Keluaran 1:10

1:10 Come, let’s deal wisely ¹  with them. Otherwise ²  they will continue to multiply, ³  and if ⁴  a war breaks out, they will ally themselves with ⁵  our enemies and fight against us and leave ⁶  the country.”

Keluaran 4:8

4:8 “If ⁷  they do not believe you or pay attention to ⁸  the former sign, then they may ⁹  believe the latter sign. ¹⁰ 

Keluaran 7:9

7:9 “When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Do ¹¹  a miracle,’ and you say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down ¹²  before Pharaoh,’ it will become ¹³  a snake.”

Keluaran 10:11

10:11 No! ¹⁴  Go, you men ¹⁵  only, and serve the Lord, for that ¹⁶  is what you want.” ¹⁷  Then Moses and Aaron ¹⁸  were driven ¹⁹  out of Pharaoh’s presence.

Keluaran 12:4

12:4 If any household is too small ²⁰  for a lamb, ²¹  the man ²²  and his next-door neighbor ²³  are to take ²⁴  a lamb according to the number of people – you will make your count for the lamb according to how much each one can eat. ²⁵ 

Keluaran 12:19

12:19 For seven days ²⁶  yeast must not be found in your houses, for whoever eats what is made with yeast – that person ²⁷  will be cut off from the community of Israel, whether a foreigner ²⁸  or one born in the land.

Keluaran 13:14

13:14 ²⁹ In the future, ³⁰  when your son asks you ³¹  ‘What is this?’ ³²  you are to tell him, ‘With a mighty hand ³³  the Lord brought us out from Egypt, from the land of slavery. ³⁴ 

Keluaran 18:18

18:18 You will surely wear out, ³⁵  both you and these people who are with you, for this is too ³⁶  heavy a burden ³⁷  for you; you are not able to do it by yourself.

Keluaran 19:21

19:21 The Lord said to Moses, “Go down and solemnly warn ³⁸  the people, lest they force their way through to the Lord to look, and many of them perish. ³⁹ 

Keluaran 20:7

20:7 “You shall not take ⁴⁰  the name of the Lord your God in vain, ⁴¹  for the Lord will not hold guiltless ⁴²  anyone who takes his name in vain.

Keluaran 21:2

Hebrew Servants

21:2 ⁴³ “If you buy ⁴⁴  a Hebrew servant, ⁴⁵  he is to serve you for six years, but in the seventh year he will go out free ⁴⁶  without paying anything. ⁴⁷ 

Keluaran 21:4

21:4 If his master gave ⁴⁸  him a wife, and she bore sons or daughters, the wife and the children will belong to her master, and he will go out by himself.

Keluaran 21:14

21:14 But if a man willfully attacks his neighbor to kill him cunningly, ⁴⁹  you will take him even from my altar that he may die.

Keluaran 21:28

Laws about Animals

21:28 ⁵⁰ “If an ox ⁵¹  gores a man or a woman so that either dies, ⁵²  then the ox must surely ⁵³  be stoned and its flesh must not be eaten, but the owner of the ox will be acquitted.

Keluaran 21:32

21:32 If the ox gores a male servant or a female servant, the owner ⁵⁴  must pay thirty shekels of silver, ⁵⁵  and the ox must be stoned. ⁵⁶ 

Keluaran 21:35

21:35 If the ox of one man injures the ox of his neighbor so that it dies, then they will sell the live ox and divide its proceeds, ⁵⁷  and they will also divide the dead ox. ⁵⁸ 

Keluaran 22:8

22:8 If the thief is not caught, ⁵⁹  then the owner of the house will be brought before the judges ⁶⁰  to see ⁶¹  whether he has laid ⁶²  his hand on his neighbor’s goods.

Keluaran 22:14

22:14 “If a man borrows an animal ⁶³  from his neighbor, and it is hurt or dies when its owner was not with it, the man who borrowed it ⁶⁴  will surely pay.

Keluaran 22:25

22:25 “If you lend money to any of ⁶⁵  my people who are needy among you, do not be like a moneylender ⁶⁶  to him; do not charge ⁶⁷  him interest. ⁶⁸ 

Keluaran 23:2

23:2 “You must not follow a crowd ⁶⁹  in doing evil things; ⁷⁰  in a lawsuit you must not offer testimony that agrees with a crowd so as to pervert justice, ⁷¹ 

Keluaran 23:5

23:5 If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen under its load, you must not ignore him, ⁷²  but be sure to help ⁷³  him with it. ⁷⁴ 

Keluaran 23:33

23:33 They must not live in your land, lest they make you sin against me, for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare ⁷⁵  to you.”

