Keluaran 3:3

3:3 So Moses thought, ¹  “I will turn aside to see ²  this amazing ³  sight. Why does the bush not burn up?” ⁴ 

Keluaran 3:19

3:19 But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, ⁵  not even under force. ⁶ 

Keluaran 4:4

4:4 But the Lord said to Moses, “Put out your hand and grab it by the tail” – so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand ⁷  –

Keluaran 4:19

4:19 The Lord said to Moses in Midian, “Go back ⁸  to Egypt, because all the men who were seeking your life are dead.” ⁹ 

Keluaran 4:22

4:22 You must say ¹⁰  to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says ¹¹  the Lord, “Israel is my son, my firstborn, ¹² 

Keluaran 4:30

4:30 Aaron spoke ¹³  all the words that the Lord had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people,

Keluaran 5:17

5:17 But Pharaoh replied, ¹⁴  “You are slackers! Slackers! ¹⁵  That is why you are saying, ‘Let us go sacrifice to the Lord.’

Keluaran 5:22

The Assurance of Deliverance

5:22 ¹⁶ Moses returned ¹⁷  to the Lord, and said, “Lord, ¹⁸  why have you caused trouble for this people? ¹⁹  Why did you ever ²⁰  send me?

Keluaran 6:26

6:26 It was the same Aaron and Moses to whom the Lord said, “Bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt by their regiments.” ²¹ 

Keluaran 7:14

The First Blow: Water to Blood

7:14 ²² The Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hard; ²³  he refuses to release ²⁴  the people.

Keluaran 8:12-13

8:12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried ²⁵  to the Lord because of ²⁶  the frogs that he had brought on ²⁷  Pharaoh. 8:13 The Lord did as Moses asked ²⁸  – the ²⁹  frogs died out of the houses, the villages, and the fields.

Keluaran 8:15

8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, ³⁰  he hardened ³¹  his heart and did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted. ³² 

Keluaran 9:4

9:4 But the Lord will distinguish ³³  between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, and nothing ³⁴  will die of all that the Israelites have.”’” ³⁵ 

Keluaran 9:20

9:20 Those ³⁶  of Pharaoh’s servants who feared the word of the Lord hurried to bring their ³⁷  servants and livestock into the houses,

Keluaran 10:21

The Ninth Blow: Darkness

10:21 ³⁸ The Lord said to Moses, “Extend your hand toward heaven ³⁹  so that there may be ⁴⁰  darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness so thick it can be felt.” ⁴¹ 

Keluaran 11:4

11:4 Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight ⁴²  I will go throughout Egypt, ⁴³ 

Keluaran 11:9

11:9 The Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that my wonders ⁴⁴  may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

Keluaran 12:25

12:25 When you enter the land that the Lord will give to you, just as he said, you must observe ⁴⁵  this ceremony.

Keluaran 12:43

Participation in the Passover

12:43 ⁴⁶ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “This is the ordinance of the Passover. No foreigner may ⁴⁷  share in eating it. ⁴⁸ 

Keluaran 14:18

14:18 And the Egyptians will know ⁴⁹  that I am the Lord when I have gained my honor ⁵⁰  because of Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

Keluaran 14:24

14:24 In the morning watch ⁵¹  the Lord looked down ⁵²  on the Egyptian army ⁵³  through the pillar of fire and cloud, and he threw the Egyptian army ⁵⁴  into a panic. ⁵⁵ 

Keluaran 15:10

15:10 But ⁵⁶  you blew with your breath, and ⁵⁷  the sea covered them.

They sank ⁵⁸  like lead in the mighty waters.

Keluaran 16:9-10

16:9 Then Moses said to Aaron, “Tell the whole community ⁵⁹  of the Israelites, ‘Come ⁶⁰  before the Lord, because he has heard your murmurings.’”

16:10 As Aaron spoke ⁶¹  to the whole community of the Israelites and they looked toward the desert, there the glory of the Lord ⁶²  appeared ⁶³  in the cloud,

Keluaran 17:4

17:4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What will I do with ⁶⁴  this people? – a little more ⁶⁵  and they will stone me!” ⁶⁶ 

Keluaran 18:9

18:9 Jethro rejoiced ⁶⁷  because of all the good that the Lord had done for Israel, whom he had delivered from the hand of Egypt.

Keluaran 18:20

18:20 warn ⁶⁸  them of the statutes and the laws, and make known to them the way in which they must walk ⁶⁹  and the work they must do. ⁷⁰ 

Keluaran 19:6-7

19:6 and you will be to me ⁷¹  a kingdom of priests ⁷²  and a holy nation.’ ⁷³  These are the words that you will speak to the Israelites.”

19:7 So Moses came and summoned the elders of Israel. He set before them all these words that the Lord had commanded him,

Keluaran 19:11

19:11 and be ready for the third day, for on the third day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.

Keluaran 21:11

21:11 If he does not provide her with these three things, then she will go out free, without paying money. ⁷⁴ 

Keluaran 24:2

24:2 Moses alone may come ⁷⁵  near the Lord, but the others ⁷⁶  must not come near, ⁷⁷  nor may the people go up with him.”

