New International Version
Exodus 10:23
23No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.
Exodus 10:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
- English Standard Version (ESV)They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the people of Israel had light where they lived.
- New King James Version (NKJV)They did not see one another; nor did anyone rise from his place for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.
- New Living Translation (NLT)During all that time the people could not see each other, and no one moved. But there was light as usual where the people of Israel lived.
Context of Exodus 10:23
21Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over Egypt—darkness that can be felt.” 22So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. No one could see anyone else or move about for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived. 24Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go, worship the Lord. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind.” 25But Moses said, “You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the Lord our God.
Read all of Exodus 10Exodus 10:23 word by word
לֹֽא־רָא֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אָחִ֗יו וְלֹא־קָ֛מוּ אִ֥ישׁ מִתַּחְתָּ֖יו שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֑ים וּֽלְכָל־בְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הָ֥יָה א֖וֹר בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- They sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- not oneאִישׁ'îysh · man: anyoneH376
- anotherאָח'âch · brother: compatriotH251
- neither roseקוּםqûm · to arise: riseH6965
- from his place for threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- daysיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- but all the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- had lightאוֹר'ôr · lightH216
- in their dwellingsמוֹשָׁבmôshâb môshâb · seatH4186
Cross-references for Exodus 10:23
- Exodus 8:22“ ‘But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the Lord, am in this land.
- Exodus 9:4But the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.’ ”
- Exodus 14:20coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.
- Joshua 24:7But they cried to the Lord for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the wilderness for a long time.
- Isaiah 42:16I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.
- Isaiah 60:1“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
- Isaiah 65:13Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: “My servants will eat, but you will go hungry; my servants will drink, but you will go thirsty; my servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame.
- Malachi 3:18And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
- Colossians 1:13For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,
- 1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Commentaries on Exodus 10:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23They saw not one another - So deep was the obscurity, and probably such was its nature, that no artificial light could be procured; as the thick clammy vapors would prevent lamps, etc., from burning, or if they even could be ignited, the light through the palpable obscurity, could diffuse itself to no distance from the burning body. The author of the book of The Wisdom of Solomon 17:2-19, gives a fearful description of this plague. He says, "The Egyptians…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Had light in their dwellings - The sandstorm, if such were the cause, may not have extended to the district of Goshen; but the expression clearly denotes a miraculous intervention, whether accomplished or not by natural agencies.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-29Verses 21-29 The plague of darkness brought upon Egypt was a dreadful plague. It was darkness which might be felt, so thick were the fogs. It astonished and terrified. It continued three days; six nights in one; so long the most lightsome palaces were dungeons. Now Pharaoh had time to consider, if he would have improved it. Spiritual darkness is spiritual bondage; while Satan blinds men's eyes that they see not, he binds their hands and feet, that they…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21-29The ninth plague was the plague of darkness (10:21). The chief god of Egypt through the centuries, who appeared under several different names, was the sun. At this time, he was known as Amon-Re. He was supreme over all the other gods and was considered to be the ultimate source of life. The Lord showed that the sun’s light is completely under his control. God could shut it off from Egypt proper, while leaving it to shine in Goshen in the northeast part of…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-2921-23. Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there may be darkness--Whatever secondary means were employed in producing it, whether thick clammy fogs and vapors, according to some; a sandstorm, or the chamsin, according to others; it was such that it could be almost perceived by the organs of touch, and so protracted as to continue for three days, which the chamsin does [Hengstenberg]. The appalling character of this calamity consisted in this, that…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 10:23
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 10
- 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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