New English Translation
Exodus 4:22
22You must say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Israel is my son, my firstborn,
Exodus 4:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
- New International Version (NIV)Then say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son,
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the Lord, Israel is my firstborn son,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Israel is My son, My firstborn.
Context of Exodus 4:22
20Then Moses took his wife and sons and put them on a donkey and headed back to the land of Egypt, and Moses took the staff of God in his hand. 21The Lord said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders I have put under your control. But I will harden his heart and he will not let the people go. You must say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Israel is my son, my firstborn, 23and I said to you, ‘Let my son go that he may serve me,’ but since you have refused to let him go, I will surely kill your son, your firstborn!”’” 24Now on the way, at a place where they stopped for the night, the Lord met Moses and sought to kill him.
Read all of Exodus 4Exodus 4:22 word by word
וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֔ה בְּנִ֥י בְכֹרִ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Exodus 4:22
- Exodus 19:5And now, if you will diligently listen to me and keep my covenant, then you will be my special possession out of all the nations, for all the earth is mine,
- Deuteronomy 14:1You are children of the Lord your God. Do not cut yourselves or shave your forehead bald for the sake of the dead.
- Jeremiah 31:9They will come back shedding tears of contrition. I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. I will lead them besides streams of water, along smooth paths where they will never stumble. I will do this because I am Israel’s father; Ephraim is my firstborn son.’”
- Hosea 11:1When Israel was a young man, I loved him like a son, and I summoned my son out of Egypt.
- Romans 9:4who are Israelites. To them belong the adoption as sons, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises.
- 2 Corinthians 6:18and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,” says the All-Powerful Lord.
- Hebrews 12:23and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect,
- James 1:18By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.
Commentaries on Exodus 4:22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22Israel is my son, even my firstborn - That is, The Hebrew people are unutterably dear to me.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22My firstborn - The expression would be perfectly intelligible to Pharaoh, whose official designation was “son of Ra.” In numberless inscriptions the Pharaohs are styled “own sons” or “beloved sons” of the deity. It is here applied for the first time to Israel; and as we learn from Exodus 4:23, emphatically in antithesis to Pharaoh‘s own firstborn.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 18-23Verses 18-23 After God had appeared in the bush, he often spake to Moses. Pharaoh had hardened his own heart against the groans and cries of the oppressed Israelites; and now God, in the way of righteous judgment, hardens his heart against the teaching of the miracles, and the terror of the plagues. But whether Pharaoh will hear, or whether he will forbear, Moses must tell him, Thus saith the Lord. He must demand a discharge for Israel, Let my son go; not…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-23These verses summarize the upcoming chapters. They start with the request to let the people go to worship God and end with the final plague, the death of the firstborn (5:3; 11:4–6). God was preparing the rescuer for the challenging task ahead (see 11:9).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-311. But, behold--Hebrew, "If," "perhaps," "they will not believe me."--What evidence can I produce of my divine mission? There was still a want of full confidence, not in the character and divine power of his employer, but in His presence and power always accompanying him. He insinuated that his communication might be rejected and he himself treated as an impostor.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 4:22
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 4
- 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
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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