And Moses said unto the LORD, O my LORD, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant: but I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
Parallel translations
- WEB Moses said to Yahweh, “O Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before now, nor since you have spoken to your servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.”
- BSB “Please, Lord,” Moses replied, “I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to Your servant, for I am slow of speech and tongue.”
- NKJV Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
- NASB Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”
- NLT But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Moses objects that he is not eloquent but slow of speech. He raises his own inadequacy as a reason God should not send him.
Overview
Despite the signs, Moses pleads his lack of eloquence, whether a genuine speech difficulty or felt inability before the task. His self-focus contrasts with God's repeated assurances and reveals how human weakness can become an excuse rather than an occasion for trust. Scripture often shows God choosing the weak and unimpressive—Paul's 'weakness of speech'—so that the power belongs to God and not to the messenger.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- Jer 1:6Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.
- Exod 6:12And 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?
- Acts 7:22And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.
- 2 Cor 11:6But though I be rude in speech, yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you in all things.
- Exod 4:1And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The LORD hath not appeared unto thee.
- 2 Cor 10:10For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.
- Job 12:2No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
- 1 Cor 2:1–4And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 4:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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