The Meaning of Exodus 4:10 Explained

Exodus 4:10

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Exodus 4:10 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 4:10-17 - God's Promises Overcome Moses' Reluctance
To Moses' second misgiving God made a promise of exceeding beauty, which all who speak for God should consider. Compare Exodus 4:12 with Jeremiah 1:7-9 and 1 Corinthians 2:4. If we looked at our natural powers as Paul used to do, we should glory in our lack of eloquence, as affording a better platform on which God might work. See 2 Corinthians 12:9-10.
In answer to the third misgiving God gave him his brother as assistant. Indeed, he was already on his way; but he was a weak man, and gave to Moses a great amount of anxiety and pain in their afterlife. After all, it is best for a man to lean only on God for counsel and ready help. If we step forth with this supreme alliance, we shall escape the hampering association with Aarons. We may as well get all we need at first-hand. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 4

1  Moses's rod is turned into a serpent
6  His hand is leprous
10  He loathes his calling
13  Aaron is appointed to assist him
18  Moses departs from Jethro
21  God's message to Pharaoh
24  Zipporah circumcises her son
27  Aaron is sent to meet Moses
29  The people believe them

What do the individual words in Exodus 4:10 mean?

And said Moses to Yahweh Please my Lord not a man eloquent [am] I also from yesterday from before from then [on] You have spoken Your servant but slow of speech and of slow tongue I [am]
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶל־ יְהוָה֮ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנָי֒ לֹא֩ אִ֨ישׁ דְּבָרִ֜ים אָנֹ֗כִי גַּ֤ם מִתְּמוֹל֙ מִשִּׁלְשֹׁ֔ם מֵאָ֥ז דַּבֶּרְךָ‪‬ עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֧י כְבַד־ פֶּ֛ה וּכְבַ֥ד לָשׁ֖וֹן אָנֹֽכִי

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מֹשֶׁ֣ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
יְהוָה֮  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
בִּ֣י  Please 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: בִּי  
Sense: if it please, pray excuse me, excuse me please.
אֲדֹנָי֒  my  Lord 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲדֹנָי  
Sense: my lord, lord.
אִ֨ישׁ  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֱנׄושׁ 
Sense: man, mortal man, person, mankind.
דְּבָרִ֜ים  eloquent 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אָנֹ֗כִי  [am]  I 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אָנׄכִי  
Sense: I (first pers.
גַּ֤ם  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
מִתְּמוֹל֙  from  yesterday 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adverb
Root: תְּמֹול  
Sense: before, before that time, beforetime, heretofore, of late, of old, these days, time(s) past, yesterday, day before yesterday, recently, formerly.
מִשִּׁלְשֹׁ֔ם  from  before 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adverb
Root: שִׁלְשֹׁום  
Sense: day before yesterday, three days ago.
מֵאָ֥ז  from  then  [on] 
Parse: Preposition-m, Adverb
Root: אָז  
Sense: then, at that time.
דַּבֶּרְךָ‪‬  You  have  spoken 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ  Your  servant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עֶבֶד  
Sense: slave, servant.
כְבַד־  slow 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: כָּבֵד  
Sense: heavy, great.
פֶּ֛ה  of  speech 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: פֶּה  
Sense: mouth.
וּכְבַ֥ד  and  of  slow 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: כָּבֵד  
Sense: heavy, great.
לָשׁ֖וֹן  tongue 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: לָשֹׁון  
Sense: tongue.
אָנֹֽכִי  I  [am] 
Parse: Pronoun, first person common singular
Root: אָנׄכִי  
Sense: I (first pers.