Bible Strands
Exodus 3:18
The elders of Israel will listen to what you say, and you must go with them to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — God addresses Moses at the burning bush, instructing him to approach Pharaoh alongside the elders of Israel. This instruction follows God's declaration of Israel's forthcoming departure from Egyptian bondage.
The words — וְ/שָמְע֖וּ (ve./sha.me.'U) translates as "they will listen," and לְ/קֹלֶ֑/ךָ (le./ko.Le./cha) translates as "to your voice." These terms specify the elders' expected obedience to Moses' instructions before the royal audience.
The thread — The directive to confront Pharaoh reappears in Exodus 7:16 and Exodus 9:1, while Exodus 10:24 records Pharaoh summoning Moses to propose a negotiated compromise.
Why it lands — The text commands Moses to deliver a precise request for a three-day journey into the wilderness for sacrifice. It grounds the mission in the elders' anticipated compliance and God's explicit warning that Pharaoh will require divine compulsion to agree.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God.
Cross-references
- Exodus 9:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.
- Exodus 7:16 Then say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to tell you: Let My people go, so that they may worship Me in the wilderness. But until now you have not listened.
- Exodus 10:24 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, “Go, worship the LORD. Even your little ones may go with you; only your flocks and herds must stay behind.”
- Exodus 9:13 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning, stand before Pharaoh, and tell him that this is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.
- Exodus 10:3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him, “This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, so that they may worship Me.
- Numbers 23:15 Balaam said to Balak, “Stay here beside your burnt offering while I meet the LORD over there.”
- Exodus 4:31 and they believed. And when they heard that the LORD had attended to the Israelites and had seen their affliction, they bowed down and worshiped.
- Numbers 17:4 Place the staffs in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where I meet with you.
- Joshua 1:17 Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. And may the LORD your God be with you, as He was with Moses.
- 2 Chronicles 30:12 Moreover, the power of God was on the people in Judah to give them one heart to obey the command of the king and his officials according to the word of the LORD.