Exodus 10:8

8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. “All right,” he told them, “go and worship the LORD your God. But who exactly will be going with you?”

Exodus 10:8 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 10:8

And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh
Upon this motion of his ministers, messengers were sent to bring them in again:

and he said, go, serve the Lord your God;
as you have often desired:

but who are they that shall go?
or, "who and who" ^F6? for Pharaoh was unwilling that they should all go, but would have some retained as pledges of their return; for he was jealous of a design to get out of his country, and never return again, which he could not bear the thoughts of, even of losing such a large number of men he had under his power, and from whom he received so much profit and advantage by their labour.

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FOOTNOTES:

F6 (ymw ym) "qui et qui?" Pagninus, Montanus; "quis & quis?" Vatablus.

Exodus 10:8 In-Context

6 They will overrun your palaces and the homes of your officials and all the houses in Egypt. Never in the history of Egypt have your ancestors seen a plague like this one!” And with that, Moses turned and left Pharaoh.

7 Pharaoh’s officials now came to Pharaoh and appealed to him. “How long will you let this man hold us hostage? Let the men go to worship the LORD their God! Don’t you realize that Egypt lies in ruins?”

8 So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. “All right,” he told them, “go and worship the LORD your God. But who exactly will be going with you?”

9 Moses replied, “We will all go—young and old, our sons and daughters, and our flocks and herds. We must all join together in celebrating a festival to the LORD .”

10 Pharaoh retorted, “The LORD will certainly need to be with you if I let you take your little ones! I can see through your evil plan.