Exodus 7:16 kjv
And thou shalt say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.
Exodus 7:16 nkjv
And you shall say to him, 'The LORD God of the Hebrews has sent me to you, saying, "Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness"; but indeed, until now you would not hear!
Exodus 7:16 niv
Then say to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness. But until now you have not listened.
Exodus 7:16 esv
And you shall say to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, "Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness." But so far, you have not obeyed.
Exodus 7:16 nlt
Then announce to him, 'The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to tell you, "Let my people go, so they can worship me in the wilderness." Until now, you have refused to listen to him.
Exodus 7 16 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Demand for Release & God's Sovereignty | ||
| Exo 5:1 | "Afterward Moses and Aaron went and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: ‘Let My people go…'" | Initial demand before this verse. |
| Exo 8:1 | "Then the LORD spoke to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Let My people go…"'" | Subsequent plague demand. |
| Exo 9:1 | "Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go…"'" | Reinforces the "God of the Hebrews" title. |
| Exo 10:3 | "So Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go…"'" | Emphasizes Pharaoh's pride and refusal. |
| Exo 4:22-23 | "Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Israel is My son, My firstborn… Let My son go, that he may serve Me."'" | Establishes Israel's identity and purpose. |
| Jer 34:15 | "you recently repented and did what was right in My sight—proclaiming liberty, each man to his neighbor; and you had made a covenant before Me…" | God’s ongoing demand for release/freedom. |
| Psa 105:26-27 | "He sent Moses His servant, And Aaron whom He had chosen. They performed His signs among them, And wonders in the land of Ham." | God sends His chosen messengers. |
| Purpose of Freedom: Worship and Service | ||
| Exo 3:12 | "When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain." | Pre-delivery purpose of serving God. |
| Deu 6:13 | "You shall fear the LORD your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name." | Call to serve God alone. |
| Jos 24:15 | "choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve… But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." | Fundamental choice to serve God. |
| 1 Sam 7:3 | "If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods… and serve Him only…" | True service requires putting away idols. |
| Mt 4:10 | "“Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ ”" | Christ's emphasis on exclusive worship of God. |
| Rom 1:9 | "For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son…" | New Testament call to spiritual service. |
| Heb 9:14 | "how much more shall the blood of Christ… cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" | Cleansing enables serving the living God. |
| Pharaoh's Stubbornness and Divine Judgment | ||
| Exo 4:21 | "but I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go." | Pre-indication of Pharaoh's hardened heart. |
| Exo 7:3 | "And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt." | God's sovereign work in Pharaoh's hardening. |
| Exo 8:15 | "But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not heed them, as the LORD had said." | Pharaoh's self-willed hardening. |
| Exo 9:12 | "But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses." | God's action in hardening. |
| Rom 9:17-18 | "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you… Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and He hardens whom He wills.'" | New Testament theological understanding of divine sovereignty in hardening. |
| Exo 12:31-32 | "Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night and said, 'Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the LORD as you have said.'" | Pharaoh finally capitulates after the 10th plague. |
| 1 Pet 3:20 | "who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine long-suffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared…" | Echoes of divine patience before judgment. |
| Prov 29:1 | "He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, Will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy." | Principle of continued stubbornness leading to destruction. |
Exodus 7 verses
Exodus 7 16 Meaning
Exodus 7:16 communicates God’s ultimate authority over Pharaoh, reiterating His demand for Israel's release. It states that the LORD, the covenant God of the Hebrews, has sent Moses to Pharaoh to declare His divine will: to "Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness." This verse emphasizes that Pharaoh's refusal to listen has persisted even before the plagues commence, justifying the impending divine judgments. It highlights the purpose of Israel’s freedom – not merely for escape, but for dedicated worship and service to their true Sovereign.
Exodus 7 16 Context
Exodus 7:16 is delivered during Moses’s second direct confrontation with Pharaoh (Exo 7:15-18). It serves as God’s ultimate pre-plague ultimatum. The verse occurs after Aaron's rod turns into a serpent (Exo 7:10-12), a demonstration of divine power, yet one that Pharaoh's magicians could seemingly replicate to a degree, emboldening Pharaoh's initial resistance. God is reasserting His command and Moses's divine commission. This specific warning highlights Pharaoh's persistent refusal to listen even before the ten plagues properly begin, establishing the justice of the unfolding judgments. It underlines that Pharaoh’s defiance is not new but an ongoing rebellion against God’s clear directive, thus validating the ensuing divine intervention. The chapter sets the stage for God's dramatic demonstration of power over Egypt and its deities through the plagues, commencing with the Nile turning to blood immediately after this interaction.
