Exodus 17 · Verse 4

Exodus 17:4

And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.
Exodus 17:4, King James Version

Exodus 17:4 in other translations

BSBThen Moses cried out to the LORD, “What should I do with these people? A little more and they will stone me!”
WEBMoses cried to the LORD, saying, “What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
ASVAnd Moses cried unto Jehovah, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they are almost ready to stone me.
YLTAnd Moses crieth to Jehovah, saying, ‘What do I to this people? yet a little, and they have stoned me.'
DARBYAnd Moses cried to Jehovah, saying, What shall I do with this people? Yet a little, and they will stone me!
BBEAnd Moses, crying out to the Lord, said, What am I to do to this people? they are almost ready to put me to death by stoning.
WebsterAnd Moses cried to the LORD, saying, What shall I do to this people? they are almost ready to stone me.

What does Exodus 17:4 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
4. Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people?--His language, instead of betraying any signs of resentment or vindictive imprecation on a people who had given him a cruel and unmerited treatment, was the expression of an anxious wish to know what was the best to be done in the circumstances (compare Mt 5:44; Ro 12:21).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 17:1-7

The children of Israel journeyed according to the commandment of the Lord, led by the pillar of cloud and fire, yet they came to a place where there was no water for them to drink. We may be in the way of duty, yet may meet with troubles, which Providence brings us into, for the trial of our faith, and that God may be glorified in our relief. They began to question whether God was with them or not. This is called…

Read the full comment on Exodus 17:1-7 →

Exodus 17:4 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּצְעַ֤קvai.yitz.'Akand he cried outH6817
מֹשֶׁה֙mo.ShehMosesH4872
אֶל\־'el-toH413
יְהוָ֣הYah.wehYahwehH3068
לֵאמֹ֔רle.Mor<to> sayingH559
מָ֥הmahwhat?H4100
אֶעֱשֶׂ֖ה'e.'e.Sehwill I doH6213
לָעָ֣םla.'Amto the peopleH5971
הַזֶּ֑הha.Zeh<the> thisH2088
ע֥וֹדodyetH5750
מְעַ֖טme.'Ata littleH4592
וּסְקָלֻֽנִי\׃u.se.ka.Lu.niand they will stone meH5619

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Exodus 17:4

  • 1 Samuel 30:6

    And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.

  • Numbers 14:10

    But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.

  • John 8:59

    Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

  • John 10:31

    Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

  • Acts 14:19

    And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.

  • Numbers 16:19

    And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto all the congregation.

  • Exodus 15:25

    And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,

  • Acts 7:50

    Hath not my hand made all these things?

  • Exodus 14:15

    And the Lord said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:

  • Numbers 11:11

    And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
cried.
14:15; 15:25; Nu 11:11
almost.
Nu 14:10; 16:19; 1Sa 30:6; Joh 8:59; 10:31; Ac 7:50; 14:19

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Exodus 17:3

    And the people thirsted there for water; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst?

  • Exodus 17:4

    And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.

  • Exodus 17:5

    And the Lord said unto Moses, Go on before the people, and take with thee of the elders of Israel; and thy rod, wherewith thou smotest the river, take in thine hand, and go.

Read all of Exodus 17

Exodus 17:4 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces clamó Moisés á Jehová, diciendo: ¿Qué haré con este pueblo? de aquí á un poco me apedrearán.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et Moïse cria à l’ Éternel, disant: Que ferai-je à ce peuple? Encore un peu, et ils me lapideront.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da schrie Mose zu Jehova und sprach: Was soll ich mit diesem Volke tun? Noch ein wenig, und sie steinigen mich.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Clamavit autem Moyses ad Dominum, dicens: Quid faciam populo huic? adhuc paululum, et lapidabit me.