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 לָכֵ֞ן אֱמֹ֥ר לִבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ אֲנִ֣י יְהוָה֒ וְהוֹצֵאתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֗ם מִתַּ֙חַת֙ סִבְלֹ֣ת מִצְרַ֔יִם וְהִצַּלְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵעֲבֹדָתָ֑ם וְגָאַלְתִּ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ בִּזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבִשְׁפָטִ֖ים גְּדֹלִֽים׃ 7 וְלָקַחְתִּ֨י אֶתְכֶ֥ם לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָכֶ֖ם לֵֽאלֹהִ֑ים וִֽידַעְתֶּ֗ם כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם הַמּוֹצִ֣יא אֶתְכֶ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת סִבְל֥וֹת מִצְרָֽיִם׃ 8 וְהֵבֵאתִ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ אֶל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נָשָׂ֙אתִי֙ אֶת־יָדִ֔י לָתֵ֣ת אֹתָ֔הּ לְאַבְרָהָ֥ם לְיִצְחָ֖ק וּֽלְיַעֲקֹ֑ב וְנָתַתִּ֨י אֹתָ֥הּ לָכֶ֛ם מוֹרָשָׁ֖ה אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃ 9 וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר מֹשֶׁ֛ה כֵּ֖ן אֶל־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְלֹ֤א שָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה מִקֹּ֣צֶר ר֔וּחַ וּמֵעֲבֹדָ֖ה קָשָֽׁה׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 6

            סבלה  “burden” (BDB, 688)

            מצרים  “Egypt(ians)”

            נצל  verb: “deliver”

        עבדה  “labor, work”

            נטה  verb (Qal pass participle fs): “outstretched”

            שׁפט  “judgment” (BDB, 1048)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The verb אֱמֹר is a Qal imperative.
• The preposition, תחת, can mean “under.”
• The beth, בזרוע, is being used instrumentally, “with.”
• The passive participle, נטוּיה, is functioning as an adjective modifying the feminine noun, זרוע “arm.”
• The expression “outstretched arm” is quite common with reference to the Exodus (Exodus 6:6; Deuteronomy 4:34; 2 Kings 17:36; Psalm 136:12; Jeremiah 32:21) and the promise of a future Exodus from exile (Jeremiah 21:5; Ezekiel 20:33-34).  This imagery is particularly interesting in light of Egyptian iconography (cf. Hoffmeier, James K. "The Arm of God Versus the Arm of Pharaoh in the Exodus Narratives.” Biblica 67 (1986) 378-87).

Vocabulary

Verse 7

            מוציא  verb (Hiphil participle ms): “bring out”

            סבלה  “burden” (BDB, 688)

Verse 8

            מורשׁה  “possession” (BDB, 440) 

Verse 9

            קצר  “shortness” (BDB, 894)

            קשׁה  “severe” (BDB, 904)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 7

• The covenant formula: והייתי לכם לאלהים “I will be your God.”
• The substantive participle, המוציא, is adjectival that is it describes who God is.

Verse 8

• The expression, נשׁא את־יד “to lift up one’s hand,” means to swear or take an oath.
• The 3fs pronominal suffix, אתה, refers anaphorically to הארץ.
• The sentence, וְנָתַתִּ֨י אֹתָ֥הּ לָכֶ֛ם מוֹרָשָׁ֖ה, is of the type V-O-IO-M; where M, מורשׁה, is an adverbial modifier, “as.”
• The final clause, אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה, is asyndetic functioning epexegetically, “for I am YHWH.”

Verse 9

• The particle, כֵּ֖ן “thus,” is an adverb modifying the verb, דבר.
• The idiom, קֹּ֣צֶר ר֔וּחַ “shortness of spirit,” means impatience.

