Exodus 3 7

Exodus 3:7 kjv

And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

Exodus 3:7 nkjv

And the LORD said: "I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.

Exodus 3:7 niv

The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.

Exodus 3:7 esv

Then the LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings,

Exodus 3:7 nlt

Then the LORD told him, "I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering.

Exodus 3 verses

Exodus 3 7 Meaning

Exodus 3:7 reveals the LORD God's profound awareness and compassionate response to the suffering of the Israelites in Egyptian bondage. It articulates God's active observation ("I have surely seen"), His attentiveness to their cries for help ("have heard their cry"), and His intimate, empathetic understanding of their distress ("I know their sorrows"). This declaration is a foundational statement of God's character as one who is neither distant nor indifferent to the plight of His people, but is intimately involved and moved to intervention on their behalf.

Exodus 3 7 Context

Exodus 3:7 marks a pivotal moment in the unfolding narrative of God's covenant with Israel. Preceding this verse, Moses, tending his father-in-law Jethro's flock, encounters the burning bush, where the angel of the LORD appears to him. This event serves as the divine initiative for Moses's commissioning. Verses 1-6 describe the extraordinary nature of this revelation, leading to Moses hiding his face in awe. Exodus 3:7 immediately follows, beginning God's direct declaration of His purpose and intent. Historically, Israel had been enslaved in Egypt for approximately 400 years, a period of escalating oppression as foretold to Abraham (Gen 15:13). Their bondage was brutal, involving forced labor under ruthless taskmasters. In this cultural context, human suffering was often attributed to arbitrary fate or the whims of deities, or perceived as a lack of power in one's own gods. God's emphatic statement here contrasts sharply with the polytheistic indifference of Egyptian gods and the assumed omnipotence of Pharaoh, revealing Yahweh as a uniquely caring, active, and just deity who champions the oppressed and intervenes in human history.

Exodus 3 7 Word analysis

• And the LORD said:

  • And: Links directly to the divine appearance and Moses's awe.
  • the LORD: Hebrew: YHWH (Yahweh), the personal, covenant name of God, revealed more fully in this chapter (Ex 3:14). It signifies His self-existent, faithful, and active nature. This is not an abstract deity, but a personal God who communicates.
  • said: Implies direct, authoritative, and intentional communication from God, not merely a thought or an impression.

• I have surely seen:

  • I have seen: Hebrew: ra'iti. Signifies personal, firsthand observation by God. Not just intellectual awareness, but an actual perception of their circumstances.
  • surely seen: Hebrew: ra'oh ra'iti (infinitive absolute of ra'ah followed by the finite verb). This emphatic construction emphasizes certainty and intensity. It means "I have seen indeed," "I have truly seen," or "I have fully perceived." God's perception is complete and undeniable, a statement of undeniable fact and deeply felt awareness.

• the affliction:

  • Hebrew: oni. Refers to severe oppression, misery, suffering, hardship, and forced labor. It describes their distressed state under heavy burdens, denoting physical and psychological anguish.

• of My people:

  • My people: This possessive phrase underscores the intimate, covenantal relationship God has with Israel. Despite their servitude, they remain His treasured possession, foundational to His redemptive plan.

• who are in Egypt:

  • Locates their suffering precisely in the place of their enslavement, highlighting the stark contrast between the land promised to Abraham's descendants and their current reality of bondage.

• and have heard:

  • have heard: Hebrew: shama'ti. Indicates active listening, attentiveness, and comprehension of their verbal cries and non-verbal groans. God's perception extends beyond sight to sound.

• their cry:

  • Hebrew: tsa'aqah. A fervent cry for help, a distress call, an anguished appeal, not just a casual complaint. It implies a reaching out to a higher power for deliverance from unbearable circumstances. This often represents a cry for justice from the oppressed.

• because of their taskmasters:

  • because of: Points directly to the oppressive human agents responsible for their suffering.
  • their taskmasters: Hebrew: nogesh. Refers to harsh supervisors, exactors of forced labor, or ruthless oppressors who push people beyond endurance. It highlights the injustice and brutality they faced.

• for I know:

  • for I know: Hebrew: yada'ti. Represents an even deeper level of understanding than seeing or hearing. It's an intimate, experiential knowledge, often implying empathy, understanding their pain from within, and leading to an inclination to act. It's not mere information, but profound awareness and solidarity.

• their sorrows:

  • their sorrows: Hebrew: mak'ovim (plural of mak'ov). Refers to pains, griefs, profound anguish, and physical and emotional suffering. This collective term encapsulates the totality of their distressing experience.

• Words-group analysis:

  • "I have surely seen... and have heard... for I know": This progression (seeing, hearing, knowing) builds a powerful case for God's comprehensive awareness. It demonstrates an increasing depth of divine understanding: from external observation to auditory reception to internal, empathetic knowledge. This threefold declaration sets the stage for God's subsequent action.
  • "affliction... cry... sorrows": These three terms cumulatively describe the multifaceted and severe nature of the Israelites' suffering. "Affliction" (physical oppression), "cry" (vocalized distress), and "sorrows" (deep, internal pain) paint a complete picture of their desperate situation.

Exodus 3 7 Bonus section

• This verse introduces a pattern frequently seen in Scripture: God's perception of human suffering precedes and prompts His intervention.
• The repetition of "I" in God's statement emphasizes His personal commitment and direct involvement in the deliverance, setting Him apart from any human agent.
• This divine knowledge and empathy, specifically of the collective 'sorrows,' distinguishes the LORD from the human, finite perspective. Where humans might become desensitized or overlook deep suffering, God sees, hears, and knows perfectly and empathetically.
• The specific mention of "taskmasters" not only identifies the immediate cause of their suffering but also frames the deliverance as a judgment against the oppressive system and its human agents, reflecting God's broader concern for justice.

Exodus 3 7 Commentary

Exodus 3:7 serves as a powerful testament to God's inherent nature as a compassionate deliverer. It refutes any notion of a distant, apathetic deity, instead presenting the LORD as intimately involved in the affairs of His people. God's declaration, marked by emphatic certainty ("surely seen"), goes beyond mere intellectual awareness to deep empathetic engagement ("know their sorrows"). The progression from "seeing" to "hearing" to "knowing" signifies His complete understanding of their physical bondage, their verbal pleas, and their profound internal anguish. This understanding is the driving force behind His revelation to Moses and His subsequent plan for Israel's liberation. It demonstrates that God's justice is intrinsically linked to His compassion for the oppressed, establishing a divine precedent for caring for those who suffer under tyranny and injustice, both then and throughout history. The "cry" of His people, whether explicitly uttered or implicitly understood by their "affliction" and "sorrows," awakens God's intervention, making clear that He is a God who responds actively to human suffering.