Exodus 7:6 tells us that Moses and Aaron obeyed God exactly as he had instructed them, doing what he commanded without changing or adding to it. The verse is short, but it marks a turning point: the two brothers are about to confront Pharaoh, and their willingness to follow God’s word precisely sets the pattern for everything that follows in the plagues narrative. The words are narrated by the author of Exodus, traditionally held to be Moses, describing the actions of Moses and Aaron before the king of Egypt.
Moses and Aaron did so. As the LORD commanded them, so they did.
Exodus 7:6 (WEB)
What Exodus 7:6 Means
The phrase “Moses and Aaron did so” is simple but important. It reports that they acted. Earlier verses record God’s plan, and this one records the men carrying it out. There is no record of argument or delay here, even though Moses had objected to his calling earlier in the book. The narrator is making a point about faithfulness: when God speaks, these two men respond.
The second phrase, “As the LORD commanded them, so they did,” repeats the idea for emphasis. Their obedience matched God’s instruction closely. The verse does not explain why God gave the command or what the outcome would be. It simply shows the men following through. What the verse does not promise is ease or success. Obeying God here brings them into a long confrontation with a powerful king, not a quick victory.
The Context of Exodus 7:6
Exodus was written as part of the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament, and it tells the story of Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. The original audience was the Israelite community, who needed to understand how their God had acted to free them and why their history mattered. The surrounding verses in chapter 7 show God announcing that he will harden Pharaoh’s heart and multiply signs and wonders, so that Egypt will know he is the LORD.
Read in that setting, Exodus 7:6 is not a verse about Moses and Aaron showing personal courage. It is a verse about God’s plan unfolding through people who trust his word. Verse 9 looks ahead to the sign of the rod turning into a serpent, and verse 6 is the hinge that links God’s announcement to the men’s action. Seeing this connection helps you read the verse as part of a larger story about God’s purposes, not as an isolated report of obedience.
Key Phrases in Exodus 7:6
Exodus 4:10-12
10 Moses said to the LORD, “O Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before now, nor since you have spoken to your servant; for I am slow of speech, and of a slow tongue.” 11 The LORD said to him, “Who made man’s mouth? Or who makes one mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Isn’t it I, the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth, and teach you what you shall speak.”
(WEB)
These verses show Moses’s early reluctance and God’s reply that he will be with Moses’s mouth. Reading them alongside Exodus 7:6 helps you see that the obedience in chapter 7 was built on God’s earlier promise of help, not on the men’s confidence in themselves.
Hebrews 11:23-27
23 By faith, Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that he was a beautiful child, and they were not afraid of the king’s commandment. 24 By faith, Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to share ill treatment with God’s people, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a time; 26 accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he looked to the reward. 27 By faith, he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.
(WEB)
This passage reflects on Moses’s faith by looking back at his life, including his choice to endure hardship with God’s people. It connects well with Exodus 7:6 by showing how the obedience of these early moments is remembered as an act of faith.
A Short Prayer From Exodus 7:6
Lord, thank you for the example of Moses and Aaron, who did what you commanded without needing every answer first. Help me to listen closely when you speak, and to act on what you have made clear, even when the path ahead feels uncertain. Give me courage to follow through today in the small things and the large ones. Let my obedience reflect trust in your character and your faithfulness. Amen.
