Did the Hebrews understand at first that God would deliver them through Moses?
No. Moses supposed his brethren would have understood that God, by his hand, would deliver them, but the record says they understood not. Rather than accepting his deliverance, they thrust him away and challenged who had made him ruler and judge over them.
Les explains that Moses, in his place of power, prestige, and wealth, approached the Jews in the sand expecting them to recognize him as the one who could get them out of slavery, and he was ready to do so. But Moses was ahead of God's timetable. Stephen records that Moses supposed his brethren would have understood that God, by Moses' hand, would deliver them, yet the next words are "they understood not." The next day Moses appealed to them again, but the one doing wrong thrust him away, saying, "Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?" So at first they did not understand or accept God's deliverance through Moses. Les compares this to Jesus, who came unto His own, presented Himself as King, validated who He was by miracles, yet Israel rejected Him and killed Him.
For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.
More Questions
What did Moses think would happen when he first approached Israel as their deliverer?
Moses, as the second man in Egypt, honestly thought he would lead the children of Israel out of slavery, and he supposed they would understand that God was using his hand to deliver them, but they did not understand.
Did Israel understand that Moses was sent to deliver them?
The children of Israel did not understand that God was delivering them through Moses.
What did Moses fail to take into consideration when he first tried to deliver Israel?
The crucial thing Moses did not take into consideration was that Israel would not buy his leadership—they would not accept him as their deliverer.
What did Moses suppose his brethren would understand about God's deliverance?
Moses supposed his Israelite brothers would understand that God would deliver them by his hand, but they did not understand this.