8Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve Yahweh your God; but who are those who will go?”
9Moses said, “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; for we must hold a feast to Yahweh.”
10He said to them, “Yahweh be with you if I let you go with your little ones! See, evil is clearly before your faces.11Not so! Go now you who are men, and serve Yahweh; for that is what you desire!” Then they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
8 Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, “Go, serve Yahweh your God; but who are those who will go?”
9 Moses said, “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; for we must hold a feast to Yahweh.”
10 He said to them, “Yahweh be with you if I let you go with your little ones! See, evil is clearly before your faces.
11 Not so! Go now you who are men, and serve Yahweh; for that is what you desire!” Then they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
KJVKing James Version
8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: but who are they that shall go?
9 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.
10 And he said unto them, Let the LORD be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones: look to it; for evil is before you.
11 Not so: go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that ye did desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
Show all 3 translations
JPSJPS Tanakh (1917)
8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh; and he said unto them: 'Go, serve the LORD your God; but who are they that shall go?'
9 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 we will go; for we must hold a feast unto the LORD.'
10 And he said unto them: 'So be the LORD with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones; see ye that evil is before your face.
11 Not so; go now ye that are men, and serve the LORD; for that is what ye desire.' And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.
Exodus 5:1(v9)Afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said to Pharaoh, “This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘Let my people go, that they may hold a…
Deuteronomy 31:12-13(v9)Assemble the people, the men and the women and the little ones, and the foreigners who are within your gates, that they may hear, learn,…
1 Corinthians 5:7-8(v9)Purge out the old yeast, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, has been sacrificed in…
Exodus 3:18(v9)They will listen to your voice. You shall come, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you shall tell him, ‘Yahweh, the…
Exodus 10:28(v11)Pharaoh said to him, “Get away from me! Be careful to see my face no more; for in the day you see my face you shall die!”
Show all 26 cross-references
Genesis 50:8(v9)All the house of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s house. Only their little ones, their flocks, and their herds, they left in the land…
Exodus 5:3(v9)They said, “The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Please let us go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh, our…
Exodus 8:25-28(v9)Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!” Moses said, “It isn’t appropriate to do so; for…
Exodus 10:24(v8)Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, “Go, serve Yahweh. Only let your flocks and your herds stay behind. Let your little ones also go with…
Exodus 12:30-31(v10)Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a…
Exodus 13:6(v9)Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and in the seventh day shall be a feast to Yahweh.
Exodus 13:21(v10)Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that…
Numbers 29:12(v9)“ ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no regular work. You shall keep a feast to…
Joshua 24:15(v9)If it seems evil to you to serve Yahweh, choose today whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were beyond the…
2 Chronicles 32:15(v10)Now therefore don’t let Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you in this way. Don’t believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom was able…
Psalms 119:69(v11)The proud have smeared a lie upon me. With my whole heart, I will keep your precepts.
Psalms 148:12-13(v9)both young men and maidens; old men and children: let them praise Yahweh’s name, for his name alone is exalted. His glory is above the…
Proverbs 3:9(v9)Honor Yahweh with your substance, with the first fruits of all your increase:
Ecclesiastes 12:1(v9)Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw near, when you will say, “I have no…
Ephesians 6:4(v9)You fathers, don’t provoke your children to wrath, but nurture them in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Exodus 5:4(v11)The king of Egypt said to them, “Why do you, Moses and Aaron, take the people from their work? Get back to your burdens!”
Exodus 8:8(v8)Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat Yahweh, that he take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let…
Exodus 10:16(v8)Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and he said, “I have sinned against Yahweh your God, and against you.
Exodus 12:31(v8)He called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, “Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel; and go,…
Psalms 52:3-4(v11)You love evil more than good, lying rather than speaking the truth. You love all devouring words, you deceitful tongue.
Lamentations 3:37(v10)Who is he who says, and it comes to pass, when the Lord doesn’t command it?
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (17 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
Geneva Bible translators1599 · Public DomainOn v10That is, I would the Lord were no more…
That is, I would the Lord were no more affectioned toward you, than I am minded to let you go.
Punishment is prepared for you. Some read, Ye intend some mischief.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp1656 · Public DomainOn vv8–11Exo 10:8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again…
Exo 10:8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: [but] who [are] they that shall go?
