Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The servants' plea highlights a crucial shift: they recognize Moses as a "snare," not just an annoyance, but a source of ongoing disaster for Egypt. This indicates they're beginning to grasp that the escalating plagues aren't random, but directly tied to their refusal, signaling their fear that Egypt is indeed on the brink of ruin.
Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Pharaoh's own court officials, witnessing the devastating plagues and fearing total ruin, finally urge him to let the Israelites go. They confront Pharaoh, calling Moses a "snare" that brings calamity upon Egypt and asking if he doesn't yet realize the nation is already destroyed. Following this plea, Pharaoh allows Moses and Aaron to be brought before him again, where he attempts to negotiate the terms of their departure.
When even Pharaoh's inner circle can't take it anymore, you know things are serious. The plagues weren't just hitting the Israelites – they were devastating Egypt.
Up to this point, Pharaoh had been the sole picture of stubborn resistance. But the relentless plagues, especially the destruction of crops and livestock, finally broke through the hardened hearts of his own servants. These weren't just abstract divine judgments; they were economic ruin and personal loss.
Think about it: these were the people closest to Pharaoh, likely benefiting from the Egyptian system. Their plea, "How long shall this man be a snare to us?" reveals they saw Moses (and by extension, God's power) as the source of their ongoing disaster. Their fear wasn't for God's honor, but for their own survival and prosperity. They'd lost too much, and the threat of even worse was more than they could bear.
Pharaoh's servants wanted the plagues to stop, but their motivation wasn't about obeying God. It was all about saving Egypt (and themselves!).
The servants tell Pharaoh, "Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God." On the surface, this sounds like a recognition of Israel's God. However, the context reveals a different motive: stopping the suffering.
Their real concern wasn't the worship of the LORD, but the destruction of Egypt. They wanted the plagues to cease, and they saw letting the Israelites go as the means to that end. This highlights a crucial distinction: acknowledging God's power is one thing; submitting to His will and purpose is another. Pharaoh and his servants were focused on damage control, not on righteousness or obedience. They were willing to let Israel go, but only to solve their problem.
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Even when disaster surrounds them, some leaders refuse to see the obvious truth. Pharaoh's question shows his deep-seated refusal to learn.
The verse ends with a devastating question from Pharaoh (implied by the servants' prompt): "Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?" This isn't a genuine inquiry; it's a sign of his profound blindness and arrogance. He’s surrounded by devastation, his own advisors are pleading with him, yet he seems incapable of grasping the reality.
Calvin notes that Pharaoh's stubbornness was more injurious than the plagues themselves. His refusal to acknowledge the LORD's power and sovereignty meant Egypt was heading for complete destruction. His own heart, hardened by pride and a refusal to submit, prevented him from seeing the truth that was evident to everyone else. He was clinging to his authority while his kingdom crumbled.
Understand the original words
môqēš · Hebrew Noun
A term often referring to a trap or a bait-stick in a snare, used metaphorically in Scripture to describe that which causes someone to stumble, fall, or meet their ruin. It represents a source of danger or enticement that leads to destruction.
YHWH · Hebrew Proper Noun
The covenant name of the Almighty God of Israel, revealed to Moses, signifying His self-existence, eternal nature, and faithfulness to His covenant promises. It is the personal, proper name of the God who redeems His people.
ʿāḇaḏ · Hebrew Verb
In a covenantal context, this denotes the act of religious duty, submission, and worship offered by a person to God. It involves laboring for, obeying, and honoring Him as one's sovereign Master.
ʾāḇaḏ · Hebrew Verb/Adjective
A state of total devastation, destruction, or paralysis, often used to describe the consequences of divine judgment upon a nation or a person due to rebellion against God.
