Deuteronomy 6:21

“then you shall say to your son, “We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and YHWH brought us out of Egypt with a strong hand.”

Deuteronomy 6:21 · direct translation from the Hebrew
Study it in the app

When your child asks, you tell how God brought them out of EgyptParents and Children

With the Hebrew beneath

21

Deuteronomy 6:21, word by word

then you shall sayאָמַרְתָּamarta

say

To say with the mouth to someone what one thinks or wants, or to answer him.

Where else “amarta” appears
to your sonבִנְvin

son

The male born of a father and mother; in the plural, also sons and daughters.

Where else “vin” appears
“We wereהָיִינוּhayinu

be

To be: "I will be their Elohim".

Where else “hayinu” appears
slavesעֲבָדִיםavadim

slave

A person who belongs to a master and works for him, without freedom of his own.

Where else “avadim” appears
of Pharaohפַרְעֹהfaro

Pharaoh

Pharaoh: the title of the kings of Egypt, not a personal name.

Where else “faro” appears
in Egyptמִצְרָיִםmitsrayim

Egypt, Mizraim

See it on the mapWhere else “mitsrayim” appears
and YHWHיְהוָהyehva

YHWH

The personal name of the God of Israel, written in Hebrew with four letters, Y-H-W-H, without vowels. Out of reverence Jews stopped pronouncing it and read "Adonai" (Lord), so many Bibles put "the LORD" or "Jehovah". This translation keeps the four letters. The name is related to the verb "to be" (Exodus 3:14-15). He is not a god other than Elohim: "YHWH Elohim" is the same Creator God, called by his name.

Where else “yehva” appears
brought us outיּוֹצִיאֵyotsie

bring out

To lead someone out: "I led you out of Egypt".

Where else “yotsie” appears
with a strongחֲזָקָהchazaka

strong

Of great power or intensity: a hand, a wind or a famine no one can withstand.

Where else “chazaka” appears
handיָדyad

power

Literally "the hand": the strength and control someone has.

Where else “yad” appears

Places in this verse

JerusalemEgypt
Approximate location. A “?” means it is not known for sure where it was.
  • Egypt

    Today: Egypt (Nile Valley)

    A country in northeast Africa along the Nile River, southwest of Israel.

    Joseph was sold into it, and his family went down to live there (Gen 37:28; 46:6). God brought Israel out of it with a mighty hand (Exod 12:41). The child Jesus fled there with his parents (Matt 2:14).

    Genesis 12:10Genesis 37:28Exodus 12:41Matthew 2:14

The context

20When your son asks you tomorrow, saying, “What are the testimonies, the statutes, and the rules that YHWH our Elohim has commanded you?”

21 · This verse (above)

22YHWH worked signs and wonders, great and harmful, against Egypt, against Pharaoh, and against all his house, before our eyes.

Read all of Deuteronomy 6

How to use it