What is the meaning of Exodus 6:5? Furthermore – The word signals continuity. God is building on what He has just told Moses about His name and His promise (Exodus 6:2-4). – It reminds us that divine revelation is progressive: the Lord keeps adding layer upon layer so His people grasp the bigger picture (cf. Isaiah 28:10). – By saying “furthermore,” God shows He is not finished speaking or acting; His plan is still unfolding, exactly as He pledged to Abraham (Genesis 15:13-14). I have heard the groaning – This is not casual awareness but personal engagement. “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and His ears are inclined to their cry” (Psalm 34:15). – Earlier, Scripture noted the same reality: “God heard their groaning” (Exodus 2:24). Now He repeats it to assure Moses that nothing has been overlooked. – God hears every sigh of His people—whether in Egypt then or in any oppression now (Psalm 18:6; 1 Peter 3:12). of the Israelites – The focus is covenant family, not random sufferers. They are “My son, My firstborn” (Exodus 4:22). – Their identity flows from God’s choice, first expressed to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Genesis 17:7; Deuteronomy 7:6-8). – By naming them, God affirms that He distinguishes His people from the nations, even when those nations seem to dominate. whom the Egyptians are enslaving – Scripture is honest about oppression: “The Egyptians worked the Israelites ruthlessly” (Exodus 1:13-14). – God calls out the oppressor by name, showing He is not indifferent to injustice (Isaiah 19:20; Acts 7:34). – The phrase highlights the depth of bondage so the coming redemption will shine all the brighter (Romans 5:20-21). and I have remembered My covenant – Divine memory is not recall of forgotten facts; it is resolve to act. “He remembers His covenant forever” (Psalm 105:8-11). – The covenant in view is the oath to Abraham to give his descendants the land and bless them (Genesis 15:18; Exodus 2:24). – This remembrance guarantees deliverance, because God’s promises are irrevocable (Numbers 23:19; Hebrews 6:17-18). summary Exodus 6:5 strings together five truths: God keeps adding to His revelation; He listens attentively to every cry; He singles out His covenant people; He exposes the oppressor; and He acts on promises He has never forgotten. The verse reassures believers in every age that the Lord who heard Israel in Egypt still hears, remembers, and delivers exactly as He said. |