Exodus 4:10 · Bible study
Exodus 4:10 Commentary: 'I Am Not Eloquent'
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Examine Moses' claim of slow speech in Exodus 4:10. Hebrew word studies, commentary insights, and the interplay of human weakness and divine empowerment.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Moses pleads inability to speak as a reason to avoid God’s call; God responds by asserting His power over the mouth and promising presence.
- Key words: ish debarim (man of words), kevad peh / kevad lashon (heavy of mouth / tongue) suggest a real difficulty with speech.
- Main debate: Was Moses’ speech problem physical (stammer, defect) or just lack of fluency/eloquence? Or was it a cover for fear?
- Theological theme: God’s power is perfected in human weakness; His call includes His enablement; persistent unbelief invites divine displeasure.
- Best use: Preaching on weakness, fear of inadequacy, God’s sovereignty over natural abilities, and the cost of resisting God’s call.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
“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.”
WEB World English Bible 2000
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.”
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And Moses said unto Jehovah, Oh, Lord, I am not eloquent, neither heretofore, nor since thou hast spoken unto thy servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And Moses saith unto Jehovah, `O, my Lord, I am not a man of words, either yesterday, or before, or since Thy speaking unto Thy servant, for I am slow of mouth, and slow of tongue.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And Moses said to Jehovah, Ah Lord! I am not eloquent, neither heretofore nor since thou hast spoken to thy servant, for I am slow of speech and of a slow tongue.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Moses said: I beseech thee, Lord, I am not eloquent from yesterday and the day before; and since thou hast spoken to thy servant, I have more impediment and slowness of tongue.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Entonces dijo Moisés á Jehová: ¡ Ay Señor! yo no soy hombre de palabras de ayer ni de anteayer, ni aun desde que tú hablas á tu siervo; porque soy tardo en el habla y torpe de lengua.
Então disse Moisés ao SENHOR: Ai Senhor! Eu não sou homem de palavras de ontem nem de anteontem, nem ainda desde que tu falas a teu servo; porque sou lento no fala e incômodo de língua.
Moïse dit à l’ Éternel: Ah! Seigneur, je ne suis pas un homme qui ait la parole facile, et ce n’ est ni d’ hier ni d’avant-hier, ni même depuis que tu parles à ton serviteur; car j’ ai la bouche et la langue embarrassées.
Mose aber sprach zu dem HERRN: Ach mein Herr, ich bin je und je nicht wohl beredt gewesen, auch nicht seit der Zeit, da du mit deinem Knecht geredet hast; denn ich habe eine schwere Sprache und eine schwere Zunge.
Toen zeide Mozes tot de HEERE: Och Heere! ik ben geen man wel ter tale, noch van gisteren, noch van eergisteren, noch van toen af, toen Gij tot Uw knecht gesproken hebt; want ik ben zwaar van mond, en zwaar van tong.
E Mosè disse all’Eterno: “Ahimè, Signore, io non sono un parlatore; non lo ero in passato, e non lo sono da quando tu hai parlato al tuo servo; giacché io sono tardo di parola e di lingua”.
I rzekł Mojżesz do Pana. Proszę Panie, nie jestem ja mężem wymownym ani przedtem ani odtąd, jakoś mówił do sługi twego: bom ciężkich ust i ciężkiego języka.
И сказал Моисей Господу: о, Господи! человек я не речистый, и таков был и вчера и третьего дня, и когда Ты начал говорить с рабом Твоим: я тяжело говорю и косноязычен.
摩西 對 耶和華 說：「主 啊，我 素日 不是 能言 的人，就是 從 你對 僕人 說話 以後，也是這樣。我 本是 拙 口 笨 舌的。」
And Moses said to the Lord, O Lord, I am not a man of words; I have never been so, and am not now, even after what you have said to your servant: for talking is hard for me, and I am slow of tongue.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 4:10
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Moses’ claim, “I am not a man of words,” is a genuine expression of a limitation, though they differ on its nature and how to weigh it. The Hebrew phrase lo ish debarim (אִישׁ דְּבָרִים) describes someone who does not command words readily, a lack of natural fluency, not necessarily a complete inability (Clarke, Cambridge). The second phrase, “heavy of mouth and heavy of tongue” (kevad peh u-kevad lashon), uses the adjective kaved (כָּבֵד), which means “heavy” or “dull,” suggesting a real difficulty in moving mouth and tongue (Keil & Delitzsch, Gill). Most commentators note the tension with Acts 7:22, where Stephen says Moses was “mighty in his words and works.” Clarke offers three solutions: a natural infirmity that God later overcame; unfamiliarity with Hebrew after years in Midian; or that his power came from God, not natural eloquence. Calvin and Matthew Henry see Moses’ protest as crossing from humility into sinful distrust. The consensus holds that Moses was not being completely dishonest, but his refusal to trust God’s enablement provoked God’s anger (v.14). The verse thus stands as a classic instance of God’s power being perfected in human weakness.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Genuine physical speech impediment: Literal reading of 'heavy of mouth/tongue'; Septuagint's 'strengthless of voice'; Gill, Clarke.
