Exodus 12:32

ESV Take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone, and bless me also!"

NIV Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me."

NASB Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and go, and bless me also.'

CSB Take even your flocks and your herds as you asked and leave, and also bless me."

NLT Take your flocks and herds, as you said, and be gone. Go, but bless me as you leave.'

KJV Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.

NKJV Also take your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also.”

What does Exodus 12:32 mean?

Not only is Egypt's king finally releasing his nation's Hebrew slaves, but he does so without conditions and with the demand that they leave immediately (Exodus 12:29–31). The Egyptian people will express the same desire (Exodus 12:33). In prior conversations, Pharah had attempted to only allow sacrifices within Goshen or Egypt (Exodus 8:25), to allow Israel to go into the wilderness but close by (Exodus 8:28), to release only some Israelites (Exodus 10:8), or to keep some behind (Exodus 10:10–11), or to retain Israel's livestock (Exodus 10:24). Now he is utterly broken and forced to surrender. This is temporary, however, as Pharaoh's stubborn pride will lead him to a final attempt at revenge (Exodus 14:5–8).

Superstition, not faith, motivates Pharaoh to ask for a blessing. By now, all the false gods of Egypt's religion had been humbled by the plagues brought by the God of the Hebrews. He might have begun to believe that he was cursed and wanted some relief from that burden. It is notable that Scripture records no response from Moses and Aaron. They have seen Pharaoh change his mind (Exodus 8:15, 31–32; 9:34–35; 10:19–20) and harden his own heart many times (Exodus 5:2; 7:13–14, 22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7). They know he is now an object lesson in divine wrath (Exodus 10:1; Proverbs 29:1).

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