Exodus 9:1 kjv
Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exodus 9:1 nkjv
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh and tell him, 'Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: "Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
Exodus 9:1 niv
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, so that they may worship me."
Exodus 9:1 esv
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, "Let my people go, that they may serve me.
Exodus 9:1 nlt
"Go back to Pharaoh," the LORD commanded Moses. "Tell him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.
Exodus 9 1 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exo 3:18 | "Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham..." | Identifies God as "God of their fathers" to Israel. |
| Exo 4:23 | "...Israel is my firstborn son, and I say to you, 'Let my son go that he may serve me...'" | First divine demand to Pharaoh. |
| Exo 5:1 | "Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Let my people go...'" | Initial public demand. |
| Exo 7:16 | "...'The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you, saying, "Let my people go, that they may serve me...'" | Recurrence of "God of the Hebrews" and demand. |
| Exo 8:1 | "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord, 'Let my people go...'" | Similar pattern for the 2nd plague. |
| Exo 8:20 | "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh as he goes out to the water and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord, 'Let my people go...'" | Similar pattern for the 4th plague. |
| Exo 9:13 | "Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Rise up early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, 'Let my people go...'" | Repeats the demand for the 7th plague. |
| Exo 10:3 | "So Moses and Aaron went in 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...'" | Final demand before the 8th plague. |
| Exo 14:4 | "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord." | God's ultimate purpose in hardening Pharaoh. |
| Deut 6:13 | "You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve him, and by his name you shall swear." | Command to serve God alone. |
| Jos 24:15 | "...choose this day whom you will serve... But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." | Joshua's commitment to serve the Lord. |
| 1 Sam 7:3 | "Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, 'If you are returning to the Lord with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods...and serve the Lord only...'" | Turning from idols to serve the Lord. |
| Psa 75:6-7 | "For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." | God's sovereignty over earthly rulers. |
| Prov 21:1 | "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will." | God's control over rulers. |
| Isa 43:21 | "the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise." | Purpose of God's chosen people. |
| Isa 45:1 | "Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and unclasp the belts of kings..." | God uses even pagan kings for His purpose. |
| Dan 4:17 | "...that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whom he will..." | God's universal sovereignty. |
| Mat 4:10 | "Then Jesus said to him, 'Be gone, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.'" | Supreme duty to worship and serve God alone. |
| Rom 1:9 | "For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son..." | Serving God in the New Testament. |
| Rom 6:18 | "and having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness." | Freedom for true service. |
| Rom 9:17 | "For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, 'For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.'" | God's purpose for Pharaoh's resistance. |
| Rom 13:1 | "Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God..." | God institutes all authority. |
| Col 1:13-14 | "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." | Spiritual liberation in Christ. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." | New Testament parallel to Israel's purpose. |
Exodus 9 verses
Exodus 9 1 Meaning
Exodus 9:1 details a repeated divine command given to Moses by the Lord (YHWH), to convey to Pharaoh. The core message is for Pharaoh to release the Israelites, whom God calls "My people," for the express purpose of worshipping and serving Him. This reiteration underscores God's unwavering will and patience, setting the stage for further displays of His sovereignty over all creation, including nations and their rulers.
Exodus 9 1 Context
Exodus chapter 9 opens a new series of plagues, following the first four which demonstrated God's control over nature. Specifically, verse 1 initiates the divine command preceding the fifth plague, which would affect livestock (Exo 9:2-7). This demand to Pharaoh is the sixth direct communication of God's command. Each encounter escalates in severity of judgment due to Pharaoh's hardening heart, yet God patiently provides repeated warnings and opportunities for repentance. The consistent reiteration of the demand, "Let my people go, that they may serve me," serves as a refrain emphasizing God's ultimate purpose for Israel. This setting also highlights the spiritual conflict between YHWH and the pantheon of Egyptian gods, as the coming plagues would directly attack specific Egyptian deities related to cattle, harvest, and life.
Exodus 9 1 Word analysis
Then: Indicates a sequential progression, linking this command to the previous events and preceding the subsequent plague. It signals continued divine initiative.
the Lord (YHWH, יְהוָה): This is God's covenant and personal name, emphasizing His unique and absolute existence (Exo 3:14). It distinguishes Him as the sovereign and faithful God of Israel, contrasting sharply with the impotent deities worshipped in Egypt. The use of "the Lord" rather than a generic term for god (Elohim) underscores the personal, powerful nature of the God giving the command.
said to Moses: Highlights Moses' role as the divine messenger and mediator. It shows God's continued direct communication with His chosen servant for conveying His will.
