Exodus 7:7 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Now Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron eighty-three years old, when they spoke to Pharaoh.

NIV: Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

NASB: And Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three, when they spoke to Pharaoh.

CSB: Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

NLT: Moses was eighty years old, and Aaron was eighty-three when they made their demands to Pharaoh.

KJV: And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.

NKJV: And Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three years old when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Popular culture—movies, art, etc.—usually portrays Moses as a middle-aged man delivering rousing speeches in front of the Egyptian king. Yet Scripture notes that Aaron (Exodus 4:14–16), not Moses (Exodus 4:13), is the primary speaker in most of those encounters. Likewise, neither man is young; they are both in their eighties. Moses was middle-aged (Acts 7:23–24) before he left Egypt (Exodus 2:11–15) and returned when there was no one left to prosecute him for his crime (Exodus 4:19). This apparently took decades.

Moses has another four decades of service in front of him. His mission would last until the venerable age of 120 (Deuteronomy 34:7), seeing the Promised Land from a distance (Deuteronomy 34:1–3) before his death. Aaron was three years older than Moses and clearly younger than their older sister Miriam (Exodus 2:1–7; 15:20). He would have been born before prior to Pharaoh's command to throw Jewish male newborns into the Nile river (Exodus 1:22).

This verse marks a turning point in the book of Exodus. The next verse (Exodus 7:8) begins a cycle of divine commands, stubborn rejection, and miraculous judgment. Pharaoh will refuse to obey the Lord until after the tenth and most devastating plague (Exodus 4:19–23; 12:29–32).

Exodus 7:1–7 completes the encouragement and summary which began in chapter 6. God intends to free Israel (Exodus 1:11–14) through spectacular miracles. These will demonstrate His power. Moses and Aaron (Exodus 4:14–16) will obey, despite both men being more than eighty years old.

God again repeats (Exodus 3:19–20; 4:19–23; 6:6) the basic outline of how Israel will be freed from Egyptian slavery (Exodus 1:11–14). He then commands Moses and Aaron to show Pharaoh one of the miraculous signs given for that purpose (Exodus 4:2–5). Egyptian magicians seem to duplicate the feat, so Pharaoh still refuses to hear Mo-ses' message. This results in the first plague: all water in Egypt, including the Nile river, becomes blood. This lasts seven days. The Lord then tells Moses to repeat the demand for Israel's release.

God commissioned Moses (Exodus 3:10) and commanded him to confront Egypt's ruler, the pharaoh (Exodus 4:19–23). When Moses obeyed (Exodus 5:1–3), the immediate result was even worse oppression for Israel (Exodus 5:19–21). This inspired Moses to doubt (Exodus 5:22–23). The Lord responded with reassurances (Exodus 6:1–8). Chapter 7 completes this declaration and begins the cycle of plagues (Exodus 3:19–20), starting with turning the Nile river into blood. These catastrophes will continue (Exodus 8—11) until Pharaoh finally releases the Israelites (Exodus 12:41).

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.