Exodus 6:21 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.

NIV: The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg and Zikri.

NASB: And the sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.

CSB: The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.

NLT: The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zicri.

KJV: And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.

NKJV: The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.

Izhar (Exodus 6:18) was the second son of Kohath the son of Levi (Exodus 6:16). Izhar had three sons named Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. Nepheg and Zichri are not mentioned again. Korah was a leader of the rebellion in the wilderness (Jude 1:11), fully described in Numbers 16. According to this genealogy, Korah and Moses were cousins. Korah would rebel against both God and his own family member. Izhar would become leader of the Izharites or Izeharites (Numbers 3:27; 1 Chronicles 24:22; 26:23, 29).

Kohath had four sons (Exodus 6:18), yet the descendants of only three are described in this verse and the surrounding context (Exodus 6:20, 22). Hebron is omitted, though Hebronites are mentioned in Numbers 3:27. They may have had no additional family members to mention. The following verse mentions Mishael and Elzaphan (Exodus 6:22), later noted for their role concerning the bodies of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:4). Though not always readily apparent to modern readers on the first read, each group of descendants noted in this list includes later connections important in the story told by the Bible's first five books.

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.