Exodus 8 Footnotes

8:26-27 The Bible never says that Moses tried to deceive Pharaoh in requesting permission to leave Egypt in order to conduct a sacrifice. Apparently, on three occasions (vv. 26-27; 10:9,25-26) the Lord told Moses to make relatively minor requests of Pharaoh—all of which would be turned down—to show the extent of his hardness of heart (see note on 5:1).