Exodus 4:22

22 And you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD, Israel is my first-born son,

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 So Moses took his wife and his sons and set them on an ass, and went back to the land of Egypt; and in his hand Moses took the rod of God.

21 And the LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles which I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.

22 And you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD, Israel is my first-born son,

23 and I say to you, "Let my son go that he may serve me"; if you refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay your first-born son.'"

24 At a lodging place on the way the LORD met him and sought to kill him.