Exodus 7:5
The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
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This verse isn't just about God showing His power; it's about revealing His very identity to the Egyptians. It's a bold declaration that through His judgment on Egypt and the liberation of Israel, they will finally understand that "LORD" (or Jehovah) is not just a name but the description of the one true, active, and supreme God, distinct from all their idols.
God has just commissioned Moses and Aaron to confront Pharaoh, but Pharaoh's defiance and God's decision to harden his heart have already been established. This verse declares that the upcoming plagues and the ultimate deliverance of Israel will serve as a powerful demonstration, forcing the Egyptians to recognize Yahweh's supreme power and authority over their own gods. This pivotal moment is designed to prove God's might, not just to the Egyptians, but also as a foundation for the Israelites' faith and understanding of who God is.
Why does God emphasize knowing His 'name'?
God declares, 'The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD (Jehovah).' This isn't just about knowing a label. The name 'Jehovah' speaks to God's eternal, self-existent nature and His covenant faithfulness. The plagues and the exodus are designed to reveal this reality to the Egyptians, who worshipped many gods they believed controlled nature and their lives. God's action demonstrates His supreme power over all their deities, proving He is the one true, living God who acts according to His promises.
Was the exodus just an escape, or something more?
The miraculous deliverance of Israel wasn't simply an act of liberation; it was a divine demonstration. By stretching out His hand against Egypt, God executes judgment not just on Pharaoh but on the entire nation and their false gods. This powerful act serves as undeniable proof of His might and His right to rule. The verse reveals that the purpose of these monumental events is for all of Egypt to witness and acknowledge the sovereign power of Jehovah, the God of Israel, who is above all.
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This verse highlights that the plagues were not just about punishing Egypt, but also about revealing the true power of Yahweh, the LORD, over the gods of Egypt and demonstrating His sovereign authority to all nations.
c. 1550-1200 BC
New Kingdom Egypt Flourishes
Egypt experienced a period of great power and prosperity, with strong pharaonic rule and a complex religious system worshipping numerous gods.
c. 1300-1200 BC
Israelites Enslaved in Egypt
The Israelites, who had settled in Egypt generations earlier, were reduced to forced labor by a new dynasty that feared their growing numbers.
c. 1250 BC
Moses Commissioned by God
God appears to Moses at the burning bush, commissioning him to return to Egypt and lead the Israelites out of bondage.
c. 1250 BC
First Confrontation: Moses and Aaron
Moses and Aaron deliver God's demand to Pharaoh to 'Let my people go,' but Pharaoh, confident in his own power and gods, refuses.
c. 1250 BC— this verse
The Ten Plagues Begin
God begins to strike Egypt with a series of devastating plagues, starting with the Nile turning to blood, as a demonstration of His power.
c. 1250 BC
Pharaoh's Heart Hardened
Despite the escalating plagues, Pharaoh repeatedly refuses to let the Israelites go, with God's power and Pharaoh's own stubbornness contributing to his resistance.
c. 1250 BC
The Exodus
After the final plague of the death of the firstborn, Pharaoh finally relents and allows the Israelites to leave Egypt, marking their liberation.
This passage echoes Exodus 7:5 by stating God will glorify Himself through Pharaoh's actions, directly linking His power to the Egyptians' knowledge of Him and the Israelites' deliverance.
Ezekiel 39:22This prophetic passage mirrors the Exodus theme, declaring that the nations will know God's name and power through His judgment and restoration of Israel, much like the Egyptians learned through the plagues.
Psalm 105:26-27This psalm recounts the plagues as God sending darkness and making water blood, explicitly stating that He 'sent His word and healed them' and 'sent forth among them all manner of troublesome beasts,' reinforcing the idea of God's active hand in the plagues as described in Exodus 7:5.
Isaiah 43:10This verse speaks to Israel's role as witnesses to God's power, stating 'that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He,' which aligns with the purpose of the plagues in Exodus 7:5 to make God known to the Egyptians.
gillExodus 7:5: "And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them."
And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord,.... Jehovah, the one only true and living God; this they should know by the judgments executed upon them, and be obliged to acknowledge it: when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt: especially the last time, to destroy the firstborn: and bring out the children of Israel from among them; b…
ellicottExodus 7:5: "And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them."
(5) The Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord. —Heb., that I am Jehovah: i.e., that I answer to my name—that I am the only really existing God, their so-called gods being “vapour, smoke, nothingness.” No doubt this was one of the main lessons intended to be taught by the whole series of miraculous events connected with the Exodus. Egyp…
This verse isn't just about God showing His power; it's about revealing His very identity to the Egyptians. It's a bold declaration that through His judgment on Egypt and the liberation of Israel, they will finally understand that "LORD" (or Jehovah) is not just a name but the description of the one true, active, and supreme God, distinct from all their idols.
God has just commissioned Moses and Aaron to confront Pharaoh, but Pharaoh's defiance and God's decision to harden his heart have already been established. This verse declares that the upcoming plagues and the ultimate deliverance of Israel will serve as a powerful demonstration, forcing the Egyptians to recognize Yahweh's supreme power and authority over their own gods. This pivotal moment is designed to prove God's might, not just to the Egyptians, but also as a foundation for the Israelites' faith and understanding of who God is.
God has just commissioned Moses and Aaron to confront Pharaoh, but Pharaoh's defiance and God's decision to harden his heart have already been established. This verse declares that the upcoming plagues and the ultimate deliverance of Israel will serve as a powerful demonstration, forcing the Egyptians to recognize Yahweh's supreme power and authority over their own gods. This pivotal moment is designed to prove God's might, not just to the Egyptians, but also as a foundation for the Israelites' faith and understanding of who God is.
"The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring out the people of Israel from among them.”" — This verse isn't just about God showing His power; it's about revealing His very identity to the Egyptians. It's a bold declaration that through His judgment on Egypt and the liberation of Israel,…
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