Keluaran 29:34

29:34 If any of the meat from the consecration offerings ⁷⁶  or any of the bread is left over ⁷⁷  until morning, then you are to burn up ⁷⁸  what is left over. It must not be eaten, ⁷⁹  because it is holy.

Keluaran 33:8

33:8 And when Moses went out ⁸⁰  to the tent, all the people would get up ⁸¹  and stand at the entrance to their tents ⁸²  and watch ⁸³  Moses until he entered the tent. ⁸⁴ 

Keluaran 34:16

34:16 and you then take ⁸⁵  his daughters for your sons, and when his daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will make your sons prostitute themselves to their gods as well.

Keluaran 34:21

34:21 “On six days ⁸⁶  you may labor, but on the seventh day you must rest; ⁸⁷  even at the time of plowing and of harvest ⁸⁸  you are to rest. ⁸⁹ 

Keluaran 34:35

34:35 When the Israelites would see ⁹⁰  the face of Moses, that ⁹¹  the skin of Moses’ face shone, Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with the Lord. ⁹² 

[1:10]  ¹ tn The verb is the Hitpael cohortative of חָכַם (khakam, “to be wise”). This verb has the idea of acting shrewdly, dealing wisely. The basic idea in the word group is that of skill. So a skillful decision is required to prevent the Israelites from multiplying any more.

[1:10]  sn Pharaoh’s speech invites evaluation. How wise did his plans prove to be?

[1:10]  ² tn The word פֶּן (pen) expresses fear or precaution and can also be translated “lest” or “else” (R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 75-76, §461).

[1:10]  ³ tn The verb can be translated simply “will multiply,” but since Pharaoh has already indicated that he is aware they were doing that, the nuance here must mean to multiply all the more, or to continue to multiply. Cf. NIV “will become even more numerous.”

[1:10]  ⁴ tn The words וְהָיָה כִּי (vÿhayah ki) introduce a conditional clause – “if” (see GKC 335 §112.y).

[1:10]  ⁵ tn Heb “and [lest] he [Israel] also be joined to.”

[1:10]  ⁶ tn Heb “and go up from.” All the verbs coming after the particle פֶּן (pen, “otherwise, lest” in v. 10) have the same force and are therefore parallel. These are the fears of the Egyptians. This explains why a shrewd policy of population control was required. They wanted to keep Israel enslaved; they did not want them to become too numerous and escape.

[4:8]  ⁷ tn Heb “and it will be if.”

[4:8]  ⁸ tn Heb “listen to the voice of,” meaning listen so as to respond appropriately.

[4:8]  ⁹ tn The nuance of this perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive will be equal to the imperfect of possibility – “they may believe.”

[4:8]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “believe the voice of the latter sign,” so as to understand and accept the meaning of the event.

[7:9]  ¹¹ tn The verb is תְּנוּ (tÿnu), literally “give.” The imperative is followed by an ethical dative that strengthens the subject of the imperative: “you give a miracle.”

[7:9]  ¹² tn Heb “and throw it.” The direct object, “it,” is implied.

[7:9]  ¹³ tn The form is the jussive יְהִי ( yÿhi). Gesenius notes that frequently in a conditional clause, a sentence with a protasis and apodosis, the jussive will be used. Here it is in the apodosis (GKC 323 §109.h).

[10:11]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “not thus.”

[10:11]  ¹⁵ tn The word is הַגְּבָרִים (haggÿvarim, “the strong men”), a word different from the more general one that Pharaoh’s servants used (v. 7). Pharaoh appears to be conceding, but he is holding hostages. The word “only” has been supplied in the translation to indicate this.

[10:11]  ¹⁶ tn The suffix on the sign of the accusative refers in a general sense to the idea contained in the preceding clause (see GKC 440-41 §135.p).

[10:11]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “you are seeking.”

[10:11]  ¹⁸ tn Heb “they”; the referent (Moses and Aaron) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[10:11]  ¹⁹ tn The verb is the Piel preterite, third person masculine singular, meaning “and he drove them out.” But “Pharaoh” cannot be the subject of the sentence, for “Pharaoh” is the object of the preposition. The subject is not specified, and so the verb can be treated as passive.

[12:4]  ²⁰ sn Later Judaism ruled that “too small” meant fewer than ten (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 88).

