22
Then you shall sayוְאָמַרְתָּtoאֶלPharaoh,פַּרְעֹה‘ThusכֹּהsaysאָמַרYHWH:יְהוָהIsraelיִשְׂרָאֵלis my son,בְּנִיmy firstborn,בְכֹרִי
Exodus 4:22
Study it in the app“Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says YHWH: Israel is my son, my firstborn,”
With the Hebrew beneath
Exodus 4:22, 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- Pharaohפַּרְעֹהparo
Pharaoh
Pharaoh: the title of the kings of Egypt, not a personal name.
Where else “paro” appears- 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- Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyisrael
Israel
Israel, the new name Jacob received from God, explained as "you have striven with God" (Genesis 32:28); then the name of the people that came from him and, after the division, of the northern kingdom.
Where else “yisrael” appears- is my sonבְּנִbeni
son
The male born of a father and mother; in the plural, also sons and daughters.
Where else “beni” appears- my firstbornבְכֹרִvechori
firstborn
The son who came into the world before his brothers, with a special place in the family.
Where else “vechori” appears
The context
21YHWH said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put in your hand. But I will make his heart obstinate, and he will not let the people go.
22 · This verse (above)
23and I said to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” But you refused to let him go; look, I am going to kill your son, your firstborn.’”