Exodus 6 · Verse 9

Exodus 6:9

And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
Exodus 6:9, King James Version

Exodus 6:9 in other translations

BSBMoses relayed this message to the Israelites, but on account of their broken spirit and cruel bondage, they did not listen to him.
WEBMoses spoke so to the children of Israel, but they didn’t listen to Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
ASVAnd Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
YLTAnd Moses speaketh so unto the sons of Israel, and they hearkened not unto Moses, for anguish of spirit, and for harsh service.
DARBYAnd Moses spoke thus to the children of Israel; but they did not listen to Moses from anguish of spirit, and from hard service.
BBEAnd Moses said these words to the children of Israel, but they gave no attention to him, because of the grief of their spirit and the cruel weight of their work.
WebsterAnd Moses spoke so to the children of Israel: but they hearkened not to Moses, by reason of anguish of spirit, and cruel bondage.

What does Exodus 6:9 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Exodus 6:9-11
9-11. Moses spake so unto the children of Israel--The increased severities inflicted on the Israelites seem to have so entirely crushed their spirits, as well as irritated them, that they refused to listen to any more communications (Ex 14:12). Even the faith of Moses himself was faltering; and he would have abandoned the enterprise in despair had he not received a positive command from God to revisit the people without delay, and at the same time renew their demand on the king in a more decisive and peremptory tone.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 9 But they hearkened not - Their bondage was become so extremely oppressive that they had lost all hope of ever being redeemed from it. After this verse the Samaritan adds, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians: for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness. This appears to be borrowed from Exo 14:12. Anguish of spirit - קצר רוח kotzer ruach, shortness of spirit or breath. The words signify that their labor was so continual, and their bondage so cruel and oppressive, that they had scarcely time to breathe.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 6:1-9

We are most likely to prosper in attempts to glorify God, and to be useful to men, when we learn by experience that we can do nothing of ourselves; when our whole dependence is placed on him, and our only expectation is from him. Moses had been expecting what God would do; but now he shall see what he will do. God would now be known by his name Jehovah, that is, a God performing what he had promised, and finishing…

Read the full comment on Exodus 6:1-9 →

Exodus 6:9 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיְדַבֵּ֥רvay.da.Berand he spokeH1696
מֹשֶׁ֛הmo.ShehMosesH4872
כֵּ֖ןkenthusH3651
אֶל\־'el-toH413
בְּנֵ֣יbe.Nei[the] people ofH1121
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑לYis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478
וְלֹ֤אve.Lo'and notH3808
שָֽׁמְעוּ֙sha.me.'Uthey listenedH8085
אֶל\־'el-toH413
מֹשֶׁ֔הmo.ShehMosesH4872
מִקֹּ֣צֶרmi.Ko.tzerfrom shortness ofH7115
ר֔וּחַRu.achspiritH7307
וּמֵעֲבֹדָ֖הu.me.'a.vo.Dahand from laborH5656
קָשָֽׁה\׃\ \פka.ShahhardH7186

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 6:9

  • Exodus 5:21

    And they said unto them, The Lord look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.

  • Job 21:4

    As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?

  • Numbers 21:4

    And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.

  • Proverbs 14:19

    The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

  • Exodus 14:12

    Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
hearkened.
5:21; 14:12; Job 21:4; Pr 14:19
anguish. Heb. shortness. or, straitness.
Nu 21:4

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Exodus 6:8

    And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the Lord.

  • Exodus 6:9

    And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.

  • Exodus 6:10

    And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

Read all of Exodus 6

Exodus 6:9 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		De esta manera habló Moisés á los hijos de Israel: mas ellos no escuchaban á Moisés á causa de la congoja de espíritu, y de la dura servidumbre.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Moïse parla ainsi aux fils d’Israël; mais ils n’écoutèrent pas Moïse, à cause de leur angoisse d’esprit, et à cause de leur dure servitude.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und Mose redete also zu den Kindern Israel; aber sie hörten nicht auf Mose vor Ungeduld und vor hartem Dienste.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Narravit ergo Moyses omnia filiis Israël: qui non acquieverunt ei propter angustiam spiritus, et opus durissimum.