Exodus 6:7 kjv
And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
Exodus 6:7 nkjv
I will take you as My people, and I will be your God. Then you shall know that I am the LORD your God who brings you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
Exodus 6:7 niv
I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.
Exodus 6:7 esv
I will take you to be my people, and I will be your God, and you shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.
Exodus 6:7 nlt
I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt.
Exodus 6 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 7:6 | For you are a people holy to Yahweh your God; Yahweh your God has chosen you... | God's election of Israel as a special people. |
| Hos 2:23 | I will sow her for Myself in the land; And I will have mercy on her... | Restoration of relationship with a people. |
| Rom 9:25-26 | "I will call them My people, who were not My people, and her beloved..." | Gentile inclusion in God's people. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people... | New Testament echo of God's chosen people. |
| Lev 26:12 | I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. | The core covenant formula. |
| Jer 31:33 | I will be their God, and they shall be My people. | New Covenant reiteration of the formula. |
| Ezek 11:20 | that they may walk in My statutes... and they shall be My people, and I will be their God. | Covenant based on obedience. |
| 2 Cor 6:16 | For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell... | NT application of God dwelling among His people. |
| Ex 7:5 | And the Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I stretch out My hand... | Egyptians witnessing Yahweh's power. |
| Ps 9:16 | Yahweh is known by the justice He executes; the wicked is ensnared in the work of his own hands. | God revealed through His actions. |
| Isa 43:10 | You are My witnesses," says Yahweh, "And My servant whom I have chosen... | Israel as witnesses to God's uniqueness. |
| Isa 45:6 | That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting that there is none besides Me. | God's universal revelation of Himself. |
| Jer 24:7 | Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am Yahweh... | God giving a heart to know Him experientially. |
| Ezek 36:11 | I will multiply men upon you, all the house of Israel... Then you shall know that I am Yahweh. | Knowing Yahweh through His blessings. |
| Joel 2:27 | Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am Yahweh... | Knowing God through His presence and deliverance. |
| Acts 17:28 | for in Him we live and move and have our being... | General knowledge of God's existence. |
| Ex 3:17 | I have said I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt... | Initial promise of bringing out of Egypt. |
| Deut 5:6 | I am Yahweh your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. | Basis of the covenant, reminding of deliverance. |
| Deut 6:21 | We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and Yahweh brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. | Remembering the foundational act of redemption. |
| Hos 11:1 | When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called My son. | God's fatherly calling out of Egypt. |
| Acts 7:36 | This man led them out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt... | Stephen's sermon on Moses and the Exodus. |
| Jude 1:5 | I will remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt... | God's past saving act as a reminder of judgment. |
Exodus 6 verses
Exodus 6 7 Meaning
Exodus 6:7 articulates God's covenant promises to Israel, specifying His intent to establish them as His chosen people, to enter into a direct relationship with them, and to make Himself known through the miraculous act of deliverance from Egyptian bondage. This verse serves as a declaration of God's character and commitment, confirming His active role in their history.
Exodus 6 7 Context
Exodus 6 opens with God reiterating His covenant promise to Moses, specifically detailing the "I will" statements (vv. 6-8) that assure Israel's liberation from Egypt and entrance into the promised land. This follows Moses' complaint in 5:22-23 about the increased suffering of the Israelites under Pharaoh, seemingly despite God's initial promise. God responds by revealing more of His nature as "Yahweh," emphasizing His covenant faithfulness, especially concerning the covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Verse 7 specifically outlines a core aspect of this renewed promise: the formation of a divine-human relationship and the revelation of God's unique identity through His saving acts. Historically, Israel was enslaved under a tyrannical empire deeply rooted in polytheism. Pharaoh's question, "Who is Yahweh, that I should obey His voice?" (Ex 5:2), frames the context, setting up a theological conflict between Yahweh and the gods of Egypt, where Yahweh will undeniably demonstrate His supreme power.
