Exodus

Exodus 3:17–20

¹⁷And I have promised to bring you up out of your affliction in Egypt, into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites— a land flowing with milk and honey.’

¹⁸The elders of Israel will listen to what you say, and you must go with them to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’

¹⁹But I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless a mighty hand compels him.ⁱ ²⁰So I will stretch out My hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders I will perform among them. And after that, he will release you.

Footnotes

i 3:19 Literally except by a mighty hand

Read all of Exodus 3

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

Exodus 3:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
And I have promised	וָאֹמַ֗ר	wā·’ō·mar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular	H559 utter, say
to bring you up	אַעֲלֶ֣ה	’a·‘ă·leh	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular	H5927 go up, ascend, climb
out of your affliction	מֵעֳנִ֣י	mê·‘o·nî	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H6040 affliction, poverty
in Egypt	מִצְרַיִם֒	miṣ·ra·yim	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians
into	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the land	אֶ֤רֶץ	’e·reṣ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H776 earth, land
of the Canaanites	הַֽכְּנַעֲנִי֙	hak·kə·na·‘ă·nî	Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3669 trader, merchant
Hittites	וְהַ֣חִתִּ֔י	wə·ha·ḥit·tî	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H2850 Hittite(s)
Amorites	וְהָֽאֱמֹרִי֙	wə·hā·’ĕ·mō·rî	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H567 Amorites
Perizzites	וְהַפְּרִזִּ֔י	wə·hap·pə·riz·zî	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H6522 Perizzite
Hivites	וְהַחִוִּ֖י	wə·ha·ḥiw·wî	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H2340 Chivvite
and Jebusites	וְהַיְבוּסִ֑י	wə·hay·ḇū·sî	Conjunctive waw, Article; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H2983 Jebusite, Jebusites
a land	אֶ֛רֶץ	’e·reṣ	Noun - feminine singular	H776 earth, land
flowing	זָבַ֥ת	zā·ḇaṯ	Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular construct	H2100 flow, gush
with milk	חָלָ֖ב	ḥā·lāḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H2461 milk
and honey	וּדְבָֽשׁ׃	ū·ḏə·ḇāš	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H1706 honey

Exodus 3:18

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
will listen	וְשָׁמְע֖וּ	wə·šā·mə·‘ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H8085 hear
to what you say	לְקֹלֶ֑ךָ	lə·qō·le·ḵā	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H6963 sound, voice
and you	אַתָּה֩	’at·tāh	Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
must go	וּבָאתָ֡	ū·ḇā·ṯā	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular	H935 come in, come, go in, go
with	וְזִקְנֵ֨י	wə·ziq·nê	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine plural construct	H2205 old
to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
the king	מֶ֣לֶךְ	me·leḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4428 king
of Egypt	מִצְרַ֗יִם	miṣ·ra·yim	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians
and tell	וַאֲמַרְתֶּ֤ם	wa·’ă·mar·tem	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine plural	H559 utter, say
him	אֵלָיו֙	’ê·lāw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H413 motion to
The LORD	יְהוָ֞ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
the God	אֱלֹהֵ֤י	’ĕ·lō·hê	Noun - masculine plural construct	H430 God
of the Hebrews	הָֽעִבְרִיִּים֙	hā·‘iḇ·rî·yîm	Article; Noun - proper - masculine plural	H5680 Hebrew
has met	נִקְרָ֣ה	niq·rāh	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H7136 encounter, meet, befall
with us	עָלֵ֔ינוּ	‘ā·lê·nū	Preposition; first person common plural	H5921 height
Now	וְעַתָּ֗ה	wə·‘at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H6258 now
please	נָּ֞א	nā	Interjection	H4994 I (we) pray, now
let us take	נֵֽלֲכָה־	nê·lă·ḵāh-	Verb - Qal - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural	H1980 go, come, walk
a three-day	שְׁלֹ֤שֶׁת	šə·lō·šeṯ	Number - masculine singular construct	H7969 a three, triad
journey	דֶּ֣רֶךְ	de·reḵ	Noun - common singular construct	H1870 way, road, distance, journey, manner
into the wilderness	בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר	bam·miḏ·bār	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H4057 mouth
so that we may sacrifice	וְנִזְבְּחָ֖ה	wə·niz·bə·ḥāh	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative - first person common plural	H2076 slaughter for sacrifice
to the LORD	לַֽיהוָ֥ה	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
our God	אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ׃	’ĕ·lō·hê·nū	Noun - masculine plural construct; first person common plural	H430 God

Exodus 3:19

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But I	וַאֲנִ֣י	wa·’ă·nî	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
know	יָדַ֔עְתִּי	yā·ḏa‘·tî	Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular	H3045 know
that	כִּ֠י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
the king	מֶ֥לֶךְ	me·leḵ	Noun - masculine singular construct	H4428 king
of Egypt	מִצְרַ֖יִם	miṣ·ra·yim	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4714 Egypt, Egyptians
will not	לֹֽא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
allow	יִתֵּ֥ן	yit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
you to go	לַהֲלֹ֑ךְ	la·hă·lōḵ	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H1980 go, come, walk
unless	וְלֹ֖א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
a mighty hand compels him	חֲזָקָֽה׃	ḥă·zā·qāh	Adjective - feminine singular	H2389 strong, stout, mighty

Exodus 3:20

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So I will stretch out	וְשָׁלַחְתִּ֤י	wə·šā·laḥ·tî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H7971 send
My hand	יָדִי֙	yā·ḏî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H3027 hand
and strike	וְהִכֵּיתִ֣י	wə·hik·kê·ṯî	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular	H5221 smite
the Egyptians	מִצְרַ֔יִם	miṣ·ra·yim	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H4713 Mitsrite
with all	בְּכֹל֙	bə·ḵōl	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H3605 the whole, all
the wonders	נִפְלְאֹתַ֔י	nip̄·lə·’ō·ṯay	Verb - Nifal - Participle - feminine plural construct; first person common singular	H6381 be surpassing, extraordinary
I will perform	אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֖ה	’e·‘ĕ·śeh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular	H6213 do, make
among them	בְּקִרְבּ֑וֹ	bə·qir·bōw	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H7130 inward part, midst
And after	וְאַחֲרֵי־	wə·’a·ḥă·rê-	Conjunctive waw; Preposition	H310 behind
that	כֵ֖ן	ḵên	Adverb	H3651 right, veritable, honest
he will release	יְשַׁלַּ֥ח	yə·šal·laḥ	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7971 send
you	אֶתְכֶֽם׃	’eṯ·ḵem	Direct object marker; second person masculine plural	H853 mark of the accusative