Keluaran 24:5

24:5 He sent young Israelite men, ⁷⁸  and they offered burnt offerings and sacrificed young bulls for peace offerings ⁷⁹  to the Lord.

Keluaran 25:1

The Materials for the Sanctuary

25:1 ⁸⁰ The Lord spoke to Moses:

Keluaran 28:36

28:36 “You are to make a plate ⁸¹  of pure gold and engrave on it the way a seal is engraved: ⁸²  “Holiness to the Lord.” ⁸³ 

Keluaran 29:24

29:24 You are to put all these ⁸⁴  in Aaron’s hands ⁸⁵  and in his sons’ hands, and you are to wave them as a wave offering ⁸⁶  before the Lord.

Keluaran 29:26

29:26 You are to take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s consecration; you are to wave it as a wave offering before the Lord, and it is to be your share.

Keluaran 30:14

30:14 Everyone who crosses over to those numbered, from twenty years old and up, is to pay an offering to the Lord.

Keluaran 30:37

30:37 And the incense that you are to make, you must not make for yourselves using the same recipe; it is to be most holy to you, belonging to the Lord.

Keluaran 31:15

31:15 Six days ⁸⁷  work may be done, ⁸⁸  but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of complete rest, ⁸⁹  holy to the Lord; anyone who does work on the Sabbath day must surely be put to death.

Keluaran 32:5

32:5 When ⁹⁰  Aaron saw this, ⁹¹  he built an altar before it, ⁹²  and Aaron made a proclamation ⁹³  and said, “Tomorrow will be a feast ⁹⁴  to the Lord.”

Keluaran 32:7

32:7 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go quickly, descend, ⁹⁵  because your ⁹⁶  people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly.

Keluaran 32:33

32:33 The Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me – that person I will wipe out of my book.

Keluaran 32:35

32:35 And the Lord sent a plague on the people because they had made the calf ⁹⁷  – the one Aaron made. ⁹⁸ 

Keluaran 33:15

33:15 And Moses ⁹⁹  said to him, “If your presence does not go ¹⁰⁰  with us, ¹⁰¹  do not take us up from here. ¹⁰² 

Keluaran 33:21

33:21 The Lord said, “Here ¹⁰³  is a place by me; you will station yourself ¹⁰⁴  on a rock.

Keluaran 34:27

34:27 The Lord said to Moses, “Write down ¹⁰⁵  these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.”

Keluaran 34:32

34:32 After this all the Israelites approached, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken to him on Mount Sinai.

Keluaran 35:1

Sabbath Regulations

35:1 Moses assembled the whole community of the Israelites and said to them, “These are the things that the Lord has commanded you to do. ¹⁰⁶ 

Keluaran 35:30

35:30 Moses said to the Israelites, “See, the Lord has chosen ¹⁰⁷  Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.

Keluaran 36:5

36:5 and told Moses, “The people are bringing much more than ¹⁰⁸  is needed for the completion ¹⁰⁹  of the work which the Lord commanded us to do!” ¹¹⁰ 

Keluaran 38:22

38:22 Now Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made everything that the Lord had commanded Moses;

Keluaran 39:7

39:7 He put ¹¹¹  them on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as stones of memorial for the Israelites, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Keluaran 39:26

39:26 There was ¹¹²  a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, all around the hem of the robe, to be used in ministering, ¹¹³  just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Keluaran 39:29-32

39:29 The sash was of fine twisted linen and blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, the work of an embroiderer, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. 39:30 They made a plate, the holy diadem, of pure gold and wrote on it an inscription, as on the engravings of a seal, “Holiness to the Lord.” 39:31 They attached to it a blue cord, to attach it to the turban above, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Moses Inspects the Sanctuary

39:32 ¹¹⁴ So all the work of the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, was completed, and the Israelites did according to all that the Lord had commanded Moses – they did it exactly so.

Keluaran 39:43

39:43 Moses inspected ¹¹⁵  all the work – and ¹¹⁶  they had done it just as the Lord had commanded – they had done it exactly – and Moses blessed them. ¹¹⁷ 

Keluaran 40:19

40:19 Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering of the tent over it, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Keluaran 40:32

40:32 Whenever they entered ¹¹⁸  the tent of meeting, and whenever they approached ¹¹⁹  the altar, they would wash, ¹²⁰  just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

Keluaran 40:35

40:35 Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

[3:3]  ¹ tn Heb “And Moses said.” The implication is that Moses said this to himself.

[3:3]  ² tn The construction uses the cohortative אָסֻרָה־נָּא (’asura-nna’) followed by an imperfect with vav (וְאֶרְאֶה, vÿ’er’eh) to express the purpose or result (logical sequence): “I will turn aside in order that I may see.”

[3:3]  ³ tn Heb “great.” The word means something extraordinary here. In using this term Moses revealed his reaction to the strange sight and his anticipation that something special was about to happen. So he turned away from the flock to investigate.

