Exodus 12:33 kjv
And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.
Exodus 12:33 nkjv
And the Egyptians urged the people, that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, "We shall all be dead."
Exodus 12:33 niv
The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. "For otherwise," they said, "we will all die!"
Exodus 12:33 esv
The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, "We shall all be dead."
Exodus 12:33 nlt
All the Egyptians urged the people of Israel to get out of the land as quickly as possible, for they thought, "We will all die!"
Exodus 12 33 Cross References
(as heading h2)| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 15:13-14 | Then the Lord said to Abram, "Know for certain that for four hundred years...they will come out with great possessions." | Prophecy of Israel's deliverance and riches. |
| Exod 3:21-22 | "And I will grant this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians..." | God's promise of Egyptian spoils and eager expulsion. |
| Exod 6:1 | Then the Lord said to Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh...with a strong hand he will drive them out." | God's power forcing Pharaoh to expel them. |
| Exod 11:1 | The Lord said to Moses, "Yet one more plague...After that he will let you go...he will surely drive you out." | God's foretelling Pharaoh's eventual expulsion. |
| Exod 11:5-6 | "...every firstborn...shall die...And there shall be a great cry..." | Foreshadows the plague causing the Egyptians' terror. |
| Exod 12:30 | Pharaoh rose in the night...and there was a great cry in Egypt... | Immediate context of the universal mourning. |
| Exod 12:31 | Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, "Up! Depart from my people..." | Pharaoh's immediate command to leave. |
| Exod 12:34 | So the people took their dough...before it was leavened, their kneading bowls...for they were driven out of Egypt. | Demonstrates the haste and lack of preparation. |
| Deut 16:3 | You shall eat no leavened bread with it; seven days you shall eat unleavened bread...in haste. | Reinforces the significance of haste in the Passover commemoration. |
| Psa 78:49-51 | He let loose on them his burning anger...a company of destroying angels. He did not spare them from death, but gave over their lives to the plague... | Describes the intensity of God's judgment on Egypt. |
| Psa 105:36 | He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their strength. | Direct mention of the fatal plague. |
| Neh 9:9-10 | "Then You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt and heard their cry..." | Acknowledges God's response to Israel's suffering and Egypt's judgment. |
| Jer 32:21 | "You brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders..." | Recognizes God's powerful deliverance from Egypt. |
| Acts 7:34-36 | "...I have come down to deliver them...he led them out..." | Stephen's sermon recounts the mighty Exodus. |
| Exod 7:4 | "But Pharaoh will not listen to you...I will bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment." | God's prior statement that His judgment would force Pharaoh. |
| Isa 51:10 | "...was it not You who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over?" | Recalls God's power in leading Israel through the Red Sea (hasty exit). |
| Exod 14:8 | But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel, while the people of Israel were going out defiantly. | Shows the fleeting nature of Pharaoh's urgency before re-hardening. |
| 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." | Divine purpose behind Pharaoh's stubbornness and God's powerful judgment. |
| Gal 5:1 | For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. | Spiritual parallel of deliverance from bondage, echoing the physical Exodus. |
| Heb 11:27-28 | By faith he left Egypt...By faith he kept the Passover...so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them. | Connects Moses' faith and the Passover event to the departure. |
| Rev 16:1-21 | Various judgments on those who oppose God and His people, mirroring the plagues. | The plagues on Egypt serve as a type for future divine judgments on rebellious nations. |
Exodus 12 verses
Exodus 12 33 Meaning
(as heading h2)Exodus 12:33 describes the urgent desperation of the Egyptians immediately after the devastating tenth plague, the death of the firstborn. Their previous stubbornness and opposition to Yahweh's demand were utterly broken. Overwhelmed by divine judgment, they vehemently pressured the Israelites to depart from their land with extreme haste, fearing that continued delay would result in universal death for themselves.Exodus 12 33 Context
(as heading h2)Exodus 12:33 is situated within the immediate aftermath of the tenth and most devastating plague, the death of Egypt's firstborn. The entire chapter outlines God's instructions for the Passover lamb, its observance, the specific details of the tenth plague's execution (verses 29-30), and the resulting complete breakdown of Egyptian resistance. Pharaoh, having stubbornly refused to let Israel go through nine preceding plagues, finally yielded under extreme duress in verse 31. This verse, 33, illustrates the widespread, national panic among the Egyptians, confirming Pharaoh's concession and their desire for Israel's immediate departure. The historical context reflects a time when divine power was primarily understood through manifestations in the natural world, making Yahweh's systematic destruction of Egypt's cosmic and social order through the plagues an unparalleled demonstration of His supremacy over all Egyptian deities and their supposedly powerful ruler, Pharaoh.Exodus 12 33 Word analysis
(as heading h2)- And the Egyptians: Hebrew Mitzrayim (מִצְרַיִם). Refers to both the land of Egypt and its people. Prior to this, they were the oppressors, holding Israel in harsh bondage (Exod 1:11-14). Here, their role dramatically reverses to being supplicants, fearful of Israel's continued presence.
- were urgent: Hebrew chazaq (חָזַק), meaning "to be strong, firm, prevail, urge strongly, seize." This word signifies an intense, even violent, pressing. It contrasts sharply with God hardening Pharaoh's heart earlier; now, the Egyptians' will is broken, compelling them. It implies insistence born of terror, a profound shift from their previous attempts to force Israel to stay.
- upon the people: Hebrew 'al ha'am (עַל הָעָם), meaning "upon the people" or "against the people," indicating the pressure was directly applied to the Israelites.
- that they might send them out: Hebrew shalakh (שָׁלַח), meaning "to send away, let go, release." This is the very word repeatedly used in "Let My people go" (Exod 5:1). The tables are completely turned; Pharaoh and his people now beg for their release, emphasizing God's ultimate victory.
- of the land: Hebrew min ha'aretz (מִן הָאָרֶץ), meaning "from the land," specifically referring to Egypt.
- in haste: Hebrew b'chipazon (בְּחִפָּזוֹן), derived from chafaz (חפז), meaning "to be anxious, make haste, flee in alarm." This is not just quickness but a frantic speed, born of anxiety and dread. It connects to the command to eat the Passover lamb "with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste" (Exod 12:11), highlighting that Israel's prepared haste aligned perfectly with Egypt's sudden, terrified expulsion. It also emphasizes the divine orchestrating, where the timing of their departure was precisely foretold.
- for they said: The Egyptians articulate their profound fear, confirming their complete submission to Yahweh's judgment.
- We be all dead men: Hebrew mot kolanu (מֹת כֻּלָּנוּ), literally "death, all of us" or "we are all dying/going to die." This extreme statement reveals a terror far beyond the immediate deaths of the firstborn. The Egyptians perceived that Yahweh's judgment, having taken the firstborn, might proceed to eradicate everyone if Israel remained. This fear of complete annihilation discredits their polytheistic worldview, particularly their deities associated with fertility, life, and the protection of the land, demonstrating their absolute impotence against the God of Israel. It serves as a potent polemic against Egyptian religion, showing Yahweh as the true Giver and Taker of life.