Exodus 6:6
“Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:”
King James Version (KJV)
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After Israel's suffering worsens and their faith falters, God renews His covenant promises and tells Moses to declare His name and purpose.
What Does Exodus 6:6 Mean?
This verse means that God personally commits Himself to rescue His people from slavery, and He stakes that promise on His own name. To a discouraged people who can barely listen for their suffering, God speaks a chain of unbreakable pledges: "I will bring you out... I will rid you... I will redeem you." The deliverance does not depend on Israel's strength or Pharaoh's permission. It rests entirely on what God Himself has resolved to do.
The word "redeem" carries the picture of a near kinsman buying back a relative out of bondage. God is not a distant power issuing decrees; He acts like family, claiming Israel as His own and paying the cost to free them. The "stretched out arm" speaks of mighty, visible action -- a God who rolls up His sleeves to save. Every promise here begins with "I," rooting the people's future not in their fragile circumstances but in the steadfast character of the LORD. For anyone in bondage of any kind, this verse declares that God hears, remembers His covenant, and moves to set free.
In the Original Language
The word "redeem" is the Hebrew gaʾal, the act of a kinsman-redeemer buying back a relative from slavery or debt.
Cross References
“Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.”
- Exodus 15:13
“But because the LORD loved you... hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen.”
- Deuteronomy 7:8
“Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
- Titus 2:14
Application
When you feel trapped by circumstances beyond your control, remember that your rescue rests on God's sure promises, not your own strength.
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