Exodus 6:14-27
God’s deliverance does not float above history; He raises servants from within His covenant people and anchors their calling in His long-governed purposes.
14 These are the heads of their fathers’ houses. The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben.
15 The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon.
16 These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari; and the years of the life of Levi were one hundred thirty-seven years.
17 The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families.
18 The sons of Kohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel; and the years of the life of Kohath were one hundred thirty-three years.
19 The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations.
20 Amram took Jochebed his father’s sister to himself as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. The years of the life of Amram were one hundred thirty-seven years.
21 The sons of Izhar: Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.
22 The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Sithri.
23 Aaron took Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, as his wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
24 The sons of Korah: Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites.
25 Eleazar Aaron’s son took one of the daughters of Putiel as his wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites according to their families.
26 These are that Aaron and Moses to whom Yahweh said, “Bring out the children of Israel from the land of Egypt according to their armies.”
27 These are those who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt, to bring out the children of Israel from Egypt. These are that Moses and Aaron.
God’s deliverance does not float above history; he raises servants from within his covenant people and anchors their calling in his long-governed purposes.
To pause the confrontation narrative and identify Moses and Aaron within Israel’s covenant family, especially through Levi, so that their public role before Pharaoh is grounded in the LORD’s providential ordering of the covenant people rather than in self-appointed authority.
Exodus 6:14-27 stands between Moses’ renewed objection in Exodus 6:10-13 and the resumed dialogue in Exodus 6:28-30. It interrupts the action intentionally. The genealogy verifies Moses and Aaron’s place within Israel, especially within Levi, and prepares for Aaron’s later prominence. The repeated conclusion in verses 26-27 ties the genealogy back to the exodus commission: these are the Moses and Aaron who were commanded to bring Israel out and who spoke to Pharaoh.
The passage lists clan heads and descendants in a selective genealogy focused on Israel’s early tribal structure. It begins with Reuben and Simeon, the first two sons of Jacob, but the narrative weight falls on Levi because Moses and Aaron descend from the Levites. The genealogy names Amram, Jochebed, Aaron, Moses, and Aaron’s sons, thereby connecting the deliverance narrative to the later priestly line and to Israel’s worship order.
The LORD Reaffirms His Name, Covenant, and Promise of Redemption
When Israel is too crushed to listen and Moses feels too weak to speak, the LORD anchors redemption in His name, covenant, promise, and mighty power.