God chose Aaron to serve as Moses' spokesman after Moses insisted he was not eloquent and could not speak.
In Exodus 4, Moses told the Lord he was slow of speech and had a slow tongue. God first reminded Moses that He made man's mouth, but when Moses kept arguing, God's anger was kindled and He appointed Aaron the Levite as the brother who could speak well. Aaron was to be Moses' mouth, while Moses would receive God's words and give them to Aaron.
Exodus 4:14 — This verse directly explains God's choice: after Moses objected, God said Aaron the Levite could speak well.
Exodus 4:16 — This verse defines Aaron's role as Moses' spokesman and Moses' role as the one through whom God would speak.
Exodus 4:30 — This verse shows Aaron actually speaking all the Lord's words to the elders and doing the signs.
In Exodus 4:10, Moses told 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." The Lord answered in Exodus 4:11 that He is the one who made man's mouth, and in Exodus 4:12 He promised, "Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say." Even after this promise, Moses continued to object, and the anger of the Lord was kindled against him. In Exodus 4:14, God named Aaron the Levite as Moses' brother who could speak well, and in Exodus 4:16 He said, "And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God." Later, when Moses and Aaron gathered the elders, Aaron spoke all the words the Lord had spoken to Moses and performed the signs in the sight of the people. The people believed, bowed their heads, and worshipped when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel and looked upon their affliction.
Les teaches that Moses' objection came from his long isolation: after forty years in the wilderness with only sheep to talk to, he had lost the polish he had in Egypt and had no public connections. Moses cried to God that he did not have a tongue and could not speak, and God, in His anger, said He would let Aaron be his mouthpiece. Les also points out that God had already used signs, such as the rod becoming a serpent and the hand becoming leprous, to convince Moses that God meant what He said. Only after Moses kept debating did God appoint Aaron. Les further notes that Aaron, the man chosen to speak for Moses, later showed his weakness in the golden calf incident: he agreed to make the people a god, took their gold, made the calf, built an altar, and then claimed the calf simply came out of the fire.
In Exodus 4:10, Moses told the Lord he was not eloquent, but was slow of speech and had a slow tongue. Les adds that after forty years as a shepherd with nothing but sheep to talk to, Moses had lost the polish he had when he was in Pharaoh's palace. He had no public connections and felt he could not approach Pharaoh.
Before naming Aaron, God reminded Moses that He made man's mouth and asked whether He was not the one who makes the dumb, deaf, seeing, or blind. God promised to be with Moses' mouth and teach him what to say. Les notes that God had already given Moses signs to prove His call. But when Moses continued to debate, God's anger was kindled, and He appointed Aaron as Moses' mouthpiece.
God said Aaron would be Moses' spokesman; Moses would speak God's words to Aaron, and Aaron would speak to the people. Les says this is what brought the two brothers together. When Moses and Aaron gathered the elders, Aaron spoke all the words the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people, and the people believed and worshiped.
Les points to the golden calf incident to show that Aaron, the man God chose to speak for Moses, was not a strong leader on his own. Aaron did not argue with the people's demand for a god; he told them to bring their gold, made a molten calf, and built an altar before it. When Moses returned, Aaron claimed the calf just came out of the fire, an excuse Les says sounds like a small child and shows Aaron was trying to fool God.
The Anger of God and the Appointment of Aaron
Les explains that Moses cried out that he did not have a tongue and could not speak, so God, in His anger, said He would let Aaron be his mouthpiece.
Moses' Loss of Egyptian Polish
Les shows that Moses argued because he had lost the polish and confidence he had in Egypt and felt too slow of speech to confront Pharaoh.
God's Earlier Promise to Help Moses Speak
Les notes that before Aaron was named, God had already reminded Moses that He made man's mouth and promised to teach him what to say, and that God had used signs to confirm His call.
Aaron's Agreement with the Golden Calf Demand
Les points to Aaron's immediate agreement with Israel's demand for a god as evidence that the man God chose as spokesman could still be weak and yield to pressure.
Why the Golden Calf Still Matters — 1 Corinthians 10:5-13 Explained
In other words, I imagine Moses thought, these people must have literally threatened Aaron with his life. Either you build us a god, or we'll kill you. I don't know, the book doesn't say that. But Moses is implying that the people put pressure on Aaron to bring all this about. And again, I can't understand Aaron. Look at his answer.
Aaron's Excuse for the Calf
Les highlights Aaron's astonishing claim that the gold was thrown into the fire and the calf just came out, comparing it to a child's excuse and saying Aaron was trying to fool God.
Forty Years with Sheep
Les explains that Moses had spent forty years with no public connections, only sheep, which is why he told God he could not speak to Pharaoh.
Aaron Built the Altar
Les emphasizes that Aaron not only made the calf but built an altar before it and proclaimed a feast, showing how far the appointed spokesman fell.
Exodus 4:10: 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.
This verse records Moses' direct objection that he was not eloquent and had a slow tongue.
Exodus 4:11: And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
God reminds Moses that He is the Creator of every mouth and every human ability.
Exodus 4:12: Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.
God promised to be with Moses' mouth before Aaron was ever mentioned.
Exodus 4:14: And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. And also, behold, he cometh forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart.
This verse states that God's anger was kindled and that He chose Aaron because Aaron could speak well.
Exodus 4:15: And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do.
God explains that Moses would put words in Aaron's mouth and that God would guide both of them.
Exodus 4:16: And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God.
This verse defines the exact arrangement: Aaron would be Moses' mouth, and Moses would be to Aaron instead of God.
Exodus 4:30: And Aaron spake all the words which the LORD had spoken unto Moses; and did the signs in the sight of the people.
This verse shows Aaron fulfilling his role by speaking the Lord's words and performing signs.
Exodus 4:31: And the people believed: and when they heard that the LORD had visited the children of Israel, and that he had looked upon their affliction, then they bowed their heads and worshipped.
This verse shows the people's response when Aaron spoke and the signs were done.
Exodus 32:24: And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.
This verse records Aaron's shocked excuse after the golden calf was made.
Moses kept arguing with the Lord about his inability to speak, even after God had given him signs and reminded him that He is the one who made man's mouth. Les says that when Moses cried that he didn't have a tongue and couldn't speak, God in His anger said He would let Aaron be his mouthpiece.
Yes. God said Aaron would be Moses' spokesman and that Moses would put words in Aaron's mouth. The arrangement was that Aaron would speak to the people and Moses would be to Aaron instead of God.
In the golden calf incident, Aaron agreed to the people's demand, took their gold, made a molten calf, built an altar, and proclaimed a feast. When Moses confronted him, Aaron made the excuse that the calf simply came out of the fire, which Les says sounds like a child's excuse and shows Aaron trying to fool God.
Watch the Teaching: The 3-Day Journey: How Exodus Foreshadows the Resurrection of Christ