[12:4]  ²¹ tn The clause uses the comparative min (מִן) construction: יִמְעַט הַבַּיִת מִהְיֹת מִשֶּׂה (yim’at habbayit mihyot miseh, “the house is small from being from a lamb,” or “too small for a lamb”). It clearly means that if there were not enough people in the household to have a lamb by themselves, they should join with another family. For the use of the comparative, see GKC 430 §133.c.

[12:4]  ²² tn Heb “he and his neighbor”; the referent (the man) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[12:4]  ²³ tn Heb “who is near to his house.”

[12:4]  ²⁴ tn The construction uses a perfect tense with a vav (ו) consecutive after a conditional clause: “if the household is too small…then he and his neighbor will take.”

[12:4]  ²⁵ tn Heb “[every] man according to his eating.”

[12:4]  sn The reference is normally taken to mean whatever each person could eat. B. Jacob (Exodus, 299) suggests, however, that the reference may not be to each individual person’s appetite, but to each family. Each man who is the head of a household was to determine how much his family could eat, and this in turn would determine how many families shared the lamb.

[12:19]  ²⁶ tn “Seven days” is an adverbial accusative of time (see R. J. Williams, Hebrew Syntax, 12, §56).

[12:19]  ²⁷ tn The term is נֶפֶשׁ (nefesh), often translated “soul.” It refers to the whole person, the soul within the body. The noun is feminine, agreeing with the feminine verb “be cut off.”

[12:19]  ²⁸ tn Or “alien”; or “stranger.”

[13:14]  ²⁹ sn As with v. 8, the Law now requires that the children be instructed on the meaning of this observance. It is a memorial of the deliverance from bondage and the killing of the firstborn in Egypt.

[13:14]  ³⁰ tn Heb “tomorrow.”

[13:14]  ³¹ tn Heb “and it will be when your son will ask you.”

[13:14]  ³² tn The question is cryptic; it simply says, “What is this?” but certainly refers to the custom just mentioned. It asks, “What does this mean?” or “Why do we do this?”

[13:14]  ³³ tn The expression is “with strength of hand,” making “hand” the genitive of specification. In translation “strength” becomes the modifier, because “hand” specifies where the strength was. But of course the whole expression is anthropomorphic for the power of God.

[13:14]  ³⁴ tn Heb “house of slaves.”

[18:18]  ³⁵ tn The verb means “to fall and fade” as a leaf (Ps 1:3). In Ps 18:45 it is used figuratively of foes fading away, failing in strength and courage (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 166). Here the infinitive absolute construction heightens the meaning.

[18:18]  ³⁶ tn Gesenius lists the specialized use of the comparative min (מ) where with an adjective the thought expressed is that the quality is too difficult for the attainment of a particular aim (GKC 430 §133.c).

[18:18]  ³⁷ tn Here “a burden” has been supplied.

[19:21]  ³⁸ tn The imperative הָעֵד (ha’ed) means “charge” them – put them under oath, or solemnly warn them. God wished to ensure that the people would not force their way past the barriers that had been set out.

[19:21]  ³⁹ tn Heb “and fall”; NAB “be struck down.”

[20:7]  ⁴⁰ tn Or “use” (NCV, TEV); NIV, CEV, NLT “misuse”; NRSV “make wrongful use of.”

[20:7]  ⁴¹ tn שָׁוְא (shav’, “vain”) describes “unreality.” The command prohibits use of the name for any idle, frivolous, or insincere purpose (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 196). This would include perjury, pagan incantations, or idle talk. The name is to be treated with reverence and respect because it is the name of the holy God.

[20:7]  ⁴² tn Or “leave unpunished.”

[21:2]  ⁴³ sn See H. L. Elleson, “The Hebrew Slave: A Study in Early Israelite Society,” EvQ 45 (1973): 30-35; N. P. Lemche, “The Manumission of Slaves – The Fallow Year – The Sabbatical Year – The Jobel Year,” VT 26 (1976): 38-59, and “The ‘Hebrew Slave,’ Comments on the Slave Law – Ex. 21:2-11,” VT 25 (1975): 129-44.

[21:2]  ⁴⁴ tn The verbs in both the conditional clause and the following ruling are imperfect tense: “If you buy…then he will serve.” The second imperfect tense (the ruling) could be taken either as a specific future or an obligatory imperfect. Gesenius explains how the verb works in the conditional clauses here (see GKC 497 §159.bb).

[21:2]  ⁴⁵ sn The interpretation of “Hebrew” in this verse is uncertain: (l) a gentilic ending, (2) a fellow Israelite, (3) or a class of mercenaries of the population (see W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:431). It seems likely that the term describes someone born a Hebrew, as opposed to a foreigner (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 210). The literature on this includes: M. P. Gray, “The Habiru-Hebrew Problem,” HUCA 29 (1958): 135-202.

