Exodus 12:32 kjv
Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.
Exodus 12:32 nkjv
Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also."
Exodus 12:32 niv
Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me."
Exodus 12:32 esv
Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!"
Exodus 12:32 nlt
Take your flocks and herds, as you said, and be gone. Go, but bless me as you leave."
Exodus 12 32 Cross References
| Verse | Text (shortened) | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 12:2-3 | "I will make of you a great nation... I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse..." | The foundational promise of blessing and cursing from Abrahamic covenant. |
| Gen 30:27 | But Laban said to him, “Please stay, if I have found favor in your eyes, for I have learned by divinatory signs that the LORD has blessed me because of you.” | A non-Israelite acknowledging blessing due to association with a believer. |
| Ex 3:12 | "When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.” | God's initial command for Israel to depart to worship Him, requiring their flocks. |
| Ex 3:18 | “The elders of Israel will listen to you, and you will go with them to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’” | Initial modest request, contrasting Pharaoh's ultimate full allowance. |
| Ex 5:1 | Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.’” | First demand to Pharaoh, setting the stage for conflict. |
| Ex 7:4 | "Pharaoh will not listen to you; but I will stretch out my hand upon Egypt and execute my judgments, then the armies of my people, Israel, I will bring out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment." | God's pre-disclosure that Pharaoh's heart would harden until severe judgment. |
| Ex 8:28 | "Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, in order that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only you must not go very far away. Make supplication for me.” | Pharaoh begins to compromise, showing slight recognition, but still conditional. |
| Ex 9:3 | "Behold, the hand of the LORD is about to come with a very severe plague on your livestock..." | The plague specifically targeting livestock, showing Pharaoh's refusal to release them. |
| Ex 10:9 | Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old... with our sons and daughters, with our flocks and herds..." | Moses insists on taking everything, contrary to Pharaoh's compromises. |
| Ex 10:24 | Then Pharaoh called Moses and said, "Go, worship the LORD; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind. Let your little ones also go with you.” | Pharaoh's final pre-capitulation compromise, refusing release of livestock. |
| Ex 10:26 | "Not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must take some of them to worship the LORD our God, and we do not know with what we must worship the LORD until we arrive there.” | Moses' unwavering insistence on taking all livestock, crucial for worship. |
| Ex 11:1 | Now the LORD said to Moses, “Yet one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt; afterward he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out altogether.” | Prophecy of Pharaoh's complete expulsion, leading to Ex 12:32. |
| Ex 12:30 | Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all Egypt; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not someone dead. | The immediate event preceding this verse, illustrating Pharaoh's grief and desperation. |
| Ex 12:31 | Then he called Moses and Aaron by night and said, "Rise up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as you have said." | Direct command to leave immediately after the last plague. |
| Ex 12:33 | The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, “We shall all die.” | Urgency from all Egyptians, confirming the pervasive fear and desire for Israel's departure. |
| Num 22:6 | "Come now, curse this people for me... that we may conquer them... for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.” | Balak, another Gentile leader, acknowledging the power of blessing/cursing from God's prophets. |
| Deut 6:21-22 | Then you shall say to your son, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt. And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand..." | Israel's future remembrance of God's powerful deliverance. |
| 1 Sam 26:25 | Then Saul said to David, “Blessed be you, my son David; you will both do mighty things and surely prevail.” So David went his way, and Saul returned to his place. | Even enemies or adversaries might pronounce blessings when faced with God's power. |
| Psa 105:37 | "Then he brought Israel out with silver and gold, and there was none feeble among his tribes." | Emphasizes Israel's complete, enriched departure, including wealth, despite hardship. |
| Acts 7:36 | "This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in Egypt and at the Red Sea and in the wilderness for forty years." | Stephen's summary of the Exodus, highlighting the divine power in leading Israel out. |
| Rom 1:21 | For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. | Pharaoh's continued hardening of heart despite knowing God, contrasted by this verse. |
| Rom 9:17 | For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” | The ultimate purpose of Pharaoh's defiance and subsequent surrender – for God's glory. |
| Phil 2:9-11 | Therefore God has highly exalted him... that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth... | All opposition, eventually, will acknowledge divine supremacy. Pharaoh is an early example. |
Exodus 12 verses
Exodus 12 32 Meaning
Exodus 12:32 marks Pharaoh's complete capitulation to the Lord's power. After the devastating tenth plague, Pharaoh urgently commands the Israelites to depart, taking with them all their promised livestock and possessions. This statement signifies an unparalleled shift in his stance, from rigid defiance to desperate submission, evidenced by his astonishing request for a blessing from Moses and Aaron, recognizing the authority and power that accompanies the servants of the true God.
