What does Exodus 6:22 mean?
ESV: The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.
NIV: The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan and Sithri.
NASB: And the sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.
CSB: The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.
NLT: The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.
KJV: And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri.
NKJV: And the sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Zithri.
Verse Commentary:
Following Izhar's descendants (Exodus 6:21), the text skips the descendants of Kohath's next son, Hebron (Exodus 6:18), and moves on to the descendants of his fourth son, Uzziel. He is elsewhere specified as an uncle of Aaron (Leviticus 10:4). It is important to note that five other men named Uzziel are mentioned in the Old Testament, including a Simeonite leader (1 Chronicles 4:39–43), Uzziel son of Bela (1 Chronicles 7:7), a son of Heman (1 Chronicles 25:4), a son of Jeduthan (2 Chronicles 29:14), and a son of Harhaiah (Nehemiah 3:8).
Uzziel's three sons included Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri. Mishael and Elzaphan are important in their work concerning the bodies of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:4). Another Mishael is noted in Nehemiah 8:4. The man most famously known as Meshach, from the story of the fiery furnace (Daniel 3), was originally named Mishael (Daniel 1:6–7). Sithri is not mentioned elsewhere in Scrip-ture.
Verse Context:
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.
Chapter Summary:
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.
Chapter Context:
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).
Book Summary:
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.
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