Exodus 8:26 kjv
And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?
Exodus 8:26 nkjv
And Moses said, "It is not right to do so, for we would be sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God. If we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, then will they not stone us?
Exodus 8:26 niv
But Moses said, "That would not be right. The sacrifices we offer the LORD our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us?
Exodus 8:26 esv
But Moses said, "It would not be right to do so, for the offerings we shall sacrifice to the LORD our God are an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us?
Exodus 8:26 nlt
But Moses replied, "That wouldn't be right. The Egyptians detest the sacrifices that we offer to the LORD our God. Look, if we offer our sacrifices here where the Egyptians can see us, they will stone us.
Exodus 8 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 46:34 | "for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians." | Egyptian cultural contempt for shepherds. |
| Exod 8:1 | "Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: Let My people go, that they may serve Me.'" | Initial demand for Israel's worship. |
| Exod 8:20 | "Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness." | LORD's original command for worship in the wilderness. |
| Exod 8:25 | "Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, "Plead with the LORD... only do not go very far away."" | Pharaoh's initial compromise for worship in Egypt. |
| Exod 8:27 | "We must go a three days' journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God..." | Moses' specific reiteration of the required distance. |
| Exod 19:6 | "And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." | God's design for Israel's holy separation. |
| Lev 1:1-2 | "When any one of you brings an offering of livestock to the LORD, you shall bring your offering from the herd or from the flock." | Prescribed animals for Israelite sacrifice. |
| Deut 7:25 | "The carved images of their gods you shall burn with fire. You shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, or take it for yourselves... for it is an abomination to the LORD your God." | God's detestation of pagan idols. |
| Deut 12:31 | "You shall not worship the LORD your God in the way these nations worship their gods. For every abominable thing that the LORD hates they have done for their gods..." | Do not mix pagan practices with YHWH's worship. |
| 1 Sam 15:22 | "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice..." | Emphasizes obedience over ritual alone. |
| Ps 51:17 | "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise." | Internal purity for true spiritual sacrifice. |
| Prov 15:8 | "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, but the prayer of the upright is His delight." | Heart's condition affects worship's acceptance. |
| Isa 1:11 | "What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD... I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts..." | Rejected sacrifices due to disobedient hearts. |
| Jer 10:2-3 | "Thus says the LORD: "Do not learn the way of the Gentiles... for the customs of the peoples are worthless..." | Do not adopt pagan ways. |
| Hosea 8:13 | "As for My sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it, but the LORD has no delight in them..." | Rejected sacrifices when not done correctly/sincerely. |
| Amos 5:21-24 | "I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies... But let justice roll down like waters..." | Call for justice accompanying true worship. |
| Mal 1:8,14 | "When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? ... For I am a great King," says the LORD of hosts... | Desecration of sacrifice by offering defiled animals. |
| John 18:31 | "The Jews said to him, "It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death."" | Foreshadows external powers (Romans/Egyptians) inflicting stoning. |
| Acts 7:58-59 | "And they cast him out of the city and stoned him... and they went on stoning Stephen..." | Example of stoning for religious perceived offenses. |
| Rom 12:1-2 | "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God... Do not be conformed to this world..." | New Covenant call to holy, separated living as worship. |
| 2 Cor 6:14,17 | "Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers... Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord..." | Call for spiritual separation from unholy influences. |
| Heb 13:15 | "Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name." | New Covenant spiritual sacrifice of praise. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession..." | Echoes Exod 19:6; status of believers as separated people. |
| Rev 18:4 | "Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, and receive of her plagues..." | Command to separate from spiritual "Babylon." |
Exodus 8 verses
Exodus 8 26 Meaning
Exodus 8:26 reveals Moses' resolute refusal of Pharaoh's compromised offer for the Israelites to sacrifice within Egypt. Moses declares this unfeasible and improper because the animals the Israelites would sacrifice to the Lord their God are considered sacred or "an abomination" by the Egyptians. Performing such an act, which would be an egregious religious offense to Egyptian belief, in their presence would inevitably provoke a violent response, including the stoning of the Israelites. This highlights the crucial necessity of religious and physical separation for pure worship of the One True God.
Exodus 8 26 Context
Exodus chapter 8 narrates the plagues of frogs and flies, escalating God's judgment against Pharaoh and Egypt. Following the fourth plague of flies, Pharaoh, under immense pressure, offers a concession: the Israelites can sacrifice to the Lord their God within the land of Egypt (Exod 8:25). This proposal represents a significant softening from his previous complete refusal but still falls short of God's unequivocal demand to let His people go "that they may serve Me in the wilderness" (Exod 8:20). Moses, understanding the theological and practical implications, rejects this compromise in verse 26, explaining the inherent conflict between Egyptian religious reverence for certain animals and the Israelite sacrificial system which required the slaughter of such animals. This direct religious clash, coupled with the potential for violent repercussions from the Egyptians, underscores why genuine worship of the Lord cannot be compromised or confined within the realm of paganism. Moses' subsequent statement in Exod 8:27 reasserts God's original instruction: to journey three days into the wilderness to offer their sacrifices.
