Exodus 4:10-12
But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Moses isn't just saying he's shy; he emphasizes that even after God spoke to him and gave him signs, his speech impediment remained, implying that divine power hadn't fixed this specific personal flaw. This highlights his deep-seated insecurity, not just a lack of eloquence, but a feeling that his very being was inadequate for the task God had set before him.
God has just revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush and commanded him to go to Pharaoh to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. After a series of objections and God's patient responses, including performing miracles with his staff, Moses voices a deep personal insecurity about his ability to speak effectively, claiming he's never been eloquent and is slow of speech.
Moses felt disqualified for the monumental task God had just given him. His stammering became his stumbling block. Do your own perceived weaknesses keep you from what God might be calling you to do?
Moses' objection, "I am not eloquent... I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue," highlights a common human experience: feeling inadequate when facing a divine calling. It's easy to focus on our limitations – our lack of skill, our past failures, our personality quirks – rather than on the one who is calling us.
Even though Moses was a great leader, philosopher, and statesman, he didn't see himself as a gifted speaker. He believed an orator was needed for the task, not someone with a "slow tongue." This wasn't just a minor inconvenience; it was a deep-seated insecurity he felt had persisted his whole life, and even God's direct address hadn't erased it.
The commentary notes suggest that this wasn't necessarily a complete inability to speak, but a lack of ready, fluent, and graceful utterance. This is important because it shows that our perception of our own abilities can be a significant barrier, even if the reality isn't as dire as we fear.
Moses saw his speech impediment as an insurmountable obstacle. But God's perspective is different. How does God intend to use our perceived weaknesses for His glory?
God’s response to Moses’ objection is crucial. He doesn't dismiss Moses' feelings but gently points him to the Source of all ability: "Who has made the human mouth?" (Exodus 4:11). God is reminding Moses that the very person he felt was inadequate was created and equipped by Him.
This is a powerful reminder that our limitations are not the final word. God can work through them, or even through them, to accomplish His purposes. The scholars note that God often uses imperfect instruments precisely so that His power is made evident. If Moses had been a perfect orator from the start, the victory would seem like Moses' own. But when a stammerer delivers God's message powerfully, the glory undeniably goes to God.
Ultimately, God’s plan wasn't to magically cure Moses' speech impediment in that moment, but to partner with Moses despite it. He appointed Aaron to be his spokesman, showing that God provides solutions and companions for the tasks He calls us to, even if it's not exactly the way we might have imagined.
Understand the original words
Adonay · Hebrew Noun/Title
A title of respect, sovereignty, and authority used for God. It acknowledges His absolute right to rule over His creation and the speaker's status as His servant.
dabar · Hebrew Adjective/Noun
The state of being an effective or fluent speaker. Moses expresses a lack of this natural ability, emphasizing his dependence on God for the power and authority to convey a divine message.
ebed · Hebrew Noun
One who is commissioned to perform duties for a master. It implies complete surrender, obedience, and alignment of one's will with the purposes of the one served.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The personal name of the one true God, signifying His eternal, self-existent, and covenant-keeping nature. It is the name revealed to Moses at the burning bush, emphasizing His faithfulness to His promises.
Moses' hesitation stemmed not from a lack of God's power, but from his own perceived inadequacy. God's response highlights that He often chooses the unlikely to demonstrate His strength, and He provides the necessary gifts and support for His servants.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Moses receives his commission
God appears to Moses in the burning bush and commissions him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt.
c. 1446 BC
Moses expresses his objections
Moses raises several objections to his mission, including his lack of eloquence and hesitancy to speak before Pharaoh.
c. 1446 BC
God appoints Aaron as spokesman
God, angered by Moses' continued reluctance, appoints Aaron, Moses' brother, to speak for him.
c. 1446 BC
Moses begins his return journey
Despite his fears, Moses agrees to return to Egypt, taking his wife and sons with him.
c. 1446 BC
This passage highlights that obedience is better than sacrifice, a principle God emphasizes when Moses hesitates and God's anger is kindled. Moses's reluctance, though rooted in perceived inadequacy, ultimately tested God's patience, underscoring the importance of simply obeying God's call.