Exodus 12 32 Context
Exodus chapter 12 details the final, devastating plague upon Egypt: the death of the firstborn. This catastrophe, prophesied by Moses, broke Pharaoh's stubborn will completely. After nine prior plagues, Pharaoh had remained obstinate, particularly refusing to allow Israel to take their vital livestock, even trying to compromise their departure by keeping children or possessions. The immediate context of verse 32 is the midnight horror following the tenth plague's execution, which saw the firstborn in every Egyptian household, including Pharaoh's, struck down. The national mourning and terror are overwhelming, leading Pharaoh and all of Egypt to desperately demand Israel's immediate departure. Verse 32 is Pharaoh's explicit and total concession to all of Moses' initial demands, driven by immense grief and a newfound, terrifying reverence for the power of the God of Israel. Historically, this event signifies the divine liberation of Israel from Egyptian bondage, fulfilling God's ancient promises to Abraham. Culturally, Pharaoh's surrender, especially his request for a blessing, directly contradicts the common ancient Near Eastern beliefs where the Pharaoh was considered a divine being, demonstrating the absolute supremacy of Yahweh over all Egyptian deities and royal power.
Exodus 12 32 Word analysis
Also take (וְקַח֛וּ wəqaḥū): The Hebrew verb laqach (לָקַח), here in the imperative plural, means "to take, to grasp, to seize." The "also" (gam) indicates that this permission (or command) now extends to all previous restrictions Pharaoh had imposed. It emphasizes a complete reversal. Pharaoh is not merely allowing, but now actively insisting that they take everything, indicating his urgency and complete submission to God's terms. This stands in stark contrast to his earlier refusal (e.g., Ex 10:24) to let them take their livestock.
your flocks and your herds (צֹ֣אן וּבָקָר֙ tzōn uḇāqār): Hebrew for "sheep/goats" and "cattle/oxen." This explicitly grants the crucial element previously denied. Livestock were essential for Israel's economic well-being and, more importantly, for the sacrifices required for worship, which was the very purpose God commanded for their departure (Ex 3:12). This represents Pharaoh's full, undeniable concession to every one of God's demands through Moses.
as you have said (כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבַּרְתֶּ֑ם ka'ašer dibartem): "As you have spoken." This is a direct acknowledgement from Pharaoh that Moses' words, which were Yahweh's words, have been absolutely fulfilled. It’s an admission of divine prophecy and a testament to Moses' role as a true prophet, whose every demand from God has now been forcefully enacted by divine power. This validates the truthfulness and authority of Moses' prophetic declarations.
and begone (וּלְכ֖וּ ūləḵū): The imperative plural of halach (הָלַךְ), "to go," signifies a command, not just permission. It's an urgent dismissal. Pharaoh is desperate for them to leave, showing the overwhelming terror and pressure he and all Egypt are under. The speed and immediacy of their departure, also noted in Ex 12:33, underscore the power of this divine judgment.
and bless me also (וּבֵרַכְתֶּ֥ם גַּם־אֹתִֽי ūḇērakhtem gam-ʾōṯī): The most striking phrase.
- and bless me (וּבֵרַכְתֶּ֥ם ūḇērakhtem): This is a pilp. perfect consecutive (or possibly an imperfect) of the root barak (בָרַךְ), "to bless." It carries the weight of a solemn request or even an imperative. It's a plea for divine favor, peace, and protection. Pharaoh, as a divine king in Egyptian theology, is reduced to asking for a blessing from a group of slaves and their leaders.
