Exodus 6:14-25 · Bible study
Exodus 6:14-25 Commentary: Roots of Deliverance
Hebrew · 11 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Exodus 6:14-25 presents the genealogy of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi, authenticating Moses and Aaron as God's chosen deliverers for Israel.
Research Summary
- Meaning: This genealogy authenticates Moses and Aaron as chosen instruments, grounding the exodus in the history of Israel’s families.
- Key words: Heads (H7218), families (H4940), Levi, Amram, Jochebed, Korah, terms that establish identity and structure.
- Main debate: Whether the genealogy is complete or selective; most scholars see gaps, typical of biblical genealogies.
- Theological theme: God works through imperfect human families across generations to fulfil His promises.
- Best use: Demonstrating the historical reality of the exodus and God’s faithful preparation of leaders within a broken people.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
14These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were the clans of Reuben.
15The sons of Simeon were Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul, the son of a Canaanite woman. These were the clans of Simeon.
16These were the names of the sons of Levi according to their records: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. Levi lived 137 years.
17The sons of Gershon were Libni and Shimei, by their clans.
18The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. Kohath lived 133 years.
19The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These were the clans of the Levites according to their records.
20And Amram married his father’s sister Jochebed, and she bore him Aaron and Moses. Amram lived 137 years.
21The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri.
22The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.
23And Aaron married Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
24The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph. These were the clans of the Korahites.
25Aaron’s son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These were the heads of the Levite families by their clans.
WEB World English Bible 2000
14These are the heads of their fathers’ houses. The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben.
15The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon.
16These are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari; and the years of the life of Levi were one hundred thirty-seven years.
17The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families.
18The sons of Kohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel; and the years of the life of Kohath were one hundred thirty-three years.
19The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations.
20Amram took Jochebed his father’s sister to himself as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. The years of the life of Amram were one hundred thirty-seven years.
21The sons of Izhar: Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.
22The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri.
23Aaron took Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, as his wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
24The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites.
25Eleazar Aaron’s son took one of the daughters of Putiel as his wife; and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites according to their families.
KJV King James Version 1769
14These be the heads of their fathers’ houses: The sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel; Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these be the families of Reuben.
15And the sons of Simeon; Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon.
16And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations; Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi were an hundred thirty and seven years.
17The sons of Gershon; Libni, and Shimi, according to their families.
18And the sons of Kohath; Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath were an hundred thirty and three years.
19And the sons of Merari; Mahali and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.
20And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were an hundred and thirty and seven years.
21And the sons of Izhar; Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.
22And the sons of Uzziel; Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Zithri.
23And Aaron took him Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
24And the sons of Korah; Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korhites.
25And Eleazar Aaron’s son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
14These are the heads of their fathers’ houses. The sons of Reuben the first-born of Israel: Hanoch, and Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben.
15And the sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul the son of a Canaanitish woman; these are the families of Simeon.
16And these are the names of the sons of Levi according to their generations: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari; and the years of the life of Levi were a hundred thirty and seven years.
17The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families.
18And the sons of Kohath: Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel; and the years of the life of Kohath were a hundred thirty and three years.
19And the sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their generations.
20And Amram took him Jochebed his father’s sister to wife; and she bare him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty and seven years.
21And the sons of Izhar: Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.
22And the sons of Uzziel: Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Sithri.
23And Aaron took him Elisheba, the daughter of Amminadab, the sister of Nahshon, to wife; and she bare him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
24And the sons of Korah: Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites.
25And Eleazar Aaron’s son took him one of the daughters of Putiel to wife; and she bare him Phinehas. These are the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites according to their families.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
14These are heads of the house of their fathers: Sons of Reuben first-born of Israel are Hanoch, and Phallu, Hezron, and Carmi: these are families of Reuben.
15And sons of Simeon are Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Shaul, son of the Canaanitess: these are families of Simeon.
16And these are the names of the sons of Levi, as to their births: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari: and the years of the life of Levi are a hundred and thirty and seven years.
17The sons of Gershon are Libni, and Shimi, as to their families.
18And the sons of Kohath are Amram, and Izhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel: and the years of the life of Kohath are a hundred and thirty and three years.
19And the sons of Merari are Mahli and Mushi: these are families of Levi, as to their births.
20And Amram taketh Jochebed his aunt to himself for a wife, and she beareth to him Aaron and Moses: and the years of the life of Amram are a hundred and thirty and seven years.
21And sons of Izhar are Korah, and Nepheg, and Zichri.
22And sons of Uzziel are Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Sithri.
23And Aaron taketh Elisheba daughter of Amminadab, sister of Naashon, to himself for a wife, and she beareth to him Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar.
24And sons of Korah are Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are families of the Korhite.
