Exodus 7 5

Exodus 7:5 kjv

And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

Exodus 7:5 nkjv

And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them."

Exodus 7:5 niv

And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out of it."

Exodus 7:5 esv

The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them."

Exodus 7:5 nlt

When I raise my powerful hand and bring out the Israelites, the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD."

Exodus 7 verses

Exodus 7 5 Meaning

Exodus 7:5 declares God's explicit purpose behind the impending plagues and the liberation of Israel: the Egyptians will come to know, through experiential understanding, that the LORD (Yahweh) is the one true God. This recognition will occur through God's demonstration of His immense power, manifested by stretching forth His hand upon Egypt and by supernaturally bringing the children of Israel out of their midst. This revelation signifies not just intellectual knowledge, but an undeniable and inescapable acknowledgment of divine sovereignty over all other gods and forces.

Exodus 7 5 Context

Exodus 7:5 initiates the dramatic conflict between God and Pharaoh, specifically ushering in the cycle of the ten plagues. At this point, Moses and Aaron have delivered God's command for Pharaoh to release Israel, and Pharaoh has defiantly refused, intensifying Israelite oppression. This verse immediately follows God's foretelling to Moses and Aaron that Pharaoh will harden his heart, necessitating the mighty signs and judgments that are about to unfold.

Historically and culturally, ancient Egypt was steeped in a polytheistic worldview, with a vast pantheon of gods presiding over every aspect of life, from the Nile to the sun, agriculture, and even death. Pharaoh himself was considered a divine being, either a god or a son of a god, ruling as an intermediary between humanity and the gods. The declaration "the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD" is a direct polemic against this Egyptian theology. Each subsequent plague systematically attacks and exposes the impotence of a specific Egyptian deity or aspect of their religious system, dismantling their spiritual and cosmological order. God's ultimate aim is to reveal His singular sovereignty, proving He is the only true and living God, surpassing any god Pharaoh believed in or embodied. This revelation serves to underscore His unique power and authority to deliver His people against all opposition.

Exodus 7 5 Word analysis

• "And the Egyptians" (וּמִצְרַ֥יִם – ūmiṣrāyim): Refers collectively to the people inhabiting Egypt, including Pharaoh and his officials. Their coming recognition is paramount to God's plan.
• "shall know" (יֵֽדְע֖וּן – yēḏ‘ûn): Derived from the Hebrew root יָדַע (yada'), meaning "to know." This knowledge is not superficial intellectual understanding, but a profound, experiential recognition. It implies an intimate, undeniable encounter that forces a transformation in their perception of reality. They will "know" through what they endure and witness.
• "that I am the LORD" (כִּֽי־אֲנִ֥י יְהוָ֑ה – kî-ʾănî Yahweh): This is a powerful statement of divine self-revelation. "Yahweh" (rendered LORD in all caps in many English Bibles) is the sacred covenant name of God, indicating His self-existent, eternal nature, active presence, faithfulness, and absolute sovereignty. The declaration "I am Yahweh" directly counters Pharaoh's self-proclaimed divinity and the existence of any other gods. It's a statement of ultimate authority.
• "when I stretch forth" (בְּהֹצִיאִ֨י – bəhōṣiʾî): This signifies God's direct, purposeful, and personal action. The means of revelation will be His sovereign intervention.
• "mine hand" (יָדִ֖י – yāḏî): An anthropomorphism representing God's active power, strength, judgment, and authoritative intervention. It denotes divine agency and irresistible might being unleashed directly by God.
• "upon Egypt" (עַל־מִצְרָ֑יִם – ʿal-Miṣrāyim): Clearly designates the recipient and target of God's judgmental acts. The land and its people will be subjected to God's manifested power.
• "and bring out" (וְהוֹצֵאתִ֥י – wəhōṣēʾṯî): Signifies God's redemptive act of liberating Israel. This active verb underscores His purposeful delivery.
• "the children of Israel" (אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל – ʾeṯ-bənê Yiśrāʾēl): God's chosen covenant people, the objects of His redemption. Their deliverance is the visible manifestation of His "stretched out hand."
• "from among them" (מִתּוֹכָֽם – mittōwḵām): Emphasizes a complete and undeniable separation. Israel will be extracted fully and definitively from the core of their oppressive bondage in Egypt.

Words-group by words-group analysis:

• "And the Egyptians shall know": Highlights God's direct and intentional purpose for the non-believing Egyptians to recognize Him. This knowledge is not optional but a forced understanding compelled by divine action.
• "that I am the LORD": The central theological statement, identifying God by His personal covenant name. This declaration challenges every false god and claim to power, asserting His absolute uniqueness and ultimate authority over creation and humanity.
• "when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt": Defines the immediate means of this revelation: God's direct, powerful, and judgmental intervention against Egypt. The "hand of the LORD" is consistently depicted throughout Scripture as an instrument of both judgment and salvation.
• "and bring out the children of Israel from among them": Clearly identifies the redemptive act for Israel that simultaneously serves as the proof and display of God's identity to the Egyptians. Their liberation is the demonstration of God's power and who He is.

Exodus 7 5 Bonus section

• Dual Purpose: While this verse focuses on the Egyptians knowing Yahweh, God simultaneously intended for His people, Israel (as seen in Ex 6:7), to also truly know Him as their delivering God, deepening their faith and establishing the foundation for their covenant relationship.
• Theological Foundation: This verse lays a significant theological groundwork for understanding the broader biblical narrative, where God continually reveals His nature and supremacy to all peoples through His actions in history.
• Pharaoh's Hardness as a Tool: This divine objective explains why God repeatedly hardened Pharaoh's heart. Pharaoh's continued defiance served to prolong and magnify the demonstrations of God's power, ensuring an even grander and more undeniable revelation of "who I am the LORD" to both Egyptians and Israelites, fulfilling the purpose stated in this verse.
• Echoes in Eschatology: The theme of all nations "knowing" or acknowledging the LORD through acts of judgment and ultimate salvation finds strong echoes in prophetic books (like Ezekiel and Zechariah) and the book of Revelation, where the end-time events lead to a universal recognition of God's unparalleled reign.

Exodus 7 5 Commentary

Exodus 7:5 provides the ultimate interpretive lens for understanding the ten plagues that follow. It moves beyond merely demonstrating God's power to clarifying His very purpose: self-revelation. God is not simply punishing Pharaoh for his obstinacy; He is performing an unparalleled display of His absolute sovereignty so that even His adversaries will be forced to acknowledge "that I am the LORD." This is a polemic not just against Pharaoh's will, but against the entire Egyptian pantheon, dismantling the false notions of deity prevalent in that culture. Every plague can thus be seen as an assault on specific Egyptian gods, culminating in the decisive victory of Yahweh, proving He alone holds authority over nature, life, death, and human destiny. The "stretched forth hand" is the instrument of both judgment for Egypt and liberation for Israel, intertwining redemption and divine manifestation. This profound truth resonates through Scripture, as God repeatedly reveals His identity and power through mighty acts, whether to establish a covenant, bring judgment, or accomplish salvation. For instance, believers come to "know" God not merely by doctrine but experientially through His transformative work in their lives, demonstrating His redemptive power. Similarly, non-believers are ultimately confronted with His sovereignty through providential acts, bringing about a necessary acknowledgment of His existence and power.