[3:3]  ⁴ tn The verb is an imperfect. Here it has the progressive nuance – the bush is not burning up.

[3:19]  ⁵ tn After verbs of perception, as with “I know” here, the object may be a noun clause introduced with the particle כִּי (ki) – “I know that….” Gesenius observes that the object clause may have a kind of accusative and an infinitive construction (especially after נָתַן [natan] with the idea of “allow”): “he will not permit you to go” (see GKC 491 §157.b, n. 2).

[3:19]  ⁶ tn Heb “and not with a mighty hand.” This expression (וְלֹא בְּיָד חֲזָקָה, vÿlo’ vÿyad khazaqa) is unclear, since v. 20 says that God will stretch out his hand and do his wonders. Some have taken v. 19b to refer to God’s mighty hand also, meaning that the king would not let them go unless a mighty hand compels him (NIV). The expression “mighty hand” is used of God’s rescuing Israel elsewhere (Exod 6:1, 13:9, 32:11; but note also Num 20:20). This idea is a rather general interpretation of the words; it owes much to the LXX, which has “except by a mighty hand,” though “and not with” does not have the meaning of “except” or “unless” in other places. In view of these difficulties, others have suggested that v. 19b means “strong [threats]” from the Israelites (as in 4:24ff. and 5:3; see B. Jacob, Exodus, 81). This does not seem as convincing as the first view. Another possibility is that the phrase conveys Pharaoh’s point of view and intention; the Lord knows that Pharaoh plans to resist letting the Israelites go, regardless of the exercise of a strong hand against him (P. Addinall, “Exodus III 19B and the Interpretation of Biblical Narrative,” VT 49 [1999]: 289-300; see also the construction “and not with” in Num 12:8; 1 Sam 20:15 and elsewhere). If that is the case, v. 20 provides an ironic and pointed contradiction to Pharaoh’s plans as the Lord announces the effect that his hand will have. At any rate, Pharaoh will have to be forced to let Israel go.

[4:4]  ⁷ sn The signs authenticated Moses’ ministry as the Lord’s emissary. This sign will show that the Lord had control over Egypt and its stability, over life and death. But first Moses has to be convinced that he can turn it into a dead stick again.

[4:19]  ⁸ tn The text has two imperatives, “Go, return”; if these are interpreted as a hendiadys (as in the translation), then the second is adverbial.

[4:19]  ⁹ sn The text clearly stated that Pharaoh sought to kill Moses; so this seems to be a reference to Pharaoh’s death shortly before Moses’ return. Moses was forty years in Midian. In the 18th dynasty, only Pharaoh Thutmose III had a reign of the right length (1504-1450 b.c.) to fit this period of Moses’ life. This would place Moses’ returning to Egypt near 1450 b.c., in the beginning of the reign of Amenhotep II, whom most conservatives identify as the pharaoh of the exodus. Rameses II, of course, had a very long reign (1304-1236). But if he were the one from whom Moses fled, then he could not be the pharaoh of the exodus, but his son would be – and that puts the date of the exodus after 1236, a date too late for anyone. See E. H. Merrill, Kingdom of Priests, 62.

[4:22]  ¹⁰ tn The sequence of the instruction from God uses the perfect tense with vav (ו), following the preceding imperfects.

[4:22]  ¹¹ tn The instantaneous use of the perfect tense fits well with the prophetic announcement of what Yahweh said or says. It shows that the words given to the prophet are still binding.

[4:22]  ¹² sn The metaphor uses the word “son” in its connotation of a political dependent, as it was used in ancient documents to describe what was intended to be a loyal relationship with well-known privileges and responsibilities, like that between a good father and son. The word can mean a literal son, a descendant, a chosen king (and so, the Messiah), a disciple (in Proverbs), and here, a nation subject to God. If the people of Israel were God’s “son,” then they should serve him and not Pharaoh. Malachi reminds people that the Law said “a son honors his father,” and so God asked, “If I am a father, where is my honor?” (Mal 1:6).

[4:30]  ¹³ tn Heb “And Aaron spoke.”

[5:17]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “And he said.”

[5:17]  ¹⁵ tn Or “loafers.” The form נִרְפִּים (nirpim) is derived from the verb רָפָה (rafah), meaning “to be weak, to let oneself go.”

[5:22]  ¹⁶ sn In view of the apparent failure of the mission, Moses seeks Yahweh for assurance. The answer from Yahweh not only assures him that all is well, but that there will be a great deliverance. The passage can be divided into three parts: the complaint of Moses (5:22-23), the promise of Yahweh (6:1-9), and the instructions for Moses (6:10-13). Moses complains because God has not delivered his people as he had said he would, and God answers that he will because he is the sovereign covenant God who keeps his word. Therefore, Moses must keep his commission to speak God’s word. See further, E. A. Martens, “Tackling Old Testament Theology,” JETS 20 (1977): 123-32. The message is very similar to that found in the NT, “Where is the promise of his coming?” (2 Pet 3:4). The complaint of Moses (5:22-23) can be worded with Peter’s “Where is the promise of his coming?” theme; the assurance from Yahweh (6:1-9) can be worded with Peter’s “The Lord is not slack in keeping his promises” (2 Pet 3:9); and the third part, the instructions for Moses (6:10-13) can be worded with Peter’s “Prepare for the day of God and speed its coming” (2 Pet 3:12). The people who speak for God must do so in the sure confidence of the coming deliverance – Moses with the deliverance from the bondage of Egypt, and Christians with the deliverance from this sinful world.

