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)
This verse highlights that God's power isn't just for Israel's benefit, but also to confront the Egyptians' arrogance. The "stretching out" of God's hand isn't simply a display of force, but a direct challenge to the supposed might of Egypt's gods, forcing them to acknowledge the true LORD.
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)
Pharaoh has just refused Moses and Aaron's demand to let the Israelites go, and God is now preparing Moses for the escalating conflict. God reveals that He will act, and through a series of plagues, both the Egyptians and Pharaoh himself will be forced to acknowledge His power. This intervention is not just about freeing the Israelites, but also about demonstrating to the world, especially Egypt with its powerful gods, who the true God is.
Why would God orchestrate such a dramatic event just so a nation would 'know' Him? It's more than just recognition; it's about a profound encounter with His power.
The core of this verse is about making God known. It's not about the Egyptians simply knowing the name 'LORD' (or Jehovah), but understanding the character and power it represents.
A Divine Name, A Divine Purpose
The Bible often emphasizes knowing God's name as knowing Him personally and experientially. Here, the plagues and the Exodus itself are God's powerful 'actions' that reveal who He is.
Ask a follow-up
Egypt was the superpower of its day, boasting a complex system of gods. What does God's action against Egypt reveal about His view of other 'powers'?
This event wasn't just about freeing a group of people; it was a cosmic showdown. God was asserting His absolute sovereignty over the entire known world and its perceived deities.
Challenging the World's Gods
Egypt's gods were deeply ingrained in their culture and claimed power over every aspect of life – from the Nile's flood to the sun's rising.
This verse highlights God's intention to prove His supreme power not just to the enslaved Israelites, but to the mighty Egyptians and their pantheon of gods. The plagues and the Exodus were designed to dismantle Egypt's confidence in their own deities and establish Yahweh as the one true sovereign God in the ancient Near East.
c. 1550-1200 BC
New Kingdom Egypt Ascendant
Egypt was a dominant world power, boasting impressive infrastructure, a sophisticated society, and a complex religious system that influenced surrounding nations.
c. 1450 BC
Reign of Thutmose III
Often called the 'Napoleon of Egypt,' Thutmose III's military campaigns expanded Egypt's empire to its greatest territorial extent, solidifying its image as an unconquerable superpower.
c. 1350 BC
Amarna Period Reforms
Pharaoh Akhenaten attempted radical religious reforms, promoting the worship of one god, the Aten, and challenging the established priesthoods and their power.
c. 1279-1213 BC
Reign of Ramesses II
This long and prosperous reign saw significant building projects and military campaigns, including the Battle of Kadesh against the Hittites, further cementing Egypt's power and prestige.
c. 1250 BC— this verse
The Exodus of Israel
God unleashes a series of devastating plagues upon Egypt, culminating in the liberation of the Israelite slaves. This event serves as a powerful demonstration of God's might over Pharaoh and the Egyptian gods.
c. 1250 BC
The Plagues of Egypt
A sequence of ten catastrophic plagues—water turned to blood, frogs, gnats, flies, livestock disease, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and the death of the firstborn—strikes Egypt, demonstrating God's power.
c. 1250 BC
Israel's Departure from Egypt
Freed from slavery after the final plague, the Israelites depart Egypt, marking a pivotal moment in their history and a devastating blow to Egyptian power and pride.
This passage echoes Exodus 7:5 by stating that God will harden Pharaoh's heart so that He may be glorified through the Egyptians' pursuit and subsequent destruction, emphasizing God's ultimate control and purpose in the events.
Ezekiel 38:23This verse presents a similar theme of God revealing Himself through His actions against nations, stating, 'So I will magnify myself and sanctify myself and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. And they shall know that I am the LORD.' This highlights God's desire to be known through His mighty interventions.
Psalm 78:12-13This psalm recounts God's mighty acts in Egypt, specifically mentioning how He 'did wondrous things in the sight of their fathers' and 'divided the sea and let them pass through.' It emphasizes the miraculous nature of the Exodus as a means of divine revelation.
1 Kings 18:36-37During Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal, he prays for God to act, stating, '...let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant... Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God.' This shows the consistent pattern of God revealing Himself through powerful acts to establish His identity.
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 highlights that God's power isn't just for Israel's benefit, but also to confront the Egyptians' arrogance. The "stretching out" of God's hand isn't simply a display of force, but a direct challenge to the supposed might of Egypt's gods, forcing them to acknowledge the true LORD.
Pharaoh has just refused Moses and Aaron's demand to let the Israelites go, and God is now preparing Moses for the escalating conflict. God reveals that He will act, and through a series of plagues, both the Egyptians and Pharaoh himself will be forced to acknowledge His power. This intervention is not just about freeing the Israelites, but also about demonstrating to the world, especially Egypt with its powerful gods, who the true God is.
Pharaoh has just refused Moses and Aaron's demand to let the Israelites go, and God is now preparing Moses for the escalating conflict. God reveals that He will act, and through a series of plagues, both the Egyptians and Pharaoh himself will be forced to acknowledge His power. This intervention is not just about freeing the Israelites, but also about demonstrating to the world, especially Egypt with its powerful gods, who the true 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 highlights that God's power isn't just for Israel's benefit, but also to confront the Egyptians' arrogance. The "stretching out" of God's hand isn't simply a display of force, but a direct…
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Last reviewed October 2026