Exodus 1:18

1:18 Then the king of Egypt summoned ¹  the midwives and said to them, “Why have you done this and let the boys live?” ² 

Exodus 1:22

1:22 Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, “All sons ³  that are born you must throw ⁴  into the river, but all daughters you may let live.” ⁵ 

Exodus 6:27

6:27 They were the men who were speaking to Pharaoh king of Egypt, in order to bring the Israelites out of Egypt. It was the same Moses and Aaron.

Exodus 7:5

7:5 Then ⁶  the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I extend my hand ⁷  over Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them.

Exodus 11:2

11:2 Instruct ⁸  the people that each man and each woman is to request ⁹  from his or her neighbor ¹⁰  items of silver and gold.” ¹¹ 

Exodus 14:2

14:2 “Tell the Israelites that they must turn and camp ¹²  before Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea; you are to camp by the sea before Baal Zephon opposite it. ¹³ 

Exodus 20:7

20:7 “You shall not take ¹⁴  the name of the Lord your God in vain, ¹⁵  for the Lord will not hold guiltless ¹⁶  anyone who takes his name in vain.

Exodus 21:13

21:13 But if he does not do it with premeditation, ¹⁷  but it happens by accident, ¹⁸  then I will appoint for you a place where he may flee.

Exodus 23:7

23:7 Keep your distance ¹⁹  from a false charge ²⁰  – do not kill the innocent and the righteous, ²¹  for I will not justify the wicked. ²² 

Exodus 23:21

23:21 Take heed because of him, and obey his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgressions, for my name ²³  is in him.

Exodus 23:24

23:24 “You must not bow down to their gods; you must not serve them or do according to their practices. Instead you must completely overthrow them and smash their standing stones ²⁴  to pieces. ²⁵ 

Exodus 23:27

23:27 “I will send my terror ²⁶  before you, and I will destroy ²⁷  all the people whom you encounter; I will make all your enemies turn their backs ²⁸  to you.

Exodus 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 ²⁹  to you.”

Exodus 25:32

25:32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand, ³⁰  three branches of the lampstand from one side of it and three branches of the lampstand from the other side of it. ³¹ 

Exodus 26:29

26:29 You are to overlay the frames with gold and make their rings of gold to provide places for the bars, and you are to overlay the bars with gold.

Exodus 34:2

34:2 Be prepared ³²  in the morning, and go up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and station yourself ³³  for me there on the top of the mountain.

Exodus 40:35

40:35 Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.

[1:18]  ¹ tn The verb קָרָא (qara’) followed by the lamed (ל) preposition has here the nuance of “summon.” The same construction is used later when Pharaoh summons Moses.

[1:18]  ² tn The second verb in Pharaoh’s speech is a preterite with a vav (ו) consecutive. It may indicate a simple sequence: “Why have you done…and (so that you) let live?” It could also indicate that this is a second question, “Why have you done …[why] have you let live?”

[1:22]  ³ tn The substantive כֹּל (kol) followed by the article stresses the entirety – “all sons” or “all daughters” – even though the nouns are singular in Hebrew (see GKC 411 §127.b).

[1:22]  ⁴ tn The form includes a pronominal suffix that reiterates the object of the verb: “every son…you will throw it.”

[1:22]  ⁵ tn The first imperfect has the force of a definite order, but the second, concerning the girls, could also have the nuance of permission, which may fit better. Pharaoh is simply allowing the girls to live.

[7:5]  ⁵ tn The emphasis on sequence is clear because the form is the perfect tense with the vav consecutive.

[7:5]  ⁶ sn This is another anthropomorphism, parallel to the preceding. If God were to “put” (נָתַן, natan), “extend” (נָטָה, nata), or “reach out” (שָׁלַח, shalakh) his hand against them, they would be destroyed. Contrast Exod 24:11.

[11:2]  ⁷ tn Heb “Speak now in the ears of the people.” The expression is emphatic; it seeks to ensure that the Israelites hear the instruction.

[11:2]  ⁸ tn The verb translated “request” is וְיִשְׁאֲלוּ (vÿyish’alu), the Qal jussive: “let them ask.” This is the point introduced in Exod 3:22. The meaning of the verb might be stronger than simply “ask”; it might have something of the idea of “implore” (see also its use in the naming of Samuel, who was “asked” from Yahweh [1 Sam 1:20]).

