Bible Trivia - 2/21/2008

Question: Why did Moses think he was incapable of organizing the Jews to leave Egypt?

Answer: Because he didn’t feel eloquent enough.(Exodus 4:10)

Comments: Moses’ claim that he was “slow of speech and slow of tongue.” (Exodus 4:10) is probably more an excuse to evade the responsibility of leading God’s people than a fact. Exodus 4 begins with Moses’ concern that the people will not believe his mission has a divine origin. To assure him, God gives him three visible signs to attest to this fact. It is then that Moses claims his own inarticulateness. Ironically, his argument for being poor with words is quite eloquent.

“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." (Exodus 4:10, NASB)

Moses’ claim angers God, who then gives him his brother Aaron as his mouthpiece. When it is time to speak, with the exception of the initial charge to the people (4:30) it is almost always Moses, not his brother Aaron who fulfills the task.

The fact that Moses’ assertion is made in the context of another excuse, that God is angered (4:14), and that Moses proves himself quite well spoken all indicate that Moses is copping out more than accurately assessing his verbal abilities.