Go in to Pharaoh: (Hebrew: Bōʾ ʾel-parʿōh - בֹּא אֶל־פַּרְעֹה). The phrase implies approaching Pharaoh's presence, requiring Moses to directly confront the most powerful ruler of his time, who was considered divine by his people. This act in itself is a challenge to Pharaoh's authority.
and say to him: Emphasizes that the message, not just the presence, is crucial. Moses' primary role is to accurately deliver God's exact words.
Thus says the Lord: (Hebrew: Kōh ʾāmar YHWH - כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה). This is a quintessential prophetic formula used throughout the Bible to declare a message as coming directly from God. It asserts absolute divine authority behind the command, stripping any human opinion or suggestion from it and placing it firmly as God's unwavering decree.
the God of the Hebrews: (Hebrew: ʾĔlōhê hāʿiḇrîm - אֱלֹהֵי הָעִבְרִים). This specific identification serves several purposes. It asserts YHWH's particular covenant relationship with this specific enslaved people group. Polemically, it challenges Egyptian polytheism by presenting a distinct, powerful deity unique to this downtrodden group, yet claiming universal authority. It demonstrates that the Israelites' God is not an unknown or weak tribal deity but a force to be reckoned with.
‘Let my people go’: (Hebrew: Šalaḥ ʿammî - שַׁלַּח עַמִּי). This is the consistent, foundational demand repeated throughout the Exodus narrative. "My people" highlights God's possessive claim over Israel, signifying their special relationship and the divine ownership. The imperative "Let go" is a command for their immediate and complete release.
that they may serve me: (Hebrew: wĕyaʿaḇdūnî - וְיַעַבְדֻנִי). This clause reveals the ultimate purpose of Israel's liberation. Freedom from bondage in Egypt is not an end in itself, but a means to an end: unhindered worship and obedience to God. It highlights a call to true spiritual freedom and devotion, which contrasts with the slavery under Pharaoh. This service (or worship) culminates in the Sinai covenant.
Words Group Analysis:
- "Then the Lord said to Moses": Establishes divine origin and human mediation. God's initiative in guiding Moses for His plan.
- "Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord'": A direct command for confrontational yet authoritative delivery. Moses is a spokesman for divine decree. It underlines that this is a kingly edict from God to Pharaoh.
- "the God of the Hebrews": This emphasizes exclusivity yet power; Pharaoh must contend with the particular God of this distinct nation. It sets a clear theological battleground.
- "'Let my people go, that they may serve me.'": The core message. It clearly states the command and its non-negotiable spiritual purpose. It signifies a divine call to covenant relationship and holy living, not just physical freedom.
Exodus 9 1 Bonus section
The repetitive nature of "Let my people go, that they may serve me" across Exodus demonstrates not God's inability to effect change immediately, but His meticulous plan to unfold His glory through Pharaoh's resistance (Rom 9:17). Each recurrence gives Pharaoh another opportunity to submit, highlights God's justice, and prepares both Egyptians and Israelites to understand YHWH's unmatched power. The demand to "serve me" implies more than just religious ritual; it encompasses wholehearted devotion and obedience in every aspect of life, foreshadowing the comprehensive Law given at Sinai. The specific address "God of the Hebrews" is a direct and bold theological challenge to Egypt's worldview, implying that the enslaved people's God is indeed powerful enough to bring down the mightiest empire.
Exodus 9 1 Commentary
Exodus 9:1 serves as a critical reiteration of God’s central demand, intensifying the divine-human confrontation in the Exodus narrative. It's a fresh warning after previous plagues, signaling God's persistent grace even amidst Pharaoh's increasing stubbornness. The emphasis on "Thus says the Lord" and "the God of the Hebrews" reasserts God's unparalleled authority, directly challenging Pharaoh's divine pretensions and the efficacy of Egypt’s gods. This declaration, coming before the devastating livestock plague, acts as both a judicial pronouncement and a further invitation to Pharaoh to yield. The core of the demand, "Let my people go, that they may serve me," reveals that the aim of Israel's freedom is not merely liberation from oppression, but liberation for devotion and worship. It points to a holy calling and covenant relationship, establishing the purpose for which God rescues His people throughout biblical history: to be a people set apart to serve Him alone. This principle holds true for believers today: freedom in Christ leads to serving God with devotion (Rom 6:18, Gal 5:13).