25And Eleazar, Aaron's son, hath taken to him one of the daughters of Putiel for a wife to himself, and she beareth to him Phinehas: these are heads of the fathers of the Levites, as to their families.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
14These are the heads of their fathers' houses: the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Enoch and Phallu, Hezron and Carmi: these are the families of Reuben.
15— And the sons of Simeon: Jemuel, and Jamin, and Ohad, and Jachin, and Zohar, and Saul the son of a Canaanitish woman: these are the families of Simeon.
16And these are the names of the sons of Levi, according to their generations: Gershon, and Kohath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi were a hundred and thirty-seven years.
17The sons of Gershon: Libni and Shimei, according to their families.
18And the sons of Kohath: Amram, and Jizhar, and Hebron, and Uzziel. And the years of the life of Kohath were a hundred and thirty-three years.
19And the sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi: these are the families of Levi according to their generations.
20And Amram took Jochebed his aunt as wife; and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of the life of Amram were a hundred and thirty-seven years.
21And the sons of Jizhar: Korah, and Nepheg, and Zicri.
22And the sons of Uzziel: Mishael, and Elzaphan, and Sithri.
23And Aaron took Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab, sister of Nahshon, as wife; and she bore him Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.
24And the sons of Korah: Assir, and Elkanah, and Abiasaph: these are the families of the Korahites.
25And Eleazar Aaron's son took [one] of the daughters of Putiel as wife; and she bore him Phinehas: these are the heads of the fathers of the Levites according to their families.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
14These are the heads of their houses by their families. The sons of Ruben the firstborn of Israel: Henoch and Phallu, Hesron and Charmi.
15These are the kindreds of Ruben. The sons of Simeon, Jamuel and Jamin, and Ahod, and Jachin, and Soar, and Saul the son of a Chanaanitess: these are the families of Simeon.
16And these are the names of the sons of Levi by their kindreds: Gerson, and Caath, and Merari. And the years of the life of Levi were a hundred and thirty-seven.
17The sons of Gerson: Lobni and Semei, by their kindreds.
18The sons of Caath: Amram, and Isaar, and Hebron and Oziel. And the years of Caath's life, were a hundred and thirty-three.
19The sons of Merari: Moholi and Musi. These are the kindreds of Levi by their families.
20And Amram took to wife Jochabed his aunt by the father's side: and she bore him Aaron and Moses. And the years of Amram's life, were a hundred and thirty-seven.
21The sons also of Isaar: Core, and Nepheg, and Zechri.
22The sons also of Oziel: Mizael, and Elizaphan, and Sethri.
23And Aaron took to wife Elizabeth the daughter of Aminadab, sister of Nahason, who bore him Nadab, and Abiu, and Eleazar, and Ithamar.
24The sons also of Core: Aser, and Elcana, and Abiasaph. These are the kindreds of the Corites.
25But Eleazar the son of Aaron took a wife of the daughters of Phutiel: and she bore him Phinees. These are the heads of the Levitical families by their kindreds.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 6:14
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 this genealogy serves to authenticate Moses and Aaron. Calvin argues that Moses includes it “to testify to all ages the origin of his race, that none may doubt that, the promise given to Abraham was completed.” Barnes and JFB add that it satisfies Hebrew readers who valued genealogical records, showing the leaders are no strangers but “bone of their bone and flesh of their flesh” (Wesley). The list begins with Reuben and Simeon because they are older sons of Jacob, then narrows to Levi. Keil and Delitzsch note that the ages given for Levi, Kohath, and Amram connect the exodus generation to the patriarchs across four centuries. Adam Clarke calls this section “a sort of parenthesis” that verifies the timing of deliverance. All agree the genealogy is not exhaustive, it omits many links, but is selective, focusing on the line that produced Moses and Aaron. This pattern of abbreviation is typical in biblical genealogies, as seen in Ezra’s list and Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Complete literal genealogy: The text is read straightforwardly as a full descent from Levi to Moses.
- Selective genealogy with gaps: Comparison with Numbers 3:27-28 (8600 male Kohathites) suggests many more generations than the four listed; therefore, links are omitted.
- Functional genealogy: The purpose is to legitimize Moses and Aaron, not to provide an exhaustive family tree; the list is shaped by its narrative role.