- also (גַּם gam): "Even" or "also." This highlights Pharaoh's self-inclusion in the act of blessing. He recognizes that the Israelites carry with them a divine favor or a connection to a powerful deity, whose anger has devastated his land.
- me (אֹתִֽי ʾōṯī): The first-person singular object pronoun.
- This is not necessarily an act of repentance, but rather a pragmatic and desperate plea rooted in fear and the realization of Yahweh's superior power. Pharaoh fears further judgment or ongoing calamity if he does not somehow placate or receive a good word from the representatives of this all-powerful God. It demonstrates a profound recognition, perhaps even an acknowledgment of God's existence and active involvement in their affairs, forced upon him by extreme circumstances. This request signifies Pharaoh's total defeat and the public demonstration of YHWH's absolute sovereignty over all earthly powers and false gods.
Words-group Analysis
- "Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said": This entire phrase encapsulates Pharaoh's full reversal and compliance. The mention of flocks and herds is crucial because Pharaoh had consistently refused this concession throughout the plagues. "As you have said" signifies his acknowledgement of the truth and power of Moses' (and thus God's) prior pronouncements, marking the ultimate triumph of Yahweh's will over Pharaoh's defiance. It's a testament to the fact that not "a hoof" (Ex 10:26) was left behind.
- "and begone; and bless me also": This pairing reveals Pharaoh's urgent desire for their removal, coupled with a deep, though likely fear-driven, request for protection or relief through their God. The juxtaposition of immediate expulsion and a desperate plea for blessing highlights his immense fear and helplessness. It illustrates the spiritual and psychological impact of God's judgment, transforming the most powerful man on earth into a desperate suppliant.
Exodus 12 32 Bonus section
- Theological Irony: Pharaoh's request for a blessing is rich with theological irony. Throughout the plagues, he demonstrated a hardened heart, defying Yahweh and causing immense suffering. Now, facing the ultimate personal tragedy, he desperately seeks the favor of the very God he resisted, signifying not a change of heart, but a recognition of irresistible divine power.
- Proof of Yahweh's Power over Egyptian Deities: Pharaoh's request also serves as a final, unequivocal declaration of Yahweh's supremacy over the entire Egyptian pantheon, especially over the Pharaoh himself, who was considered divine. This public humiliation of Egypt's gods and ruler solidified Yahweh's position as the one true, supreme God.
- Precedent for Gentile Recognition: This verse establishes an early biblical pattern where Gentiles, even oppressors, come to acknowledge the power of God or His people, though not always leading to full conversion. Examples include Laban (Gen 30:27), Rahab (Josh 2:9-11), Naaman (2 Kgs 5:15), and the demon-possessed recognizing Jesus (Mk 1:24).
- Fulfillment of Prophecy: The entire Exodus narrative, culminating in this verse, meticulously fulfills God's initial promise to Abraham (Gen 15:13-14) that his descendants would be afflicted for 400 years but would eventually come out "with great possessions" (implied by taking flocks/herds and what the Egyptians gave them, Ex 12:35-36).
Exodus 12 32 Commentary
Exodus 12:32 serves as the climax of the conflict between Yahweh and Pharaoh, illustrating God's absolute sovereignty and the complete breaking of human will in the face of divine judgment. Pharaoh, who earlier proclaimed "Who is the Lord that I should obey his voice?" (Ex 5:2), now, utterly humbled and grieved by the loss of his firstborn, is compelled to grant every one of God's demands without compromise. The most astonishing element is his plea, "and bless me also." This is not a sincere act of repentance leading to salvation, but a pragmatic appeal born of terror and desperation. Pharaoh, the "god-king" of Egypt, reduced to soliciting a blessing from the very people he enslaved and scorned, underscores the utter superiority of the God of Israel over all the gods of Egypt and any earthly power. It publicly validates Moses' mission and Yahweh's power. This moment vividly demonstrates that when God decides to deliver His people, no human opposition, however powerful, can withstand Him. The event is a pivotal moment in redemptive history, marking the commencement of Israel's national identity as a free people chosen by God, having been delivered "with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm." It provides a powerful type of ultimate divine victory over all evil and opposition.