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Monday, July 14th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

Exodus 14:3

Pharaoh will think that the Israelites are lost in the desert and that the people will have no place to go.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - God Continued...;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Deserts;  

Dictionaries:

- Fausset Bible Dictionary - Moses;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Exodus, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Exodus;   Moses;   Red Sea;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Migdol;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Ouches;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Red Sea;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Exodus, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Entangle;   Exodus, the Book of;   Pi-Hahiroth;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for March 20;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Par`oh will say of the children of Yisra'el, 'They are entangled in the land. The wilderness has shut them in.'
King James Version
For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
Lexham English Bible
And Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, ‘They are wandering around in the land. The desert has closed in on them.'
New Century Version
The king will think, ‘The Israelites are lost, trapped by the desert.'
New English Translation
Pharaoh will think regarding the Israelites, ‘They are wandering around confused in the land—the desert has closed in on them.'
Amplified Bible
"For Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, 'They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.'
New American Standard Bible
"For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, 'They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.'
Geneva Bible (1587)
For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are tangled in the land: the wildernesse hath shut them in.
Legacy Standard Bible
And Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, ‘They are wandering in confusion in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.'
Contemporary English Version
The king will think they were afraid to cross the desert and that they are wandering around, trying to find another way to leave the country.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then Pharaoh will say that the people of Isra'el are wandering aimlessly in the countryside, the desert has closed in on them.
Darby Translation
And Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness has hemmed them in.
English Standard Version
For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They are wandering in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.'
George Lamsa Translation
For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are strangers in the land, the wilderness has shut them in.
Good News Translation
The king will think that the Israelites are wandering around in the country and are closed in by the desert.
Christian Standard Bible®
Pharaoh will say of the Israelites: They are wandering around the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in.
Literal Translation
And Pharaoh will say as to the sons of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness has shut them in,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
For Pharao shall saye of the children of Israel: They can not tell how to get out of the londe, the wyldernesse hath shut them in.
American Standard Version
And Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
Bible in Basic English
And Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are wandering without direction, they are shut in by the waste land.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For Pharao wyll say of the chyldren of Israel: they are tangled in the lande, the wyldernesse hath shut them in.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel: They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
King James Version (1611)
For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are intangled in the land, the wildernesse hath shut them in.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Pharao will say to his people, As for these children of Israel, they are wandering in the land, for the wilderness has shut them in.
English Revised Version
And Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
Berean Standard Bible
For Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, 'They are wandering the land in confusion; the wilderness has boxed them in.'
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Farao schal seie on the sones of Israel, Thei ben maad streit in the lond, the deseert hath closid hem to gidere.
Young's Literal Translation
and Pharaoh hath said of the sons of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut upon them;
Update Bible Version
And Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness has shut them in.
Webster's Bible Translation
For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, They [are] entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.
World English Bible
Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, 'They are entangled in the land. The wilderness has shut them in.'
New King James Version
For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, "They are bewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.'
New Living Translation
Then Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are confused. They are trapped in the wilderness!'
New Life Bible
For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, ‘They have lost their way. The desert has shut them in.'
New Revised Standard
Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, "They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has closed in on them."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then will Pharaoh say, of the sons of Israel, Entangled, they are in the land, - the desert hath closed in upon them.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Pharao will say of the children of Israel: They are straitened in the land, the desert hath shut them in.
Revised Standard Version
For Pharaoh will say of the people of Israel, 'They are entangled in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.'
THE MESSAGE
"Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are lost; they're confused. The wilderness has closed in on them.' Then I'll make Pharaoh's heart stubborn again and he'll chase after them. And I'll use Pharaoh and his army to put my Glory on display. Then the Egyptians will realize that I am God ." And that's what happened.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"For Pharaoh will say of the sons of Israel, 'They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has shut them in.'