- Lack of fluency/eloquence only: Hebrew 'not a man of words' indicates rhetorical inability, not a defect; Barnes, Cambridge, JFB.
- Excuse rooted in fear/unbelief: God’s anger and Moses’ pattern of objections (4:13); Calvin, Matthew Henry.
What is clear: Moses perceived himself as unable to speak well, and God’s response focuses on His authority over speech, not on fixing the perceived flaw—showing that divine power, not human ability, is the foundation of the mission.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of Moses’ speech problem | Moses lacked natural fluency or had difficulty speaking (Hebrew 'heavy of mouth/tongue'). | Some (Gill, Clarke, JFB) see a physical impediment (stammer). Others (Barnes, Calvin) see lack of eloquence or rhetorical skill, possibly due to long disuse of Hebrew. |
| Was Moses’ objection legitimate or sinful? | Moses genuinely perceived a limitation. | Calvin and Matthew Henry argue his persistence crossed from humility into sinful unbelief. Others (Keil & Delitzsch) note his weakness of flesh, while Clarke allows he may have had a real infirmity that could be overruled. |
| Relationship to Acts 7:22 ('mighty in words'). | Both verses are true; Stephen describes Moses’ overall impact. | Clarke suggests Moses’ natural weakness was overcome by God later. Others say 'mighty in words' refers to the power of his words when speaking for God, not natural eloquence. |
| Significance of God’s anger (v.14). | God was displeased that Moses continued to refuse after clear signs and promises. | Some see this anger as correction of unbelief; others as a disciplinary consequence that changes Moses’ role (Aaron becomes spokesman). |
Historical & Cultural Context
Exodus 4:10 comes near the climax of a call narrative that spans Exodus 3, 4. Moses has already objected that the Israelites will not believe him (4:1), and God has answered with three signs: the rod turned to serpent, the leprous hand, and water turned to blood (4:2, 9). Despite these proofs, Moses raises a new objection about his speech.
Moses was raised in Pharaoh’s court and would have been educated in Egyptian rhetoric and diplomacy (Acts 7:22). Yet he had spent 40 years as a shepherd in Midian, a land where the Hebrew language was not the primary tongue. The Hebrew phrase mi-temol mi-shilshom (from yesterday and from three days ago) is an idiom meaning “neither in the past nor recently.” Combined with gam me’az dabberkha (nor since You have spoken), Moses insists that the divine encounter has not changed his natural limitation. In the ancient Near East, eloquence was prized for ambassadors and courtiers. An envoy who stammered or spoke haltingly was seen as less credible. Moses’ self-description as “not a man of words” would have been understood as a serious disqualification for a royal audience with Pharaoh. Yet God’s response, asking who made the mouth and declaring “I will be with your mouth” (vv.11, 12), redefines the source of authority. The power lies not in human speech skills but in the Creator who can give speech to the mute.
Literarily, Exodus 4:10 sets up the partnership with Aaron, who becomes Moses’ spokesman (4:14, 16). This arrangement is a divine concession, not the original design. It also marks the first time God’s anger burns against Moses, showing that persistent refusal based on perceived inadequacy crosses into unbelief.
Pastorally, this context invites readers to see that God’s call often confronts our deepest insecurities, and that He is not surprised by them.
Textual Notes
The Hebrew text of Exodus 4:10 is stable across major manuscripts (MT, LXX, Targums, Syriac, Vulgate). The LXX renders the Hebrew kevad peh (heavy of mouth) as ischnophōnos (strengthless of voice/sound), supporting the idea of a speech difficulty. The supplied sources note no significant textual variants. The verse presents a clear, coherent reading that has not been challenged by scribal alterations.
Reception History
Early church fathers such as Gregory of Nyssa saw Moses’ reluctance as a model of holy humility. In the medieval period, commentators emphasized Moses’ meekness. Reformation writers like Calvin and Luther stressed the sinfulness of distrusting God’s promises. Wesleyan tradition (Clarke) treated the verse as an honest assessment of limitation that God overrides. Modern evangelical preaching often uses the passage to encourage those who feel inadequate for ministry. Catholics and Orthodox note that God’s choice of a stammering leader prefigures the ‘weak things of the world’ that God uses (1 Cor 1:27). Across traditions, this verse has been read as a call to trust God’s empowerment rather than retreat behind one’s weaknesses.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Honest self-assessment vs. fleshly excuse. Moses names his limitation honestly, but he uses it to avoid obedience. The line between humility and disobedience is thin.
- God’s sovereignty over ability. God asks “Who made man’s mouth?” (v.11), redirecting Moses from his weakness to the Creator’s power to enable.
- Concession with cost. When Moses persists in refusal, God provides Aaron, but the leadership becomes shared. Refusing God’s call may alter how His purpose is fulfilled.
Five-point outline
- The problem of perceived inadequacy. Moses feels he lacks the verbal skills for the task.
- The pattern of protest. Each of Moses’ objections (Ex 3:11, 13; 4:1; 4:10; 4:13) escalates from self-doubt to outright refusal.
- The divine counter. God answers every objection with a promise of presence and power.