Ver. 8. And Moses and Aaron were brought, &c.] Something the tyrant would seem to yield to his counsellors, and not to deal by them as the Persian monarchs, who were wont to advise with their peers: but if any of them delivered that which was contrary to the king’s mind, flagris caedebantur; they were whipped: which is a punishment also usually inflicted at this day by the great Turk, even upon the greatest Bashaws of the court, upon the least displeasure. {a}
Read full note →
{a} Keckerman. Turk. Hist.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole1685 · Public DomainOn vv9–11A feast upon a sacrifice, wherein all are concerned,…
A feast upon a sacrifice, wherein all are concerned, and therefore all must be present and ready to do what God requires us.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill1763 · Public DomainOn vv8–11And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh,....…
And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh,.... Upon this motion of his ministers, messengers were sent to bring them in again:
and he said, go, serve the Lord your God; as you have often desired:
Read full note →
but who are they that shall go? or, "who and who" (f)? for Pharaoh was unwilling that they should all go, but would have some retained as pledges of their return; for he was jealous of a design to get out of his country, and never return again, which he could not bear the thoughts of, even of losing such a large number of men he had under his power, and from whom he received so much profit and advantage by their labour.
(f) "qui et qui?" Pagninus, Montanus; "quis & quis?" Vatablus.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley1765 · Public DomainOn v10Let the Lord be so with you, as I…
Let the Lord be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones - He now curses and threatens them, in case they offered to remove their little ones, telling them it was at their peril. Satan doth all he can to hinder those that serve God themselves, from bringing their children in to serve him. He is a sworn enemy to early piety, knowing how destructive it is to the interests of his kingdom.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke1810 · Public DomainOn vv8–10Verse 8. Who are they that shall go?] Though…
Verse 8. Who are they that shall go?] Though the Egyptians, about fourscore years before, wished to destroy the Hebrews, yet they found them now so profitable to the state that they were unwilling to part with them.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson1811 · Public DomainOn vv8–10Exo 10:8. Who are they that shall go? —…
Exo 10:8. Who are they that shall go? — I am not willing you should all go: it will degrade me in the sight of my subjects that I should be obliged to submit to him who thus makes himself the very friend of my slaves. When he is compelled to yield, yet it is with extreme reluctance, and as little as possible.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes1834 · Public DomainOn vv9–10With our young ... - The demand was not…
With our young ... - The demand was not contrary to Egyptian usage, as great festivals were kept by the whole population.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary1859 · Public DomainOn vv9–11Herds. Out of which the Lord may choose what…
Herds. Out of which the Lord may choose what victims he requires. (Menochius) --- The people of Egypt kept solemnities of this description. (Herod. ii. 58, 59.)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown1871 · Public DomainOn v11they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence--In the East,…
they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence--In the East, when a person of authority and rank feels annoyed by a petition which he is unwilling to grant, he makes a signal to his attendants, who rush forward and, seizing the obnoxious suppliant by the neck, drag him out of the chamber with violent haste. Of such a character was the impassioned scene in the court of Egypt when the king had wrought himself into such a fit of uncontrollable fury as to treat ignominiously the two venerable representatives of the Hebrew people.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon1874 · Public DomainOn vv9–109. We will go with our young and with…
9. We will go with our young and with our old — Moses gives a full enumeration of those who must go forth to the feast and sacrifice, and it was simply what would be demanded in the worship of any people. Herodotus relates (ii, 60) that men, women, and children participated in the Egyptian festivals and religious processions, and that, according to the native reports, 700,000 often attended the annual festival at Bubastis, without reckoning the children. It was therefore but pretence when Pharaoh declared (Exo_5:11) that he had supposed that men only were included in the request of Moses.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges1878 · Public DomainOn vv8–118. again] back, a frequent sense of ‘again’ in…
8. again] back, a frequent sense of ‘again’ in Old English.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers1878 · Public DomainOn vv8–11(8) Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh.—Moses…
(8) Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh.—Moses and Aaron had uttered their threat, and had straightway left his presence. The courtiers “brought them again to Pharaoh.” The courtiers, no doubt, supposed that the king would yield; and the king was prepared to yield to a certain extent. But he had conceived of a compromise in his own mind, and this he hoped to impose upon Moses; hence his insidious question—
Who are they that shall go?—Pharaoh had not hitherto raised this question. He had known well enough that the demand extended to all the people (Exo_8:8); but now he pretends that there had been an ambiguity, and requires that it shall be cleared up. Moses gives him an answer (Exo_10:9) which takes away all further pretence of doubt.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary1880 · Public DomainOn vv8–11Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh. Pharaoh…
Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh. Pharaoh did not condescend so far as to send for them, but he allowed his courtiers to bring them to him. And he so far took the advice of his courtiers, that he began by a general permission to the Israelites to take their departure. This concession, however, he almost immediately retracted by a question, which implied that all were not to depart. Who are they that shall go? It seems somewhat strange that the king had not yet clearly understood what the demand made of him was. But perhaps he had not cared to know, since he had had no intention of granting it.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator1887 · Public DomainOn vv8, 10We will go with our young and with our…
Exo_10:8-9
We will go with our young and with our old.