The escalating plagues have brought Egypt to the brink of ruin, causing even Pharaoh's own advisors to panic and pressure him. Their plea reveals that Pharaoh's stubborn resistance isn't just hurting the Israelites, but is actively destroying his own nation and putting his people in mortal danger.
c. 15th-13th century BC
Israelites Enslaved in Egypt
The Israelites, descendants of Jacob, had settled in Egypt and grown into a large population. Fearing their numbers, a new Pharaoh, who did not know Joseph, enslaved them and subjected them to harsh labor.
c. 15th-13th century BC
Moses Appears and Confronts Pharaoh
God commissions Moses to confront Pharaoh and demand the release of the Israelites. Moses and his brother Aaron repeatedly present God's demands to the Egyptian king.
c. 15th-13th century BC
Plagues of Egypt Begin
Pharaoh repeatedly refuses to let the Israelites go, hardening his heart. God then unleashes a series of devastating plagues upon Egypt to demonstrate His power and compel Pharaoh's release of His people.
c. 15th-13th century BC
The Plague of Hail
A severe plague of hail strikes Egypt, destroying livestock and crops that had survived previous plagues. This plague causes immense devastation and widespread fear among the Egyptians.
c. 15th-13th century BC— this verse
Pharaoh's Servants Urge Release
Facing ruin from the escalating plagues, Pharaoh's own servants and courtiers express alarm and urge him to let the Israelites go to serve their God, fearing further destruction.
c. 15th-13th century BC
Pharaoh Negotiates and Hardens Heart
Pharaoh, while acknowledging the devastation, attempts to negotiate with Moses, proposing to let the men go but keep the women and children. Moses insists all must go, leading Pharaoh to refuse and threaten them.
This verse echoes the plea of Pharaoh's servants by highlighting the importance of choosing to serve God, implying that true service requires freedom from bondage, a core issue in the Exodus narrative.
Psalm 105:26-27This passage directly references the plagues of Egypt and God's sending of Moses and Aaron, framing them as divine actions that tested and demonstrated God's power, much like Pharaoh's servants experienced firsthand.
Jeremiah 44:16-17This prophetic passage shows a similar dynamic where a people, facing difficult circumstances, express a desire to cease their current practices, contrasting with their later defiance, mirroring the Egyptian officials' desperate plea to stop the suffering.
Matthew 12:30Jesus' statement that 'whoever is not with me is against me' speaks to the divisive nature of allegiance, which is relevant here as Pharaoh's servants realize that continued opposition to God's will (through Moses) is leading to ruin.
calvinExodus 10:7-11: "And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?"
Dixerunt autem servi Pharaonis ad eum, Quousque erit hic vobis in offendiculum? Dimitte homines, ut serviant Jehovae Deo suo. An ante scies quod perierit AEgyptus? (vel, Antequam scies periisse Aegyptum.)
And Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and be said unto them, Go, serve…
gillExodus 10:7: "And Pharaoh's servants said unto him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?"
And Pharaoh's servants said to him,.... His courtiers and counsellors, such of them as were not so hardened as others, or however now began to relent, and dreaded what would be the consequence of things, even the ruin of the whole country, the good of which they seem to have had at heart: how long s…
The servants' plea highlights a crucial shift: they recognize Moses as a "snare," not just an annoyance, but a source of ongoing disaster for Egypt. This indicates they're beginning to grasp that the escalating plagues aren't random, but directly tied to their refusal, signaling their fear that Egypt is indeed on the brink of ruin.
Pharaoh's own court officials, witnessing the devastating plagues and fearing total ruin, finally urge him to let the Israelites go. They confront Pharaoh, calling Moses a "snare" that brings calamity upon Egypt and asking if he doesn't yet realize the nation is already destroyed. Following this plea, Pharaoh allows Moses and Aaron to be brought before him again, where he attempts to negotiate the terms of their departure.
Pharaoh's own court officials, witnessing the devastating plagues and fearing total ruin, finally urge him to let the Israelites go. They confront Pharaoh, calling Moses a "snare" that brings calamity upon Egypt and asking if he doesn't yet realize the nation is already destroyed. Following this plea, Pharaoh allows Moses and Aaron to be brought before him again, where he attempts to negotiate the terms of their departure.
"Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the LORD their God. Do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?”" — The servants' plea highlights a crucial shift: they recognize Moses as a "snare," not just an annoyance, but a source of ongoing disaster for Egypt. This indicates they're beginning to grasp that the…
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Last reviewed October 2026