And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of the sons of Israel are too many and too mighty for us.
Parallel translations
- WEB He said to his people, “Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we.
- KJV And he said unto his people, Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we:
- BSB “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become too numerous and too powerful for us.
- NKJV And he said to his people, “Look, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we;
- NLT He said to his people, “Look, the people of Israel now outnumber us and are stronger than we are.
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 tells his people that the Israelites have grown too numerous and mighty. His fear becomes the pretext for oppression.
Overview
Pharaoh frames Israel's God-given fruitfulness as a national threat. His words reveal the world's recurring suspicion and hostility toward God's growing people. Ironically, the very increase he fears is evidence that the Lord is fulfilling His promises, a work no human ruler can finally stop.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Ps 105:24–25He increased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their adversaries.
- Eccl 4:4Then I saw all the labor and achievement that is the envy of a man’s neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
- Jas 3:14–16But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don’t boast and don’t lie against the truth.
- Num 22:4–5Moab said to the elders of Midian, “Now this multitude will lick up all that is around us, as the ox licks up the grass of the field.” Balak the son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time.
- Prov 27:4Wrath is cruel, and anger is overwhelming; but who is able to stand before jealousy?
- Prov 14:28In the multitude of people is the king’s glory, but in the lack of people is the destruction of the prince.
- Titus 3:3For we were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.
- Job 5:2For resentment kills the foolish man, and jealousy kills the simple.
- Jas 4:5Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who lives in us yearns jealously”?
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 1:9 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.