Read full note →
Lessons
1. Upon importunity of men wicked powers may be moved to recall and treat further with Gods ministers when His own word is slighted by them.
2. Upon carnal considerations powers may license the Church to serve its God.
3. Such wicked powers bound their grants of liberty with provisos destructive to Gods will (Exo_10:8). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Lessons
1. Captious questions from the wicked are answered with plain answers by Gods servants.
2. Faithfulness to God will not suffer His servants to hide His mind to the wicked.
3. Gods instruments have encouragement from Him to deliver His demands to greatest powers.
4. Little ones as well as great must be carried along with the Church of God to their rest.
5. The Churchs portion in this life as to outward estate God is pleased to have free as well as themselves, that they may comfortably serve Him therewith.
6. The Churchs work after redemption is to serve Jehovah, or keep a feast to Him (Exo_10:9). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Renewed opportunities of moral good
And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh.
I. Consequent upon the faithful rebuke of friends.
II. Through contact with a holy man.
III. May be left unused through the perverseness of the soul. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)
The children must be rescued
But particularly observe the subject of dispute. Concerning whom did it arise? Concerning boys and girls--little children. Pharaoh did not wish them to accompany their parents to hold a feast unto the Lord; he required that they should remain at home as hostages. Moses refused. Well, there are often similar disputes in our time between the devil and the servants of God concerning you. The devil causes worldly men to say, like Pharaoh, Why should you trouble children with religion, they are too young yet? How can they understand the Bible, since I, who am a grown-up man, and perhaps a learned man, do not understand it? They can take no pleasure in it; it is too serious for them, since for my part I find it a weariness. At their age it becomes them to play, and not to study deeply. Let them enjoy their diversions; let them amuse themselves on the Sunday. Thus the prince of this world, the great Pharaoh of the darkness of this world, would wish to keep you as hostages in error, and ensnare your parents also. If your house were on fire, what would you think of a person who should say to your father, Go out as quickly as you can, but leave your children in bed? Or if you were at school, or an apprentice to a trade, what would you think of a man who should say to your father, Your son has a holiday, but do not let him come home to be with you, for he is at an age to amuse himself. Do not teach him to love you, and to obey you, for that would weary him. Ah! dear children, you have as much need as we have to escape the wrath to come, and to love God. Ask from Him grace to love Him. The prayer of a child who seeks a new heart for the sake of Jesus Christ always ascends to heaven. (Prof. Gaussen.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield1917 · Public DomainOn v11ye that are
ye that are
The third compromise proposed by Pharaoh is, perhaps, as applied to believers, the sublest and most successful of them all. The most godly parents desire worldly prosperity and position for their children. Mat 20:20; Mat 20:21.
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0On v9if I ever let you go and your little…
if I ever let you go and your little ones go
Pharaoh says this to emphasize that he would not let Moses take the children with them to worship Yahweh. (See: Hypothetical Situations)
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Then Moses and Aaron were driven out from Pharaoh's presence
This can be stated in active form. AT: "Then Pharaoh drove Moses and Aaron out from his presence" or "Then Pharaoh had his servants drive Moses and Aaron out from his presence" (See: Active or Passive)
Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v10 That is, I would the Lord were no more…
That is, I would the Lord were no more affectioned toward you, than I am minded to let you go.
