Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Sforno · Torah
Sforno on Exodus 6:12/ספורנו על שמות ו׳:י״ב
אהֵן בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא שָׁמְעוּ אֵלַי. כִּי חָשַׁב שֶׁהָיָה זֶה מִפְּנֵי שֶׁרָאוּ שֶׁמֵּאָז בָּא לְדַבֵּר אֶל פַּרְעֹה הֵרַע הַצּוֹרֵר וְלֹא הִצִּיל הַשָּׁלִיחַ, כָּל שֶׁכֵּן שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה זֶה פַּרְעֹה שֶׁעָשָׂה כִּרְצוֹנוֹ וְהִגְדִּיל.
1הן בני ישראל לא שמעו אלי, he believed that this was due to the fact that from the moment he had started speaking to Pharaoh the latter had become worse in his attitude and the people, putting two and two together, had concluded that his mission had failed. If he felt that way, Pharaoh would certainly not pay any heed to him and continue doing what he liked.
בוַאֲנִי עֲרַל שְׂפָתָיִם. כִּי חָשַׁב שֶׁלֹּא צֵרַף אַהֲרֹן עִמּוֹ אֶלָּא בְּדִבּוּר רִאשׁוֹן שֶׁהָיָה דִּבְרוֹ לָעָם.
2This was especially so, seeing that he was also an ערל שפתים, afflicted with a speech handicap. He mentioned this as he did not believe that Aaron would accompany him other than for the time he identified himself as G’d’s emissary when he spoke to the people.