[5:22]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “and Moses returned.”

[5:22]  ¹⁸ tn The designation in Moses’ address is “Lord” (אֲדֹנָי, ’adonay) – the term for “lord” or “master” but pointed as it would be when it represents the tetragrammaton.

[5:22]  ¹⁹ tn The verb is הֲרֵעֹתָה (hare’otah), the Hiphil perfect of רָעַע (ra’a’). The word itself means “to do evil,” and in this stem “to cause evil” – but evil in the sense of pain, calamity, trouble, or affliction, and not always in the sense of sin. Certainly not here. That God had allowed Pharaoh to oppose them had brought greater pain to the Israelites.

[5:22]  sn Moses’ question is rhetorical; the point is more of a complaint or accusation to God, although there is in it the desire to know why. B. Jacob (Exodus, 139) comments that such frank words were a sign of the man’s closeness to God. God never has objected to such bold complaints by the devout. He then notes how God was angered by his defenders in the book of Job rather than by Job’s heated accusations.

[5:22]  ²⁰ tn The demonstrative pronoun serves for emphasis in the question (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 24, §118). This second question continues Moses’ bold approach to God, more chiding than praying. He is implying that if this was the result of the call, then God had no purpose calling him (compare Jeremiah’s similar complaint in Jer 20).

[6:26]  ²¹ tn Or “by their hosts” or “by their armies.” Often translated “hosts” (ASV, NASB) or “armies” (KJV), צְבָאוֹת (tsÿva’ot) is a military term that portrays the people of God in battle array. In contemporary English, “regiment” is perhaps more easily understood as a force for battle than “company” (cf. NAB, NRSV) or “division” (NIV, NCV, NLT), both of which can have commercial associations. The term also implies an orderly departure.

[7:14]  ²² sn With the first plague, or blow on Pharaoh, a new section of the book unfolds. Until now the dominant focus has been on preparing the deliverer for the exodus. From here the account will focus on preparing Pharaoh for it. The theological emphasis for exposition of the entire series of plagues may be: The sovereign Lord is fully able to deliver his people from the oppression of the world so that they may worship and serve him alone. The distinct idea of each plague then will contribute to this main idea. It is clear from the outset that God could have delivered his people simply and suddenly. But he chose to draw out the process with the series of plagues. There appear to be several reasons: First, the plagues are designed to judge Egypt. It is justice for slavery. Second, the plagues are designed to inform Israel and Egypt of the ability of Yahweh. Everyone must know that it is Yahweh doing all these things. The Egyptians must know this before they are destroyed. Third, the plagues are designed to deliver Israel. The first plague is the plague of blood: God has absolute power over the sources of life. Here Yahweh strikes the heart of Egyptian life with death and corruption. The lesson is that God can turn the source of life into the prospect of death. Moreover, the Nile was venerated; so by turning it into death Moses was showing the superiority of Yahweh.

[7:14]  ²³ tn Or “unresponsive” (so HALOT 456 s.v. I כָּבֵד).

[7:14]  ²⁴ tn The Piel infinitive construct לְשַׁלַּח (lÿshallakh) serves as the direct object of מֵאֵן (me’en), telling what Pharaoh refuses (characteristic perfect) to do. The whole clause is an explanation (like a metonymy of effect) of the first clause that states that Pharaoh’s heart is hard.

[8:12]  ²⁵ tn The verb צָעַק (tsa’aq) is used for prayers in which people cry out of trouble or from danger. U. Cassuto observes that Moses would have been in real danger if God had not answered this prayer (Exodus, 103).

[8:12]  ²⁶ tn Heb “over the matter of.”

[8:12]  ²⁷ tn The verb is an unusual choice if it were just to mean “brought on.” It is the verb שִׂים (sim, “place, put”). S. R. Driver thinks the thought is “appointed for Pharaoh” as a sign (Exodus, 64). The idea of the sign might be too much, but certainly the frogs were positioned for the instruction of the stubborn king.

[8:13]  ²⁸ tn Heb “according to the word of Moses” (so KJV, NASB). Just as Moses had told Pharaoh “according to your word” (v. 10), now the Lord does “according to the word” of Moses.

[8:13]  ²⁹ tn Heb “and the frogs died.”

[8:15]  ³⁰ tn The word רְוָחָה (rÿvakhah) means “respite, relief.” BDB 926 relates it to the verb רָוַח (ravakh, “to be wide, spacious”). There would be relief when there was freedom to move about.

