Exodus 6:14 - Printer Friendly

ESV: These are the heads of their fathers ' houses: the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the clans of Reuben.

NIV: These were the heads of their families : The sons of Reuben the firstborn son of Israel were Hanok and Pallu, Hezron and Karmi. These were the clans of Reuben.

NASB: These are the heads of their fathers’ households. The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn: Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben.

CSB: These are the heads of their fathers’ families: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These are the clans of Reuben.

NLT: These are the ancestors of some of the clans of Israel: The sons of Reuben, Israel’s oldest son, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. Their descendants became the clans of Reuben.

KJV: These be the heads of their fathers' houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben.

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

This begins the second main section of this chapter: the genealogy of Moses and Aaron. This list offers proof of these men as part of the people of Israel as well as part of the priestly line of the Levites. In this verse, the genealogy begins with Reu-ben, the firstborn son of Jacob, called Israel in this verse. His four sons—Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Car-mi—became the clans of Reuben.

Reuben, Simeon, and Levi were all sons of Jacob (Genesis 35:23) and are listed as leaders of clans (Exodus 6:15–16). A similar genealogy, including all twelve of Jacob's sons, is given in Genesis 46:8–27. The list here is selective, noting only the sons leading up to Levi and then progressing through Levi's line toward Moses and Aaron.

Exodus 6:14–30 records the genealogies of Moses and his brother, Aaron. This supports that this is part of God's continuous plan to arrive at this very point in history. It also clarifies their status as members of the tribe of Levi. Along the way, God reiterates and re-establishes Moses' commission as His messenger. Moses is still wracked with self-doubt.

God responds to Moses, who struggles to understand recent events (Exodus 5:22–23). Pharaoh has retaliated against the Lord's message about Israel's freedom (Exodus 5:1–9). Here, the Lord repeats His predic-tion that Israel will be freed (Exodus 3:14–22). God's specific identity and relationship to Israel are key to this response. The Lord will fulfill His promises and take the Hebrews from Egypt into the Promised Land. The passage then rec-ords the genealogies of Moses and Aaron. Moses' commission from God is also repeated.

After centuries of enslavement (Exodus 1:11–14), God commissions Moses to be His representative in freeing Israel (Exodus 3:4–10). But when Moses delivers the Lord's message (Exodus 5:1–3), Pharaoh retaliates (Exodus 5:6–9). This leads to infighting (Exodus 5:20–21) and causes Moses to doubt (Exodus 5:22–23). After the Lord offers reassurances in this chapter, He will repeat an account of how the story will play out. Then God begins to bring plagues of judgment against Egypt (Exodus 7).

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.