EXO 6:12 Parallel View

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Key: yellow:verbs, red:negative, green:YHWH.
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ULT And Moses spoke before the face of Yahweh, saying, “Behold, the sons of Israel have not listened to me, so how will Pharaoh listen to me? And I have uncircumcised lips.”

UST But Moses said to Yahweh, “Certainly, if the Israelites have not paid attention to what I told them, the king will not pay attention to what I tell him, since I am a poor speaker.”

BSB § But in the LORD’s presence Moses replied, “If the Israelites will not listen to me, then why would Pharaoh listen to me, since I am unskilled in speech?[fn]”

6:12 Hebrew I have uncircumcised lips; also in verse 30

OEB No OEB EXO book available

WEB Moses spoke before Yahweh, saying, “Behold, the children of Israel haven’t listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, when I have uncircumcised lips?”

WMB Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, “Behold, the children of Israel haven’t listened to me. How then shall Pharaoh listen to me, when I have uncircumcised lips?”

NET But Moses replied to the Lord, “If the Israelites did not listen to me, then how will Pharaoh listen to me, since I speak with difficulty?”

LSV and Moses speaks before YHWH, saying, “Behold, the sons of Israel have not listened to me, and how does Pharaoh hear me, and I of uncircumcised lips?”

FBV But Moses replied, “Even my own people don't listen to me. Why would Pharaoh listen to me, especially since I'm such a poor speaker?”

T4T But Moses/I said to Yahweh, “Listen to what I am saying. Even the Israeli people have not paid attention to what I told them. But I am a poor speaker. [MET, MTY] So ◄why should the king pay attention to what I tell him?/the king will certainly not pay attention to what I tell him!►” [RHQ]

LEB And Moses spoke before Yahweh, saying, “Look, the Israelites[fn] do not listen to me, and how will Pharaoh listen to me, since Iam a poor speaker?”[fn]

?:? Literally “sons/children of Israel”

?:? Literally “uncircumcised of lips”

BBE And Moses, answering the Lord, said, See, the children of Israel will not give ear to me; how then will Pharaoh give ear to me, whose lips are unclean?

MOF No MOF EXO book available

JPS And Moses spoke before the LORD, saying: 'Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?'

ASV And Moses spake before Jehovah, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?

DRA Moses answered before the Lord Behold the children of Israel do no hearken to me; and how will Pharao hear me, especially as I am of uncircumcised lips?

YLT and Moses speaketh before Jehovah, saying, 'Lo, the sons of Israel have not hearkened unto me, and how doth Pharaoh hear me, and I of uncircumcised lips?'

DBY And Moses spoke before Jehovah, saying, Lo, the children of Israel do not hearken to me: how then should Pharaoh hearken to me, to me of uncircumcised lips?

RV And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?

WBS And Moses spoke before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened to me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?

KJB And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips?
(And Moses spake before the LORD, saying, Behold, the children of Israel have not hearkened unto me; how then shall Pharaoh hear me, who am of uncircumcised lips? )

BB And Moyses spake before the Lorde, saying: beholde, the children of Israel hearken not vnto me: howe then shall Pharao heare me, whiche am of vncircumcized lippes?
(And Moses spake before the Lord, saying: behold, the children of Israel hearken not unto me: how then shall Pharaoh hear me, which am of uncircumcized lippes?)

GNV But Moses spake before the Lord, saying, Beholde, the children of Israel hearken not vnto me, howe then shall Pharaoh heare mee, which am of vncircumcised lippes?
(But Moses spake before the Lord, saying, Behold, the children of Israel hearken not unto me, how then shall Pharaoh hear mee, which am of uncircumcised lippes? )

CB But Moses spake before ye LORDE, & saide: Beholde, ye childre of Israel herke not vnto me, how shulde Pharao the heare me? And I am also of vncircumcised lyppes.
(But Moses spake before ye/you_all LORD, and said: Behold, ye/you_all children of Israel herke not unto me, how should Pharaoh the hear me? And I am also of uncircumcised lyppes.)

WYC Moises answeride bifore the Lord, Lo! the children of Israel here not me, and hou schal Farao here, moost sithen Y am vncircumcidid in lippis?
(Moses answered before the Lord, Lo! the children of Israel here not me, and how shall Pharaoh here, moost since I am uncircumcidid in lippis?)

