Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 1. And afterward Moses and Aaron went] This chapter is properly a continuation of the preceding, as the succeeding is a continuation of this; and to preserve the connection of the facts they should be read together.
How simply, and yet with what authority, does Moses deliver his message to the Egyptian king! Thus saith JEHOVAH, GOD of ISRAEL, Let my people go. It is well in this, as in almost every other case where hwhy Jehovah occurs, to preserve the original word: our using the word LORD is not sufficiently expressive, and often leaves the sense indistinct.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-9 - God will own his people, though poor and despised, and will find a tim to plead their cause. Pharaoh treated all he had heard with contempt He had no knowledge of Jehovah, no fear of him, no love to him, an therefore refused to obey him. Thus Pharaoh's pride, ambition covetousness, and political knowledge, hardened him to his ow destruction. What Moses and Aaron ask is very reasonable, only to go three days' journey into the desert, and that on a good errand. We wil sacrifice unto the Lord our God. Pharaoh was very unreasonable, in saying that the people were idle, and therefore talked of going to sacrifice. He thus misrepresents them, that he might have a pretence to add to their burdens. To this day we find many who are more disposed to find fault with their neighbours, for spending in the service of God few hours spared from their wordly business, than to blame others, wh give twice the time to sinful pleasures. Pharaoh's command wa barbarous. Moses and Aaron themselves must get to the burdens Persecutors take pleasure in putting contempt and hardship upo ministers. The usual tale of bricks must be made, without the usua allowance of straw to mix with the clay. Thus more work was to be lai upon the men, which, if they performed, they would be broken with labour; and if not, they would be punished.
Original Hebrew ואחר310 באו935 משׁה4872 ואהרן175 ויאמרו559 אל413 פרעה6547 כה3541 אמר559 יהוה3068 אלהי430 ישׂראל3478 שׁלח7971 את853 עמי5971 ויחגו2287 לי במדבר׃4057
