Exodus 6:9

“And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel, etc.] After this manner, and in the above words, declaring all that the Lord made known to him, and promised to do for them; which one would have thought would have revived their spirits, and refreshed and comforted their hearts under their troubles, and encouraged a lively exercise of faith and hope of deliverance: but they hearkened not unto Moses; being disappointed of deliverance by him, and their afflictions being increased, and lying heavy upon them, they were heartless and hopeless; for anguish of spirit; trouble of mind and grief of heart, with which they were swallowed up; or “for shortness of breath” f175, being so pressed that they…”

“Moses spake so unto the children of Israel--The increased severities inflicted on the Israelites seem to have so entirely crushed their spirits, as well as irritated them, that they refused to listen to any more communications (Exo 14:12). Even the faith of Moses himself was faltering; and he would have abandoned the enterprise in despair had he not received a positive command from God to revisit the people without delay, and at the same time renew their demand on the king in a more decisive and peremptory tone.”

“They hearkened not - The contrast between the reception of this communication and that recorded in Exodus 4:31 is accounted for by the change of circumstances. On the former occasion the people were comparatively at ease, accustomed to their lot, sufficiently afflicted to long for deliverance, and sufficiently free in spirit to hope for it. For anguish - See the margin; out of breath, as it were, after their cruel disappointment, they were quite absorbed by their misery, unable and unwilling to attend to any fresh communication. return to 'Top of Page'”

“But they hearkened not to Moses for anguish of spirit - That is, They were so taken up with their troubles that they did not heed him. Exodus 6:11”

“6:9 The crisis deepened as the people refused to listen to the reaffirmation of the promises. They had not anticipated that their initial faith would produce greater problems for them.”

“hearkened: Exo 5:21, Exo 14:12; Job 21:4; Pro 14:19 anguish: Heb. shortness, or, straitness, Num 21:4 Exodus 6:11”

“When Moses communicated this solemn assurance of God to the people, they did not listen to him רוּה מּקּצר, lit., "for shortness of breath;" not "from impatience" (like קצר־רוּח, Pro 14:29, in contrast to אפּים ארך), but from anguish, inward pressure, which prevents a man from breathing properly. Thus the early belief of the Israelites was changed into the despondency of unbelief through the increase of their oppression. This result also produced despondency in Moses' mind, so that he once more declined the commission, which followed the promise, viz., to go to Pharaoh and demand that he would let Israel go out of his land ( Exo 6:11). If the children of Israel would not listen to him, how…”