What is clear: The genealogy establishes Moses and Aaron as descendants of Levi and thus among the people of Israel, grounding their leadership in God's covenant history.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose of the genealogy | All traditions agree it authenticates Moses and Aaron as legitimate descendants of Israel. | Some read it as a complete record; others see it as selective, omitting generations to focus on the line to Moses. |
| Marriage of Amram and Jochebed | Christians affirm the marriage was historical and produced Moses and Aaron. | Catholics and Orthodox do not see a conflict with later Levitical law, noting it was before the law was given; some Protestants, following Calvin, distinguish between the pre-law era and later prohibitions. |
| Inclusion of Korah | All agree Korah was a real descendant of Levi and later rebelled. | Some emphasize Moses’ impartiality in including a rebel; others see it as a warning or as evidence that God’s purposes persist despite human failure. |
| Ages of Levi, Kohath, and Amram | The ages are given to show the longevity that connected the patriarchs to the exodus. | Some take them as exact lifespans; others view them as round numbers representing generations or symbolic intervals. |
Historical & Cultural Context
This genealogy interrupts the dramatic narrative of Moses’ calling. In Exodus 5, Moses confronts Pharaoh and is rejected. In Exodus 6:1-8, God renews His promise with the divine name Yahweh. Yet Moses protests that Israel has not listened (v. 12). Then God responds by giving a command (v. 13). At this point the genealogy appears, a formal list that grounds the unfolding deliverance in Israel’s family history.
Ancient readers prized genealogies. They established identity, land rights, and priestly legitimacy. For Hebrew slaves in Egypt, knowing that Moses and Aaron descended from Levi and ultimately from Abraham assured them that God had not forgotten His covenant. The list begins with Reuben, the firstborn (see Genesis 49:3-4), then Simeon, then the tribe of Levi. This order mirrors the patriarchal blessing and shows that Moses and Aaron belong to the nation, not to some foreign line.
The genealogy also reveals intermarriage with non-Israelites. Shaul is “the son of a Canaanite woman” (v. 15). Putiel, whose daughter marries Eleazar, may bear an Egyptian name (Cambridge Bible notes it is “seemingly an Egyptian name, of a type very common from b.c. 1000 onward, but with the Heb. El”). Jochebed is called Amram’s “father’s sister”, a marriage later forbidden in Leviticus 18:12, but not yet binding. These details remind us that the holy line grew within a mixed, imperfect family, which is typical of God’s ways in Scripture.
The ages given (Levi 137, Kohath 133, Amram 137) anchor the story in real time. Levi outlived Joseph and his brothers, providing a human link between the patriarchs and the exodus. This history matters because God does not act in a vacuum; He saves through a specific people, with names and years and marriages, all under His sovereign care.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this passage. The genealogy is preserved consistently across Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions (Septuagint, Syriac, Latin).
Reception History
Jewish tradition has used this genealogy to trace the priestly line of Aaron, as seen in the Talmudic discussions of the temple service. Early church fathers, such as Origen, saw typology in the Levitical genealogy, connecting it to Christ as High Priest. During the Reformation, Calvin employed this passage to argue that God validates His messengers by visible historical credentials, Moses could not be an impostor because his lineage was public knowledge. Anglican commentators like the Cambridge Bible noted that the structure mirrors other Priestly genealogies in Genesis, reinforcing the unity of the Pentateuch. In modern preaching, this passage often serves to remind congregations that God works through ordinary families across long stretches of time.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God works through family lines. This genealogy ties Moses and Aaron to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It shows the exodus is the fulfilment of a centuries-old promise.
- God includes the messy and the flawed. Korah, the rebel, appears among the ancestors (v. 21). Mixed marriages with Canaanites and Egyptians are recorded. Grace runs through broken branches.
- God’s timing spans generations. The ages of Levi, Kohath, and Amram remind us that deliverance took 400 years. God is not in a hurry; He prepares leaders over decades.
Five-point outline
- God remembers His covenant. The genealogy begins with Reuben, the firstborn, and traces to Levi, showing God keeps His word to the patriarchs.
- He chooses ordinary people. Most names appear only here. They were not famous, but they carried the promise.
- He works through messy families. Shaul’s Canaanite mother, Amram’s marriage to his aunt, Putiel’s likely Egyptian background, all show God’s grace across ethnic and legal boundaries.
- He calls leaders with deep roots. Moses and Aaron are no self-made men; they belong to a history of faith and failure.
- He sees the whole story. While Moses felt stuck before Pharaoh (Exodus 6:12), God showed him the bigger picture, a family line leading to freedom.
Illustration hooks
- Family photo albums. We flip through old pictures and see grandparents we barely knew. In Exodus 6, the “photo album” of Israel is opened to show where Moses came from.
- DNA tests. Many people now use ancestry kits to learn their roots. This genealogy is Israel’s spiritual DNA test, proving that God’s deliverer is one of their own.
- Ceremonial lighting of a torch. At the Olympics, the flame is passed from runner to runner. Each name in the list is a handoff of the promise until it reaches Moses and Aaron.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Why does the Bible include boring lists of names? Don’t skip them, they are proof that God works through real history.
- If my family line is broken, does God still use me? The genealogy includes sinners and outsiders, so yes.
- What does this old story have to do with my life today? It shows that God prepares His work long before we see it, and He chooses leaders from within His people.
