Exodus 10:10

ESV But he said to them, "The Lord be with you, if ever I let you and your little ones go! Look, you have some evil purpose in mind.

NIV Pharaoh said, "The Lord be with you—if I let you go, along with your women and children! Clearly you are bent on evil.

NASB Then he said to them, 'So may the Lord be with you, when I let you and your little ones go! Watch out, for evil is on your mind!

CSB He said to them, "The Lord would have to be with you if I would ever let you and your families go! Look out—you’re heading for trouble.

NLT Pharaoh retorted, 'The Lord will certainly need to be with you if I let you take your little ones! I can see through your evil plan.

KJV And he said unto them, Let the Lord be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.

NKJV Then he said to them, “The Lord had better be with you when I let you and your little ones go! Beware, for evil is ahead of you.

What does Exodus 10:10 mean?

This remark may be sarcastic, but it is certainly a refusal. Pharaoh is attempting to negotiate out of the impending plague of locusts (Exodus 10:3–7). He has suggested that some Hebrew slaves be given leave to worship (Exodus 10:8). Moses has made it clear that every person, animal, and resource which belongs to Israel will be leaving. There is no room for negotiation there.

Pharaoh is sneering at the idea that he would voluntarily release the Israeli children. Translators differ slightly in how they interpret his words. He may be sarcastically using the name Yahweh, printed in English as "Lord." He may be saying that Moses and Aaron would need divine protection if such a thing happened. He may be ironically saying that it would be a genuinely great miracle if he agreed with Moses.

The reference to evil can also be interpreted in different ways. This may be Pharaoh's attempt to blame Moses and Aaron for his own actions. It might be a threat: a warning that he may choose to retaliate as he did before (Exodus 5:9, 17–19). Either way, it emphasizes his refusal to release all God's people.

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