Exodus 7 16 Word analysis
- And you shall say to him (וְאָמַרְתָּ אֵלָיו - v'amar-ta elav): Moses is acting as God’s direct spokesman. This is not a polite request but a divine command, delivered by a prophet. It carries the weight of God's own voice.
- The LORD (יְהוָה - YHWH): The Tetragrammaton, God's personal covenant name revealed to Moses (Exo 3:14-15; 6:2-3). It signifies the self-existent, faithful, and sovereign God. This name contrasts with the numerous, limited gods of Egypt and asserts God's unique authority as the Creator and Redeemer.
- the God of the Hebrews (אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִים - Elohei ha'Ivrim): This specific designation differentiates YHWH from the Egyptian deities and highlights His exclusive relationship with Israel. It declares Him as the patron and protector of this particular ethnic group, reinforcing their identity as distinct from the Egyptians and under divine care. This implies a polemic against Egyptian gods; only the God of the Hebrews demands this action.
- has sent me to you (שְׁלָחַנִי אֵלֶיךָ - sh'lachan-i eilekha): Establishes Moses's authority as a divinely appointed emissary. Moses is not speaking on his own behalf but as the commissioned agent of the supreme divine being. This challenges Pharaoh's perceived divine authority directly.
- Let My people go (שַׁלַּח אֶת עַמִּי - shaliach et ami): The central, repeated demand. "My people" signifies God's ownership and covenant relationship with Israel (Exo 19:5-6), reinforcing His claim over them against Pharaoh’s tyranny. It’s a liberation command, not a plea.
- that they may serve Me (וְיַעַבְדֻנִי - v'ya'avduni): The primary purpose of their liberation. The Hebrew word 'avad' (עָבַד) means "to serve, work, worship, or be a slave." Here, it signifies true worship and obedient servitude to God, standing in stark contrast to their present enforced "slavery" (also 'avad' in Hebrew) to Pharaoh (Exo 1:13-14). Freedom is for devotion.
- in the wilderness (בַּמִּדְבָּר - ba-midbar): Not just an escape, but a destination for specific worship. The wilderness was the pre-ordained meeting place (Exo 3:12), signifying a realm outside Pharaoh's dominion, where God alone could be exclusively worshiped and encountered. It symbolized a transition and formation.
- and indeed, until now you would not listen (וְהִנֵּה לֹא שָׁמַעְתָּ עַד הֵנָּה - v'hinneh lo shama'ta ad henna): This phrase marks a key shift. It directly points to Pharaoh’s existing stubbornness before the major plagues begin. It highlights his wilful disobedience to God’s already-communicated demands, providing divine justification for the severe judgments about to fall upon Egypt. "Listen" (shama') implies not just hearing but obeying. This isn't God's first request; it's a statement of ongoing defiance.
Exodus 7 16 Bonus section
The repeated demand for Pharaoh to "Let My people go" is a theological drumbeat throughout the Exodus narrative, reinforcing the unwavering will of God. It's more than a physical liberation; it's an ethical and spiritual claim over a people created to worship Him. Pharaoh's hardening heart, already noted as a characteristic "until now," prepares the reader for the escalation of divine judgment, emphasizing that each subsequent plague is not just a display of power, but a just consequence of an unrepentant and defiant will. The narrative demonstrates God's long-suffering in continually giving Pharaoh opportunities to respond, even while also actively hardening his heart as a means to display His power (Rom 9:17). The conflict between Pharaoh's control and God's sovereign ownership forms the core polemic against the entire Egyptian worldview.
Exodus 7 16 Commentary
Exodus 7:16 is a pivotal verse, encapsulating the heart of God’s redemptive purpose for Israel and His judgment against Pharaoh. It reasserts divine ownership of Israel ("My people") and God’s sovereign authority (YHWH, the God of the Hebrews) over the world, confronting Pharaoh’s presumed divinity and power directly. The core demand, "Let My people go," is clarified by its purpose: "that they may serve Me in the wilderness." This reveals that the liberation is not merely for freedom from oppression, but freedom for worship and obedience to God. It highlights that true freedom is found in serving God, not man. The verse's stark observation that "until now you would not listen" underscores Pharaoh's culpable and persistent resistance, providing the theological and moral foundation for the ensuing plagues. God is not acting arbitrarily, but responding to a hardened heart that consistently refuses divine instruction. The specificity of "in the wilderness" suggests a place where God can be worshipped purely, free from the corrupting influences of Egyptian polytheism, hinting at the covenant relationship to be established at Sinai.