LUT Mose aber redete vor dem HErrn und sprach: Siehe, die Kinder Israel hören mich nicht, wie sollte mich denn Pharao hören? Dazu bin ich von unbeschnittenen Lippen.
(Mose but talked before/in_front_of to_him HErrn and spoke: Siehe, the children Israel listenn me not, like sollte me because Pharao listenn? Dazu bin I from unbeschnittenen Lippen.)

CLV Respondit Moyses coram Domino: Ecce filii Israël non audiunt me: et quomodo audiet Pharao, præsertim cum incircumcisus sim labiis?[fn]
(Respondit Moyses coram Domino: Behold children Israël not/no audiunt me: and quomodo audiet Pharao, præsertim when/with incircumcisus sim labiis?)

6.12 Ecce filii, etc. AUG. Quæst. 16 in Exod. 70. Ecce ego gracili voce sum et quomodo exaudiet me Pharao. Non videtur tamen propter multitudinem populi excusare se de vocis gracilitate, sed etiam propter unum hominem: mirum si tam gracilis vocis fuit, ut nec ab uno posset audiri. An forte regius fastus non permittebat eos de proximo loqui.

6.12 Behold children, etc. AUG. Quæst. 16 in Exod. 70. Behold I gracili voce I_am and quomodo exaudiet me Pharao. Non videtur tamen propter multitudinem populi excusare se about vocis gracilitate, but also propter unum hominem: mirum when/but_if tam gracilis vocis fuit, as but_not away uno posset audiri. An forte regius fastus not/no permittebat them about proximo loqui.

BRN And Moses spoke before the Lord, saying, Behold, the children of Israel hearkened not to me, and how shall Pharao hearken to me? and I am not eloquent.

BrLXX Ἐλάλησε δὲ Μωυσῆς ἔναντι Κυρίου, λέγων, ἰδοὺ οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ οὐκ εἰσήκουσάν μου, καὶ πῶς εἰσακούσεταί μου Φαραώ; ἐγὼ δὲ ἄλογός εἰμι.
(Elalaʸse de Mōusaʸs enanti Kuriou, legōn, idou hoi huioi Israaʸl ouk eisaʸkousan mou, kai pōs eisakousetai mou Faraō? egō de alogos eimi. )

UTN uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

לִ⁠פְנֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה

to=(the)_face_of/in_front_of/before YHWH

Here, face represents the presence of a person. There may also be a hint of impudence in Moses’ attitude that is conveyed by the words before the face of Yahweh. If it would be helpful in your language, you could use an equivalent expression or plain language. Alternate translation: “in the presence of Yahweh” or “boldly to Yahweh”

הֵ֤ן

Behold is a term meant to focus the attention of the listener on what the speaker is about to say. If there is not a good way to translate this term in your language, this term can be omitted from the translation, or you can use an alternate translation like “as you know.”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / rquestion

הֵ֤ן בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֣וּ אֵלַ֔⁠י וְ⁠אֵיךְ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֣⁠נִי פַרְעֹ֔ה

if sons_of Yisrael not listen to=me and,how listen,me Farˊoh

Moses asked this question in hopes that God would change his mind about using Moses. If you would not use a rhetorical question for this purpose in your language, you could translate his words as a statement or an exclamation and communicate the emphasis in another way. Alternate translation: “Since the Israelites did not listen to me, neither will Pharaoh!”

Note 3 topic: grammar-connect-logic-result

הֵ֤ן בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֹֽא־שָׁמְע֣וּ אֵלַ֔⁠י וְ⁠אֵיךְ֙ יִשְׁמָעֵ֣⁠נִי פַרְעֹ֔ה

if sons_of Yisrael not listen to=me and,how listen,me Farˊoh

Moses is presenting a reasoned argument: since this, then probably that. Use a natural way of expressing such arguments in your language. Alternate translation: “Since the sons of Israel have not listened to me, why would you think Pharaoh would listen to me?”

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

וַ⁠אֲנִ֖י עֲרַ֥ל שְׂפָתָֽיִם

and,I faltering lips

This is a metaphor that means that Moses was not a good speaker. It is somewhat crude; your translation of this phrase could convey that Moses spoke impolitely. If your readers would not understand what this image means in this context, you could use an equivalent metaphor from your culture. Alternatively, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “And I do not speak well”

Parallel EXO 6:12