[21:2]  ⁴⁶ sn The word חָפְשִׁי (khofshi) means “free.” It is possible that there is some connection between this word and a technical term used in other cultures for a social class of emancipated slaves who were freemen again (see I. Mendelsohn, “New Light on the Hupsu,” BASOR 139 [1955]: 9-11).

[21:2]  ⁴⁷ tn The adverb חִנָּם (hinnam) means “gratis, free”; it is related to the verb “to be gracious, show favor” and the noun “grace.”

[21:4]  ⁴⁸ sn The slave would not have the right or the means to acquire a wife. Thus, the idea of the master’s “giving” him a wife is clear – the master would have to pay the bride price and make the provision. In this case, the wife and the children are actually the possession of the master unless the slave were to pay the bride price – but he is a slave because he got into debt. The law assumes that the master was better able to provide for this woman than the freed slave and that it was most important to keep the children with the mother.

[21:14]  ⁴⁹ tn The word עָרְמָה (’ormah) is problematic. It could mean with prior intent, which would be connected with the word in Prov 8:5, 12 which means “understanding” (or “prudence” – fully aware of the way things are). It could be connected also to an Arabic word for “enemy” which would indicate this was done with malice or evil intentions (U. Cassuto, Exodus, 270). The use here seems parallel to the one in Josh 9:4, an instance involving intentionality and clever deception.

[21:28]  ⁵⁰ sn The point that this section of the laws makes is that one must ensure the safety of others by controlling the circumstances.

[21:28]  ⁵¹ tn Traditionally “ox,” but “bull” would also be suitable. The term may refer to one of any variety of large cattle.

[21:28]  ⁵² tn Heb “and he dies”; KJV “that they die”; NAB, NASB “to death.”

[21:28]  ⁵³ tn The text uses סָקוֹל יִסָּקֵל (saqol yissaqel), a Qal infinitive absolute with a Niphal imperfect. The infinitive intensifies the imperfect, which here has an obligatory nuance or is a future of instruction.

[21:32]  ⁵⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the owner) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[21:32]  ⁵⁵ sn A shekel was a unit for measure by means of a scale. Both the weight and the value of a shekel of silver are hard to determine. “Though there is no certainty, the shekel is said to weigh about 11,5 grams” (C. Houtman, Exodus, 3:181). Over four hundred years earlier, Joseph was sold into Egypt for 20 shekels. The free Israelite citizen was worth about 50 shekels (Lev 27:3f.).

[21:32]  ⁵⁶ sn See further B. S. Jackson, “The Goring Ox Again [Ex. 21,28-36],” JJP 18 (1974): 55-94.

[21:35]  ⁵⁷ tn Literally “its silver” or “silver for it.”

[21:35]  ⁵⁸ tn Heb “divide the dead.” The noun “ox” has been supplied.

[22:8]  ⁵⁹ tn Heb “found.”

[22:8]  ⁶⁰ tn Here again the word used is “the gods,” meaning the judges who made the assessments and decisions. In addition to other works, see J. R. Vannoy, “The Use of the Word ha’elohim in Exodus 21:6 and 22:7,8,” The Law and the Prophets, 225-41.

[22:8]  ⁶¹ tn The phrase “to see” has been supplied.

[22:8]  ⁶² tn The line says “if he has not stretched out his hand.” This could be the oath formula, but the construction here would be unusual, or it could be taken as “whether” (see W. C. Kaiser, Jr., “Exodus,” EBC 2:438). U. Cassuto (Exodus, 286) does not think the wording can possibly fit an oath; nevertheless, an oath would be involved before God (as he takes it instead of “judges”) – if the man swore, his word would be accepted, but if he would not swear, he would be guilty.

[22:14]  ⁶³ tn Heb “if a man asks [an animal] from his neighbor” (see also Exod 12:36). The ruling here implies an animal is borrowed, and if harm comes to it when the owner is not with it, the borrower is liable. The word “animal” is supplied in the translation for clarity.

[22:14]  ⁶⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the man who borrowed the animal) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[22:25]  ⁶⁵ tn “any of” has been supplied.

[22:25]  ⁶⁶ sn The moneylender will be demanding and exacting. In Ps 109:11 and 2 Kgs 4:1 the word is rendered as “extortioner.”

[22:25]  ⁶⁷ tn Heb “set.”