- The anger of God. God’s anger at Moses (v.14) reveals that repeated protest rooted in unbelief grieves Him.
- The mercy of a helper. Even in judgment, God provides Aaron, a reminder that God often works through imperfect partners and gradual obedience.
Illustration hooks
- A new believer asked to pray aloud in church but terrified of stumbling over words, yet finding that the Spirit gives utterance.
- A skilled professional passed over for a promotion because they lack “presentation skills,” wondering if God can still use them.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it okay to say “I can’t do that” when God calls? Where is the line between honest limitation and disobedience?
- What if my weakness is permanent, does God still want me to serve in that area?
- How do I know whether my reluctance is humility or fear?
Leading a Discussion
Exodus 4:10 captures the moment when Moses’ fear of public speaking becomes the final barrier to obedience. After three miraculous signs, he still insists “I am not eloquent.” This invites us to examine what we hold back from God’s call, and what it costs us when we do. Read the verse in its context (Ex 3:1, 4:17), and use the questions below to explore both the human and divine dynamics at work.
Discussion questions
- What does the Hebrew phrase “not a man of words” (אִישׁ דְּבָרִים) tell you about how Moses saw himself? How does this compare with Acts 7:22?
- Why do you think Moses mentions his limitation both “before now” and “since You have spoken to Your servant”? What does that addition emphasize?
- In what ways does God answer Moses’ objection in vv.11, 12, and why doesn’t that answer seem to satisfy Moses (v.13)?
- God’s anger in v.14 is the first time His anger is mentioned toward Moses. What does this suggest about how God views persistent refusal based on perceived inadequacy?
- The provision of Aaron as a spokesman is both a concession and a judgment. What did Moses lose by insisting on his own weakness as the final word?
- Where in your life do you feel “slow of speech” or limited in a way that keeps you from saying yes to God? How might God be inviting you to trust His enabling instead?
- How does this passage encourage or challenge your view of God’s sovereignty over human ability?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Exodus 4:1 | Moses answered, “But, behold, they will not believe me, nor listen to my voice; for they will say, ‘Yahweh has not appeared to you.’” |
| Exodus 6:12 | 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?” |
| Job 12:2 | “No doubt, but you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. |
| Jeremiah 1:6 | Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh! Behold, I don’t know how to speak; for I am a child.” |
| Acts 7:22 | Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians. He was mighty in his words and works. |
| I Corinthians 2:1 | When I came to you, brothers, I didn’t come with excellence of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. |
| I Corinthians 2:4 | My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, |
| II Corinthians 10:10 | For, “His letters”, they say, “are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech is despised.” |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
11 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that Moses' phrase "I am not a man of words" is a standard Hebrew expression for someone who is not eloquent. He resolves the apparent contradiction with Stephen calling Moses mighty in words by offering three possibilities: a recent speech impediment, unfamiliarity with pure Hebrew after years in Egypt and Midian, or that Moses spoke with divine power when acting as God's messenger.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes sees Moses' double description of being "slow of speech" as a natural result of years spent as a shepherd in a foreign land, causing difficulty both in finding words and speaking them. He also notes the phrase "since thou hast spoken" suggests a short interval between this encounter and God's first message to Moses.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin distinguishes between Moses' modest awareness of his own weakness, which is acceptable, and his request to be released from God's command entirely. This further step wrongly implies God would lay an unbearable burden or give an inconsiderate order. True trust would cast all cares on God, who equips those He calls.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that Moses’ plea uses a Hebrew particle of entreaty always directed to a superior. His objection is literally that he is not “a man of words” — fluent and commanding speech. God gave him other powers but specifically withheld the gift of fluency; Moses describes himself as heavy of mouth and tongue, slow to speak.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
But Moses said vnto the Lord, Oh my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither at any time haue bene, nor yet since thou hast spoken vnto thy seruant: but I am slowe of speach and slowe of tongue.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill observes that Moses keeps inventing new objections even after God has answered every previous one. His specific complaint here is a real speech impediment: he calls himself "slow of speech and of a slow tongue," which the ancient Greek writer Lucian also noted as a physical difficulty with pronunciation.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB suggests Moses suffered from a natural speech impediment, not just a lack of eloquence, compounded by long disuse of the Egyptian language. God overruled this objection, but Moses remained anxious about the undertaking and wanted to be freed from the responsibility.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch sees the real issue not as Moses' speech difficulty but as his hidden unwillingness to accept the mission. God's anger burned at this groundless refusal, yet mercy still provided Aaron. They also note that calling Aaron "the Levite" carries no allusion to the tribe's future prophetic calling.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads the three signs symbolically: the serpent from Moses' rod represents his prophetic
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry notes that Moses' continued excuses here can no longer be credited to humility or modesty. What now appears is cowardice, slothfulness, and unbelief. Though Moses claimed he was not eloquent, Henry observes he was mighty in word, so the real problem was not inability but unwillingness to obey God's call.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley distinguishes between being mighty in word and being eloquent. Moses had a clear head and solid judgment, but lacked fluent speech. What he said was strong and purposeful, like dew, even though he did not deliver it with the ease and polish that others possess.