Exodus 14:12 kjv
Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
Exodus 14:12 nkjv
Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, 'Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness."
Exodus 14:12 niv
Didn't we say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!"
Exodus 14:12 esv
Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."
Exodus 14:12 nlt
Didn't we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, 'Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It's better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!'"
Exodus 14 12 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 15:24 | So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What shall we drink?” | Complaint about lack of water |
| Ex 16:2-3 | The whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron... "Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt..." | Longing for Egypt's food, rather than hunger |
| Ex 17:3 | But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to kill us...?" | Similar complaint about water, wishing they stayed in Egypt |
| Num 11:4-6 | ...the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for free..." | Complaining about manna, craving Egyptian food |
| Num 14:2-4 | All the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land...?" | Desire to return to Egypt after negative spy report |
| Num 16:3 | They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them..." | Rebellion against leadership |
| Num 20:3-5 | ...Why did you bring the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here... Why have you made us come up out of Egypt...?" | Complaining again about no water, wanting to die in Egypt |
| Num 21:5 | And the people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?" | Similar complaint against God and Moses, wilderness death fear |
| Deut 1:26-28 | "Yet you would not go up, but rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. And you grumbled in your tents and said, 'Because the LORD hated us..." | Rebellion at Kadesh Barnea |
| Deut 26:6-9 | "...the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us... Then we cried to the LORD, the God of our fathers, and the LORD heard our voice... brought us out of Egypt..." | Acknowledging prior oppression, God's deliverance |
| Psa 78:17-20 | Yet they sinned still more against him, rebelling against the Most High in the desert. They tested God in their heart by demanding the food they craved... | Rebelling and testing God's provision and power |
| Psa 95:8-10 | Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, when your fathers put me to the test... | Warning against hardening hearts like Israel |
| 1 Cor 10:9-10 | We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. | Warning against testing Christ and grumbling |
| Heb 3:7-19 | Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness... | Lack of faith in the wilderness leading to exclusion |
| Jude 1:5 | Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. | God's destruction of unbelievers from the exodus |
| Php 2:14-15 | Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish... | Exhortation to avoid grumbling and complaining |
| Mt 6:31-34 | Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?'... But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness... | Trusting God's provision, echoes Israel's anxieties |
| Jn 6:30-32 | So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do... Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness...". Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven." | Misunderstanding God's provision vs. earthly desires |
| 2 Cor 4:18 | while we look not at the things that are seen but at the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. | Seeing past visible threats to unseen divine power |
| Psa 37:5 | Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. | Contrast with Israel's fear and lack of trust |
| Isa 43:16-17 | Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished... | God's power over the sea and Pharaoh |
| Prov 29:25 | The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe. | Fear of Pharaoh's army vs. trusting God |
Exodus 14 verses
Exodus 14 12 Meaning
Exodus 14:12 articulates the deep fear and immediate spiritual amnesia of the Israelites, who, faced with the impending Egyptian army and the insurmountable Red Sea, regretted leaving slavery. They expressed a desire to return to Egyptian servitude rather than facing certain death in the wilderness, thereby rejecting God's deliverance and Moses' leadership. This statement reveals a profound lack of faith and a preference for known, albeit painful, security over the daunting unknown of true freedom guided by divine promise.
Exodus 14 12 Context
Exodus 14:12 occurs immediately after Pharaoh and his army, including chariots and horsemen, have pursued the recently freed Israelites, cornering them by the Red Sea. The Israelites, witnessing their former enslavers bearing down upon them, are terrified. This verse captures their initial outburst of panic and despair. Just weeks prior, they had witnessed God's mighty hand through the ten plagues, including the slaying of Egypt's firstborn, which compelled Pharaoh to release them after centuries of bondage. Despite these unprecedented demonstrations of divine power and promises of deliverance, their human fear quickly overshadowed their memory and faith in God's continuing care. This lament reflects a deep-seated lack of understanding of the true freedom God offered and an immediate regression to the mindset of slaves who preferred predictable misery over terrifying liberty.