Punishment is prepared for you. Some read, Ye intend some mischief.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv8–11 Exo 10:8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again…
Exo 10:8 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto them, Go, serve the LORD your God: [but] who [are] they that shall go?
Ver. 8. And Moses and Aaron were brought, &c.] Something the tyrant would seem to yield to his counsellors, and not to deal by them as the Persian monarchs, who were wont to advise with their peers: but if any of them delivered that which was contrary to the king’s mind, flagris caedebantur; they were whipped: which is a punishment also usually inflicted at this day by the great Turk, even upon the greatest Bashaws of the court, upon the least displeasure. {a}
Read full note →
{a} Keckerman. Turk. Hist.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv9–11 A feast upon a sacrifice, wherein all are concerned,…
A feast upon a sacrifice, wherein all are concerned, and therefore all must be present and ready to do what God requires us.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv8–11 And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh,....…
And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh,.... Upon this motion of his ministers, messengers were sent to bring them in again:
and he said, go, serve the Lord your God; as you have often desired:
Read full note →
but who are they that shall go? or, "who and who" (f)? for Pharaoh was unwilling that they should all go, but would have some retained as pledges of their return; for he was jealous of a design to get out of his country, and never return again, which he could not bear the thoughts of, even of losing such a large number of men he had under his power, and from whom he received so much profit and advantage by their labour.
(f) "qui et qui?" Pagninus, Montanus; "quis & quis?" Vatablus.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On v10 Let the Lord be so with you, as I…
Let the Lord be so with you, as I will let you go, and your little ones - He now curses and threatens them, in case they offered to remove their little ones, telling them it was at their peril. Satan doth all he can to hinder those that serve God themselves, from bringing their children in to serve him. He is a sworn enemy to early piety, knowing how destructive it is to the interests of his kingdom.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv8–10 Verse 8. Who are they that shall go?] Though…
Verse 8. Who are they that shall go?] Though the Egyptians, about fourscore years before, wished to destroy the Hebrews, yet they found them now so profitable to the state that they were unwilling to part with them.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv8–10 Exo 10:8. Who are they that shall go? —…
Exo 10:8. Who are they that shall go? — I am not willing you should all go: it will degrade me in the sight of my subjects that I should be obliged to submit to him who thus makes himself the very friend of my slaves. When he is compelled to yield, yet it is with extreme reluctance, and as little as possible.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv9–10 With our young ... - The demand was not…
With our young ... - The demand was not contrary to Egyptian usage, as great festivals were kept by the whole population.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv9–11 Herds. Out of which the Lord may choose what…
Herds. Out of which the Lord may choose what victims he requires. (Menochius) --- The people of Egypt kept solemnities of this description. (Herod. ii. 58, 59.)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On v11 they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence--In the East,…
they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence--In the East, when a person of authority and rank feels annoyed by a petition which he is unwilling to grant, he makes a signal to his attendants, who rush forward and, seizing the obnoxious suppliant by the neck, drag him out of the chamber with violent haste. Of such a character was the impassioned scene in the court of Egypt when the king had wrought himself into such a fit of uncontrollable fury as to treat ignominiously the two venerable representatives of the Hebrew people.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv9–10 9. We will go with our young and with…
9. We will go with our young and with our old — Moses gives a full enumeration of those who must go forth to the feast and sacrifice, and it was simply what would be demanded in the worship of any people. Herodotus relates (ii, 60) that men, women, and children participated in the Egyptian festivals and religious processions, and that, according to the native reports, 700,000 often attended the annual festival at Bubastis, without reckoning the children. It was therefore but pretence when Pharaoh declared (Exo_5:11) that he had supposed that men only were included in the request of Moses.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv8–11 8. again] back, a frequent sense of ‘again’ in…
8. again] back, a frequent sense of ‘again’ in Old English.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv8–11 (8) Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh.—Moses…
(8) Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh.—Moses and Aaron had uttered their threat, and had straightway left his presence. The courtiers “brought them again to Pharaoh.” The courtiers, no doubt, supposed that the king would yield; and the king was prepared to yield to a certain extent. But he had conceived of a compromise in his own mind, and this he hoped to impose upon Moses; hence his insidious question—
Who are they that shall go?—Pharaoh had not hitherto raised this question. He had known well enough that the demand extended to all the people (Exo_8:8); but now he pretends that there had been an ambiguity, and requires that it shall be cleared up. Moses gives him an answer (Exo_10:9) which takes away all further pretence of doubt.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv8–11 Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh. Pharaoh…
Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh. Pharaoh did not condescend so far as to send for them, but he allowed his courtiers to bring them to him. And he so far took the advice of his courtiers, that he began by a general permission to the Israelites to take their departure. This concession, however, he almost immediately retracted by a question, which implied that all were not to depart. Who are they that shall go? It seems somewhat strange that the king had not yet clearly understood what the demand made of him was. But perhaps he had not cared to know, since he had had no intention of granting it.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On vv8, 10 We will go with our young and with our…
Exo_10:8-9
We will go with our young and with our old.