Contextual Overview

1 Then the Lord said to Moses, 2 "Tell the people to go back to Pi Hahiroth. Tell them to spend the night between Migdol and the Red Sea, near Baal Zephon. 3 Pharaoh will think that the Israelites are lost in the desert and that the people will have no place to go. 4 I will make Pharaoh brave, and he will chase you. But I will defeat Pharaoh and his army. This will bring honor to me. Then the people of Egypt will know that I am the Lord ." So the Israelites did what he told them. 5 Pharaoh received a report that the Israelites had escaped. When he heard this, he and his officials changed their minds about what they had done. Pharaoh said, "Why did we let the Israelites leave? Why did we let them run away? Now we have lost our slaves!" 6 So Pharaoh prepared his chariot and took his men with him. 7 He took 600 of his best men and all of his chariots. There was an officer in each chariot. 8 The Israelites were leaving with their arms raised in victory. But the Lord caused Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to become brave. And Pharaoh chased the Israelites. 9 The Egyptian army had many horse soldiers and chariots. They chased the Israelites and caught up with them while they were camped near the Red Sea at Pi Hahiroth, east of Baal Zephon.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Pharaoh: Exodus 7:3, Exodus 7:4, Deuteronomy 31:21, Psalms 139:2, Psalms 139:4, Ezekiel 38:10, Ezekiel 38:11, Ezekiel 38:17, Acts 4:28

They are entangled: Judges 16:2, 1 Samuel 23:7, 1 Samuel 23:23, Psalms 3:2, Psalms 71:11, Jeremiah 20:10, Jeremiah 20:11

Reciprocal: Joshua 8:6 - They flee Judges 15:14 - the Philistines 2 Chronicles 32:14 - your God Jeremiah 34:11 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 19:24
and the Lord began to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah. He caused fire and burning sulfur to fall from the sky.
Numbers 34:12
Then the border will continue along the Jordan River. It will end at the Dead Sea. These are the borders around your country."
Deuteronomy 3:17
The Jordan River near the desert is their western border. Lake Galilee is north of this area and the Dead Sea is to the south. It is at the bottom of the cliffs of Pisgah, which are to the east.
Joshua 3:16
immediately the water stopped flowing and piled up like a wall. The water piled up high a long way up the river—all the way to Adam (a town near Zarethan). And the water flowing down to the sea of Arabah (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. The people crossed the river near Jericho.
Psalms 107:34
He made the fertile land become salty, because the people living there did such evil things.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel,.... The Septuagint version adds, "to his people", his ministers and courtiers, when he hears where they are:

they are entangled in the land; have lost their way, and got into places they cannot easily get out of, and are perplexed in their minds, and do not know what way to take or course to steer:

the wilderness hath shut them in; or, "shut up the way to them" n; the wilderness between the mountains the above mentioned traveller speaks of o the mountains of Gewoubee; these would stop their flight or progress to the southward, as those of the Attackah would do the same towards the land of the Philistines; the Red sea likewise lay before them to the east, while Pharaoh (could) close up the valley behind them, with his chariots and his horsemen; and which, no doubt, appeared very advantageous and encouraging to him, as it must be very distressing to the Israelites.

n סגר עליהם "clausit viam illis", Pagninus, "praeclusit sese illis", Vatablus. o Dr. Shaw's Travels, p. 309. Ed. 2.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

They are entangled ... - The original intention of Moses was to go toward Palestine by the wilderness: when that purpose was changed by God’s direction and they moved southwards, Pharaoh, on receiving information, was of course aware that they were completely shut in, since the waters of the Red Sea then extended to the Bitter Lakes. It is known that the Red Sea at some remote period extended considerably further toward the north than it does at present. In the time of Moses the water north of Kolsum joined the Bitter Lakes, though at present the constant accumulation of sand has covered the intervening space to the extent of 8000 to 10,000 yards.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 14:3. They are entangled in the land — God himself brought them into straits from which no human power or art could extricate them. Consider their situation when once brought out of the open country, where alone they had room either to fight or fly. Now they had the Red Sea before them, Pharaoh and his host behind them, and on their right and left hand fortresses of the Egyptians to prevent their escape; nor had they one boat or transport prepared for their passage! If they be now saved, the arm of the Lord must be seen, and the vanity and nullity of the Egyptian idols be demonstrated. By bringing them into such a situation he took from them all hope of human help, and gave their adversaries every advantage against them, so that they themselves said, They are entangled in the land, the wilderness hath shut them in.


 
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