New King James Version
Exodus 3:7
7And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.
Exodus 3:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
- New International Version (NIV)The Lord said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then the Lord said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings,
- New Living Translation (NLT)Then the Lord told him, “I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering.
Context of Exodus 3:7
5Then He said, “Do not draw near this place. Take your sandals off your feet, for the place where you stand is holy ground.” 6Moreover He said, “I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows. 8So I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up from that land to a good and large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Perizzites and the Hivites and the Jebusites. 9Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel has come to Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.
Read all of Exodus 3Exodus 3:7 word by word
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה רָאֹ֥ה רָאִ֛יתִי אֶת־עֳנִ֥י עַמִּ֖י אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְאֶת־צַעֲקָתָ֤ם שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י נֹֽגְשָׂ֔יו כִּ֥י יָדַ֖עְתִּי אֶת־מַכְאֹבָֽיו׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- I have surelyרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the afflictionעֳנִי‛ŏnîy · afflictionH6040
- of my peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- in Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- and have heardשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- their cryצְעָקָהtsa‛ăqâh · cryH6818
- by reasonפָּנֶהpânîym · face: becauseH6440
- of their taskmastersנָגַשׂnâgaώ · to oppressH5065
- for I knowיָדַעyâda‛ · to knowH3045
- their sorrowsמַכְאוֹבmak'ôb mak'ôb mak'ôbâh · painH4341
Cross-references for Exodus 3:7
- Exodus 2:23Now it happened in the process of time that the king of Egypt died. Then the children of Israel groaned because of the bondage, and they cried out; and their cry came up to God because of the bondage.
- Exodus 22:23If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry;
- Genesis 29:32So Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said, “The Lord has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.”
- 1 Samuel 9:16“Tomorrow about this time I will send you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him commander over My people Israel, that he may save My people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon My people, because their cry has come to Me.”
- Psalms 22:24For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard.
- Psalms 34:4I sought the Lord, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears.
- Psalms 106:44Nevertheless He regarded their affliction, When He heard their cry;
- Psalms 145:19He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.
- Isaiah 63:9In all their affliction He was afflicted, And the Angel of His Presence saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; And He bore them and carried them All the days of old.
- Hebrews 4:15For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
- Exodus 1:11Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with their burdens. And they built for Pharaoh supply cities, Pithom and Raamses.
- Genesis 18:21I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know.”
- Psalms 142:3When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, Then You knew my path. In the way in which I walk They have secretly set a snare for me.
Commentaries on Exodus 3:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7I have surely seen - ראיתי ראה raoh raithi, seeing, I have seen - I have not only seen the afflictions of this people because I am omniscient, but I have considered their sorrows, and my eye affects my heart.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7Taskmasters - Oppressors. A different word from that in Exodus 1:11. I know - The expression implies personal feeling, tenderness, and compassion (compare Exodus 2:25 margin).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-10Verses 7-10 God notices the afflictions of Israel. Their sorrows; even the secret sorrows of God's people are known to him. Their cry; God hears the cries of his afflicted people. The oppression they endured; the highest and greatest of their oppressors are not above him. God promises speedy deliverance by methods out of the common ways of providence. Those whom God, by his grace, delivers out of a spiritual Egypt, he will bring to a heavenly Canaan. (Ex…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 7God felt compassion for the ongoing slavery and suffering of Israel.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 6-86-8. I am the God ... come down to deliver--The reverential awe of Moses must have been relieved by the divine Speaker (see Mt 22:32), announcing Himself in His covenant character, and by the welcome intelligence communicated. Moreover, the time, as well as all the circumstances of this miraculous appearance, were such as to give him an illustrious display of God's faithfulness to His promises. The period of Israel's journey and affliction in Egypt had…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 3:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 3
- 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries