Exodus 4:22

Easy-to-Read Version

Then you should say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
You shall tell Par`oh, 'Thus says the LORD, Yisra'el is my son, my firstborn,

King James Version
And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord , Israel is my son, even my firstborn:

Lexham English Bible
And you must say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says Yahweh, "Israel is my son, my firstborn."

New Century Version
Then say to the king, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.

New English Translation
You must say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord , "Israel is my son, my firstborn,

Amplified Bible
"Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD, "Israel is My son, My firstborn.

New American Standard Bible
"Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'This is what the LORD says: "Israel is My son, My firstborn.

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then thou shalt say to Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lorde, Israel is my sonne, euen my first borne.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says Yahweh, "Israel is My son, My firstborn.

Contemporary English Version
Then tell him that I have said, "Israel is my first-born son,

Complete Jewish Bible
Then you are to tell Pharaoh: ‘ Adonai says, "Isra'el is my firstborn son.

Darby Translation
And thou shalt say to Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah: Israel is my son, my firstborn.

English Standard Version
Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord , Israel is my firstborn son,

George Lamsa Translation
And you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says the LORD, Israel is my first-born son;

Good News Translation
Then you must tell him that I, the Lord , say, ‘Israel is my first-born son.

Christian Standard Bible®
And you will say to Pharaoh: This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.

Literal Translation
And you shall speak to Pharaoh, So says Jehovah, My son, My first-born is Israel.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And thou shalt saie vnto Pharao: Thus sayeth ye LORDE: Israel is my first borne sonne,

American Standard Version
And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, Israel is my son, my first-born:

Bible in Basic English
And you are to say to Pharaoh, The Lord says, Israel is the first of my sons:

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And thou shalt saye vnto Pharao: Thus sayeth the Lorde, Israel is my sonne [euen] my first borne sonne.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh: Thus saith the LORD: Israel is My son, My first-born.

King James Version (1611)
And thou shalt say vnto Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my sonne, euen my first borne.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And thou shalt say to Pharao, These things saith the Lord, Israel is my first-born.

English Revised Version
And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, my firstborn:

Berean Standard Bible
Then tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says: 'Israel is My firstborn son,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The Lord seith these thingis, My firste gendrid sone is Israel;

Young's Literal Translation
and thou hast said unto Pharaoh, Thus said Jehovah, My son, My first-born [is] Israel,

Update Bible Version
And you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus says Yahweh, Israel is my son, my first-born:

Webster's Bible Translation
And thou shalt say to Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel [is] my son, [even] my first-born.

World English Bible
You shall tell Pharaoh, 'Thus says Yahweh, Israel is my son, my firstborn,

New King James Version
Then you shall say to Pharaoh, "Thus says the LORD: "Israel is My son, My firstborn.

New Living Translation
Then you will tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.

New Life Bible
Then say to Pharaoh, ‘The Lord says this: "Israel is My son, My first-born.

New Revised Standard
Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the Lord : Israel is my firstborn son.

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then shalt thou say unto Pharaoh, Thus, saith Yahweh - My son - my firstborn, is Israel;

Douay-Rheims Bible
And thou shalt say to him: Thus saith the Lord: Israel is my son, my firstborn.

Revised Standard Version
And you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD, Israel is my first-born son,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD, "Israel is My son, My firstborn.

Contextual Overview

¹⁸ Then Moses went back to Jethro, his father-in-law. Moses said to him, "Please let me go back to Egypt. I want to see if my people are still alive." Jethro said to Moses, "Go in peace." ¹⁹ Then, while Moses was still in Midian, the Lord said to him, "It is safe for you to go back to Egypt now. The men who wanted to kill you are now dead." ²⁰ So Moses put his wife and children on the donkey and returned to Egypt. He carried his walking stick with him—the walking stick with the power of God. ²¹ While Moses was traveling back to Egypt, the Lord spoke to him, "When you talk to Pharaoh remember to show him all the miracles that I have given you the power to do. But I will cause Pharaoh to be very stubborn. He will not let the people go. ²² Then you should say to Pharaoh, ‘This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son. ²³ And I am telling you to let my son go and worship me. If you refuse to let Israel go, then I will kill your firstborn son.'"

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Israel: Exodus 19:5, Exodus 19:6, Deuteronomy 14:1, Jeremiah 31:9, Hosea 11:1, Romans 9:4, 2 Corinthians 6:18, Hebrews 12:23, James 1:18

Reciprocal: Genesis 6:2 - the sons Exodus 9:1 - General Exodus 13:2 - Sanctify Exodus 15:2 - my God Exodus 21:4 - shall be her Deuteronomy 32:6 - thy father 2 Kings 1:16 - Forasmuch 1 Chronicles 2:42 - his firstborn Isaiah 63:8 - Surely Isaiah 63:16 - thou art Isaiah 64:8 - thou art Jeremiah 2:3 - all that Jeremiah 2:14 - Israel Malachi 1:6 - if then Matthew 2:15 - Out John 8:41 - we have

Cross-References

Exodus 25:3
Here is the list of the things that you should accept from the people: gold, silver, and bronze;

Numbers 31:22
You must put gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, or lead into the fire and then wash these things with the special water to make them pure. If something can be put in the fire, you must put it in fire to purify it. If things cannot be put in fire, you must still wash them with the special water.

Deuteronomy 8:9
There you will have plenty of food and everything you need. It is a land where the rocks are iron. You can dig copper out of the hills.

Deuteronomy 33:25
Your gates will have locks made from iron and bronze. You will be strong all your life."

2 Chronicles 2:7
"Now I would like you to send me a man who is skilled in working with gold, silver, bronze, and iron. He must know how to work with purple, red, and blue cloth. He will work here in Judah and Jerusalem with the craftsmen my father chose.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And thou shall say unto Pharaoh,.... When arrived in Egypt, and in his presence:

thus saith the Lord; he was to declare to him that he came in his name, and by his orders, and, as an ambassador of his, required the dismission of the children of Israel out of Egypt:

Israel [is] my son, [even] my firstborn; as dear to him as a man's firstborn is, or as his only son: adoption is one of the privileges peculiar to Israel after the flesh, even national adoption, with all the external privileges appertaining to it, Romans 9:4.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

My firstborn - The expression would be perfectly intelligible to Pharaoh, whose official designation was “son of Ra.” In numberless inscriptions the Pharaohs are styled “own sons” or “beloved sons” of the deity. It is here applied for the first time to Israel; and as we learn from Exodus 4:23, emphatically in antithesis to Pharaoh’s own firstborn.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 4:22. Israel is my son, even my firstborn — That is, The Hebrew people are unutterably dear to me.