Exodus 10:8

8 And they again called Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh, and he said to them, Go ye, and make ye sacrifice to your Lord God; which be they, that shall go? (and he said to them, Go ye, and worship the Lord your God; who be they, who shall go?)

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.

---

FOOTNOTES:

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

Exodus 10:8 In-Context

6 and they shall full-fill thine houses, and the houses of thy servants, and of all the Egyptians, (by) how great thy fathers and thy grand-sires saw not, since they were born on (the) earth, till into this present day. And Moses turned away himself (And then Moses turned), and went out from Pharaoh.

7 Forsooth the servants of Pharaoh said to him, How long shall we suffer this offense? Deliver the men, that they make sacrifice to their Lord God; seest thou not that Egypt hath perished? (And Pharaoh's servants said to him, How long shall we suffer this tribulation?/How long shall this man bring trouble upon us? Let those people go, so that they can worship the Lord their God; seest thou not that Egypt hath been destroyed?)

8 And they again called Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh, and he said to them, Go ye, and make ye sacrifice to your Lord God; which be they, that shall go? (and he said to them, Go ye, and worship the Lord your God; who be they, who shall go?)

9 Moses said, We shall go with our little children and (our) elders, and with (our) sons, and (our) daughters, (and) with (our) sheep, and (our) great beasts; for it is the solemnity of our Lord God (for it is a Feast unto the Lord our God).

10 And Pharaoh answered, So the Lord be with you ; how therefore shall I deliver you, and your little children? to whom is it doubt(ful), that ye think (not the) worst things? (And Pharaoh answered, And may the Lord be with you! but how can I let you, and your little children, go? for who doubteth, that ye think, or that ye plan, to do only the worst things against me?)