[8:15]  ³¹ tn וְהַכְבֵּד (vÿhakhbed) is a Hiphil infinitive absolute, functioning as a finite verb. The meaning of the word is “to make heavy,” and so stubborn, sluggish, indifferent. It summarizes his attitude and the outcome, that he refused to keep his promises.

[8:15]  ³² sn The end of the plague revealed clearly God’s absolute control over Egypt’s life and deities – all at the power of the man who prayed to God. Yahweh had made life unpleasant for the people by sending the plague, but he was also the one who could remove it. The only recourse anyone has in such trouble is to pray to the sovereign Lord God. Everyone should know that there is no one like Yahweh.

[9:4]  ³³ tn The verb פָּלָה (palah) in Hiphil means “to set apart, make separate, make distinct.” See also Exod 8:22 (18 HT); 11:7; 33:16.

[9:4]  ³⁴ tn There is a wordplay in this section. A pestilence – דֶּבֶר (dever) – will fall on Egypt’s cattle, but no thing – דָּבָר (davar) – belonging to Israel would die. It was perhaps for this reason that the verb was changed in v. 1 from “say” to “speak” (דִּבֶּר, dibber). See U. Cassuto, Exodus, 111.

[9:4]  ³⁵ tn The lamed preposition indicates possession: “all that was to the Israelites” means “all that the Israelites had.”

[9:20]  ³⁶ tn The text has “the one fearing.” The singular expression here and throughout vv. 20-21 refers to all who fit the description.

[9:20]  ³⁷ tn Heb “his” (singular).

[10:21]  ³⁸ sn The ninth plague is that darkness fell on all the land – except on Israel. This plague is comparable to the silence in heaven, just prior to the last and terrible plague (Rev 8:1). Here Yahweh is attacking a core Egyptian religious belief as well as portraying what lay before the Egyptians. Throughout the Bible darkness is the symbol of evil, chaos, and judgment. Blindness is one of its manifestations (see Deut 28:27-29). But the plague here is not blindness, or even spiritual blindness, but an awesome darkness from outside (see Joel 2:2; Zeph 1:15). It is particularly significant in that Egypt’s high god was the Sun God. Lord Sun was now being shut down by Lord Yahweh. If Egypt would not let Israel go to worship their God, then Egypt’s god would be darkness. The structure is familiar: the plague, now unannounced (21-23), and then the confrontation with Pharaoh (24-27).

[10:21]  ³⁹ tn Or “the sky” (also in the following verse). The Hebrew term שָׁמַיִם (shamayim) may be translated “heavens” or “sky” depending on the context.

[10:21]  ⁴⁰ sn The verb form is the jussive with the sequential vav – וִיהִי חֹשֶׁךְ (vihi khoshekh). B. Jacob (Exodus, 286) notes this as the only instance where Scripture says, “Let there be darkness” (although it is subordinated as a purpose clause; cf. Gen 1:3). Isa 45:7 alluded to this by saying, “who created light and darkness.”

[10:21]  ⁴¹ tn The Hebrew term מוּשׁ (mush) means “to feel.” The literal rendering would be “so that one may feel darkness.” The image portrays an oppressive darkness; it was sufficiently thick to possess the appearance of substance, although it was just air (B. Jacob, Exodus, 286).

[11:4]  ⁴² tn Heb “about the middle of the night.”

[11:4]  ⁴³ tn Heb “I will go out in the midst of Egypt.”

[11:9]  ⁴⁴ sn The thought is essentially the same as in Exod 7:3-4, but the wonders, or portents, here refer to what is yet to be done in Egypt.

[12:25]  ⁴⁵ tn The verb used here and at the beginning of v. 24 is שָׁמַר (shamar); it can be translated “watch, keep, protect,” but in this context the point is to “observe” the religious customs and practices set forth in these instructions.

[12:43]  ⁴⁶ sn The section that concludes the chapter contains regulations pertaining to the Passover. The section begins at v. 43, but vv. 40-42 form a good setting for it. In this unit vv. 43-45 belong together because they stress that a stranger and foreigner cannot eat. Verse 46 stands by itself, ruling that the meal must be eaten at home. Verse 47 instructs that the whole nation was to eat it. Verses 48-49 make provision for foreigners who may wish to participate. And vv. 50-51 record the obedience of Israel.

[12:43]  ⁴⁷ tn This taken in the modal nuance of permission, reading that no foreigner is permitted to share in it (apart from being a member of the household as a circumcised slave [v. 44] or obeying v. 48, if a free individual).

[12:43]  ⁴⁸ tn This is the partitive use of the bet (ב) preposition, expressing that the action extends to something and includes the idea of participation in it (GKC 380 §119.m).

[14:18]  ⁴⁹ tn The construction is unusual in that it says, “And Egypt will know.” The verb is plural, and so “Egypt” must mean “the Egyptians.” The verb is the perfect tense with the vav consecutive, showing that this recognition or acknowledgment by Egypt will be the result or purpose of the defeat of them by God.

