Exodus 10:26

26 our livestock must also go with us. Not a hoof can be left because we must take from them to serve Yahweh our God. And we will not know [with] what we are to serve Yahweh until we come 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 And Pharaoh called Moses and said, "Go, serve Yahweh. Only your sheep and goats and your cattle must be left behind. Your dependents may also go with you."
25 And Moses said, "Even [if] you yourself put into our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings and we offer [them] to Yahweh our God,
26 our livestock must also go with us. Not a hoof can be left because we must take from them to serve Yahweh our God. And we will not know [with] what we are to serve Yahweh until we come there."
27 And Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was not willing to release them.
28 And Pharaoh said to him, "Go from me. {Be careful} not to see my face again, because on the day of your seeing my face you will die."
Scripture quotations marked (LEB) are from the Lexham English Bible. Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software.