Moses relayed this message to the IsraelitesMoses, as the chosen leader and prophet, served as the intermediary between God and the Israelites. This role is significant as it establishes Moses as a type of Christ, who is the ultimate mediator between God and humanity (
1 Timothy 2:5). The message Moses relayed was one of hope and deliverance, as God had promised to free the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. This reflects the broader biblical theme of God’s faithfulness to His covenant people, as seen in His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (
Genesis 12:1-3).
but on account of their broken spirit
The Israelites' broken spirit indicates a state of deep despair and hopelessness. This condition was a result of prolonged suffering and oppression under Egyptian slavery. The Hebrew term used here can also imply impatience or anguish, highlighting the emotional and psychological toll of their bondage. This mirrors the human condition under sin, where spiritual bondage leads to a broken spirit, necessitating divine intervention for redemption (Psalm 34:18).
and cruel bondage
The cruel bondage refers to the harsh and oppressive conditions the Israelites faced in Egypt. Historically, this period of slavery involved forced labor and severe treatment, as described earlier in Exodus (Exodus 1:13-14). This context underscores the severity of their plight and the need for divine deliverance. Theologically, it serves as a metaphor for the bondage of sin, from which Christ delivers believers (Romans 6:6).
they did not listen to him
The Israelites' inability to listen to Moses reflects their lack of faith and hope due to their suffering. This response is a recurring theme in the wilderness narratives, where the Israelites often doubted God's promises and provision (Numbers 14:1-4). It highlights the challenge of maintaining faith amidst trials and foreshadows the necessity of a new covenant, where God promises to give His people a new heart and spirit (Ezekiel 36:26-27).
Persons / Places / Events
1.
MosesThe chosen leader of the Israelites, tasked by God to deliver His message and lead His people out of Egypt.
2.
The IsraelitesGod's chosen people, who are suffering under the harsh bondage of Egyptian slavery.
3.
EgyptThe land where the Israelites are enslaved, representing a place of oppression and hardship.
4.
PharaohThe ruler of Egypt, whose heart is hardened against letting the Israelites go.
5.
God's PromiseThe assurance given by God to Moses that He will deliver the Israelites from slavery and bring them to the Promised Land.
Teaching Points
Understanding BrokennessRecognize that a broken spirit can hinder our ability to hear and trust God's promises. We must seek healing and restoration through faith.
The Impact of OppressionAcknowledge how external circumstances, like the Israelites' cruel bondage, can affect our spiritual receptivity. We should support one another in times of hardship.
God's FaithfulnessDespite the Israelites' inability to listen, God's promise remains steadfast. Trust in God's unwavering commitment to His word.
The Role of a MediatorMoses serves as a mediator between God and the Israelites, prefiguring Christ as our ultimate mediator who intercedes on our behalf.
Responding to God's MessageEvaluate our own responsiveness to God's word. Are we allowing life's burdens to deafen us to His voice?
Bible Study Questions and Answers
1.What is the meaning of Exodus 6:9?
2.How does Exodus 6:9 illustrate the Israelites' response to God's promises?
3.What factors caused the Israelites' "broken spirit" in Exodus 6:9?
4.How can we trust God despite "harsh labor" or difficult circumstances today?
5.Compare the Israelites' response in Exodus 6:9 with their faith in Exodus 14.
6.How can we encourage others when they feel hopeless like in Exodus 6:9?
7.Why did the Israelites not listen to Moses in Exodus 6:9?
8.How does Exodus 6:9 reflect on human nature and faith?
9.What historical evidence supports the events described in Exodus 6:9?
10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Exodus 6?
11.What similarities exist between Moses and Jesus?
12.In Ezekiel 20:5–8, how credible is the claim that the Israelites rebelled immediately after God’s promise to deliver them from Egypt, given the differing details in Exodus?
13.What events occur in the biblical book of Exodus?
14.Exodus 6:7–9: If the Israelites still doubt Moses, what empirical proof did he provide to convince them then or later?What Does Exodus 6:9 Mean
Moses relayed this message to the Israelites“‘Therefore tell the Israelites: I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. … I will take you as My own people, and I will be your God’” (Exodus 6:6–7).
• Moses faithfully passed along God’s seven-fold promise of redemption (Exodus 6:6-8), just as he had earlier conveyed “all the words the LORD had spoken” (Exodus 4:28-31).
• His role as mediator foreshadows later messengers who speak God’s deliverance, like the prophets (Jeremiah 1:7) and ultimately Christ (Hebrews 3:1-6).
• The verse reminds us that hearing God’s word is always the first step toward freedom (Romans 10:17), even when circumstances seem impossible.
