The Lord spoke to Moses with a voice of power and comfort. "Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. By My mighty hand he will not only let My people go—he will drive them out of his land."
Then God said again, "I am the Lord. I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty, but by My name, the Lord, I was not fully known to them. I established My covenant with them to give them the land of Canaan, where they lived as strangers. I have heard the groaning of the Israelites under Egyptian slavery, and I have remembered My covenant."
The Lord's words burned with promise:
"Say to the Israelites:
'I am the Lord. I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will deliver you from slavery. With an outstretched arm and mighty judgments, I will redeem you.
I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who delivered you from Egypt.
And I will bring you to the land I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I will give it to you as your possession. I am the Lord.'"
Moses carried this message to the Israelites, but their hearts were crushed by misery and cruelty, and they would not listen.
Again the Lord commanded: "Go, tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go."
But Moses faltered. "If the Israelites will not listen to me, why would Pharaoh? My lips are slow, unworthy of speech."
So the Lord spoke not only to Moses but to Aaron as well, commanding them both to lead Israel out of Egypt.
From the house of Levi, the family line was remembered: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. From Kohath came Amram, who married Jochebed, and she bore Aaron and Moses. Aaron married Elisheba, who gave him four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. From Eleazar came Phinehas. These were the clans of the Levites, the chosen line through whom God would work.