But Moses said to the LORD is literally “and Moses spoke in the presence of Yahweh saying.” This way of introducing Moses’ speech suggests that he “replied” with some emotion. New Jerusalem Bible has “But Moses spoke out in Yahweh’s presence and said.” Translator’s Old Testament says that he “protested”; New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh says he “appealed to the LORD.” Behold is difficult to translate (see 1.9 and 5.5 and comments), but it indicates Moses’ frustration as in 4.1. Good News Translation‘s “Even” helps to show this emotion.

The people of Israel have not listened to me means that “the Israelites” have refused to believe (Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch) or accept what Moses has told them. (See verse 9 and comment.) How then shall Pharaoh listen to me is a rhetorical question that does not expect an answer. It may be changed to a declarative statement, as in Translator’s Old Testament: “therefore Pharaoh certainly will not listen.”

Who am a man of uncircumcised lips is a rather crude metaphor that Moses uses to describe his difficulty in speaking. The same metaphor is used in reference to uncircumcised ears (Jer 6.10) and uncircumcised hearts (Jer 9.26). It means “I am such a poor speaker,” just as in 4.10, where this figure of speech is not used. But it also suggests that his mouth is immature or uninitiated in speaking. It does not necessarily imply that Moses stuttered or had a speech defect. Contemporary English Version has “I’m not a powerful speaker.” Another way to restructure this verse is to use a conditional clause in a similar way to Contemporary English Version: “But Moses replied, ‘Look, I’m not a powerful speaker. If the Israelites won’t listen to me, why should the king of Egypt?’ ”

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .