◄ Exodus 9:1 ►
Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: 'Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.
Study Bible
Then the LORD said to Moses
This phrase indicates direct divine communication, emphasizing the role of Moses as a prophet and mediator between God and the Israelites. It reflects the ongoing relationship and dialogue between God and Moses, which is a central theme in the Exodus narrative. This communication underscores the authority and divine backing Moses has in confronting Pharaoh.

Go to Pharaoh
Pharaoh, the ruler of Egypt, is a central figure in the Exodus story. His hardened heart and resistance to God's commands set the stage for the plagues. Egypt, at this time, was a powerful and influential civilization, and Pharaoh was considered a god-king, which makes Moses' mission both dangerous and significant. This command to "go" highlights the courage and faith required of Moses.

and tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says
This phrase establishes the authority of the message. The title "the God of the Hebrews" distinguishes Yahweh from the Egyptian pantheon and asserts His sovereignty over His people. It also serves as a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The use of "says" indicates a prophetic declaration, demanding Pharaoh's attention and compliance.

‘Let My people go
This demand is central to the Exodus narrative. It is a call for liberation and freedom from slavery, reflecting God's concern for justice and His power to deliver. The phrase "My people" emphasizes God's ownership and protective relationship with the Israelites. This command is repeated throughout the plagues, highlighting its importance and the persistent resistance of Pharaoh.

so that they may worship Me
The purpose of the Israelites' release is not merely freedom but to serve and worship God. This reflects the biblical theme that true freedom is found in serving God. Worship here implies a covenantal relationship and obedience to God's commands. It foreshadows the giving of the Law at Sinai and the establishment of Israel as a nation dedicated to God. This phrase also points to the ultimate purpose of redemption, which is to bring people into right relationship with God.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant-keeping God of Israel, who is demonstrating His power and sovereignty over Egypt and its gods.

2. Moses
The chosen leader and prophet of Israel, tasked with delivering God's message to Pharaoh.

3. Pharaoh
The ruler of Egypt, whose heart is hardened against releasing the Israelites.

4. The Hebrews (Israelites)
God's chosen people, enslaved in Egypt, whom God desires to free for worship.

5. Egypt
The land where the Israelites are enslaved, representing a place of bondage and opposition to God's will.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty
Recognize that God is in control and His plans will prevail, even against the most powerful earthly rulers.

Purpose of Freedom
Understand that God desires our freedom not just for its own sake, but so that we may worship and serve Him wholeheartedly.

Obedience to God's Call
Like Moses, we are called to be obedient messengers of God's truth, even in the face of opposition.

The Hardness of Heart
Reflect on the dangers of a hardened heart, as seen in Pharaoh, and seek to remain open and responsive to God's voice.

Worship as a Priority
Prioritize worship in our lives, recognizing it as a central reason for our deliverance and relationship with God.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the repeated command to "let My people go" emphasize God's authority and purpose for the Israelites?

2. In what ways can we see the theme of deliverance for the purpose of worship in our own lives today?

3. How does Pharaoh's resistance to God's command serve as a warning against hardening our hearts?

4. What can we learn from Moses' obedience and persistence in delivering God's message to Pharaoh?

5. How do other scriptures, such as Deuteronomy 6:13, reinforce the importance of worship in our relationship with God?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 3:18
God initially instructs Moses to request Pharaoh to let the Israelites go to worship Him, establishing the purpose of their freedom.

Exodus 5:1-2
Moses and Aaron first approach Pharaoh with God's command, highlighting Pharaoh's initial resistance.

Exodus 7:16
Reiterates God's demand for His people to be released to worship Him, emphasizing the consistent message.

Deuteronomy 6:13
The call to worship God alone, which is the ultimate purpose of the Israelites' liberation.

Romans 9:17
Paul references Pharaoh's hardened heart to illustrate God's sovereignty and purpose in displaying His power.
Sermons
Another Blow At Egyptian IdolatryT. S. Millington.Exodus 9:1-7
Calf-Worship in Modern TimesT. S. Millington.Exodus 9:1-7
God's Mercy in Temporal JudgmentsJ. Urquhart Exodus 9:1-7
The Fifth Plague - the Murrain Among the BeastsD. Young Exodus 9:1-7
The Suffering that Comes Upon the Brute Creation in Consequence of the Sin of ManJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 9:1-7
The Plague of Murrain of BeastsJ. Orr Exodus 9:1-8
People
Aaron, Egyptians, Israelites, Moses, Pharaoh
Places
Egypt, Goshen
Topics
Hast, Hebrews, Pharaoh, Says, Serve, Speak, Spoken, Thus, Worship
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 9:1-3

     8459   perseverance

Library
Confession of Sin --A Sermon with Seven Texts
The Hardened Sinner. PHARAOH--"I have sinned."--Exodus 9:27. I. The first case I shall bring before you is that of the HARDENED SINNER, who, when under terror, says, "I have sinned." And you will find the text in the book of Exodus, the 9th chap. and 27th verse: "And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked." But why this confession from the lips of the haughty tyrant? He was not often wont to …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

The God of the Old Testament is the God of the New
(Palm Sunday.) Exodus ix. 14. I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. We are now beginning Passion Week, the week of the whole year which ought to teach us most theology; that is, most concerning God, his character and his spirit. For in this Passion Week God did that which utterly and perfectly showed forth his glory, as it never has been shown forth before or since. …
Charles Kingsley—The Gospel of the Pentateuch

The Plagues of Egypt
(Palm Sunday.) EXODUS ix. 13, 14. Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. You will understand, I think, the meaning of the ten plagues of Egypt better, if I explain to you in a few words what kind of a country Egypt is, what kind of people the Egyptians were. Some of you, doubtless, …
Charles Kingsley—The Gospel of the Pentateuch

Sign Seekers, and the Enthusiast Reproved.
(Galilee on the Same Day as the Last Section.) ^A Matt. XII. 38-45; ^C Luke XI. 24-36. ^c 29 And when the multitudes were gathering together unto him, ^a 38 Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, Teacher, we would see a sign from thee. [Having been severely rebuked by Jesus, it is likely that the scribes and Pharisees asked for a sign that they might appear to the multitude more fair-minded and open to conviction than Jesus had represented them to be. Jesus had just wrought …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

The Hardening in the Sacred Scripture.
"He hath hardened their heart."-- John xii. 40. The Scripture teaches positively that the hardening and "darkening of their foolish heart" is a divine, intentional act. This is plainly evident from God's charge to Moses concerning the king of Egypt: "Thou shalt speak all that I command thee; and I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply My signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh shall not harken unto you, and I will lay My hand upon Egypt, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

The Sovereignty of God in Reprobation
"Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God" (Rom. 11:22). In the last chapter when treating of the Sovereignty of God the Father in Salvation, we examined seven passages which represent Him as making a choice from among the children of men, and predestinating certain ones to be conformed to the image of His Son. The thoughtful reader will naturally ask, And what of those who were not "ordained to eternal life?" The answer which is usually returned to this question, even by those who profess …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God

Man's Misery by the Fall
Q-19: WHAT IS THE MISERY OF THAT ESTATE WHEREINTO MAN FELL? A: All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. 'And were by nature children of wrath.' Eph 2:2. Adam left an unhappy portion to his posterity, Sin and Misery. Having considered the first of these, original sin, we shall now advert to the misery of that state. In the first, we have seen mankind offending; …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Opposition to Messiah Ruinous
Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel T here is a species of the sublime in writing, which seems peculiar to the Scripture, and of which, properly, no subjects but those of divine revelation are capable, With us, things inconsiderable in themselves are elevated by splendid images, which give them an apparent importance beyond what they can justly claim. Thus the poet, when describing a battle among bees, by a judicious selection of epithets …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 2

Exposition of Chap. Iii. (ii. 28-32. )
Ver. 1. "And it shall come to pass, afterwards, I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions." The communication of the Spirit of God was the constant prerogative of the Covenant-people. Indeed, the very idea of such a people necessarily requires it. For the Spirit of God is the only inward bond betwixt Him and that which is created; a Covenant-people, therefore, without such an inward …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage, …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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