Exodus 4:22

22 And thou shalt say to Pharao, These things saith the Lord, Israel my first-born.

Exodus 4:22 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 4:22

And thou shall say unto Pharaoh
When arrived in Egypt, and in his presence: thus saith the Lord;
he was to declare to him that he came in his name, and by his orders, and, as an ambassador of his, required the dismission of the children of Israel out of Egypt: Israel [is] my son, [even] my firstborn;
as dear to him as a man's firstborn is, or as his only son: adoption is one of the privileges peculiar to Israel after the flesh, even national adoption, with all the external privileges appertaining to it, ( Romans 9:4 Romans 9:5 ) .

Exodus 4:22 In-Context

20 And Moses took his wife and his children, and mounted them on the beasts, and returned to Egypt; and Moses took the rod from God in his hand.

21 And the Lord said to Moses, When thou goest and returnest to Egypt, see—all the miracles I have put into thine hands. charged thee with, thou shalt work before Pharao: and I will harden his heart, and he shall certainly not send away the people.

22 And thou shalt say to Pharao, These things saith the Lord, Israel my first-born.

23 And I said to thee, Send away my people, that they may serve me: now if thou wilt not send them away, see, I will slay thy first-born son.

24 And it came to pass the angel of the Lord met him by the way in the inn, and sought to slay him.