Exodus 7:4

ESV Pharaoh will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and bring my hosts, my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.

NIV he will not listen to you. Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites.

NASB When Pharaoh does not listen to you, I will lay My hand on Egypt and bring out My armies, My people the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by great judgments.

CSB Pharaoh will not listen to you, but I will put my hand into Egypt and bring the military divisions of my people the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment.

NLT Even then Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you. So I will bring down my fist on Egypt. Then I will rescue my forces — my people, the Israelites — from the land of Egypt with great acts of judgment.

KJV But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.

NKJV But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments.

What does Exodus 7:4 mean?

God is reassuring Moses (Exodus 6:1–6) that everything is happening according to a divine plan (Exodus 3:19–20). Pharaoh rejected the initial request to free the Hebrew slaves (Exodus 5:6–9). He will continue to do so, first from his own obstinate attitude (Exodus 7:14; 8:15; 9:7), and later through God's example-making judgment (Exodus 9:12; 10:1; 14:8).

This resistance is not a sign that the Lord's plan is being thwarted. Rather, it is part of the plan. God intends to send a clear message about His own power (Exodus 7:2–4). He also seeks to establish His unique relationship with the nation of Israel (Exodus 6:6–7). After ten devastating plagues, there will be no doubt that the Lord is supreme (Expodus 7:5), and that His people were freed entirely by His power (Exodus 12:41).

Despite advanced age (Exodus 7:7), Moses and Aaron will faithfully continue to obey the Lord's instructions (Exodus 7:6).

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Context Summary
Exodus 7:1–7 completes the encouragement and summary which began in chapter 6. God intends to free Israel (Exodus 1:11–14) through spectacular miracles. These will demonstrate His power. Moses and Aaron (Exodus 4:14–16) will obey, despite both men being more than eighty years old.

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Chapter Summary
God again repeats (Exodus 3:19–20; 4:19–23; 6:6) the basic outline of how Israel will be freed from Egyptian slavery (Exodus 1:11–14). He then commands Moses and Aaron to show Pharaoh one of the miraculous signs given for that purpose (Exodus 4:2–5). Egyptian magicians seem to duplicate the feat, so Pharaoh still refuses to hear Mo-ses' message. This results in the first plague: all water in Egypt, including the Nile river, becomes blood. This lasts seven days. The Lord then tells Moses to repeat the demand for Israel's release.

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