[11:2]  ⁹ tn “each man is to request from his neighbor and each woman from her neighbor.”

[11:2]  ¹⁰ sn See D. Skinner, “Some Major Themes of Exodus,” Mid-America Theological Journal 1 (1977): 31-42.

[14:2]  ⁹ tn The two imperfects follow the imperative and therefore express purpose. The point in the verses is that Yahweh was giving the orders for the direction of the march and the encampment by the sea.

[14:2]  ¹⁰ sn The places have been tentatively identified. W. C. Kaiser summarizes the suggestions that Pi-Hahiroth as an Egyptian word may mean “temple of the [Syrian god] Hrt” or “The Hir waters of the canal” or “The Dwelling of Hator” (“Exodus,” EBC 2:387; see the literature on these names, including C. DeWit, The Date and Route of the Exodus, 17).

[20:7]  ¹¹ tn Or “use” (NCV, TEV); NIV, CEV, NLT “misuse”; NRSV “make wrongful use of.”

[20:7]  ¹² 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]  ¹³ tn Or “leave unpunished.”

[21:13]  ¹³ tn Heb “if he does not lie in wait” (NASB similar).

[21:13]  ¹⁴ tn Heb “and God brought into his hand.” The death is unintended, its circumstances outside human control.

[23:7]  ¹⁵ tn Or “stay away from,” or “have nothing to do with.”

[23:7]  ¹⁶ tn Heb “a false matter,” this expression in this context would have to be a case in law that was false or that could only be won by falsehood.

[23:7]  ¹⁷ tn The two clauses probably should be related: the getting involved in the false charge could lead to the death of an innocent person (so, e.g., Naboth in 1 Kgs 21:10-13).

[23:7]  ¹⁸ sn God will not declare right the one who is in the wrong. Society should also be consistent, but it cannot see the intents and motives, as God can.

[23:21]  ¹⁷ sn This means “the manifestation of my being” is in him (S. R. Driver, Exodus, 247). Driver quotes McNeile as saying, “The ‘angel’ is Jehovah Himself ‘in a temporary descent to visibility for a special purpose.’” Others take the “name” to represent Yahweh’s “power” (NCV) or “authority” (NAB, CEV).

[23:24]  ¹⁹ tn The Hebrew is מַצֵּבֹתֵיהֶם (matsevotehem, “their standing stones”); these long stones were erected to represent the abode of the numen or deity. They were usually set up near the altar or the high place. To destroy these would be to destroy the centers of Canaanite worship in the land.

[23:24]  ²⁰ tn Both verbs are joined with their infinitive absolutes to provide the strongest sense to these instructions. The images of the false gods in Canaan were to be completely and utterly destroyed. This could not be said any more strongly.

[23:27]  ²¹ tn The word for “terror” is אֵימָתִי (’emati); the word has the thought of “panic” or “dread.” God would make the nations panic as they heard of the exploits and knew the Israelites were drawing near. U. Cassuto thinks the reference to “hornets” in v. 28 may be a reference to this fear, an unreasoning dread, rather than to another insect invasion (Exodus, 308). Others suggest it is symbolic of an invading army or a country like Egypt or literal insects (see E. Neufeld, “Insects as Warfare Agents in the Ancient Near East,” Or 49 [1980]: 30-57).

[23:27]  ²² tn Heb “kill.”

[23:27]  ²³ tn The text has “and I will give all your enemies to you [as] a back.” The verb of making takes two accusatives, the second being the adverbial accusative of product (see GKC 371-72 §117.ii, n. 1).

[23:33]  ²³ 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.

[25:32]  ²⁵ tn Heb “from the sides of it.”

[25:32]  ²⁶ tn Heb “from the second side.”

[34:2]  ²⁷ tn The form is a Niphal participle that means “be prepared, be ready.” This probably means that Moses was to do in preparation what the congregation had to do back in Exod 19:11-15.

[34:2]  ²⁸ sn The same word is used in Exod 33:21. It is as if Moses was to be at his post when Yahweh wanted to communicate to him.