Exodus 9:21

but those who disregarded the word of the LORD left their servants and livestock in the field.

Berean Standard Bible

Study note

Setting — The narrative describes Pharaoh’s officials during the seventh plague, contrasting their actions with those who feared the LORD’s warning. The text notes that those who ignored the divine command left their servants and livestock exposed in the open field.

The words — The Hebrew phrase לֹא־שָׂם לִבּוֹ אֶל־דְּבַר יְהוָה (lo'-sam libbo 'el-devar Yahweh) literally means "he did not set his heart to the word of Yahweh," indicating deliberate disregard. The subsequent verb וַיַּעֲזֹב (va.ya'azov) translates to "and he left," marking the physical consequence of that refusal.

The thread — This pattern of ignoring divine warning appears in Exodus 7:23, where Pharaoh refuses to take the plague to heart, and contrasts with the call in 1 Chronicles 22:19 to actively set one’s heart and soul to seek the LORD. The narrative thread links human indifference to impending judgment across the Exodus plague sequence.

Why it lands — The text demands a clear choice between heeding warning and accepting exposure to consequences. It requires readers to recognize that neglecting divine instruction carries immediate, tangible costs.

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

וַאֲשֶׁ֥רva./'a.Sherand/ [the one] who לֹא־lo'-not שָׂ֛םsamhe set לִבּ֖וֹli.B/oheart/ his אֶל־'el-to דְּבַ֣רde.Var[the] word of יְהוָ֑הYah.wehYahweh וַֽיַּעֲזֹ֛בva/i.ya.'a.Zoand/ he left אֶת־'et-<obj.>עֲבָדָ֥יו'a.va.Da/vservants/ his וְאֶת־ve./'Etand/ <obj.>מִקְנֵ֖הוּmik.Ne./hulivestock/ his בַּשָּׂדֶֽה׃ פba./sa.Dehin the/ field

King James Version

And he that regarded not the word of the Lord left his servants and his cattle in the field.

Cross-references

Exodus 7:23 Instead, Pharaoh turned around, went into his palace, and did not take any of this to heart.
1 Samuel 4:20 As she was dying, the women attending to her said, “Do not be afraid, for you have given birth to a son!” But she did not respond or pay any heed.
1 Chronicles 22:19 Now set your heart and soul to seek the LORD your God. Begin building the sanctuary of the LORD God, so that you may bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy articles of God into the temple that will be built for the Name of the LORD.”
Job 7:17 What is man that You should exalt him, that You should set Your heart upon him,
Job 34:14 If He were to set His heart to it and withdraw His Spirit and breath,
Proverbs 24:32 I observed and took it to heart; I looked and received instruction:
Ezekiel 40:4 “Son of man,” he said to me, “look with your eyes, hear with your ears, and pay attention to everything I am going to show you, for that is why you have been brought here. Report to the house of Israel everything you see.”
Daniel 10:12 “Do not be afraid, Daniel,” he said, “for from the first day that you purposed to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.