Exodus 8:1 kjv
And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exodus 8:1 nkjv
And the LORD spoke to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: "Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
Exodus 8:1 niv
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.
Exodus 8:1 esv
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, "Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exodus 8:1 nlt
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go back to Pharaoh and announce to him, 'This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.
Exodus 8 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ex 3:12 | "when you bring the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain." | Purpose of release: to serve God. |
| Ex 4:23 | "Let my son go, that he may serve me..." | Initial declaration of demand and purpose. |
| Ex 5:1 | "...Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness." | Moses and Aaron first confronting Pharaoh. |
| Ex 7:3 | "I will harden Pharaoh’s heart..." | God's sovereignty over Pharaoh's resistance. |
| Ex 7:16 | "...Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness." | Reiterated demand before the first plague. |
| Ex 9:1 | "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go, that they may serve me.’" | Repeat command for future plagues. |
| Ex 9:13 | "Send forth My people, that they may serve Me." | Further repetition before additional plagues. |
| Ex 10:3 | "How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let my people go, that they may serve Me." | God's escalating challenge to Pharaoh. |
| Dt 6:13 | "You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve him and swear by his name." | Commandment to exclusively serve the LORD. |
| Dt 10:12 | "...to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart..." | The ideal outcome of their deliverance. |
| Josh 24:14 | "Now therefore fear the LORD and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness." | Exhortation to Israel for faithful service. |
| 1 Sam 7:3 | "...if you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods...and serve the LORD only." | Call to exclusive worship and repentance. |
| Ps 105:26-28 | "He sent Moses, His servant... They did not rebel against His words... He sent darkness..." | God's use of Moses to bring about judgment. |
| Jer 22:3-5 | "Do justice and righteousness... Do not oppress the sojourner... If you truly perform this thing... you will be delivered." | Justice and righteousness linked to covenant. |
| Mt 4:10 | "You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve." | Christ affirming exclusive worship of God. |
| Jn 8:34-36 | "Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin... if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." | Freedom from spiritual bondage through Christ. |
| Rom 6:18 | "having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." | Freedom for a new service in the NT. |
| Heb 9:14 | "...how much more will the blood of Christ... purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God!" | Redemption through Christ for divine service. |
| Rev 7:15 | "Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple..." | Ultimate destiny of the redeemed: serving God. |
| Rev 22:3-4 | "The throne of God... will be in it, and his servants will worship him... and they will see his face." | The eternal state of worship and service. |
Exodus 8 verses
Exodus 8 1 Meaning
Exodus 8:1 reveals God's direct command to Moses, instructing him to go to Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites. The core purpose of their freedom is explicitly stated: "that they may serve me." This signifies that the deliverance from Egyptian bondage is not merely for political liberation, but primarily for the restoration of Israel's relationship with God, enabling them to worship and obey Him alone. This command initiates the sequence leading to the second of the ten plagues, following Pharaoh's continued resistance after the first plague.
Exodus 8 1 Context
Exodus 8:1 immediately follows the account of the first plague where the Nile River was turned to blood (Exodus 7:14-25). Despite this devastating initial plague and its seven-day duration, Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he refused to let the Israelites go. This verse, therefore, marks a direct escalation in the confrontation between Yahweh and Pharaoh, initiating the warning for the second plague (frogs). It is part of a larger divine strategy to reveal God's absolute sovereignty over creation, false gods, and earthly rulers, compelling Pharaoh to acknowledge Him and release His chosen people for the purpose of worship. Historically, Egypt was a polytheistic society, and Pharaoh was considered a living god; the plagues, thus, are a direct challenge to the deities and authority structures of Egypt.
Exodus 8 1 Word analysis
- Then: Indicates a sequential transition, signaling God's continued action and determination after Pharaoh's refusal following the first plague. It implies a divine response to human stubbornness.
- the LORD: Transliterated from the Hebrew YHWH (יְהוָה - Yahweh), God's personal covenant name. This emphasizes God's personal involvement, faithfulness to His covenant, and His supreme authority, distinguishing Him from any Egyptian deity. It’s a polemic against the pantheon of Egyptian gods and Pharaoh's supposed divine status.
- said: Signifies direct and authoritative divine communication to Moses, indicating an intentional decree.
- to Moses: Moses serves as the chosen prophet and mediator, the recipient of God's direct command and the one appointed to deliver it without alteration to Pharaoh. His role highlights divine election and delegated authority.
- "Go to Pharaoh": This is a direct command, an imperative, stressing Moses's obedient action. It represents a bold confrontation with the highest earthly authority, demonstrating that God's authority supersedes all human power.
- "and say to him": Reinforces Moses's role as a divine messenger. The words are not his own, but God's.
- "Thus says the LORD": This formula (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה - koh amar YHWH) is a strong prophetic declaration used throughout Scripture to convey that the following message is not human wisdom but the direct, incontestable word of God, bearing absolute authority and demanding unqualified obedience. It removes any room for negotiation or dismissal.
- "Let my people go": "Let go" (שַׁלַּח - shalach) implies not just physical release but complete liberation, allowing them to depart. "My people" highlights God's ownership and covenant relationship with Israel, asserting His claim over them against Pharaoh's oppressive ownership. This emphasizes the divine prerogative over Israel.
- "that they may serve me": "Serve" (עָבַד - 'avad) holds multiple layers of meaning: to work, to labor, to worship, to be a slave or servant. Here, it denotes faithful worship and obedience in covenant relationship. This phrase articulates the ultimate theological purpose of the Exodus – not freedom for autonomy, but freedom for worship and devoted service to the one true God, setting them apart from serving foreign deities. It is a direct polemic against the worship of Egyptian gods and Pharaoh.
Exodus 8 1 Bonus section
- The repetition of "Let my people go, that they may serve me" throughout the Exodus narrative highlights its central importance as the leitmotif or guiding theme of the entire redemption event. It emphasizes that salvation (from bondage) always leads to sanctification (serving God).
- The "dialogue" or, more accurately, the monologue from God to Pharaoh via Moses, reveals a divine pedagogy: God reveals Himself progressively through word and deed. Pharaoh, by consistently refusing God's demand, provides the platform for God to display more of His power and glory, impacting both Israel and Egypt.
- This verse encapsulates the eternal principle that true freedom is found not in liberation from external restraints alone, but in liberation for devoted service to God. It foreshadows New Testament teachings where believers are freed from sin to become servants of righteousness (Rom 6:18).
Exodus 8 1 Commentary
Exodus 8:1 is not just a preamble to another plague; it's a foundational theological statement. It reiterates God's unyielding demand to Pharaoh, underscoring that the central issue of the Exodus is not merely the political freedom of slaves, but the freedom for God's chosen people to fulfill their covenant obligation of exclusive worship. God's purpose for Israel's liberation is their devoted service to Him. This challenge to Pharaoh, framed with the authoritative "Thus says the LORD," asserts divine supremacy over all earthly powers and false gods. Each plague, initiated by this recurring command, systematically targeted different aspects of Egyptian life, nature, and particularly, their deities, progressively revealing Yahweh's unparalleled power and vindicating His Name. Pharaoh's continued obstinacy further justifies the impending judgments and highlights the spiritual blindness of human resistance to God's clear will. The narrative structure, repeating the same demand with each plague, emphasizes God's patience alongside His unwavering determination to secure His people's worship.