Exodus 10 28

Exodus 10:28 kjv

And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.

Exodus 10:28 nkjv

Then Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me! Take heed to yourself and see my face no more! For in the day you see my face you shall die!"

Exodus 10:28 niv

Pharaoh said to Moses, "Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die."

Exodus 10:28 esv

Then Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me; take care never to see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die."

Exodus 10:28 nlt

"Get out of here!" Pharaoh shouted at Moses. "I'm warning you. Never come back to see me again! The day you see my face, you will die!"

Exodus 10 verses

Exodus 10 28 Meaning

Exodus 10:28 records Pharaoh's final, desperate, and deadly ultimatum to Moses, immediately following the ninth plague of darkness. Having witnessed God's increasing power, Pharaoh's will remains unbent, expressing an absolute refusal to let the Israelites go. His words signify a definitive breach in negotiations, escalating the conflict to a point of no return. Pharaoh asserts his perceived divine authority, warning Moses with a death threat should he ever appear before him again, which ironically foreshadows the greater death to come upon Pharaoh's own house.

Exodus 10 28 Context

Exodus chapter 10 recounts the eighth (locusts) and ninth (darkness) plagues unleashed upon Egypt, culminating in this verse. Throughout the plague narrative (chapters 7-12), Pharaoh's initial dismissive stance gradually transforms into frustration, hardened defiance, and outright rage. After the plague of darkness, Pharaoh, now confined in literal darkness, attempts a final partial concession, suggesting Israel could go but without their flocks and herds (Ex 10:24). Moses, standing firm on God's uncompromising demand for all Israel's possessions to leave with them (Ex 10:25-26), rejects Pharaoh's proposal. Pharaoh, unable to assert his will and witnessing the failure of his gods and magicians, erupts in fury and issues this fatal warning.

Historically, this occurs in ancient Egypt where the pharaoh was considered a divine king, an incarnation of the sun god Ra or Horus. To threaten death to a messenger, especially one claiming to speak for another god (Yahweh), was a display of ultimate power and an attempt to reassert his control and sovereignty. This threat also served as a desperate final barrier to prevent the exodus, as the land of Goshen was shrouded in light during the darkness, further highlighting the distinction between Israel's God and Egypt's deities.

Exodus 10 28 Word analysis

• Then Pharaoh said to him, 'Get away from me!

  • Then: Signals a direct, immediate, and significant reaction following the failed negotiations. It marks a dramatic turning point.
  • Pharaoh: Hebrew: פַּרְעֹה (Par‘oh). The recurring adversary, embodying the full extent of human pride and resistance against God's will. His divine claims are crumbling.
  • said to him: Directed at Moses, God's chosen prophet, making this a direct clash between divine authority and human arrogance.
  • Get away from me! Hebrew: לֵךְ מֵעָלָי (lekh me'alai). Lit. "go from upon me" or "go from my presence." A sharp, imperative command conveying extreme exasperation, anger, and absolute dismissal. It indicates a total breakdown in any semblance of civil discourse, replacing negotiation with an angry decree.

• 'See that you do not see my face again,'

  • See: An imperative verb, emphasizing the command's strictness and the gravity of the accompanying threat. It's not a suggestion but an order.
  • you do not see my face again, Hebrew: אַל תֹּסֶף רְאוֹת פָּנָי (al toseph re'ot panai). Lit. "Do not add to see my face." "My face" (פָּנִים, panim) refers to his personal presence and audience. In the ancient Near East, particularly for a king considered divine, access to the ruler's face was a privilege, symbolizing royal favor, diplomatic standing, and direct communication. To deny access to one's face was the ultimate rejection and banishment, asserting absolute power over life and death regarding royal summons or visitation.

• 'for in the day you see my face, you shall die!'

  • for: Connects the preceding command directly to its dire, definitive consequence.
  • in the day you see my face: Reiterates the specific condition for the ultimate punishment, leaving no ambiguity. This implies a binding decree from Pharaoh, which he believes holds life-or-death power.
  • you shall die! Hebrew: תָמוּת (tamut). A blunt, unambiguous, and fatal threat. It is the peak expression of Pharaoh's fury and his final, desperate assertion of dominion, ironically pronounced shortly before his own son's death and his nation's utter defeat at the hand of the true sovereign, Yahweh.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • Pharaoh's final ultimatum: This entire verse represents the apex of Pharaoh's defiance, transforming his hardened heart into an explicit, murderous threat. It sets the stage for the climactic tenth plague, demonstrating that only ultimate judgment can break his will.
  • "Get away from me! See that you do not see my face again, for in the day you see my face, you shall die!" This sequence reveals Pharaoh's escalating frustration (dismissal), his attempt to impose a permanent barrier (banishment from presence), and the ultimate enforcement mechanism (death). It's a statement of absolute royal power and pride directly confronting God's absolute sovereignty. Pharaoh attempts to wield the power of life and death, unaware that this very power is about to be used against him and his kingdom.

Exodus 10 28 Bonus section

• Pharaoh's Misconception of Power: Pharaoh, in threatening death, demonstrates his belief that he has the ultimate authority over life and death in Egypt, as if he were a god. This challenges Yahweh directly, who is about to prove that He alone holds that power, especially over the firstborn of Egypt.
• The Unveiling of God's Power: Pharaoh's definitive statement forces the final, undeniable revelation of God's power through the last plague. It sets up the confrontation between Pharaoh's declaration of "you shall die" to Moses and God's pronouncement of "every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die" (Ex 11:4-5).
• Moses' Courage and God's Protection: Despite the direct death threat, Moses leaves Pharaoh's presence with boldness (Ex 11:8), not fear, knowing that God's word (Israel's release) will prevail over Pharaoh's wrath. This highlights the trust Moses places in God over any earthly power.

Exodus 10 28 Commentary

Exodus 10:28 is a critical pivot in the Exodus narrative. Pharaoh, the proud and defiant ruler, issues a death threat against Moses, thereby demonstrating the utter inflexibility of his will. This act serves as a declaration of total war between his kingdom and God's sovereignty. His belief in his divine kingship empowered him to utter such a decree, yet his threat stands in stark contrast to God's ultimate control over life and death. The dramatic irony is profound: Pharaoh declares Moses will die if he sees his face again, yet it is Egypt's firstborn, including Pharaoh's own son, who will face death at the sight of the Angel of the Lord. Pharaoh’s ultimatum seals his own fate, as his final stubborn act paves the way for the most devastating judgment and the liberation he fought so hard to prevent. It underscores that God alone possesses the power of life and death, and no human ruler, no matter how powerful, can thwart His divine plan.