[14:18]  ⁵⁰ tn The form is בְּהִכָּבְדִי (bÿhikkavÿdi), the Niphal infinitive construct with a preposition and a suffix. For the suffix on a Niphal, see GKC 162-63 §61.c. The word forms a temporal clause in the line.

[14:24]  ⁵¹ tn The night was divided into three watches of about four hours each, making the morning watch about 2:00-6:00 a.m. The text has this as “the watch of the morning,” the genitive qualifying which of the night watches was meant.

[14:24]  ⁵² tn This particular verb, שָׁקַף (shaqaf) is a bold anthropomorphism: Yahweh looked down. But its usage is always with some demonstration of mercy or wrath. S. R. Driver (Exodus, 120) suggests that the look might be with fiery flashes to startle the Egyptians, throwing them into a panic. Ps 77:17-19 pictures torrents of rain with lightning and thunder.

[14:24]  ⁵³ tn Heb “camp.” The same Hebrew word is used in Exod 14:20. Unlike the English word “camp,” it can be used of a body of people at rest (encamped) or on the move.

[14:24]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “camp.”

[14:24]  ⁵⁵ tn The verb הָמַם (hamam) means “throw into confusion.” It is used in the Bible for the panic and disarray of an army before a superior force (Josh 10:10; Judg 4:15).

[15:10]  ⁵⁶ tn “But” has been supplied here.

[15:10]  ⁵⁷ tn Here “and” has been supplied.

[15:10]  ⁵⁸ tn The verb may have the idea of sinking with a gurgling sound, like water going into a whirlpool (R. A. Cole, Exodus [TOTC], 124; S. R. Driver, Exodus, 136). See F. M. Cross and D. N. Freedman, “The Song of Miriam,” JNES 14 (1955): 243-47.

[16:9]  ⁵⁹ tn Or “congregation” (KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV); the same word occurs in v. 10.

[16:9]  ⁶⁰ tn The verb means “approach, draw near.” It is used in the Torah of drawing near for religious purposes. It is possible that some sacrifice was involved here, but no mention is made of that.

[16:10]  ⁶¹ tn Heb “and it was as Aaron spoke.” The construction uses the temporal indicator and then the Piel infinitive construct followed by the subjective genitive “Aaron.”

[16:10]  ⁶² sn S. R. Driver says, “A brilliant glow of fire…symbolizing Jehovah’s presence, gleamed through the cloud, resting…on the Tent of Meeting. The cloud shrouds the full brilliancy of the glory, which human eye could not behold” (Exodus, 147-48; see also Ezek 1:28; 3:12, 23; 8:4; 9:3, et al.). A Hebrew word often translated “behold” or “lo” introduces the surprising sight.

[16:10]  ⁶³ tn The verb is the Niphal perfect of the verb “to see” – “it was seen.” But the standard way of translating this form is from the perspective of Yahweh as subject – “he appeared.”

[17:4]  ⁶⁴ tn The preposition lamed (ל) is here specification, meaning “with respect to” (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 49, §273).

[17:4]  ⁶⁵ tn Or “they are almost ready to stone me.”

[17:4]  ⁶⁶ tn The perfect tense with the vav (ו) consecutive almost develops an independent force; this is true in sentences where it follows an expression of time, as here (see GKC 334 §112.x).

[18:9]  ⁶⁷ tn The word חָדָה (khada) is rare, occurring only in Job 3:6 and Ps 21:6, although it is common in Aramaic. The LXX translated it “he shuddered.” U. Cassuto suggests that that rendering was based on the midrashic interpretation in b. Sanhedrin 94b, “he felt cuts in his body” – a wordplay on the verb (Exodus, 215-16).

[18:20]  ⁶⁸ tn The perfect tense with the vav (ו) continues the sequence of instruction for Moses. He alone was to be the mediator, to guide them in the religious and moral instruction.

[18:20]  ⁶⁹ tn The verb and its following prepositional phrase form a relative clause, modifying “the way.” The imperfect tense should be given the nuance of obligatory imperfect – it is the way they must walk.

[18:20]  ⁷⁰ tn This last part is parallel to the preceding: “work” is also a direct object of the verb “make known,” and the relative clause that qualifies it also uses an obligatory imperfect.

[19:6]  ⁷¹ tn Or “for me” (NIV, NRSV), or, if the lamed (ל) preposition has a possessive use, “my kingdom” (so NCV).

[19:6]  ⁷² tn The construction “a kingdom of priests” means that the kingdom is made up of priests. W. C. Kaiser (“Exodus,” EBC 2:417) offers four possible renderings of the expression: 1) apposition, viz., “kings, that is, priests; 2) as a construct with a genitive of specification, “royal priesthood”; 3) as a construct with the genitive being the attribute, “priestly kingdom”; and 4) reading with an unexpressed “and” – “kings and priests.” He takes the latter view that they were to be kings and priests. (Other references are R. B. Y. Scott, “A Kingdom of Priests (Exodus xix. 6),” OTS 8 [1950]: 213-19; William L. Moran, “A Kingdom of Priests,” The Bible in Current Catholic Thought, 7-20). However, due to the parallelism of the next description which uses an adjective, this is probably a construct relationship. This kingdom of God will be composed of a priestly people. All the Israelites would be living wholly in God’s service and enjoying the right of access to him. And, as priests, they would have the duty of representing God to the nations, following what they perceived to be the duties of priests – proclaiming God’s word, interceding for people, and making provision for people to find God through atonement (see Deut 33:9,10).

