of their broken spirit and cruel bondage, they did not listen to him.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor Moises telde alle thingis to the sones of Irael, whiche assentide not to hym for the angwisch of spirit, and for the hardest werk.
Young's Literal Translation
And Moses speaketh so unto the sons of Israel, and they hearkened not unto Moses, for anguish of spirit, and for harsh service.
Update Bible Version
And Moses so spoke to the sons of Israel: but they didn't listen to Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel slavery.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Moses spoke so to the children of Israel: but they hearkened not to Moses, by reason of anguish of spirit, and cruel bondage.
World English Bible
Moses spoke so to the children of Israel, but they didn't listen to Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
New King James Version
So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage.
New Living Translation
So Moses told the people of Israel what the Lord had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.
New Life Bible
So Moses said this to the people of Israel. But they did not listen to Moses because of their broken spirit and how hard they were made to work.
New Revised Standard
Moses told this to the Israelites; but they would not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and their cruel slavery.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Moses spake thus unto the sons of Israel, but they hearkened not unto Moses, through shortness of spirit, and through hard service.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Moses told all this to the children of Israel: but they did not hearken to him, for anguish of spirit, and most painful work.
Revised Standard Version
Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel; but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and their cruel bondage.
THE MESSAGE
But when Moses delivered this message to the Israelites, they didn't even hear him—they were that beaten down in spirit by the harsh slave conditions.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So Moses spoke thus to the sons of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses on account of their despondency and cruel bondage.

Contextual Overview

1 Then the Lord said to Moses, "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. I will use my great power against him, and he will let my people go. He will be so ready for them to leave that he will force them to go." 2 Then God said to Moses, "I am the Lord . 3 I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They called me God All-Powerful. They did not know my name, the Lord . 4 I made an agreement with them. I promised to give them the land of Canaan. They lived in that land, but it was not their own. 5 Now, I have heard their painful cries. I know that they are slaves in Egypt. And I remember my agreement. 6 So tell the Israelites that I say to them, ‘I am the Lord . I will save you. You will no longer be slaves of the Egyptians. I will use my great power to make you free, and I will bring terrible punishment to the Egyptians. 7 You will be my people and I will be your God. I am the Lord your God, and you will know that I made you free from Egypt. 8 I made a great promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I promised to give them a special land. So I will lead you to that land. I will give you that land. It will be yours. I am the Lord .'" 9 So Moses told this to the Israelites, but the people would not listen to him. They were working so hard that they were not patient with Moses.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

hearkened: Exodus 5:21, Exodus 14:12, Job 21:4, Proverbs 14:19

anguish: Heb. shortness, or, straitness, Numbers 21:4

Reciprocal: Exodus 1:14 - their lives Exodus 6:12 - children Job 9:16 - would I Ezekiel 20:5 - lifted up mine hand Mark 16:11 - believed

Cross-References

Genesis 2:4
This is the story about the creation of the sky and the earth. This is what happened when the Lord God made the earth and the sky.
Genesis 5:1
This is the history of Adam's family. When God created people, he made them like himself.
Genesis 5:22
After Methuselah was born, Enoch walked with God for 300 years and had other sons and daughters.
Genesis 5:24
One day Enoch was walking with God, and he disappeared. God took him.
Genesis 6:9
This is the history of Noah's family. He was a good man all his life, and he always followed God.
Genesis 6:15
"This is the size I want you to make the boat: 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high.
Genesis 7:1
Then the Lord said to Noah, "I have seen that you are a good man, even among the evil people of this time. So gather your family, and all of you go into the boat.
Genesis 10:1
This is the history of the families of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. They are Noah's sons. These men had children after the flood.
Genesis 17:1
When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him. He said, "I am God All-Powerful. Obey me and live the right way.
Genesis 48:15
And Israel blessed Joseph and said, "My ancestors, Abraham and Isaac, worshiped our God, and that God has led me all my life.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel,.... After this manner, and in the above words, declaring all that the Lord made known to him, and promised to do for them; which one would have thought would have revived their spirits, and refreshed and comforted their hearts under their troubles, and encouraged a lively exercise of faith and hope of deliverance:

but they hearkened not unto Moses; being disappointed of deliverance by him, and their afflictions being increased, and lying heavy upon them, they were heartless and hopeless;

for anguish of spirit; trouble of mind and grief of heart, with which they were swallowed up; or "for shortness of breath" b, being so pressed that they could hardly breathe, and so were incapable of attending to what was spoken to them:

and for cruel bondage; under which they laboured, and from which they had scarce any respite, and saw no way of deliverance from it.

b מקצר רוח "ob brevem anhelitum", Munster.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They hearkened not - The contrast between the reception of this communication and that recorded in Exodus 4:31 is accounted for by the change of circumstances. On the former occasion the people were comparatively at ease, accustomed to their lot, sufficiently afflicted to long for deliverance, and sufficiently free in spirit to hope for it.

For anguish - See the margin; out of breath, as it were, after their cruel disappointment, they were quite absorbed by their misery, unable and unwilling to attend to any fresh communication.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 6:9. But they hearkened not — Their bondage was become so extremely oppressive that they had lost all hope of ever being redeemed from it. After this verse the Samaritan adds, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians: for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness. This appears to be borrowed from Exodus 14:12.

Anguish of spirit — קצר רוח kotzer ruach, shortness of spirit or breath. The words signify that their labour was so continual, and their bondage so cruel and oppressive, that they had scarcely time to breathe.


 
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