Exodus 4:22

22 And thou shalt say to him: Thus saith the Lord: Israel is my son, my firstborn.

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 Moses therefore took his wife, and his sons, and set them upon an ass; and returned into Egypt, carrying the rod of God in his hand.

21 And the Lord said to him as he was returning into Egypt: See that thou do all the wonders before Pharao, which I have put in thy hand: I shall harden his heart, and he will not let the people go.

22 And thou shalt say to him: Thus saith the Lord: Israel is my son, my firstborn.

23 I have said to thee: Let my son go, that he may serve me, and thou wouldst not let him go: behold I will kill thy son, thy firstborn.

24 And when he was in his journey, in the inn, the Lord met him, and would have killed him.