Bible Strands
Exodus 8:28
Pharaoh answered, “I will let you go and sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Pharaoh addresses Moses and Aaron following the plague of flies. He grants conditional permission to depart for sacrifices but restricts their distance and demands prayer in exchange.
The words — The Hebrew אֲשַׁלּ֤ח ('a.sha.Lach) translates literally as "I will let go," and וּ/זְבַחְתֶּ֞ם (u./ze.vach.Tem) means "and you will sacrifice." These terms establish the terms of Pharaoh’s reluctant concession.
The thread — This pattern of conditional release paired with prayer requests appears in Exodus 8:8 and Exodus 9:28, where Pharaoh similarly negotiates plague removal. The theme of intercession restoring authority runs through 1 Kings 13:6.
Why it lands — The text records a ruler’s pragmatic bargaining rather than a change of heart. It asks the reader to recognize the difference between temporary compliance under pressure and sustained obedience to divine command.
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 Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me.
Cross-references
- Exodus 8:8 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people. Then I will let your people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”
- Exodus 9:28 Pray to the LORD, for there has been enough of God’s thunder and hail. I will let you go; you do not need to stay any longer.”
- 1 Kings 13:6 Then the king responded to the man of God, “Intercede with the LORD your God and pray for me that my hand may be restored.” So the man of God interceded with the LORD, and the king’s hand was restored to him as it was before.
- Acts 8:24 Then Simon answered, “Pray to the Lord for me, so that nothing you have said may happen to me.”
- Exodus 8:29 “As soon as I leave you,” Moses said, “I will pray to the LORD, so that tomorrow the swarms of flies will depart from Pharaoh and his officials and his people. But Pharaoh must not act deceitfully again by refusing to let the people go and sacrifice to the LORD.”
- Exodus 10:17 Now please forgive my sin once more and appeal to the LORD your God, that He may remove this death from me.”
- Ezra 6:10 Then they will be able to offer sacrifices of a sweet aroma to the God of heaven and to pray for the lives of the king and his sons.
- Ecclesiastes 6:10 Whatever exists was named long ago, and it is known what man is; but he cannot contend with one stronger than he.
- Hosea 10:2 Their hearts are devious; now they must bear their guilt. The LORD will break down their altars and demolish their sacred pillars.