Jeremiah 1:6-8Like Moses, Jeremiah expresses his inadequacy when called by God, feeling too young and unable to speak. God's response to Jeremiah mirrors His response to Moses: God assures His presence and promises to put the words in Jeremiah's mouth, emphasizing that divine empowerment overcomes human limitations.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10Paul's declaration that God's power is made perfect in weakness directly echoes the dynamic at play with Moses. Moses's admitted weakness in speech became an opportunity for God's power to be displayed, showing that God often chooses the seemingly inadequate to accomplish His purposes.
Acts 7:22Stephen's testimony about Moses being 'powerful in speech and action' contrasts with Moses's own self-assessment in Exodus 4:10. This suggests that while Moses perceived himself as lacking eloquence, God's power manifested through him, turning his perceived weakness into a mighty tool for deliverance.
bensonExodus 4:10: "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."
Exodus 4:10 . O my Lord, I am not eloquent — He was a great philosopher, statesman, and divine, and yet no orator; a man of a clear head, great thought, and solid judgment, but had not a voluble tongue, nor ready utterance; and therefore he thought himself unfit to speak before great men and about great affairs…
gillExodus 4:10: "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."
And Moses said unto the Lord,.... Notwithstanding the above miracles, he seems unwilling to go on the Lord's errand to Pharaoh and to the Israelites, and therefore invents a new objection after all his other objections had been sufficiently answered: I am not eloquent; or "a man of words" (s), that has words at…
Moses isn't just saying he's shy; he emphasizes that even after God spoke to him and gave him signs, his speech impediment remained, implying that divine power hadn't fixed this specific personal flaw. This highlights his deep-seated insecurity, not just a lack of eloquence, but a feeling that his very being was inadequate for the task God had set before him.
God has just revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush and commanded him to go to Pharaoh to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. After a series of objections and God's patient responses, including performing miracles with his staff, Moses voices a deep personal insecurity about his ability to speak effectively, claiming he's never been eloquent and is slow of speech.
God has just revealed Himself to Moses at the burning bush and commanded him to go to Pharaoh to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. After a series of objections and God's patient responses, including performing miracles with his staff, Moses voices a deep personal insecurity about his ability to speak effectively, claiming he's never been eloquent and is slow of speech.
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illem · Hebrew Adjective
A state of inability to speak, often viewed in Scripture as under God's sovereign control regarding its occurrence or origin, emphasizing His power over human faculties.
cheresh · Hebrew Adjective
The state of physical inability to hear; biblically, God is often portrayed as the sovereign Creator who determines human physical conditions, demonstrating His absolute authority over all created beings.
piqqeach · Hebrew Adjective
One who possesses the faculty of sight; biblically, God is acknowledged as the author of all human physical abilities, emphasizing His role as Creator and sustainer of life.
iwwer · Hebrew Adjective
The state of being unable to see; Scripture highlights God's sovereign role in both the existence and the spiritual significance of physical impairments in the context of His unfolding purposes.
im · Hebrew Preposition
Refers to the divine presence and guidance granted to a believer, ensuring that God is actively involved in and directing the actions or speech of His servant.
Moses and Aaron meet Pharaoh
Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh, demanding that he let the Israelites go. Pharaoh responds by increasing their workload.
c. 1446 BC
The Ten Plagues begin
Following Pharaoh's refusal, God sends ten devastating plagues upon Egypt, culminating in the death of the firstborn.
c. 1446 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
Under Moses' leadership, the Israelites leave Egypt, beginning their journey toward the Promised Land.
"But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or…" — Moses isn't just saying he's shy; he emphasizes that even after God spoke to him and gave him signs, his speech impediment remained, implying that divine power hadn't fixed this specific personal f…