וְאַחַ֗ר בָּ֚אוּ מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י וְיָחֹ֥גּוּ לִ֖י בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ 2 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֔ה מִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶשְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹל֔וֹ לְשַׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לֹ֤א יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה וְגַ֥ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹ֥א אֲשַׁלֵּֽחַ׃ 3 וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָעִבְרִ֖ים נִקְרָ֣א עָלֵ֑ינוּ נֵ֣לֲכָה נָּ֡א דֶּרֶךְ֩ שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת יָמִ֜ים בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר וְנִזְבְּחָה֙ לַֽיהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵ֔ינוּ פֶּ֨ן־יִפְגָּעֵ֔נוּ בַּדֶּ֖בֶר א֥וֹ בֶחָֽרֶב׃ 4 וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לָ֚מָּה מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן תַּפְרִ֥יעוּ אֶת־הָעָ֖ם מִמַּֽעֲשָׂ֑יו לְכ֖וּ לְסִבְלֹתֵיכֶֽם׃ 5 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֔ה הֵן־רַבִּ֥ים עַתָּ֖ה עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהִשְׁבַּתֶּ֥ם אֹתָ֖ם מִסִּבְלֹתָֽם׃

Vocabulary

Verse 1

            חגג  verb: “keep a pilgrim feast” (BDB, 290)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• Clause initial, וְאַחַ֗ר “now later” (“afterwards”), marks a clear temporal break from the last section.
• The formula, כֹּה אָמַר, is used to relay speech of one individual through a mediator to another (cf. Genesis 32:5; 45:9).  The prophetic speech pattern of relaying God’s word to the world thusly follows this formula.  The ubiquitous pattern, כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה, is found 493 times in the MT and first in Exodus 4:22.
• The construct phrase, אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל, is not the beginning of the quotation, but in apposition to the divine name.
• The quotation rather begins with the Piel imperative (*Piel imperfect, יְשַׁלַּח, minus the preformative), שַׁלַּח֙ “send out.”
• The final clause connector, waw, should be understood as subordinating “that.”

Vocabulary

Verse 3

            קרא  verb (Niphal perfect 3ms): “encounter, met”

            פגע  verb: “fall upon” (BDB, 803)

            דֶּבֶר  noun: “plague” (BDB, 184)

Verse 4

            פרע  verb (Hiphil imperfect 2mpl): “refrain” (BDB, 828)

            סבלה  noun: “burden” (BDB, 688)

Verse 5

            סבלה  noun: “burden” (BDB, 688)

            שׁבת  verb (Hiphil perfect 2mpl): “cease, stop”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 2

• Interrogative verbless clause: מִ֤י יְהוָה֙.
• The verbal construction of שׁמע plus beth preposition means “to obey.”
• The asyndetic clause, לֹ֤א יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה, is epexegetical.  In English, one might use the explanative clause connector, “because.”
• Notice the chiastic construction being used emphatically: לֹ֤א יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה וְגַ֥ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹ֥א אֲשַׁלֵּֽחַ “I do not know the Lord neither Israel will I sent out.”

Verse 3

• The subject of נִקְרָ֣א is אֱלֹהֵ֥י הָעִבְרִ֖ים.
• The form and function of נֵ֣לֲכָה  is cohortative, “let us go.”  As in verse two, this clause is asyndetic and probably explanative/epexegetical.

Verse 4

• The phrase, מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן, is a vocative.
• The final clause is an emphatic command, לְכ֖וּ לְסִבְלֹתֵיכֶֽם “Go (back) to your labors.”

Verse 5

• The speech formula, וַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֔ה, is repeated even though the speaker and addressee have not changed.
• The enclitic, הֵן, indicates some type of exclamation.
• To whom is the construct phrase, עַ֣ם הָאָ֑רֶץ, referring?  Israelites or Egyptians?

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהוָה֙ אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן לֵ֛ךְ לִקְרַ֥את מֹשֶׁ֖ה הַמִּדְבָּ֑רָה וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ וַֽיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֛הוּ בְּהַ֥ר הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים וַיִּשַּׁק־לֽוֹ׃ 28 וַיַּגֵּ֤ד מֹשֶׁה֙ לְאַֽהֲרֹ֔ן אֵ֛ת כָּל־דִּבְרֵ֥י יְהוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר שְׁלָח֑וֹ וְאֵ֥ת כָּל־הָאֹתֹ֖ת אֲשֶׁ֥ר צִוָּֽהוּ׃ 29 וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹ֑ן וַיַּ֣אַסְפ֔וּ אֶת־כָּל־זִקְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ 30 וַיְדַבֵּ֣ר אַהֲרֹ֔ן אֵ֚ת כָּל־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָאֹתֹ֖ת לְעֵינֵ֥י הָעָֽם׃ 31 וַֽיַּאֲמֵ֖ן הָעָ֑ם וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֡וּ כִּֽי־פָקַ֨ד יְהוָ֜ה אֶת־בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְכִ֤י רָאָה֙ אֶת־עָנְיָ֔ם וַֽיִּקְּד֖וּ וַיִּֽשְׁתַּחֲוּֽוּ׃

