Exodus 9:27 kjv

And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

Exodus 9:27 nkjv

And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "I have sinned this time. The LORD is righteous, and my people and I are wicked.

Exodus 9:27 niv

Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. "This time I have sinned," he said to them. "The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.

Exodus 9:27 esv

Then Pharaoh sent and called Moses and Aaron and said to them, "This time I have sinned; the LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.

Exodus 9:27 nlt

Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron. "This time I have sinned," he confessed. "The LORD is the righteous one, and my people and I are wrong.

Exodus 9 verses

Exodus 9 27 Meaning

Exodus 9:27 records Pharaoh's desperate confession during the severe seventh plague of hail. Overwhelmed by the unprecedented devastation, Pharaoh sends for Moses and Aaron, admitting his guilt and declaring the righteousness of the Lord (YHWH), contrasting it with the wickedness of himself and his people. This confession signifies a momentary, external acknowledgment of God's power and justice, born out of immense duress rather than true, inner repentance.

Exodus 9 27 Context

Exodus 9:27 takes place at the climax of the seventh plague, the devastating hail that swept across Egypt. Prior to this, Pharaoh had progressively hardened his heart through six plagues, repeatedly refusing to release the Israelites despite increasing pressure and direct divine intervention. Each plague demonstrated YHWH's supremacy over various aspects of Egyptian life and deities. The hail plague was uniquely destructive, wiping out crops, livestock, and any person or beast in the open field (Ex 9:18-26), targeting specific Egyptian gods related to storms (e.g., Seth, Nut) and agriculture (e.g., Osiris, Isis). Pharaoh's confession marks a crucial point: it is the first time he explicitly acknowledges sin and admits YHWH's righteousness, shifting from merely asking for relief to a theological declaration. However, the subsequent verses immediately reveal that his heart hardens again once the immediate threat is removed, showcasing the shallow nature of this coerced confession and serving God's ultimate purpose of demonstrating His power throughout Egypt and the world. Historically, this account is set within the larger narrative of God fulfilling His covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to deliver their descendants from slavery and bring them into the Promised Land. The confrontation with Pharaoh establishes YHWH's absolute sovereignty over all earthly rulers and powers.

Exodus 9 27 Word analysis

• Pharaoh (פַּרְעֹה, Par‘oh): The name for the king of Egypt. In the biblical narrative, Pharaoh consistently represents human rebellion and opposition to the divine will, demonstrating the extent of a human ruler's defiance against God's direct commands. His identity and authority are consistently undermined by YHWH's actions.
• sent (וַיִּשְׁלַח, vayyishlaḥ): "And he sent." Indicates an intentional act on Pharaoh's part, a proactive move, though compelled by overwhelming external force. This shows the extent of his distress—he is forced to initiate contact with those he previously sought to dismiss or overpower.
• called for (וַיִּקְרָא אֶל, vayyiqraʾ el): "And he called to." Signifies a summoning, an act of demanding an audience. Despite his earlier scorn, Pharaoh now acknowledges Moses and Aaron as the legitimate agents through whom to communicate with their God, effectively validating their claims.
• Moses and Aaron: The representatives of YHWH, whose authority and message Pharaoh had stubbornly resisted. Their presence underscores the direct confrontation between God and Pharaoh, enacted through these two men.
• said to them (וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם, vayyoʾmer ʾălehem): Introduces Pharaoh's direct speech, a pivotal moment in the narrative where he vocalizes his submission to the divine reality he had denied.
• I have sinned (חָטָאתִי, ḥāṭāʾṯî): First-person singular perfect form of ḥāṭāʾ, meaning "to miss the mark," "to go astray," "to incur guilt." This is the first time Pharaoh explicitly admits "sin" in this manner. However, in this context, it appears to be an acknowledgment of wrongdoing because of the consequences he suffers, rather than a genuine remorse for offense against God's holiness. It's an admission of fault rather than repentance.
• this time (הַפַּעַם, hapPaʿam): Literally "the turn," or "now this time." This phrase is crucial. It narrows the scope of his confession to the current, exceptionally destructive plague. It suggests that his confession is a response to the immediate, overwhelming severity of this specific judgment, not a broad acknowledgment of continuous wrongdoing or a commitment to change. It's a localized, tactical admission.
• the Lord is righteous (יְהוָה הַצַּדִּיק, YHWH haṣṣaddîq): "YHWH the righteous one." Pharaoh's confession is a stark theological statement, acknowledging God's moral uprightness, justice, and purity in His actions. It implies that YHWH's judgments are merited and just, contrasting sharply with his previous resistance and defiance. This validates YHWH's character as supreme judge.
• I and my people are wicked (וַאֲנִי וְעַמִּי הָרְשָׁעִים, waʾănî wĕʿammî hārešāʿîm): "And I and my people the wicked ones." A profound admission of collective guilt. Wicked (רָשָׁע, rāšāʿ) means unrighteous, guilty, condemned, deserving of punishment. Pharaoh extends his confession of sin from himself to encompass the entire nation, admitting that their actions—collectively defined by their oppression of Israel and resistance to YHWH—are morally corrupt and justifiably incur divine wrath. This elevates YHWH from a mere tribal god to a universal, just deity.

Exodus 9 27 Bonus section

The profound theological shift in Pharaoh's statement from earlier vague pleas (e.g., Ex 8:8, 8:28) to explicitly declaring YHWH's righteousness and Egypt's wickedness signifies the overwhelming power of the seventh plague. This is a crucial polemic against the Egyptian pantheon, as Pharaoh implicitly acknowledges that their gods—who were supposed to protect their lands and people, especially those related to sky, storms, and agriculture—were utterly powerless against YHWH. Pharaoh's confession directly discredits these deities, confirming YHWH's unique position as the one true, sovereign, and righteous God who governs all creation and holds all humanity accountable. While a temporary confession, it nonetheless serves God's greater purpose of demonstrating His name's power and His righteous character to Egypt and to Israel (Ex 9:16).

Exodus 9 27 Commentary

Exodus 9:27 encapsulates a crucial turn in the narrative of the plagues, offering insight into Pharaoh's hardened heart and the escalating nature of divine judgment. Pharaoh's declaration, "I have sinned this time; the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked," is the most explicit confession of guilt from him thus far. It is not an admission of a personal moral failing, but rather an acknowledgment of fault due to the direct, devastating impact of the hail plague, which specifically targeted Egypt's agricultural foundations and pagan gods associated with the elements and harvest. The phrase "this time" signifies that his repentance is situational, born of pragmatic self-preservation, not a transformed heart.

Pharaoh, who embodies the rebellion against YHWH, is forced to articulate the fundamental truth that YHWH is morally supreme and his own actions (and those of his people) are morally reprehensible. This verbal acknowledgment of God's righteousness (צדיק, tsaddiq) validates the justice of God's actions and His nature. However, his subsequent actions, described in Exodus 9:34-35, immediately expose the superficiality of this confession. Once the immediate pressure is removed, his heart hardens again, demonstrating that while distress can lead to an admission of wrong, it does not guarantee genuine change of heart. This pattern foreshadows similar figures in Scripture (e.g., Saul, Judas) who confess sin without true repentance, highlighting the distinction between intellectual assent to God's power and a sincere turning towards Him. The scene underlines God's unwavering resolve to reveal His sovereign power and righteous character even amidst the stubborn resistance of humanity.