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Exodus 6:9
ESV Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and harsh slavery.
NIV Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor.
NASB So Moses said this to the sons of Israel, but they did not listen to Moses on account of their despondency and cruel bondage.
CSB Moses told this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their broken spirit and hard labor.
NLT 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.
KJV And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
NKJV So Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not heed Moses, because of anguish of spirit and cruel bondage.

What does Exodus 6:9 mean?

Moses communicated God's words (Exodus 6:2–8) which responded to Pharaoh's retaliation (Exodus 5:1–3, 15–19). But the people's bitterness remains (Exodus 5:20–21). After generations of op-pression (Exodus 1:11–14; 2:23), they were being even more cruelly treated. Whatever enthusiasm they had at first (Exodus 4:31) is gone. Pharaoh's rejection of God's command has shattered their hopes. This is described as a "broken spirit" (Proverbs 18:14), though the Hebrew term literally means "deficient in spirit." They were simply beaten down.

This spiritual weakness was the result of generations of brutal forced labor. The Bible refers to their experience as abōdāh' qāseh. The first term refers to labor, while the second means something severe, or grueling. Much of what we associate with the modern English term "slavery" comes from the Atlantic slave trade of the 16th—19th centuries, which itself reflects Isra-el's experience in Egypt. Most servants—or "slaves"—of the ancient world were not so cru-elly abused as the Israelites. Nor were they subject to lifelong, racial, inescapable imprisonment. The people were simply in no frame of mind to listen to Moses.

Yet the Lord is not finished. He will send Moses before Pharaoh once again (Exodus 6:10–11).
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