Exodus 11:3
And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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It's easy to focus on the plagues and Moses's boldness, but this verse highlights something more subtle and profound: God actively grants favor to the Israelites in the eyes of their oppressors. This wasn't just Moses's inherent greatness; it was a divine intervention, ensuring the Egyptians would willingly give them treasures, not out of fear alone, but also a divinely softened heart.
God has just revealed to Moses that one final plague will bring Egypt to its knees, forcing Pharaoh to not only let the Israelites go but to drive them out. In preparation for this exodus, God instructs the Israelites to ask their Egyptian neighbors for silver and gold items, and this verse explains how this request was met: God made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the Israelites, and Moses himself had become a figure of immense respect and influence throughout Egypt.
How could the Egyptians, who had enslaved Israel for generations, suddenly be willing to give them their treasures? This verse reveals God's direct, sovereign hand at work.
Exodus 11:3 states, 'And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians.' This wasn't a gradual shift in Egyptian sentiment or a result of Moses' eloquent pleading alone. It was a direct act of God. Throughout the plagues, God's power was on display, demonstrating His might over Egypt's gods and Pharaoh's authority. This culminated in the Egyptians being so affected by God's actions that they readily complied with the Israelites' requests for valuable items.
This divine favor served several purposes:
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The verse mentions Moses' 'greatness.' What did this mean in the context of Egypt, and how did it impact the events unfolding?
The text continues, 'Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.' This statement reflects the immense respect and awe Moses had garnered.
Understand the original words
chen · Hebrew Noun
Grace or acceptance granted by others. Biblically, it often refers to God causing His people to be viewed with benevolence by those around them, even in hostile environments.
The favor shown to the Israelites and the high regard for Moses among the Egyptians were not just happenstance; they were divinely orchestrated to facilitate the Exodus and the "spoiling" of Egypt, serving as a testament to God's power and ultimate control over all nations.
c. 1446 BC
The Ten Plagues Begin
God sends a series of devastating plagues upon Egypt to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery.
c. 1446 BC
Pharaoh's Heart Hardened
After several plagues, Pharaoh's resistance to releasing the Israelites intensifies, often described as his heart being hardened by God.
c. 1446 BC— this verse
Moses's Increased Authority
Through the plagues and God's intervention, Moses gains significant influence and respect among Egyptians, both officials and commoners.
c. 1446 BC
The Tenth Plague Announced
God reveals to Moses that one final, catastrophic plague will strike Egypt, after which Pharaoh will finally let the Israelites go.
c. 1446 BC
Israelites
God instructs the Israelites to ask the Egyptians for silver and gold items, which they would then take with them as they left.
c. 1446 BC
The Exodus
Following the tenth plague, the Israelites depart from Egypt, marking the end of their 400 years of sojourning and slavery.
This passage echoes the sentiment that God can influence people's hearts, as Jacob prayed for God to grant his sons mercy before the Egyptian official, demonstrating a reliance on divine favor in dealings with foreign rulers.
Psalm 105:25This psalm directly states that God 'turned the hearts of their enemies to hate his people,' providing a broader theological context for how God sovereignly works to both afflict and favor His people through the actions of others.
John 12:37-40This New Testament passage, referencing Isaiah, explains why people often resist God's truth and miracles, mirroring the Egyptians' hardened hearts despite the signs, and highlighting God's sovereign hand in judgment.
Acts 7:36Stephen's sermon recounts God sending Moses to deliver Israel, emphasizing Moses's 'power and works' which demonstrate God's hand, much like the text in Exodus highlights Moses's greatness in the eyes of the Egyptians.
calvinExodus 11:1-10: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether."
And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.
Dixerat autem Jehova ad Mosen, Adhuc plagam unam adducam super P…
gillExodus 11:3: "And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people."
And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians,.... So that they freely and willingly lent them the things they asked of them; which seems to be said by way of anticipation, for this was not done until the following plague was inflicted, see Exodus 12:35 , moreover, the…
It's easy to focus on the plagues and Moses's boldness, but this verse highlights something more subtle and profound: God actively grants favor to the Israelites in the eyes of their oppressors. This wasn't just Moses's inherent greatness; it was a divine intervention, ensuring the Egyptians would willingly give them treasures, not out of fear alone, but also a divinely softened heart.
God has just revealed to Moses that one final plague will bring Egypt to its knees, forcing Pharaoh to not only let the Israelites go but to drive them out. In preparation for this exodus, God instructs the Israelites to ask their Egyptian neighbors for silver and gold items, and this verse explains how this request was met: God made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the Israelites, and Moses himself had become a figure of immense respect and influence throughout Egypt.
God has just revealed to Moses that one final plague will bring Egypt to its knees, forcing Pharaoh to not only let the Israelites go but to drive them out. In preparation for this exodus, God instructs the Israelites to ask their Egyptian neighbors for silver and gold items, and this verse explains how this request was met: God made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the Israelites, and Moses himself had become a figure of immense respect and influence throughout Egypt.
"And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people." — It's easy to focus on the plagues and Moses's boldness, but this verse highlights something more subtle and profound: God actively grants favor to the Israelites in the eyes of their oppressors. Th…
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