Numbers 33 3

Numbers 33:3 kjv

And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.

Numbers 33:3 nkjv

They departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the Passover the children of Israel went out with boldness in the sight of all the Egyptians.

Numbers 33:3 niv

The Israelites set out from Rameses on the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the Passover. They marched out defiantly in full view of all the Egyptians,

Numbers 33:3 esv

They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. On the day after the Passover, the people of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians,

Numbers 33:3 nlt

They set out from the city of Rameses in early spring ? on the fifteenth day of the first month ? on the morning after the first Passover celebration. The people of Israel left defiantly, in full view of all the Egyptians.

Numbers 33 verses

Numbers 33 3 Meaning

Numbers 33:3 precisely records the definitive and triumphant departure of the Israelites from Rameses, initiated by God's final plague on Egypt. It underscores the specific time—the fifteenth day of the first month, immediately after the Passover—and highlights that this mass exodus was a bold, empowered act carried out publicly in the full view of the defeated Egyptians. This pivotal moment signified God's ultimate victory over the gods of Egypt and the redemption of His chosen people, marking the start of their wilderness journey towards the Promised Land.

Numbers 33 3 Context

Numbers 33 initiates a detailed record of the wilderness journey, commanded by the Lord Himself to Moses. Moses, in turn, wrote down the starting points of their stages as they journeyed. This chapter is distinct within Numbers as it offers a full itinerary, listing each stopping point from Rameses to the plains of Moab. Verse 3 specifically sets the starting coordinates—both geographic and chronological—for this divine ledger. It follows immediately from the declaration of God's command to record these journeys (Num 33:1-2), thereby commencing the historical and spiritual recounting of Israel's journey from bondage to freedom under God's precise guidance and mighty hand.

Numbers 33 3 Word analysis

• They set out: (וַיִּסְעוּ - wayyiṣʿū). Literally, "and they journeyed." This verb denotes the breaking up of camp and beginning of a journey. It emphasizes the active, deliberate movement, a decisive beginning orchestrated by God.

• from Rameses: (מֵרַעְמְסֵס - mē-ra‘məsēs). A key Egyptian store city, symbolic of Israel's servitude and forced labor (Exod 1:11). Its name often connected to Ramesses II. The departure from Rameses signifies the physical separation from oppression.

• in the first month: (בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן - ba-ḥōḏeš hā-rišōn). Referred to as Abib (Exod 13:4) or later Nisan (Esth 3:7), this month was divinely appointed as the beginning of Israel's sacred year (Exod 12:2). This highlights the fresh, new beginning God was providing.

• on the fifteenth day of the first month: (בַּחֲמִשָּׁה עָשָׂר יוֹם לַחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן - ba-ḥămiššâ ‘āśār yōm la-ḥōḏeš hā-rišōn). The specific date marks the precision of God's timing. It falls immediately after the Passover (14th day) and aligns with the commencement of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, demonstrating that Israel's freedom was tied to God's Passover redemption.

• On the day after the Passover: (מִמָּחֳרַת הַפָּסַח - mim-māḥŏrāṯ hap-pāsaḥ). This clarifies the previous timing reference. It explicitly connects their immediate freedom to God's final, devastating judgment on Egypt and the sparing of Israel's firstborn through the Passover blood. There was no delay; freedom was immediate upon redemption.

• the people of Israel: (בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - bənê yiśrāʾēl). Refers to the entire collective nation, not just a portion. This emphasized the unity and entirety of God's chosen people being led out.

• went out triumphantly: (בְּיָד רָמָה - bə-yāḏ rāmâ). Literally "with a high hand" or "with an uplifted hand." This crucial phrase signifies power, authority, boldness, and unhindered action. It speaks not of human audacity but of God's overt and visible power (Exod 6:1; 14:8). It means they departed openly, powerfully, and fearlessly, not furtively, due to God's irresistible might demonstrated through the plagues.

• in the sight of all the Egyptians: (לְעֵינֵי כָּל־מִצְרָיִם - lə-‘ēnê kāl-miṣrāyim). This highlights the public and undeniable nature of their departure. The Egyptians were witnesses to God's power and their own humiliation and defeat. It serves as a stark testimony to the supremacy of YHWH over Egypt's gods and Pharaoh himself.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "They set out from Rameses… On the day after the Passover": This segment precisely anchors the start of the journey in both space and time. It confirms the historicity and accuracy of the event, intertwining the physical departure with the foundational theological event of Passover. It signifies the liberation from bondage into a new life dictated by God's timeline.
  • "the people of Israel went out triumphantly in the sight of all the Egyptians": This phrase dramatically portrays the character of the Exodus. It was not a stealthy escape but an overt display of divine power and Israel's resultant boldness. This served as an unparalleled testament to God's power, a humiliation for Egypt, and a demonstration of God fulfilling His promise to bring His people out with a "mighty hand" and "great possessions."

Numbers 33 3 Bonus section

The exact historical dates given in this verse (and other Exodus passages) lend credence to the biblical narrative, emphasizing that the Exodus was not a myth but a tangible historical event, deeply rooted in specific times and places. The phrase "triumphantly" (בְּיָד רָמָה - bə-yāḏ rāmâ) primarily denotes an act carried out with strength and determination enabled by God's power, as if the arm of a mighty warrior (God) is stretched out. This same phrase is later used in Numbers 15:30 to describe the deliberate, defiant sin of "high-handed" rebellion against God, presenting a striking contrast: divine power enables obedient triumph, while human defiance in the face of such power leads to judgment. The Exodus account serves as the foundational narrative of redemption for Israel, often alluded to and echoed in later prophetic promises of a "new exodus," and ultimately pointing towards the greater spiritual liberation achieved through Jesus Christ.

Numbers 33 3 Commentary

Numbers 33:3 serves as the opening act of Israel's wilderness journey itinerary, immediately grounding the following list of encampments in historical fact and theological significance. It asserts the divine order of the Exodus, marked by unparalleled precision in timing and location. The departure from Rameses signifies the physical rupture from the realm of slavery. The specific date, the fifteenth of the first month, unequivocally links their freedom to the Passover redemption—a day initiated by God's decisive judgment and protective grace. The phrase "went out triumphantly" (literally "with a high hand") is vital, indicating not merely human courage but an overt, empowered act, directly enabled by God's demonstrated might. This public departure, "in the sight of all the Egyptians," transforms what could have been a desperate escape into a visible triumph for YHWH and a spectacle of divine power. It confirms God's ultimate victory over the might of Egypt and its gods, solidifying Israel's identity as a nation redeemed and led by their Almighty God. The accuracy of this detail further emphasizes the Bible's historical reliability and the fulfillment of divine promises.