Exodus 4 · Verse 22

Exodus 4:22

And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
Exodus 4:22, King James Version

Exodus 4:22 in other translations

BSBThen tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says: ‘Israel is My firstborn son,
WEBYou shall tell Pharaoh, ‘The LORD says, Israel is my son, my firstborn,
ASVAnd thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, Israel is my son, my first-born:
YLTand thou hast said unto Pharaoh, Thus said Jehovah, My son, My first-born is Israel,
DARBYAnd thou shalt say to Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah: Israel is my son, my firstborn.
BBEAnd you are to say to Pharaoh, The Lord says, Israel is the first of my sons:
WebsterAnd thou shalt say to Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my first-born.

What does Exodus 4:22 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 22 Israel is my son, even my firstborn - That is, The Hebrew people are unutterably dear to me.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 4:18-23

After God had appeared in the bush, he often spake to Moses. Pharaoh had hardened his own heart against the groans and cries of the oppressed Israelites; and now God, in the way of righteous judgment, hardens his heart against the teaching of the miracles, and the terror of the plagues. But whether Pharaoh will hear, or whether he will forbear, Moses must tell him, Thus saith the Lord. He must demand a discharge for…

Read the full comment on Exodus 4:18-23 →

Exodus 4:22 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.

וְאָמַרְתָּ֖ve.'a.mar.Taand you will sayH559
אֶל\־'el-toH413
פַּרְעֹ֑הpar.'OhPharaohH6547
כֹּ֚הkohthusH3541
אָמַ֣ר'a.Marhe saysH559
יְהוָ֔הYah.wehYahwehH3068
בְּנִ֥יbe.Ni[is] son myH1121
בְכֹרִ֖יve.kho.Rifirstborn myH1060
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל\׃Yis.ra.'ElIsraelH3478

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

Cross references for Exodus 4:22

  • Hosea 11:1

    When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.

  • Romans 9:4

    Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;

  • Jeremiah 31:9

    They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

  • Hebrews 12:23

    To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

  • Deuteronomy 14:1

    Ye are the children of the Lord your God: ye shall not cut yourselves, nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead.

  • Exodus 19:5-6

    Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.

  • Isaiah 64:8

    But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.

  • Isaiah 63:16

    Doubtless thou art our father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, and Israel acknowledge us not: thou, O Lord, art our father, our redeemer; thy name is from everlasting.

  • James 1:18

    Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

  • 2 Corinthians 6:18

    And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Israel.
19:5,6; De 14:1; Jer 31:9; Ho 11:1; Ro 9:4; 2Co 6:18; Heb 12:23
Jas 1:18

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

Context

  • Exodus 4:21

    And the Lord said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go.

  • Exodus 4:22

    And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

  • Exodus 4:23

    And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn.

Read all of Exodus 4

Exodus 4:22 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y dirás á Faraón: Jehová ha dicho así: Israel es mi hijo, mi primogénito.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et tu diras au Pharaon: Ainsi a dit l’ Éternel: Israël est mon fils, mon premier-né.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und du sollst zu dem Pharao sagen: So spricht Jehova: Mein Sohn, mein erstgeborener, ist Israel;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Dicesque ad eum: Hæc dicit Dominus: Filius meus primogenitus Israël.