Exodus 6 7 Word analysis
- And I will take you (וְלָקַחְתִּי – v'lakachti): From the root
לקח(lakach), meaning "to take," but here signifies election and acquisition. It's a proactive, deliberate act of God, akin to choosing or adopting, emphasizing His sovereign initiative in forming this unique relationship. This contrasts with Israel's enslaved, helpless state; they do not earn or initiate this. - to me (לִי – li): Indicates a special possession and relationship for God's own purposes and glory. It's an intimate connection, not just a casual picking.
- for a people (לְעָם – l'am): Denotes the establishment of a collective identity and a unique national destiny under God's sovereignty. They cease to be a collection of enslaved individuals and become a recognized nation dedicated to God. This phrase highlights their special status among all nations.
- and I will be to you God (וְהָיִיתִי לָכֶם לֵאלֹהִים – v'hayiti lakhem l'Elohim): This is a foundational covenant formula.
אֱלֹהִים(Elohim) is the general term for God, often associated with power and sovereignty. Here, it establishes His exclusive relationship with Israel, signifying He will function as their protector, provider, and supreme authority, to the exclusion of any other deity. This directly counters the polytheism of Egypt. - and you shall know (וִידַעְתֶּם – viydathem): From
יָדַע(yadah), implying experiential and relational knowledge, not merely intellectual assent. This knowledge is born out of God's salvific acts and the lived experience of His power and faithfulness, leading to deep understanding and personal commitment. It means to truly understand His character. - that I am Yahweh your God (כִּי אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם – ki ani Yahweh Eloheykhem):
אֲנִי יְהוָה(Ani Yahweh – "I am Yahweh") is a divine self-declaration asserting His absolute identity, unique existence, and unchanging covenant faithfulness. It directly addresses Pharaoh's "Who is Yahweh?" and contrasts Yahweh with the impotent gods of Egypt.אֱלֹהֵיכֶם(Eloheykhem – "your God") personalizes the universal sovereign God's relationship specifically to Israel, emphasizing His commitment and distinctiveness for them. - who brings you out (הַמּוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם – hamotzi et'khem): From
יָצָא(yatsa), "to go forth" or "to bring out." This ties God's identity directly to His concrete historical action of deliverance. His name and nature are proven by His intervention, grounding faith in His active work in history. - from under the burdens of Egypt (מִתַּחַת סִבְלֹת מִצְרָיִם – mittachat sivlot Mitzrayim): "Burdens" (סִבְלֹת – sivlot) refers to the heavy, forced labor. This highlights the harsh reality of their oppression and underscores the magnanimity and power of God's liberation. It makes God's identity undeniably tied to His role as redeemer from specific, severe suffering.
Exodus 6 7 Bonus section
The repetitive use of "I will" statements (six in vv. 6-8: bring out, deliver, redeem, take, be God, bring in) serves to reinforce God's absolute commitment and certainty of fulfilling His promises despite Israel's doubts or dire circumstances. This verse, along with its surrounding promises, forms the theological bedrock for understanding God's faithfulness and power throughout the biblical narrative, laying the groundwork for Israel's laws, worship, and national identity, all rooted in the act of divine liberation and covenant formation. It showcases that redemption is fundamentally for relationship and revelation.
Exodus 6 7 Commentary
Exodus 6:7 is a pivotal statement in God's reaffirmation of His covenant. It reveals a tri-fold purpose for the Exodus: to establish Israel as His distinct people ("I will take you to Me for a people"), to relate to them intimately as their sovereign God ("I will be to you God"), and to reveal His unique identity and power ("you shall know that I am Yahweh your God"). The knowledge of God described here is not mere intellectual understanding but a profound experiential knowing born from witnessing His mighty acts of redemption. His action of "bringing you out from under the burdens of Egypt" is the very demonstration that validates His identity and secures the relationship. This verse powerfully rebuts any claim to authority by Pharaoh or the gods of Egypt, as Yahweh proves His supremacy through His decisive, saving intervention. It lays the theological foundation for Israel's identity as a redeemed people belonging exclusively to Yahweh, and thus underscores the central role of salvation in knowing God.