[19:6]  ⁷³ tn They are also to be “a holy nation.” They are to be a nation separate and distinct from the rest of the nations. Here is another aspect of their duty. It was one thing to be God’s special possession, but to be that they had to be priestly and holy. The duties of the covenant will specify what it would mean to be a holy nation. In short, they had to keep themselves free from everything that characterized pagan people (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 171). So it is a bilateral covenant: they received special privileges but they must provide special services by the special discipline. See also H. Kruse, “Exodus 19:5 and the Mission of Israel,” North East Asian Journal of Theology 24/25 (1980): 239-42.

[21:11]  ⁷⁴ sn The lessons of slavery and service are designed to bring justice to existing customs in antiquity. The message is: Those in slavery for one reason or another should have the hope of freedom and the choice of service (vv. 2-6). For the rulings on the daughter, the message could be: Women, who were often at the mercy of their husbands or masters, must not be trapped in an unfortunate situation, but be treated well by their masters or husbands (vv. 7-11). God is preventing people who have power over others from abusing it.

[24:2]  ⁷⁵ tn The verb is a perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive; it and the preceding perfect tense follow the imperative, and so have either a force of instruction, or, as taken here, are the equivalent of an imperfect tense (of permission).

[24:2]  ⁷⁶ tn Heb “they.”

[24:2]  ⁷⁷ tn Now the imperfect tense negated is used; here the prohibition would fit (“they will not come near”), or the obligatory (“they must not”) in which the subjects are obliged to act – or not act in this case.

[24:5]  ⁷⁸ tn The construct has “young men of the Israelites,” and so “Israelite” is a genitive that describes them.

[24:5]  ⁷⁹ tn The verbs and their respective accusatives are cognates. First, they offered up burnt offerings (see Lev 1), which is וַיַּעֲלוּ עֹלֹת (vayya’alu ’olot); then they sacrificed young bulls as peace sacrifices (Lev 3), which is in Hebrew וַיִּזְבְּחוּ זְבָחִים (vayyizbÿkhu zÿvakhim). In the first case the cognate accusative is the direct object; in the second it is an adverbial accusative of product. See on this covenant ritual H. M. Kamsler, “The Blood Covenant in the Bible,” Dor le Dor 6 (1977): 94-98; E. W. Nicholson, “The Covenant Ritual in Exodus 24:3-8,” VT 32 (1982): 74-86.

[25:1]  ⁸⁰ sn Now begin the detailed instructions for constructing the tabernacle of Yahweh, with all its furnishings. The first paragraph introduces the issue of the heavenly pattern for the construction, calls for the people to make willing offerings (vv. 2-7), and explains the purpose for these offerings (vv. 8-9). The message here is that God calls his people to offer of their substance willingly so that his sanctuary may be made.

[28:36]  ⁸¹ tn The word צִּיץ (tsits) seems to mean “a shining thing” and so here a plate of metal. It originally meant “flower,” but they could not write on a flower. So it must have the sense of something worn openly, visible, and shining. The Rabbinic tradition says it was two fingers wide and stretched from ear to ear, but this is an attempt to give details that the Law does not give (see B. Jacob, Exodus, 818).

[28:36]  ⁸² tn Heb “the engravings of a seal”; this phrase is an adverbial accusative of manner.

[28:36]  ⁸³ sn The engraving was a perpetual reminder of the holiness that was due the Lord (Heb “Yahweh”), that all the clothing, the furnishings, and the activities were to come under that description. This corresponded to the symbolism for the whole nation of binding the law between the eyes. It was to be a perpetual reminder of commitment.

[29:24]  ⁸⁴ tn Heb “the whole” or “the all.”

[29:24]  ⁸⁵ tn Heb “palms.”

[29:24]  ⁸⁶ tn The “wave offering” is תְּנוּפָה (tÿnufah); it is, of course, cognate with the verb, but an adverbial accusative rather than the direct object. In Lev 23 this seems to be a sacrificial gesture of things that are for the priests – but they present them first to Yahweh and then receive them back from him. So the waving is not side to side, but forward to Yahweh and then back to the priest. Here it is just an induction into that routine, since this is the ordination of the priests and the gifts are not yet theirs. So this will all be burned on the altar.

[31:15]  ⁸⁷ tn This is an adverbial accusative of time, indicating that work may be done for six days out of the week.

[31:15]  ⁸⁸ tn The form is a Niphal imperfect; it has the nuance of permission in this sentence, for the sentence is simply saying that the six days are work days – that is when work may be done.

