God’s Word Translation
Exodus 5:1
1Later Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: Let my people go into the desert to celebrate a festival in my honor.”
Exodus 5:1 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
- New International Version (NIV)Afterward Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Let my people go, so that they may hold a festival to me in the wilderness.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)Afterward Moses and Aaron went and said to Pharaoh, "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, 'Let my people go, that they may hold a feast to me in the wilderness.'"
- New King James Version (NKJV)Afterward Moses and Aaron went in and told Pharaoh, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let My people go, that they may hold a feast to Me in the wilderness.’ ”
Context of Exodus 5:1
Later Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: Let my people go into the desert to celebrate a festival in my honor.” 2Pharaoh asked, “Who is the Lord? Why should I obey him and let Israel go? I don’t know the Lord, and I won’t let Israel go.” 3They replied, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. If we don’t go, he may kill us with a plague or a war.”
Read all of Exodus 5Exodus 5:1 word by word
וְאַחַ֗ר בָּ֚אוּ מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאַהֲרֹ֔ן וַיֹּאמְר֖וּ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י וְיָחֹ֥גּוּ לִ֖י בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And afterwardאַחַר'achar · afterH310
- Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- and Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- went inבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- and toldאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- Let my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- goשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: let goH7971
- that they may hold a feastחָגַגchâgag · to celebrateH2287
- unto me in the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
Cross-references for Exodus 5:1
- 1 Kings 21:20Ahab asked Elijah, “So you’ve found me, my enemy?” Elijah answered, “I found you. Because you sold yourself to do what the Lord considers evil.
- Psalms 119:46I will speak about your written instructions in the presence of kings and not feel ashamed.
- Ezekiel 2:6Son of man, don’t be afraid of them or the things they say. Don’t be afraid, even though thorns and thistles are around you and you live among scorpions. Don’t let the things they say frighten you. Don’t be terrified in their presence, even though they are rebellious people.
- Jonah 3:3Jonah immediately went to Nineveh as the Lord told him. Nineveh was a very large city. It took three days to walk through it.
- Matthew 10:18Because of me you will even be brought in front of governors and kings to testify to them and to everyone in the world.
- Acts 4:29“Lord, pay attention to their threats now, and allow us to speak your word boldly.
- Exodus 10:9Moses answered, “Everyone! We’ll be taking our young and old, our sons and daughters, our flocks and herds with us. For us it’s a pilgrimage festival in the Lord’s honor.”
- Isaiah 25:6On this mountain the Lord of Armies will prepare for all people a feast with the best foods, a banquet with aged wines, with the best foods and the finest wines.
- 1 Corinthians 5:8So we must not celebrate our festival with the old yeast ⌞of sin⌟ or with the yeast of vice and wickedness. Instead, we must celebrate it with the bread of purity and truth that has no yeast.
Commentaries on Exodus 5:1
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 1And afterward Moses and Aaron went - This chapter is properly a continuation of the preceding, as the succeeding is a continuation of this; and to preserve the connection of the facts they should be read together. How simply, and yet with what authority, does Moses deliver his message to the Egyptian king! Thus saith Jehovah, God of Israel, Let my people go. It is well in this, as in almost every other case where יהוה Jehovah occurs, to preserve the…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1Pharaoh - This king, probably Tothmosis II, the great grandson of Aahmes Exodus 1:8, the original persecutor of the Israelites, must have been resident at this time in a city, probably Tanis Exodus 2:5, of Lower Egypt, situated on the Nile. The Lord God - Yahweh God of Israel demanded the services of His people. The demand, according to the general views of the pagans, was just and natural; the Israelites could not offer the necessary sacrifices in the…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 1Pharaoh's displeasure, He increases the tasks of the Israelites. (1-9) The sufferings of the Israelites, Moses' complaint to God. (10-23) Verses 1-9 God will own his people, though poor and despised, and will find a time to plead their cause. Pharaoh treated all he had heard with contempt. He had no knowledge of Jehovah, no fear of him, no love to him, and therefore refused to obey him. Thus Pharaoh's pride, ambition, covetousness, and political…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1so that they may hold a feast: See study note on 3:18.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-231. Moses and Aaron went in--As representatives of the Hebrews, they were entitled to ask an audience of the king, and their thorough Egyptian training taught them how and when to seek it. and told Pharaoh--When introduced, they delivered a message in the name of the God of Israel. This is the first time He is mentioned by that national appellation in Scripture. It seems to have been used by divine direction (Ex 4:2) and designed to put honor on the…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 5:1
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 5
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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