Exodus 10:9 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Moses said, "We will go with our young and our old. We will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, for we must hold a feast to the Lord."

NIV: Moses answered, "We will go with our young and our old, with our sons and our daughters, and with our flocks and herds, because we are to celebrate a festival to the Lord."

NASB: Moses said, 'We shall go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we shall go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord.'

CSB: Moses replied, "We will go with our young and with our old; we will go with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds because we must hold the Lord’s festival."

NLT: Moses replied, 'We will all go — young and old, our sons and daughters, and our flocks and herds. We must all join together in celebrating a festival to the Lord.'

KJV: And Moses said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast unto the Lord.

NKJV: And Moses said, “We will go with our young and our old; with our sons and our daughters, with our flocks and our herds we will go, for we must hold a feast to the Lord.”

Pharaoh is attempting to bargain with Moses (Exodus 10:7–8). He hopes that by letting some Israelites leave for worship, those left behind will be an incentive for them to return. He knows that if all the Hebrews leave, they aren't coming back. After seven devastations (Exodus 7:21; 8:6, 17, 24; 9:6, 10, 24), Pharaoh hopes to avoid an eighth (Exodus 10:4–6). But he also wants Egypt to keep their slave labor (Exodus 1:11–14). He opens the negotiations by asking which group should be allowed to leave (Exodus 10:8).

Moses' answer is clear. Israel will leave with everyone and everything. This is not open for discussion. The Lord's demand is that all His people be freed (Exodus 5:1; 7:16; 8:1, 21; 9:1, 13, 10:3). He even cuts off the possibility of leaving all their resources behind by referring to "flocks and herds." These would have been needed for basic survival, as well as sacrifice.

Even if Pharaoh's negotiations are sincere, his motives are not noble. He is trying to partially obey God (1 Samuel 15:22). His reaction proves this as he angrily refuses to consider releasing Hebrew children (Exodus 10:10).

Exodus 10:1–11 sets up the eighth of ten plagues which God has sent to prove His power to all generations. Moses once again delivers the Lord's command that Egypt release the Hebrew slaves. But Pharaoh is even more stubborn than usual, as God's punishment for his constant disobedience. By now, even Pharaoh's advisors recognize the power they are facing. They encourage negotiation. Pharaoh agrees to let only the male Hebrews leave for worship—then sends Moses away when this is not accepted.

Moses warns Pharaoh that an eighth plague will come if the Hebrew slaves are not set free. This will be the worst locust invasion the nation will ever see. Pharaoh's advisors beg him to negotiate. He offers to release only Israelite men, which Moses rejects. The locust plague eradicates everything that survived the earlier hailstorm. Pharaoh pleads for relief, only to break his promise once again when the danger has passed. Next come three days of intense darkness. Pharaoh once again tries to arrange a partial release. When Moses refuses, Pharaoh threatens to kill him if he ever comes back.

Seven times, God has sent supernatural judgment against the nation of Egypt (Exodus 7—9). Each time, Pharaoh has refused to obey God's command to release the Israelite slaves. As a result, God will no longer give Pharaoh the ability to repent (Proverbs 29:1). Despite an epic, devastating locust invasion and three days of darkness, Pharaoh still refuses to submit. Rather, he threatens Moses with death. This will lead Moses to predict the last and worst of the ten plagues (Exodus 11). The tragic death of Egypt's firstborn during the Passover (Exodus 12) will finally lead to Israelite freedom.

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.