[31:15]  ⁸⁹ tn The expression is שַׁבַּת שַׁבָּתוֹן (shabbat shabbaton), “a Sabbath of entire rest,” or better, “a sabbath of complete desisting” (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 404). The second noun, the modifying genitive, is an abstract noun. The repetition provides the superlative idea that complete rest is the order of the day.

[32:5]  ⁹⁰ tn The preterite with the vav (ו) consecutive is subordinated as a temporal clause to the next preterite.

[32:5]  ⁹¹ tn The word “this” has been supplied.

[32:5]  ⁹² tn “Before it” means before the deity in the form of the calf. Aaron tried to redirect their worship to Yahweh, but the people had already broken down the barrier and were beyond control (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 413).

[32:5]  ⁹³ tn Heb “called.”

[32:5]  ⁹⁴ sn The word is חַג (khag), the pilgrim’s festival. This was the word used by Moses for their pilgrimage into the wilderness. Aaron seems here to be trying to do what Moses had intended they do, make a feast to Yahweh at Sinai, but his efforts will not compete with the idol. As B. Jacob says, Aaron saw all this happening and tried to rescue the true belief (Exodus, 941).

[32:7]  ⁹⁵ tn The two imperatives could also express one idea: “get down there.” In other words, “Make haste to get down.”

[32:7]  ⁹⁶ sn By giving the people to Moses in this way, God is saying that they have no longer any right to claim him as their God, since they have shared his honor with another. This is God’s talionic response to their “These are your gods who brought you up.” The use of these pronoun changes also would form an appeal to Moses to respond, since Moses knew that God had brought them up from Egypt.

[32:35]  ⁹⁷ tn The verse is difficult because of the double reference to the making of the calf. The NJPS’s translation tries to reconcile the two by reading “for what they did with the calf that Aaron had made.” B. S. Childs (Exodus [OTL], 557) explains in some detail why this is not a good translation based on syntactical grounds; he opts for the conclusion that the last three words are a clumsy secondary addition. It seems preferable to take the view that both are true, Aaron is singled out for his obvious lead in the sin, but the people sinned by instigating the whole thing.

[32:35]  ⁹⁸ sn Most commentators have difficulty with this verse. W. C. Kaiser says the strict chronology is not always kept, and so the plague here may very well refer to the killing of the three thousand (“Exodus,” EBC 2:481).

[33:15]  ⁹⁹ tn Heb “and he said”; the referent (Moses) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[33:15]  ¹⁰⁰ tn The construction uses the active participle to stress the continual going of the presence: if there is not your face going.

[33:15]  ¹⁰¹ tn “with us” has been supplied.

[33:15]  ¹⁰² tn Heb “from this.”

[33:21]  ¹⁰³ tn The deictic particle is used here simply to call attention to a place of God’s knowing and choosing.

[33:21]  ¹⁰⁴ tn Heb “and you will,” or interpretively, “where you will.”

[34:27]  ¹⁰⁵ tn Once again the preposition with the suffix follows the imperative, adding some emphasis to the subject of the verb.

[35:1]  ¹⁰⁶ tn Heb “to do them”; this is somewhat redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.

[35:30]  ¹⁰⁷ tn Heb “called by name” (so KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV). This expression means that the person was specifically chosen for some important task (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 342). See the expression with Cyrus in Isa 45:3-4.

[36:5]  ¹⁰⁸ tn The construction uses the verbal hendiadys: מַרְבִּים לְהָבִיא (marbim lÿhavi’) is the Hiphil participle followed (after the subject) by the Hiphil infinitive construct. It would read, “they multiply…to bring,” meaning, “they bring more” than is needed.

[36:5]  ¹⁰⁹ tn Heb “for the service” (so KJV, ASV).

[36:5]  ¹¹⁰ tn The last clause is merely the infinitive with an object – “to do it.” It clearly means the skilled workers are to do it.

[39:7]  ¹¹¹ tn Or “attached.”

[39:26]  ¹¹² tn The words “there was” are supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons.

[39:26]  ¹¹³ tn The infinitive “to minister” is present; “to be used” is supplied from the context.

[39:32]  ¹¹⁴ sn The last sections of the book bring several themes together to a full conclusion. Not only is it the completion of the tabernacle, it is the fulfillment of God’s plan revealed at the beginning of the book, i.e., to reside with his people.

[39:43]  ¹¹⁵ tn Or “examined” (NASB, TEV); NCV “looked closely at.”

[39:43]  ¹¹⁶ tn The deictic particle draws attention to what he saw in such a way as to give the reader Moses’ point of view and a sense of his pleasure: “and behold, they…”

[39:43]  ¹¹⁷ sn The situation and wording in Exod 39:43 are reminiscent of Gen 1:28 and 31, with the motifs of blessing people and inspecting what has been made.

[40:32]  ¹¹⁸ tn The construction is the infinitive construct with the temporal preposition and the suffixed subjective genitive. This temporal clause indicates that the verb in the preceding verse was frequentative.

[40:32]  ¹¹⁹ tn This is another infinitive construct in a temporal clause.

[40:32]  ¹²⁰ tn In this explanatory verse the verb is a customary imperfect.