[22:25]  ⁶⁸ sn In ancient times money was lent primarily for poverty and not for commercial ventures (H. Gamoran, “The Biblical Law against Loans on Interest,” JNES 30 [1971]: 127-34). The lending to the poor was essentially a charity, and so not to be an opportunity to make money from another person’s misfortune. The word נֶשֶׁךְ (neshekh) may be derived from a verb that means “to bite,” and so the idea of usury or interest was that of putting out one’s money with a bite in it (See S. Stein, “The Laws on Interest in the Old Testament,” JTS 4 [1953]: 161-70; and E. Neufeld, “The Prohibition against Loans at Interest in the Old Testament,” HUCA 26 [1955]: 355-412).

[23:2]  ⁶⁹ tn The word רָבִּים (rabbim), here rendered “crowd,” is also used infrequently to refer to the “mighty,” people of importance in society (Job 35:9; cf. Lev 19:15).

[23:2]  ⁷⁰ tn For any individual to join a group that is bent on acting wickedly would be a violation of the Law and would incur personal responsibility.

[23:2]  ⁷¹ tn Heb “you will not answer in a lawsuit to turn after the crowd to turn.” The form translated “agrees with” (Heb “to turn after”) is a Qal infinitive construct from נָטָה (natah); the same root is used at the end of the verse but as a Hiphil infinitive construct, “to pervert [justice].”

[23:5]  ⁷² tn The line reads “you will cease to forsake him” – refrain from leaving your enemy without help.

[23:5]  ⁷³ tn The law is emphatic here as well, using the infinitive absolute and the imperfect of instruction (or possibly obligation). There is also a wordplay here: two words עָזַב (’azav) are used, one meaning “forsake” and the other possibly meaning “arrange” based on Arabic and Ugaritic evidence (see U. Cassuto, Exodus, 297-98).

[23:5]  ⁷⁴ sn See H. B. Huffmon, “Exodus 23:4-5: A Comparative Study,” A Light Unto My Path, 271-78.

[23:33]  ⁷⁵ tn The idea of the “snare” is to lure them to judgment; God is apparently warning about contact with the Canaanites, either in worship or in business. They were very syncretistic, and so it would be dangerous to settle among them.

[29:34]  ⁷⁶ tn Or “ordination offerings” (Heb “fillings”).

[29:34]  ⁷⁷ tn The verb in the conditional clause is a Niphal imperfect of יָתַר (yatar); this verb is repeated in the next clause (as a Niphal participle) as the direct object of the verb “you will burn” (a Qal perfect with a vav [ו] consecutive to form the instruction).

[29:34]  ⁷⁸ tn Heb “burn with fire.”

[29:34]  ⁷⁹ tn The verb is a Niphal imperfect negated. It expresses the prohibition against eating this, but in the passive voice: “it will not be eaten,” or stronger, “it must not be eaten.”

[33:8]  ⁸⁰ tn The clause is introduced again with “and it was.” The perfect tense here with the vav (ו) is used to continue the sequence of actions that were done repeatedly in the past (see GKC 331-32 §112.e). The temporal clause is then formed with the infinitive construct of יָצָא (yatsa’), with “Moses” as the subjective genitive: “and it was according to the going out of Moses.”

[33:8]  ⁸¹ tn Or “rise up.”

[33:8]  ⁸² tn The subject of this verb is specified with the individualizing use of “man”: “and all Israel would station themselves, each person (man) at the entrance to his tent.”

[33:8]  ⁸³ tn The perfect tense with the vav (ו) continues the sequence of the customary imperfect. The people “would gaze” (after) Moses until he entered the tent.

[33:8]  ⁸⁴ tn This is a temporal clause using an infinitive construct with a suffixed subject.

[34:16]  ⁸⁵ tn In the construction this verb would follow as a possible outcome of the last event, and so remain in the verbal sequence. If the people participate in the festivals of the land, then they will intermarry, and that could lead to further involvement with idolatry.

[34:21]  ⁸⁶ tn This is an adverbial accusative of time.

[34:21]  ⁸⁷ tn Or “cease” (i.e., from the labors).

[34:21]  ⁸⁸ sn See M. Dahood, “Vocative lamed in Exodus 2,4 and Merismus in 34,21,” Bib 62 (1981): 413-15.

[34:21]  ⁸⁹ tn The imperfect tense expresses injunction or instruction.

[34:35]  ⁹⁰ tn Now the perfect tense with vav consecutive is subordinated to the next clause, “Moses returned the veil….”

[34:35]  ⁹¹ tn Verbs of seeing often take two accusatives. Here, the second is the noun clause explaining what it was about the face that they saw.

[34:35]  ⁹² tn Heb “with him”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.