What is the meaning of Exodus 10:7? Pharaoh’s officials asked him - At this point Egypt has endured seven crushing plagues (Exodus 7–9). The magicians have already confessed, “This is the finger of God” (Exodus 8:19), and the officials can no longer stay silent. - Their intervention shows a growing division within Egypt’s leadership: Pharaoh’s hard heart (Exodus 9:34–35) versus counselors who now fear Israel’s God more than their own ruler. - Proverbs 11:14 teaches, “Where there is no guidance, a people falls,” and Pharaoh’s refusal to heed wise counsel foreshadows his nation’s collapse. How long will this man be a snare to us? - “This man” is Moses—regarded by the officials not as a mere nuisance but as a trap endangering the nation. - The word “snare” echoes earlier warnings: God told Israel He would drive out the Canaanites “lest they become a snare to you” (Exodus 23:33). Egypt now experiences that very danger because of persistent rebellion. - Similar pleas appear in 1 Samuel 18:21, where Saul calls David a “snare” to the Philistines—demonstrating how God often raises one faithful servant to upend an entire hostile system. Let the people go, so that they may worship the LORD their God - The advisors repeat the exact demand God gave Moses in Exodus 3:18; 5:1; 8:27. They now align themselves—at least politically—with God’s purpose. - Their request acknowledges Yahweh (“the LORD”) as a genuine, sovereign Deity, not merely a Hebrew superstition. Compare Jonah 1:14–16, where pagan sailors likewise grant reverence to the LORD after witnessing His power. - By embracing this concession, they hope to avert further judgment (Exodus 9:28, 10:17), illustrating Proverbs 29:1—continued stiff-necked resistance leads to sudden ruin. Do you not yet realize that Egypt lies in ruins? - The phrase is a sobering assessment: livestock decimated (Exodus 9:6), crops battered by hail (Exodus 9:25), public health struck by boils (Exodus 9:10–11), infrastructure crippled by repeated crises. Psalm 105:27–36 later summarizes these devastations. - Their question underscores Pharaoh’s spiritual blindness (2 Corinthians 4:4). Even with undeniable evidence, an obstinate heart can ignore reality. - Isaiah 19:1–4 previews a future judgment on Egypt, echoing this historic collapse and warning every nation that exalts itself above God. summary Exodus 10:7 captures a pivotal moment when Pharaoh’s own counselors confront him. Recognizing Moses as God’s instrument, they urge Pharaoh to release Israel to worship the LORD, pointing to the devastation already wrought. The verse exposes the peril of stubborn unbelief, shows that even hardened pagans can discern God’s hand, and reminds readers that submission to the LORD is the only path that averts ruin. |
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