Exodus 15 26

Exodus 15:26 kjv

And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.

Exodus 15:26 nkjv

and said, "If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you."

Exodus 15:26 niv

He said, "If you listen carefully to the LORD your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, who heals you."

Exodus 15:26 esv

saying, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer."

Exodus 15:26 nlt

He said, "If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in his sight, obeying his commands and keeping all his decrees, then I will not make you suffer any of the diseases I sent on the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you."

Exodus 15 verses

Exodus 15 26 Meaning

Exodus 15:26 reveals a foundational covenant promise given by the LORD to Israel immediately after their deliverance from Egypt. It declares that if the people diligently obey His voice, act righteously, and keep His commandments and statutes, then He will withhold from them the devastating diseases He inflicted upon the Egyptians. This promise is sealed with a profound self-revelation: "For I am the LORD who heals you." This identity, "Yahweh Rapha," establishes God as the divine source of health and preservation for His obedient people, setting Him apart from the gods of Egypt.

Exodus 15 26 Context

This verse appears immediately after Israel's miraculous deliverance through the Red Sea and their initial challenging journey in the wilderness. Having just celebrated God's triumph over Pharaoh's army in the "Song of the Sea" (Exodus 15:1-18), the Israelites faced bitter waters at Marah (Exodus 15:23). God miraculously made the waters sweet by instructing Moses to throw a tree into them (Exodus 15:25). It was at this critical moment, where God proved both His power to deliver and His ability to provide for His people in desolate circumstances, that He established a "statute and a rule" (Exodus 15:25). Verse 26, therefore, is not an isolated statement but the core promise embedded within this initial divine testing and provision. It sets the foundational principle for Israel's covenant relationship with Yahweh, emphasizing His character as their divine protector and healer, contrasting directly with the vulnerabilities and afflictions they witnessed in Egypt and perhaps feared for themselves.

Exodus 15 26 Word analysis

• "If you diligently obey": Hebrew, Im shamoa tishma (אִם שָׁמוֹעַ תִּשְׁמַע). This emphatic construction uses the infinitive absolute before the finite verb shama, meaning "to hear" or "to obey." It emphasizes intense, continuous, and careful attention and obedience—not just passive listening but active heeding and compliance. It signifies listening with intention to perform.
• "the voice of the LORD your God": Hebrew, beqol Yahweh Eloheka (בְּקוֹל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ).
  • Yahweh (יהוה): God's personal covenant name, revealing His unchanging, self-existent nature and His active presence in the lives of His people. It points to a relational and binding agreement.
  • Eloheka (אֱלֹהֶיךָ): "your God." Emphasizes the particular, unique relationship between Yahweh and Israel. It establishes exclusivity and commitment.
• "and do what is right in His sight": Hebrew, wehayashar beʿeynay taʿaseh (וְהַיָּשָׁר בְּעֵינָי תַעֲשֶׂה).
  • Hayashar (הַיָּשָׁר): "the straight, the upright, the proper." Implies actions that conform to God's standards of justice, morality, and integrity, going beyond mere ritual adherence. It refers to a consistent moral conduct.
• "and give ear to His commandments": This phrase reinforces the call to obedience, specifically referencing the broader collection of divine instructions to follow.
• "and keep all His statutes": Hebrew, wechol huqqotaw tishmor (וְכָל חֻקֹּתָיו תִּשְׁמֹר).
  • Huqqim (חֻקֹּתָיו): "His statutes," from choq (חֹק), referring to decrees, ordinances, or fixed rules, often inscribed or prescribed. These are binding divine appointments that regulate community life and worship.
  • Tishmor (תִּשְׁמֹר): "you keep," from shamar (שָׁמַר), meaning to watch, guard, observe, preserve. It implies careful adherence and protection of the divine precepts.
• "I will put none of the diseases on you": Hebrew, kol hammahalim asher samti bemitsrayim lo asim alekha (כָּל הַמַּחֲלִים אֲשֶׁר שַׂמְתִּי בְמִצְרַיִם לֹא אָשִׂים עָלֶיךָ).
  • Hammahalim (הַמַּחֲלִים): "the diseases" or "the sicknesses." Directly refers to the plagues and physical afflictions that afflicted Egypt, often with divine origin or permission. The promise is specific divine protection from such dire and systemic illnesses.
• "which I have brought on the Egyptians": Explicitly links the promised protection to God's demonstrated power in judging Egypt, serving as a powerful contrast and proof of His omnipotence over health and sickness.
• "for I am the LORD who heals you.": Hebrew, ki ani Yahweh Ropheʾekha (כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה רֹפְאֶךָ). This is a pivotal declaration, an epithet of God, "Yahweh Rapha" or "Jehovah Rapha."
  • Ropheʾekha (רֹפְאֶךָ): "Your Healer," from the verb rapha (רָפָא), meaning "to heal," "to mend," "to repair," "to make whole." This is not limited to physical healing but encompasses spiritual, national, and restorative well-being. It indicates God's fundamental nature as one who restores, remedies, and brings wholeness.
• "diligently obey... and do what is right... and give ear... and keep all His statutes": This cluster of verbs emphasizes a comprehensive, intentional, and sustained obedience to God's revealed will in all aspects of life – a total commitment of heart and action.
• "I will put none of the diseases on you... for I am the LORD who heals you": This promise hinges on God's character as "Yahweh Rapha." His healing power is presented as both prophylactic (preventing disease) and potentially restorative (should disease occur), directly linked to His people's covenant faithfulness. It underscores divine sovereignty over health.

