Come, let us deal wisely with them, lest they multiply, and it happen that when any war breaks out, they also join themselves to our enemies, and fight against us, and escape out of the land.”
Parallel translations
- KJV Come on, let us deal wisely with them; lest they multiply, and it come to pass, that, when there falleth out any war, they join also unto our enemies, and fight against us, and so get them up out of the land.
- BSB Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase even more; and if a war breaks out, they may join our enemies, fight against us, and leave the country.”
- NKJV come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and it happen, in the event of war, that they also join our enemies and fight against us, and so go up out of the land.”
- NASB Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, otherwise they will multiply, and in the event of war, they will also join those who hate us, and fight against us and depart from the land.”
- NLT We must make a plan to keep them from growing even more. If we don’t, and if war breaks out, they will join our enemies and fight against us. Then they will escape from the country.”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Pharaoh proposes to deal shrewdly with Israel, fearing they might join Egypt's enemies and leave. His scheming launches a campaign of oppression.
Overview
Pharaoh's "wisdom" is worldly cunning set against God, and Scripture will show it turned to folly (Psalm 2). His fear that Israel might "escape out of the land" unwittingly anticipates the very exodus God has planned. Human plans against God's people become, in His hands, the occasion for His mightier deliverance.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Ps 83:3–4They conspire with cunning against your people. They plot against your cherished ones.
- Acts 7:19The same took advantage of our race, and mistreated our fathers, and forced them to throw out their babies, so that they wouldn’t stay alive.
- Prov 1:11If they say, “Come with us. Let’s lay in wait for blood. Let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause.
- Ps 105:25He turned their heart to hate his people, to conspire against his servants.
- Ps 10:2In arrogance, the wicked hunt down the weak. They are caught in the schemes that they devise.
- Num 22:6Please come now therefore curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall prevail, that we may strike them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”
- Prov 21:30There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against Yahweh.
- Jas 3:15–18This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic.
- 1 Cor 3:18–20Let no one deceive himself. If anyone thinks that he is wise among you in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.
- Prov 16:25There is a way which seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.
- Job 5:13He takes the wise in their own craftiness; the counsel of the cunning is carried headlong.
- Acts 23:12When it was day, some of the Jews banded together, and bound themselves under a curse, saying that they would neither eat nor drink until they had killed Paul.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 1:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.