Exodus 5:2

2 But the king of Egypt said, "Who is the Lord? Why should I obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go."

Exodus 5:2 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 5:2

And Pharaoh said, who is the Lord
Jehovah, they made mention of, which, whether he took it for the name of a deity, or of a king, whose ambassadors they declared themselves to be, was a name he had never heard of before; and this being expressed and pronounced, shows that this name is not ineffable, or unlawful to be pronounced, as say the Jews:

that I should obey his voice, to let Israel go?
he knew of no superior monarch to him, whose orders he was obliged to obey in any respect, and particularly in this, the dismission of the people of Israel out of his land, though it was but for a short time:

I know not the Lord;
who this Jehovah is, that made this demand, and required Israel's dismission. The Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it,

``I have not found the name of Jehovah written in the book of angels, I am not afraid of him.''

An Egyptian book, in which, the paraphrast supposes, were written the names of gods and of angels; and no such name being there, he was the more bold and insolent:

neither will I let Israel go;
determining he would pay no regard to such an unknown Deity, or King, be he who he would.

Exodus 5:2 In-Context

1 After Moses and Aaron talked to the people, they went to the king of Egypt and said, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: 'Let my people go so they may hold a feast for me in the desert.'"
2 But the king of Egypt said, "Who is the Lord? Why should I obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go."
3 Then Aaron and Moses said, "The God of the Hebrews has met with us. Now let us travel three days into the desert to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God. If we don't do this, he may kill us with a disease or in war."
4 But the king said to them, "Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Go back to your jobs!
5 There are very many Hebrews, and now you want them to quit working!"
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.