Exodus 6:12

¹⁰ So the LORD said to Moses,

¹¹ “Go and tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his land.”

But in the LORD’s presence Moses replied, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, then why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I am unskilled in speech?”

¹³ Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge concerning both the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁴ These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were the clans of Reuben.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: But in the LORD’s presence Moses replied, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, then why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I am unskilled in speech?”
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?
WEB: Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, “Behold, the children of Israel haven’t listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, when I have uncircumcised lips?”
ASV: And Moses spake before Jehovah, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?
DARBY: And Moses spoke before Jehovah, saying, Lo, the children of Israel do not hearken to me: how then should Pharaoh hearken to me, to me of uncircumcised lips?
BLB: And Moses spoke before the face of YHWH, saying, “Behold, the sons of Israel have not listened to me; and how shall Pharaoh listen to me, and I [am] uncircumcised of lips?”

ÅB: Og Moses tok slik til orde, der han sto for Herrens åsyn: Du ser Israels barn hører ikke på meg; hvordan skulle da Farao høre på meg, jeg som enda har uomskårne lepper?
OTB: Men Moses sa til Herren: «Hvis israelittene ikke har hørt på meg, hvorfor skulle da farao høre på meg, siden jeg er udyktig i tale?»
B1930: Og Moses tok således til orde, der han stod for Herrens åsyn: Du ser Israels barn hører ikke på mig; hvorledes skulde da Farao høre på mig, jeg som enda har uomskårne leber?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Exodus 4:10
“Please, Lord,” Moses replied, “I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and tongue.”
Read in context
Exodus 6:30
But in the LORD’s presence Moses replied, “Since I am unskilled in speech, why would Pharaoh listen to me?”
Read in context
Jeremiah 1:6
“Ah, Lord GOD,” I said, “I surely do not know how to speak, for I am only a child!”
Read in context
Jeremiah 6:10
To whom can I give this warning? Who will listen to me? Look, their ears are closed, so they cannot hear. See, the word of the LORD has become offensive to them; they find no pleasure in it.
Read in context
Exodus 6:9
Moses relayed this message to the Israelites, but on account of their broken spirit and cruel bondage, they did not listen to him.
Read in context
Acts 7:51
You stiff-necked people with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit, just as your fathers did.
Read in context
Leviticus 26:41
and I acted with hostility toward them and brought them into the land of their enemies—and if their uncircumcised hearts will be humbled and they will make amends for their iniquity,
Read in context
Exodus 3:13
Then Moses asked 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?’ What should I tell them?”
Read in context