Why say to 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:
I am the Lord
Exodus 6:2,8,29 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: …
Ezekiel 20:7-9 Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God…
I will bring
Exodus 3:17 And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.
Exodus 7:4 But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.
Deuteronomy 26:8 And the LORD brought us forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with great terribleness, and with signs, and with wonders:
redeem
Exodus 15:13 Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation.
Deuteronomy 4:23 Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the LORD your God, which he made with you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee.
Deuteronomy 7:8 But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
I am the LORD:
This declaration asserts God's identity as Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God. It is a reminder of His eternal nature and His faithfulness. The use of "I am" connects to God's self-revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:14, where He declares, "I AM WHO I AM," signifying His unchanging and self-existent nature.
and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians:
This promise of deliverance is central to the Exodus narrative. The "yoke" symbolizes the harsh slavery and oppression the Israelites faced. Historically, Egypt was a powerful empire, and the Israelites' liberation would demonstrate God's supremacy over earthly powers. This act of deliverance prefigures the spiritual liberation from sin through Christ.
and deliver you from their bondage:
The term "bondage" highlights the severity of the Israelites' suffering. This deliverance is not just physical but also spiritual, as it foreshadows the ultimate deliverance from sin and death through Jesus Christ. The Exodus becomes a foundational event in Israel's history, celebrated annually in the Passover.
I will redeem you with an outstretched arm:
Redemption here involves a powerful act of God intervening in history. The "outstretched arm" signifies God's strength and active involvement in rescuing His people. This imagery is echoed in Deuteronomy 26:8 and is a type of Christ's redemptive work on the cross, where He stretched out His arms to save humanity.
and with mighty acts of judgment:
These acts refer to the plagues that God would bring upon Egypt, demonstrating His power and justice. Each plague was a direct challenge to the Egyptian gods, revealing the impotence of false deities. This phrase also points to the final judgment, where God's justice will be fully realized, and parallels the victory over sin achieved through Christ's sacrifice.
- God begins with His covenant name, reminding Israel that the One speaking is the eternal, self-existent God who never changes (Exodus 3:14; Malachi 3:6).
- Because He is the LORD, every promise that follows is anchored in His unchanging character (Isaiah 45:5-6; Hebrews 13:8).
- This opening ground zeroes our faith: deliverance is not rooted in Israel’s worthiness but in God’s identity.
- “Yoke” pictures the crushing, daily oppression Pharaoh placed on the people (Exodus 1:13-14).
- God pledges a literal, historical rescue—physical exit from slavery—showing that He notices and responds to human suffering (Deuteronomy 26:8).
- In Christ we see the same heart to remove every yoke: “Come to Me… and you will find rest” (Matthew 11:28-30).
- Deliverance is more than exit; it is freedom from controlling power. When Pharaoh finally said, “Go, worship the LORD” (Exodus 12:31-32), the promise materialized.
- This foreshadows the gospel: “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness” (Colossians 1:13).
- True liberty is found when the Son sets us free (John 8:36).
- To redeem is to buy back at a price. God’s “outstretched arm” signals personal, active involvement (Deuteronomy 7:8; Psalm 136:12).
- The stretched-out staff over the Red Sea and the stretched-out arms of Christ on the cross both declare God’s willingness to pay whatever it costs (Luke 1:51; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
- Redemption moves the people from slavery to belonging.
- The ten plagues were not random disasters; they were targeted judgments on Egypt’s idols (Exodus 12:12; Numbers 33:4).
- God defends His people and vindicates His name when He acts in power (Psalm 9:16).
- The final outpouring of wrath in Revelation 16 echoes these earlier judgments, proving that the LORD who judged Egypt will judge all evil.
Exodus 6:6 is God’s multi-layered promise: because He is the unchanging LORD, He will physically lift Israel out of slavery, break their chains, purchase them for Himself, and do so with unmistakable power. These same actions find their fullest expression in Jesus, who removes every yoke, delivers from sin’s bondage, redeems by His blood, and will finally judge all wickedness—assuring His people of complete, lasting freedom.
(6) I will redeem you.--The idea of God purchasing, or redeeming, Israel is here brought forward for the first time. Later on we learn that the redemption was accomplished in a twofold way--(1) by the long series of wonders, culminating in the tenth plague, whereby they were taken out of Pharaoh's hand, and ceased to be his slaves, becoming instead the servants of God; and (2) by being led through the Red Sea, and thus delivered, one and all, from impending death, and so purchased anew. (See Exodus 15:13-16.) The delivery from Pharaoh typified our deliverance from the power of Satan; the bringing forth from Egypt our deliverance from the power of sin.With a stretched out arm.--See the comment on Exodus 3:20.
Witn great judgments. ? That the "wonders" to be performed would also be "judgments" is here first declared plainly, though previously hinted at (Exodus 3:20; Exodus 4:23). In Genesis God had said that he would "judge" the nation which should afflict Israel (Genesis 15:14), but not that he would do so miraculously. . . .
Verse 6. - Say unto the children of Israel. God felt for the disappointment which the people had suffered in finding no alleviation of their toils, but the reverse, after their hopes had been raised high by the words of Moses (Exodus 4:31). He therefore sent them an inspiriting and gracious message. "They should be rid of their bondage; they should be brought out; they should be redeemed and delivered by his mighty arm and miraculous intervention. He, Jehovah, had said it." Faith would lay hold on this assurance and cling to it, even though God still delayed his coming, and did not precipitate matters. A stretched-out arm. Arms are stretched out by men to help and save. An outstretched arm in the Egyptian writing meant "action." The phrase, elsewhere so common, is here used for the first time. (Compare, however, Exodus 3:20.) It was significant of active, energetic help. Great judgments. These had been previously hinted at (Exodus 3:20 and Exodus 4:22) but had not been previously called "judgments." Compare Genesis 15:14: "Also that nation whom they serve will I judge." The plagues of Egypt were not merely "wonders," but punishments inflicted on a proud and cruel nation by a Judge.