Keluaran 10:17

10:17 So now, forgive my sin this time only, and pray to the Lord your God that he would only ¹  take this death ²  away from me.”

Keluaran 22:8

22:8 If the thief is not caught, ³  then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges ⁴  to see ⁵  whether he has laid ⁶  his hand on his neighbor’s goods.

[10:17]  ¹ sn Pharaoh’s double emphasis on “only” uses two different words and was meant to deceive. He was trying to give Moses the impression that he had finally come to his senses, and that he would let the people go. But he had no intention of letting them out.

[10:17]  ² sn “Death” is a metonymy that names the effect for the cause. If the locusts are left in the land it will be death to everything that grows.

[22:8]  ³ tn Heb “found.”

[22:8]  ⁴ tn Here again the word used is “the gods,” meaning the judges who made the assessments and decisions. In addition to other works, see J. R. Vannoy, “The Use of the Word ha’elohim in Exodus 21:6 and 22:7,8,” The Law and the Prophets, 225-41.

[22:8]  ⁵ tn The phrase “to see” has been supplied.

[22:8]  ⁶ tn The line says “if he has not stretched out his hand.” This could be the oath formula, but the construction here would be unusual, or it could be taken as “whether” (see W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:438). U. Cassuto (Exodus, 286) does not think the wording can possibly fit an oath; nevertheless, an oath would be involved before God (as he takes it instead of “judges”) – if the man swore, his word would be accepted, but if he would not swear, he would be guilty.