Exodus 8 26 Word analysis
- And Moses said,: Signifies a direct and authoritative response from God's appointed leader, not a personal opinion, but reflecting divine instruction or wisdom.
- It is not meet so to do;:
- meet: Hebrew "נָכוֹן" (nakon), meaning right, proper, fitting, or established. This word conveys more than mere inconvenience; it implies something fundamentally unfitting, inappropriate, or even morally incorrect from God's perspective. It speaks to the theological impropriety of the act.
- so to do: Refers to performing the sacrifices within Egypt, as Pharaoh had suggested. This immediately establishes the point of contention: the location and manner of worship.
- for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians:
- sacrifice: Implies the act of slaughtering animals as an offering to God. This is central to Israelite worship.
- the abomination: Hebrew "תּוֹעֵבָה" (to'evah), something detestable, disgusting, anathema. This is a critical term with deep religious implications. Here, it is used specifically to describe the animals the Israelites would sacrifice (e.g., cattle, sheep) that were often revered as sacred by the Egyptians, and thus not to be harmed or killed. This sets up the direct religious conflict. For example, cows were sacred to Hathor, sheep to Khnum, and goats were associated with various deities.
- of the Egyptians: Clearly identifies the cultural and religious context of these revered animals.
- to the Lord our God:: Establishes the exclusive recipient and purpose of the sacrifice. It is worship directed solely to YHWH, in contrast to the polytheistic worship of Egypt. It emphasizes the distinct identity of Israel and their God.
- lo,: An exclamation, drawing attention to the imminent and certain consequence. It's an emphatic "Behold!" or "Surely!"
- shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes,:
- before their eyes: Signifies publicly, openly, in full view of the Egyptian populace. This would be a deliberate and direct affront to their most cherished religious beliefs. It underscores the impossibility of compromising worship.
- and will they not stone us?:
- stone us: Hebrew "רָגַם" (ragam), to pelt with stones, to execute by stoning. This was a common form of capital punishment, often for religious offenses like blasphemy or desecrating holy things. Moses accurately predicts the violent outrage and persecution that such a public "sacrilege" would provoke from the Egyptians who revered these animals as gods or representations of gods. It highlights the real physical danger arising from religious non-compliance.
Words-group analysis:
- "It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians": This phrase encapsulates the core theological clash. It’s not just impractical but fundamentally wrong to attempt to worship God in a context where that very worship (the animal sacrifices) would be anathema and profanity to the surrounding culture. It underscores the irreconcilable differences between true worship of YHWH and the idolatry of Egypt.
- "lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?": This rhetorical question highlights the severe and immediate consequences of religious compromise. It stresses the grave danger of performing an act that is a sacrilege in Egyptian eyes while being an act of devotion for Israel. It justifies the absolute need for physical and religious separation.
Exodus 8 26 Bonus section
This verse not only anticipates physical danger but also symbolizes the spiritual contamination that would occur if Israel compromised its worship. Sacrificing inside Egypt would represent a failure to fully separate from the spiritual bonds and influences of their enslavers, echoing the call throughout Scripture to "come out" from spiritual Babylon. Furthermore, it reinforces God's sovereign hand over the false gods of Egypt. By commanding the sacrifice of animals sacred to Egyptian deities, God directly confronts and mocks the impotency of these "gods" through His chosen people. The ongoing conflict between God and Pharaoh, manifested in the plagues and these negotiations, reveals YHWH as the one true King, asserting His power not only over creation but over human rulers and pagan pantheons. This principle is later reflected in the Israelite conquest of Canaan, where God commands the destruction of idolatrous practices to prevent contamination of His people's worship.
Exodus 8 26 Commentary
Exodus 8:26 is a pivotal verse underscoring the irreconcilable differences between the worship of YHWH and the pagan practices of Egypt. Moses' refusal of Pharaoh's offer to sacrifice within Egypt is not mere logistical negotiation but a profound theological declaration. The act of sacrificing animals, which were often considered sacred or deified by Egyptians, would be an "abomination" to them. Performing such a central act of worship in their midst would be an act of gross sacrilege and directly provoke the Egyptians to violence. This situation illuminates the necessity of separation for pure worship. True devotion to the Lord our God requires disentanglement from foreign religious ideologies and practices. Any attempt to blend YHWH worship with pagan culture risks both desecration of worship and violent persecution. God's call to Israel was not merely to escape bondage but to become a distinct, holy nation wholly devoted to Him, setting an enduring precedent for all believers. It teaches that compromise in spiritual matters for convenience or safety can render worship impure and invites divine displeasure, emphasizing that God deserves exclusive, uncompromised worship on His terms.