On account of their broken spirit• “Broken spirit” pictures people so crushed that hope feels unattainable; they are “crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18) and “sick at heart” (Proverbs 13:12).
• After Pharaoh increased their workload (Exodus 5:6-9, 19), the people’s emotional reserves were depleted. Trauma and exhaustion can dull spiritual perception (1 Kings 19:4,10).
• God does not dismiss their pain; He later says, “I have seen the misery of My people” (Exodus 3:7), proving He draws near to the downcast.
And cruel bondage• The slavery was “ruthless” (Exodus 1:13-14), designed to break both body and soul.
• Cruel oppression in Scripture often blinds people to deliverance (Isaiah 19:20;Acts 7:24-25).
• Yet the very chains that silence them set the stage for displaying God’s power (Exodus 6:6;Deuteronomy 4:34).
They did not listen to him• Physical and emotional oppression produced spiritual deafness (Mark 4:18-19).
• Their unbelief contrasts with their earlier faith response inExodus 4:31, showing how quickly hardship can eclipse trust (Hebrews 3:12-13).
• God’s plan is not thwarted by their refusal; He proceeds to act unilaterally through signs and judgments (Exodus 7:1-5), revealing that salvation rests on His faithfulness, not human strength (2 Timothy 2:13).
summaryExodus 6:9 captures a heartbreaking moment: Moses shares God’s magnificent promise, yet the Israelites, crushed by relentless slavery, cannot take it in. Their despair highlights the depth of their need and magnifies the grace of a God who moves forward anyway, proving that His deliverance depends on His steadfast covenant love, not on the wavering condition of human hearts.
(9)
They hearkened not.--The second message was received in quite a different spirit from the first. Then "the people believed, and bowed their knees and worshipped" (
Exodus 4:31). Now they could not even be induced to listen. But there is nothing strange in this. The reason is obvious. The first announcement of coming deliverance elated them with a hope to which they had been long strangers. Their spirits sprang to the message, and readily accepted it. But now they had been chilled by disappointment. The only result of their leader's interference hitherto had been to increase their misery (
Exodus 4:7-23). They had therefore lost heart, and could trust him no longer.
Anguish of spirit.--Heb.,shortness of breath. (Comp.Job 21:4.) The expression points to extreme lassitude and depression.
Verse 9. - Hope deferred maketh the heart sick. The Israelites, who had expected a speedy deliverance, and found themselves only the more down-trodden for Moses' interference, were too much dispirited to be cheered even by the gracious promises and assurances which Moses was commissioned to give. They had no longer any trust in one who they thought had deceived them. He was a dreamer, a visionary, if no worse. They did not intend hearkening to him any more. "Anguish of spirit" possessed their souls, and "cruel bondage" claimed their bodies, day after day. They had not even the time, had they had the will, to hearken.
Verse 9. -
Anguish of spirit. Literally, "shortness." Compare
Job 21:4. Their spirit was shortened - they had lost all heart, as we say, so cruel had been their disappointment. The contrast between their feelings now, and when Moses first addressed them (
Exodus 4:31), is strong, but "fully accounted for by the change of circumstances". (Cook). Cruel bondage. Bondage,
i.e., far more oppressive and continuous than. it had been (
Exodus 5:9-14). The Samaritan version adds: "And they said to him, Let us alone, and let us serve the Egyptians; for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than die in a wilderness," an addition which receives some support from
Exodus 14:12.
CHAPTER 6:10-12
Parallel Commentaries ...
Hebrew
Mosesמֹשֶׁ֛ה(mō·šeh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872:Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiverrelayedוַיְדַבֵּ֥ר(way·ḏab·bêr)Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696:To arrange, to speak, to subduethis [message]כֵּ֖ן(kên)Adverb
Strong's 3651:So -- thustoאֶל־(’el-)Preposition
Strong's 413:Near, with, among, tothe Israelites,בְּנֵ֣י(bə·nê)Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 1121:A sonbut on account of their broken spiritמִקֹּ֣צֶר(miq·qō·ṣer)Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 7115:Shortness, impatienceand cruelקָשָֽׁה׃(qā·šāh)Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7186:Hard, severebondage,וּמֵעֲבֹדָ֖ה(ū·mê·‘ă·ḇō·ḏāh)Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 5656:Work of any kindthey did notוְלֹ֤א(wə·lō)Conjunctive waw | Adverb - Negative particle
Strong's 3808:Not, nolistenשָֽׁמְעוּ֙(šā·mə·‘ū)Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 8085:To hear intelligentlytoאֶל־(’el-)Preposition
Strong's 413:Near, with, among, to[him].מֹשֶׁ֔ה(mō·šeh)Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872:Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver
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OT Law: Exodus 6:9 Moses spoke so to the children (Exo. Ex) 