Vocabulary

Verse 27

            פגשׁ  verb: “meet” (BDB, 803)

            נשׁק  verb (Qal waw-consecutive imperfect 3ms): “kiss” (BDB, 676)

Syntax & Miscellaneous

•  The final he of הַמִּדְבָּ֑רָה “the wilderness” is the directional he.
• The phrase, הר האלהים, is an appellation of Horeb/Sinai (Exodus 3:1; 4:27; 18:5; 24:13; 1 Kings 19:8).

Vocabulary

Verse 28

            נגד  verb (Hiphil waw-consecutive imperfect 3ms): “tell”

Verse 29

            אסף  verb: “assemble”

Verse 31

            אמן  verb: “believe”

            פקד verb: “observe”

            עני  “affliction”

            קדד  verb: “bow down” (BDB, 869)

            השׁתחוה (waw-consecutive imperfect 3mpl): “worship”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 28

• The word, הָאֹתֹ֖ת “signs,” is doubly defective spelling, that is it is missing two weak letters (see also Exodus 4:17, 30; Deut. 7:19; 29:2).  Other options could have been האתות (Exodus 4:9; Numbers 14:11; Deuteronomy 34:11; Joshua 24:17; 1 Samuel 10:7, 9), האותת (usually used with pronominal suffixes Psalms 65:9; 74:4, 9; but without suffix also Deuteronomy 6:22) or האותות (not extant in MT).

Verse 29

• The verb in the first clause is a Qal waw-consecutive imperfect 3ms from הלך.  However its subject is plural, מֹשֶׁ֖ה וְאַהֲרֹ֑ן.  When there are multiple subjects connected by waw and the first one in the series is a single individual (usually someone who is notable) the verb will take singular form.
• This three member bound phrase, זִקְנֵ֖י בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל “the elders of the sons of Israel,” is not found elsewhere in the MT.

Verse 31

• The root of the final word is dubious.  See the discussion in BDB 1005 and the newer handling of it in HALOT 295-6.

 וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָה֮ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֒ בְּלֶכְתְּךָ֙ לָשׁ֣וּב מִצְרַ֔יְמָה רְאֵ֗ה כָּל־הַמֹּֽפְתִים֙ אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֣מְתִּי בְיָדֶ֔ךָ וַעֲשִׂיתָ֖ם לִפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וַאֲנִי֙ אֲחַזֵּ֣ק אֶת־לִבּ֔וֹ וְלֹ֥א יְשַׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־הָעָֽם׃ 22 וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בְּנִ֥י בְכֹרִ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ 23 וָאֹמַ֣ר אֵלֶ֗יךָ שַׁלַּ֤ח אֶת־בְּנִי֙ וְיַֽעַבְדֵ֔נִי וַתְּמָאֵ֖ן לְשַׁלְּח֑וֹ הִנֵּה֙ אָנֹכִ֣י הֹרֵ֔ג אֶת־בִּנְךָ֖ בְּכֹרֶֽךָ׃ 24 וַיְהִ֥י בַדֶּ֖רֶךְ בַּמָּל֑וֹן וַיִּפְגְּשֵׁ֣הוּ יְהוָ֔ה וַיְבַקֵּ֖שׁ הֲמִיתֽוֹ׃ 25 וַתִּקַּ֨ח צִפֹּרָ֜ה צֹ֗ר וַתִּכְרֹת֙ אֶת־עָרְלַ֣ת בְּנָ֔הּ וַתַּגַּ֖ע לְרַגְלָ֑יו וַתֹּ֕אמֶר כִּ֧י חֲתַן־דָּמִ֛ים אַתָּ֖ה לִֽי׃ 26 וַיִּ֖רֶף מִמֶּ֑נּוּ אָ֚ז אָֽמְרָ֔ה חֲתַ֥ן דָּמִ֖ים לַמּוּלֹֽת׃ פ

Vocabulary

Verse 21

            מופת  “wonder” (BDB, 68)

            חזק  verb (Piel imperfect 1cs): “make strong”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

•  The beth preposition, בְּלֶכְתְּךָ֙, is temporal.
• The phrase, לֶכְתְּךָ֙ לָשׁ֣וּב, should be understood as “go back.”

