Exodus 10:26

26 Our livestock has to go with us with not a hoof left behind; they are part of the worship of our God. And we don't know just what will be needed until we get there."

Exodus 10:26 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 10:26

Our cattle also shall go with us
Of every kind, of the flocks and of the herds: there shall not an hoof be left behind;
not a single creature that has an hoof: it is a proverbial expression, signifying that they should carry all that belonged to them with them: for thereof must we take to serve the Lord our God;
something of every kind and sort, all they had being devoted to his service, and to be yielded to him upon demand: and we know not with what we must serve the Lord, until we come
thither;
into the wilderness; they knew not exactly and precisely what kind of creatures or how many of them, as Aben Ezra observes, they were to offer at a time; for though before this there was a known distinction between clean and unclean creatures, and the various offerings and sacrifices of the patriarchs might in a good measure direct them in the use of them; yet the special and peculiar laws about sacrifices were not given until after their deliverance, and they were got into the wilderness; so that this was not a bare pretence to get their cattle along with them, but was the true case and real matter of fact.

Exodus 10:26 In-Context

24 Pharaoh called in Moses: "Go and worship God. Leave your flocks and herds behind. But go ahead and take your children."
25 But Moses said, "You have to let us take our sacrificial animals and offerings with us so we can sacrifice them in worship to our God.
26 Our livestock has to go with us with not a hoof left behind; they are part of the worship of our God. And we don't know just what will be needed until we get there."
27 But God kept Pharaoh stubborn as ever. He wouldn't agree to release them.
28 Pharaoh said to Moses: "Get out of my sight! And watch your step. I don't want to ever see you again. If I lay eyes on you again, you're dead."
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.