Read full note →
Lessons
1. Upon importunity of men wicked powers may be moved to recall and treat further with Gods ministers when His own word is slighted by them.
2. Upon carnal considerations powers may license the Church to serve its God.
3. Such wicked powers bound their grants of liberty with provisos destructive to Gods will (Exo_10:8). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Lessons
1. Captious questions from the wicked are answered with plain answers by Gods servants.
2. Faithfulness to God will not suffer His servants to hide His mind to the wicked.
3. Gods instruments have encouragement from Him to deliver His demands to greatest powers.
4. Little ones as well as great must be carried along with the Church of God to their rest.
5. The Churchs portion in this life as to outward estate God is pleased to have free as well as themselves, that they may comfortably serve Him therewith.
6. The Churchs work after redemption is to serve Jehovah, or keep a feast to Him (Exo_10:9). (G. Hughes, B. D.)
Renewed opportunities of moral good
And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh.
I. Consequent upon the faithful rebuke of friends.
II. Through contact with a holy man.
III. May be left unused through the perverseness of the soul. (J. S. Exell, M. A.)
The children must be rescued
But particularly observe the subject of dispute. Concerning whom did it arise? Concerning boys and girls--little children. Pharaoh did not wish them to accompany their parents to hold a feast unto the Lord; he required that they should remain at home as hostages. Moses refused. Well, there are often similar disputes in our time between the devil and the servants of God concerning you. The devil causes worldly men to say, like Pharaoh, Why should you trouble children with religion, they are too young yet? How can they understand the Bible, since I, who am a grown-up man, and perhaps a learned man, do not understand it? They can take no pleasure in it; it is too serious for them, since for my part I find it a weariness. At their age it becomes them to play, and not to study deeply. Let them enjoy their diversions; let them amuse themselves on the Sunday. Thus the prince of this world, the great Pharaoh of the darkness of this world, would wish to keep you as hostages in error, and ensnare your parents also. If your house were on fire, what would you think of a person who should say to your father, Go out as quickly as you can, but leave your children in bed? Or if you were at school, or an apprentice to a trade, what would you think of a man who should say to your father, Your son has a holiday, but do not let him come home to be with you, for he is at an age to amuse himself. Do not teach him to love you, and to obey you, for that would weary him. Ah! dear children, you have as much need as we have to escape the wrath to come, and to love God. Ask from Him grace to love Him. The prayer of a child who seeks a new heart for the sake of Jesus Christ always ascends to heaven. (Prof. Gaussen.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
C. I. Scofield 1917 · Public Domain On v11 ye that are
ye that are
The third compromise proposed by Pharaoh is, perhaps, as applied to believers, the sublest and most successful of them all. The most godly parents desire worldly prosperity and position for their children. Mat 20:20; Mat 20:21.
The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On v9 if I ever let you go and your little…
if I ever let you go and your little ones go
Pharaoh says this to emphasize that he would not let Moses take the children with them to worship Yahweh. (See: Hypothetical Situations)
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Then Moses and Aaron were driven out from Pharaoh's presence
This can be stated in active form. AT: "Then Pharaoh drove Moses and Aaron out from his presence" or "Then Pharaoh had his servants drive Moses and Aaron out from his presence" (See: Active or Passive)
translationWords
festival
Yahweh
Pharaoh
evil
mind
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.