Word Analysis
- Is not this what we told you in Egypt: This phrase highlights a pre-existing attitude of doubt and resistance to God's plan for freedom. It reveals their desire for status quo, preferring the "devil you know" over the "devil you don't."
- Leave us alone (Hebrew: הֶרֶף מִמֶּנּוּ, hereph mimmennu): Literally meaning "Cease from us" or "Desist from us." This urgent plea signifies their desire for Moses (and by extension, God) to stop interfering with their established life, even if that life was slavery. It suggests a rejection of the burdensome process of deliverance for the perceived ease of subjugation.
- that we may serve the Egyptians (Hebrew: וְנַעַבְדָה אֶת מִצְרָיִם, vena'avdah et Mitzrayim): The verb "serve" (עָבַד, ʻavad) means to work, labor, or be a slave. Here it unequivocally means to revert to slavery. This phrase stands in stark contrast to God's purpose of delivering them to "serve" (worship) Him alone. It's a poignant choice to prefer serving human masters over the sovereign God who had already performed miracles for their freedom. It presents a clear spiritual battle between the security of bondage and the perceived risks of following God's liberation. This desire for servitude also carries an implicit polemic against God's power—suggesting Egyptian might was greater than God's promise.
- For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness: This statement reveals their abject fear, panic, and lack of trust in God's providence. The "wilderness" symbolizes danger, desolation, and potential death, a stark contrast to their romanticized memory of "Egypt." This memory, however, ignores the cruelty, bondage, and oppression they actually endured, presenting a biased comparison. This reveals a "slavery mentality" where they preferred a predictable life of survival, even under harsh oppression, over a perilous journey into an unknown freedom under God's guidance. This perspective directly opposes God's design for their deliverance into a land flowing with milk and honey. It underscores the human tendency to revert to familiar comforts (even negative ones) when confronted with challenging acts of faith.
Exodus 14 12 Commentary
Exodus 14:12 is a powerful illustration of the profound struggle between faith and fear that permeates the human heart. Despite witnessing ten miraculous plagues that utterly broke Egypt and secured their liberation, the sight of the approaching enemy and the impassable sea immediately overwhelmed their memory of God's power. Their complaint, longing for the "security" of Egyptian slavery rather than facing the apparent doom in the wilderness, exposes a deep-seated human inclination to cling to the known, no matter how oppressive, rather than embrace the unknown freedom of divine promise. It signifies a profound lack of trust in God's plan and His ability to protect and provide. This verse sets the stage for the continuous grumbling and rebellion that will characterize much of Israel's journey in the wilderness, teaching us that true freedom requires constant faith and obedience, not just an initial act of deliverance. It cautions against the human tendency to remember the "fleshpots of Egypt" while forgetting the "whip of the taskmaster."Examples for practical usage:
- Christians, after initial conversion and deliverance from the "slavery of sin," may fear trials and challenges in their faith journey, occasionally longing for old comforts or habits instead of pressing forward in obedience.
- Individuals faced with a daunting challenge after making a bold, faith-filled decision might lament their choice and wish for the "safety" of their previous, less challenging state, forgetting the "oppression" that state entailed.
Bonus SectionThe complaint in Exodus 14:12 foreshadows a recurring theme throughout the wilderness wanderings, where the Israelites repeatedly lament their freedom, nostalgic for the temporary provisions of Egypt rather than trusting in God's consistent miraculous supply. This verse vividly highlights the contrast between the fleshly perspective driven by fear and visible circumstances versus a spiritual perspective rooted in faith and unseen divine power. This "slavery mentality"—where the Israelites subconsciously feared true freedom and responsibility more than the suffering of their former bondage—was a significant spiritual barrier that needed to be overcome through a generation-long transformation process. This generation's consistent lack of belief ultimately prevented most of them from entering the Promised Land.