And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me.
Parallel translations
- WEB Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, “What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”
- BSB Then Moses cried out to the LORD, “What should I do with these people? A little more and they will stone me!”
- NKJV So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!”
- NASB So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What am I to do with this people? A little more and they will stone me!”
- NLT Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What should I do with these people? They are ready to stone me!”
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
Moses cried out to Yahweh, fearing the people were ready to stone him. The faithful leader turned to God amid threat.
Overview
Caught between a rebellious people and his own helplessness, Moses brings his distress to the Lord in prayer. His turning to God models the right response of a leader under pressure: dependence rather than retaliation. Moses, mediating between God and a hostile people, foreshadows Christ, who intercedes for those who oppose him.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 1 Sam 30:6And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
- Num 14:10But all the congregation bade stone them with stones. And the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of the congregation before all the children of Israel.
- John 8:59Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
- Acts 14:19And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead.
- John 10:31Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.
- Exod 15:25And he cried unto the LORD; and the LORD shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
- Num 16:19And Korah gathered all the congregation against them unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the congregation.
- Acts 7:50Hath not my hand made all these things?
- Num 11:11And Moses said unto the LORD, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thy servant? and wherefore have I not found favour in thy sight, that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me?
- Exod 14:15And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:
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 17:4 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.