Exodus 3:19

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

But I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless a mighty hand compels him.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
I know that the king of Mitzrayim won't give you permission to go, no, not by a mighty hand.

King James Version
And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.

Lexham English Bible
But I myself know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless compelled by a strong hand.

New Century Version
"But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go. Only a great power will force him to let you go,

New English Translation
But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, not even under force.

Amplified Bible
"But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless [he is forced] by a strong hand.

New American Standard Bible
"But I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except under compulsion.

Geneva Bible (1587)
But I know, that the King of Egypt wil not let you goe, but by strong hande.

Legacy Standard Bible
But I know that the king of Egypt will not give you permission to go, except by a strong hand.

Contemporary English Version
But I know that the king of Egypt won't let you go unless something forces him to.

Complete Jewish Bible
I know that the king of Egypt will not let you leave unless he is forced to do so.

Darby Translation
But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a powerful hand.

Easy-to-Read Version
"But I know that the Pharaoh will not let you go. Only a great power will force him to let you go,

English Standard Version
But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand.

George Lamsa Translation
And I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, except by force.

Good News Translation
I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless he is forced to do so.

Christian Standard Bible®
“However, I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go, even under force from a strong hand.

Literal Translation
And I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except by a strong hand.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
But I knowe, that the kynge of Egipte wil not let you go, but thorow a mightie hade.

American Standard Version
And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go, no, not by a mighty hand.

Bible in Basic English
And I am certain that the king of Egypt will not let you go without being forced.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And I am sure that the king of Egypt wyl not let you go, no not in a mightie hande.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go, except by a mighty hand.

King James Version (1611)
And I am sure that the King of Egypt will not let you goe, no not by a mightie hand.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But I know that Pharao king of Egypt will not let you go, save with a mighty hand;

English Revised Version
And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go, no, not by a mighty hand.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
But Y woot, that the kyng of Egipt schal not delyuere you that ye go, but bi strong hond;

Young's Literal Translation
`And I -- I have known that the king of Egypt doth not permit you to go, unless by a strong hand,

Update Bible Version
And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go, not even with a mighty hand [of God].

Webster's Bible Translation
And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.

World English Bible
I know that the king of Egypt won't give you permission to go, no, not by a mighty hand.

New King James Version
But I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not even by a mighty hand.

New Living Translation
"But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand forces him.

New Life Bible
But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, except by a powerful hand.

New Revised Standard
I know, however, that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, I, know, that the king of Egypt will not suffer you to go, - not even by a firm hand.

Douay-Rheims Bible
But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, but by a mighty hand.

Revised Standard Version
I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand.

THE MESSAGE
"I know that the king of Egypt won't let you go unless forced to, so I'll intervene and hit Egypt where it hurts—oh, my miracles will send them reeling!—after which they'll be glad to send you off. I'll see to it that this people get a hearty send-off by the Egyptians—when you leave, you won't leave empty-handed! Each woman will ask her neighbor and any guests in her house for objects of silver and gold, for jewelry and extra clothes; you'll put them on your sons and daughters. Oh, you'll clean the Egyptians out!"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But I know that the king of Egypt will not permit you to go, except under compulsion.

Contextual Overview

¹⁶Go, assemble the elders of Israel and say to them, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has appeared to me and said: I have surely attended to you and have seen what has been done to you in Egypt. ¹⁷And I have promised to bring you up out of your affliction in Egypt, into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites-a land flowing with milk and honey.' ¹⁸The 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.' ¹⁹But I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless a mighty hand compels him.²⁰So I will stretch out My hand and strike the Egyptians with all the wonders I will perform among them. And after that, he will release you. ²¹And I will grant this people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that when you leave, you will not go away empty-handed. ²²Every woman shall ask her neighbor and any woman staying in her house for silver and gold jewelry and clothing, and you will put them on your sons and daughters. So you will plunder the Egyptians."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

will not: Exodus 5:2, Exodus 7:4

no, not by a mighty hand: or, but by a strong hand, Exodus 6:1, Exodus 7:1 - Exodus 14:31, Psalms 136:11, Psalms 136:12, Isaiah 63:12, Isaiah 63:13

Reciprocal: Exodus 11:9 - Pharaoh Exodus 12:31 - Rise up Deuteronomy 6:21 - with a mighty 1 Kings 8:42 - thy strong hand 2 Chronicles 6:32 - thy mighty Psalms 78:43 - How Psalms 89:10 - thy strong arm Romans 3:7 - if the truth 1 Peter 5:6 - the

Cross-References

Genesis 3:12
And the man answered, "The woman whom You gave me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate it."

Genesis 3:13
Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" "The serpent deceived me," she replied, "and I ate."

Genesis 3:16
To the woman He said: "I will sharply increase your pain in childbirth; in pain you will bring forth children. You will desire your husband, and he will rule over you."

Genesis 3:21
And the LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.

Genesis 3:22
Then the LORD God said, "Behold, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. And now, lest he reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever..."

Genesis 18:27
Then Abraham answered, "Now that I have ventured to speak to the Lord-though I am but dust and ashes-

Genesis 23:4
"I am a stranger and an outsider among you. Give me a burial site among you so that I can bury my dead."

Job 1:21
saying: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD."

Job 19:26
Even after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God.

Job 21:26
But together they lie down in the dust, and worms cover them both.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go,.... Or "but" c "I am sure", c. though so reasonable a request was made him, yet it would not be granted this is observed to them, that they might not be discouraged when he should refuse to dismiss them, which the omniscient God knew beforehand, and acquaints them with it, that, when it came to pass, they might be induced to believe that the mission of Moses was of God, rather than the contrary:

no, not by a mighty hand; the mighty power of God displayed once and again, even in nine plagues inflicted on him, until the tenth and last came upon him; or "unless by a mighty hand" d, even the almighty hand of God; prayers, entreaties, persuasions, and arguments, will signify nothing, unless the mighty power of God is exerted upon him.

c אני "ego autem", Junius Tremellius, Piscator "sed ego", V. L. d ולא εαν μη Sept. "nisi", V. L. Pagninus, Vatablus; so Noldius, p. 344. No. 1246.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

No, not - See the marginal rendering. Others explain it to mean, Pharaoh will not let the people go even when severely smitten.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 3:19. I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand — When the facts detailed in this history have been considered in connection with the assertion as it stands in our Bibles, the most palpable contradiction has appeared. That the king of Egypt did let them go, and that by a mighty hand, the book itself amply declares. We should therefore seek for another meaning of the original word. ולא velo, which generally means and not, has sometimes the meaning of if not, unless, except, c. and in Becke's Bible, 1549, it is thus translated: I am sure that the kyng of Egypt wyl not let you go, EXCEPT wyth a mighty hand. This import of the negative particle, which is noticed by Noldius, Heb. Part., p. 328, was perfectly understood by the Vulgate, where it is translated nisi, unless; and the Septuagint in their εαν μη which is of the same import; and so also the Coptic. The meaning therefore is very plain: The king of Egypt, who now profits much by your servitude, will not let you go till he sees my hand stretched out, and he and his nation be smitten with ten plagues. Hence God immediately adds, Exodus 3:20: I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders -and after that, he will let you go.