Vocabulary

Verse 22

            בכר  “firstborn”

Verse 23

            מאן  verb: “refuse” (BDB, 549)

            הֹרֵ֔ג verb (Qal participle ms): “kill”

Verse 24

            מלון  “lodging place” (BDB, 533)

            פגשׁ  verb: “encounter, meet” (BDB, 803)

Verse 25

            צפרה  name: “Zipporah”

            צר  “flint knife” (BDB, 866)

            ערלה  “foreskin” (BDB, 790)

            חתן  “bridegroom” (BDB, 368)

Verse 26

            רפה  verb: “withdraw” (BDB, 951)

            חתן  “bridegroom” (BDB, 368)

            מולה  “circumcision” (BDB, 558)

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 22

• The final clause, בְּנִ֥י בְכֹרִ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל, is a verbless clause with the typology S-P.
• The phrase, בְּנִ֥י בְכֹרִ֖י, is elusive.  It could be understood as apposition or a construct relationship.

Verse 23

• The verb, שַׁלַּ֤ח, is a Piel imperative.
• Israel is being referred to with the ms, “my son.”
• The clause, אָנֹכִ֣י הֹרֵ֔ג, is periphrastic without the copulative.

Verse 24

• The initial copulative, , is a temporal marker (“Now it happened that…”).

Verse 25

• The dagesh in the final letter (mappiq) of בְּנָ֔הּ indicates a full pronunciation of the final morpheme (3fs pronominal suffix).

וַיֵּ֨לֶךְ מֹשֶׁ֜ה וַיָּ֣שָׁב ׀ אֶל־יֶ֣תֶר חֹֽתְנ֗וֹ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אֵ֣לְכָה נָּ֗א וְאָשׁ֙וּבָה֙ אֶל־אַחַ֣י אֲשֶׁר־בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וְאֶרְאֶ֖ה הַעוֹדָ֣ם חַיִּ֑ים וַיֹּ֧אמֶר יִתְר֛וֹ לְמֹשֶׁ֖ה לֵ֥ךְ לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ 19 וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֤ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֙ בְּמִדְיָ֔ן לֵ֖ךְ שֻׁ֣ב מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּי־מֵ֙תוּ֙ כָּל־הָ֣אֲנָשִׁ֔ים הַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֖ים אֶת־נַפְשֶֽׁךָ׃ 20 וַיִּקַּ֨ח מֹשֶׁ֜ה אֶת־אִשְׁתּ֣וֹ וְאֶת־בָּנָ֗יו וַיַּרְכִּבֵם֙ עַֽל־הַחֲמֹ֔ר וַיָּ֖שָׁב אַ֣רְצָה מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיִּקַּ֥ח מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־מַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים בְּיָדֽוֹ׃

Vocabulary

Verse 18

            יתר  name: “Jethro”

            חותן  noun (with 3ms suffix): “father-in-law” (BDB, 368)

            עוד  adverb: “still, yet”

            חי  adjective: “living, alive”

Syntax & Miscellaneous

• The verbs אֵ֣לְכָה and אָשׁ֙וּבָה֙ and אֶרְאֶ֖ה are cohortatives.
• The name of Moses’ father-in-law is typically spelled with a final holem-waw (Exodus 3:1; 4:18; 18:1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12); however the first occurrence in this verse the final vowel is not extant (possibly because of apocopation).

Vocabulary

Verse 19

            מדין  name (of place): “Midian”

            בקשׁ  verb (Piel participle mpl): “seek”

Verse 20

            רכב  verb (Hiphil imperfect 3ms with 3mpl suffix): “caused to mount”

            חמר  “donkey”

Syntax & Misc.

Verse 19

• The participle, הַֽמְבַקְשִׁ֖ים, is a substantive in attributive position functioning as an adjective: “all the men who were seeking.”

Verse 20

• The phrase, אַ֣רְצָה מִצְרָ֑יִם, is a construct form that is definite, “the land of Egypt,” because the second noun is a proper noun (proper nouns have implied definiteness).
• The phrase, מַטֵּ֥ה הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים, is a construct form that is definite, “the staff of God,” because the second noun is definite (the article is present).