Leading a Discussion
This passage looks like a list of names, but it is really a gift: it shows that God’s deliverance did not fall from the sky. It came through a real family with real flaws. As you discuss, help your group see the connecting thread of God’s faithfulness across generations.
Discussion questions
- Read Exodus 6:14-25 together. What is your first reaction to a genealogy here? Why might the writer have placed it at this moment in the story?
- Notice that the list begins with Reuben and Simeon, not Levi. Why do you think the writer started there? (See Genesis 49:3-7 for help.)
- What do we learn about Moses and Aaron from this genealogy? How does it change your view of them as leaders?
- Verse 21 mentions Korah, who later rebels (Numbers 16). Why would Moses include his own rebellious relative? What does this tell us about honesty in Scripture?
- Look at the marriages: Amram and Jochebed (v. 20), Aaron and Elisheba (v. 23), Eleazar and a daughter of Putiel (v. 25). What do these unions reveal about the community’s ethnic and cultural mix?
- How does this genealogy help you trust that God is working in your own family story, even in its hard or hidden parts?
- If you were writing your spiritual genealogy, which ancestors would you include? How has God used people ahead of you to prepare the way for your faith?
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)
| Genesis 46:9 | The sons of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. |
| Genesis 49:3 | “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in dignity, and excelling in power. |
| Genesis 49:4 | Boiling over like water, you shall not excel, because you went up to your father’s bed, then defiled it. He went up to my couch. |
| Numbers 26:5 | Reuben, the firstborn of Israel; the sons of Reuben: of Hanoch, the family of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the family of the Palluites; |
| Numbers 26:7 | These are the families of the Reubenites; and those who were counted of them were forty-three thousand seven hundred thirty. |
| Joshua 13:15 | Moses gave to the tribe of the children of Reuben according to their families. |
| Joshua 13:23 | The border of the children of Reuben was the bank of the Jordan. This was the inheritance of the children of Reuben according to their families, the cities and its villages. |
| Joshua 14:1 | These are the inheritances which the children of Israel took in the land of Canaan, which Eleazar the priest, Joshua the son of Nun, and the heads of the fathers’ houses of the tribes of the children of Israel, distributed to them, |
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
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes the genealogy is a parenthetical passage, inserted only to confirm that Moses and Aaron descend from Abraham and to mark the timing of Israel's deliverance. He also observes that the Hebrew term for Jochebed as Amram's "father's sister" is uncertain, with many scholars taking her as his cousin instead.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that the genealogy is a selective summary, not a full record. He distinguishes the Amram here as a representative descendant, not the same person in verse 18. He also notes that
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin observes that Moses lists the family heads to prove the Israelites' deliverance came from Abraham's promised line. Moses even records his parents' marriage to an aunt, a potential disgrace, rather than hide it. This honesty, Calvin argues, shows Moses sought only God's glory, not his own reputation.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator observes that the genealogies of Reuben and Simeon are included only as a lead-up to the tribe of Levi. The writer carefully defines Moses and Aaron’s position among Jacob’s descendants, showing they belonged to Levi. The details about the elder sons serve merely to introduce the more extensive particulars about the tribe of Levi.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill emphasizes that the genealogy deliberately includes the heads of Reuben, Simeon, and Levi despite their notorious sins, showing they truly repented and were not rejected. He notes the entire record aims to confirm that Moses and Aaron were genuine Israelites, and that Moses humbly omitted his own offspring because the priesthood, not civil rule, continued through Aaron's line.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
JFB sees this genealogy as a deliberate authentication of Moses' and Aaron's descent, given the high offices they would later hold. He also observes that Moses records the family of Aaron in detail but passes over his own, which reveals genuine modesty rather than the ambition of an impostor.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch argues that Amram, father of Moses, cannot be the same person as Amram son of Kohath. If he were, Moses would have had over two thousand brothers and nephews among the 2,150 Amramites, which is impossible since Moses had only two sons. Many generations are therefore omitted between the two Amrams.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange sees a deliberate double meaning in Moses and Aaron's modest request for a three-day feast. What sounds like a petition for a furlough actually conceals a command to set the people free, and the call to worship in the wilderness points toward a complete separation from Egypt. Pharaoh's defiant refusal marks him as the prototype of all religious tyrants, his impiety beginning with a dismissal of the unknown God.
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley sees this genealogy as proof that Moses and Aaron were genuine Israelites, raised from among their own people to deliver them, which prefigures Christ as the prophet and priest of Israel. He also explains that the patriarchs' long lives ended because Israel had multiplied and revelation was now written, removing the need for oral tradition and extreme longevity. He clarifies that "father's sister" means kinswoman, and notes Levites could marry into any tribe without inheritance confusion.