Exodus 3:19

JPS Old Testament

And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go, except by a mighty hand.

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.

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.

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

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

¹⁶ Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, hath appeared unto me, saying: I have surely remembered you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt. ¹⁷ And I have said: I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁸ And they shall hearken to thy voice. And thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him: The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, hath met with us. And now let us go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God. ¹⁹ And I know that the king of Egypt will not give you leave to go, except by a mighty hand. ²⁰ And I will put forth My hand, and smite Egypt with all My wonders which I will do in the midst thereof. And after that he will let you go. ²¹ And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. And it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty; ²² but every woman shall ask of her neighbour, and of her that sojourneth in her house, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment; and ye shall put them upon your sons, and upon your daughters; and ye shall spoil 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 said: 'The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.'

Genesis 3:13
And the LORD God said unto the woman: 'What is this thou hast done?' And the woman said: 'The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.'

Genesis 3:16
Unto the woman He said: 'I will greatly multiply thy pain and thy travail; in pain thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.'

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

Genesis 3:22
And the LORD God said: 'Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil; and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever.'

Genesis 18:27
And Abraham answered and said: 'Behold now, I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.

Genesis 23:4
'I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.'

Job 1:21
And he said; naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither; the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

Job 19:26
And when after my skin this is destroyed, then without my flesh shall I see God;

Job 21:26
They lie down alike in the dust, and the worm covereth them.

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.