Exodus 15 26 Bonus section

• Testing at Marah: The preceding incident at Marah (Exodus 15:22-25) is called a "testing" (nasah) in verse 25. God presented a challenge (bitter water) to test their response and reveal His provision, thereby setting the stage for the instruction and promise in verse 26. The initial "test" proves His willingness and ability to intervene and change circumstances.
• Holistic Health in Hebrew Thought: The concept of "healing" (rapha) in ancient Israel was far broader than mere physical cure. It encompassed wholeness (shalom)—spiritual restoration, national well-being, deliverance from adversaries, and psychological peace. The promise in Exodus 15:26, therefore, points to God's desire for the total flourishing of His people in every dimension.
• Polemical Statement: This declaration serves as a direct challenge to the deities and medical practices of Egypt. While Egypt was renowned for its medicine, often intertwined with magic and various gods of healing (e.g., Imhotep, Sekhmet), Yahweh demonstrates Himself to be the one true God who controls health and sickness, directly opposing the perceived power of Egyptian gods over afflictions. He can bring disease on Egypt and remove it from Israel.
• Spiritual Disease: The Bible often uses physical illness as a metaphor for spiritual brokenness and sin. For example, Isaiah 1:5-6 depicts the nation as "sick" and "full of wounds," while Jeremiah 3:22 speaks of God healing Israel's "backsliding." This spiritual dimension is implied in "Yahweh Rapha" and finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ's atonement for sin, which is the root cause of all human suffering and separation from God.
• God's Sovereignty over Disease: This verse establishes God's absolute sovereignty over health and disease. Disease is not random, nor is it merely a natural phenomenon beyond His control. It is an instrument in His hand, used for judgment or, in this context, withheld as a blessing and a mark of His covenant fidelity.

Exodus 15 26 Commentary

Exodus 15:26 presents "Yahweh Rapha," "The LORD who Heals You," as a foundational revelation of God's character to Israel. This declaration establishes a crucial principle within the Old Covenant: that physical health and divine protection from disease were tangible benefits of covenantal obedience. The diseases of Egypt, experienced by the Israelites firsthand, become the benchmark against which God promises protection. This promise is holistic, encompassing not just absence of disease, but a general well-being and flourishing that is God-ordained. It underscores God's active involvement in the daily lives of His people, contrasting starkly with the often-impotent deities of the surrounding cultures who had no true dominion over such matters. While this was a conditional promise tied to a specific covenant, it reveals an enduring aspect of God's nature: He is inherently a healer and restorer. In the New Testament, Christ Jesus, through His atoning work, fulfills and deepens this concept, providing ultimate spiritual healing from sin and its effects, which can also manifest in physical healing according to God's perfect will and timing. Thus, God remains the Great Physician, offering restoration both for the body and, preeminently, for the soul.