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Tuesday, July 8th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Read the Bible

Wycliffe Bible

Exodus 14:12

Whether this is not the word which we spaken to thee in Egipt, `and seiden, Go awei fro vs, that we serue Egipcians? for it is myche betere to serue hem, than to die in wildirnesse.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Doubting;   Egypt;   Egyptians;   Infidelity;   Israel;   Murmuring;   Prayer;   Presumption;   Readings, Select;   Servant;   Trouble;   Uncharitableness;   Thompson Chain Reference - Courage-Fear;   Servility;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Egypt;  

Dictionaries:

- Fausset Bible Dictionary - Moses;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Exodus, Book of;   Horseman;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Exodus;   Red Sea;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Exodus, the;   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;   On to Canaan;   Moses, the Man of God;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Abiram;   Moses;  

Devotionals:

- Every Day Light - Devotion for March 20;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Isn't this the word that we spoke to you in Mitzrayim, saying, 'Leave us alone, that we may serve the Mitzrim?' For it were better for us to serve the Mitzrim, than that we should die in the wilderness."
King James Version
Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
Lexham English Bible
Isn't this the word we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone so that we can serve Egypt!' because serving Egypt is better for us than our dying in the desert."
New Century Version
We told you in Egypt, ‘Let us alone; we will stay and serve the Egyptians.' Now we will die in the desert."
New English Translation
Isn't this what we told you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone so that we can serve the Egyptians, because it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!'"
Amplified Bible
"Did we not say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians?' For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians [as slaves] than to die in the wilderness."
New American Standard Bible
"Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, 'Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness!"
Geneva Bible (1587)
Did not wee tell thee this thing in Egypt, saying, Let vs be in rest, that we may serue the Egyptians? for it had bene better for vs to serue the Egyptians, then that wee shoulde dye in the wildernesse.
Legacy Standard Bible
Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than for us to die in the wilderness."
Contemporary English Version
While we were there, didn't we tell you to leave us alone? We had rather be slaves in Egypt than die in this desert!"
Complete Jewish Bible
Didn't we tell you in Egypt to let us alone, we'll just go on being slaves for the Egyptians? It would be better for us to be the Egyptians' slaves than to die in the desert!"
Darby Translation
Is not this what we told thee in Egypt, when we said, Let us alone, and we will serve the Egyptians? For [it had been] better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.
Easy-to-Read Version
We told you this would happen! In Egypt we said, ‘Please don't bother us. Let us stay and serve the Egyptians.' It would have been better for us to stay and be slaves than to come out here and die in the desert."
English Standard Version
Is not this what we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."
George Lamsa Translation
Is not this the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in this wilderness.
Good News Translation
Didn't we tell you before we left that this would happen? We told you to leave us alone and let us go on being slaves of the Egyptians. It would be better to be slaves there than to die here in the desert."
Christian Standard Bible®
Isn’t this what we told you in Egypt: Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
Literal Translation
Is this not the word which we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, Go away from us, and let us serve the Egyptians. For it is good for us to serve the Egyptians, than to die in the wilderness.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Is not this it, that we sayde vnto the in Egipte? Leaue of, & let vs serue the Egipcians: for it were better for vs to serue the Egipcians, then to dye in the wyldernes?
American Standard Version
Is not this the word that we spake unto thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
Bible in Basic English
Did we not say to you in Egypt, Let us be as we are, working for the Egyptians? for it is better to be the servants of the Egyptians than to come to our death in the waste land.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Dyd not we tell thee this in Egypt, saying, let vs be in rest, that we maye serue the Egyptians? For it had ben better for vs to haue serued the Egyptians, then for to dye in the wyldernesse.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Is not this the word that we spoke unto thee in Egypt, saying: Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.'
King James Version (1611)
Is not this the word that wee did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let vs alone, that we may serue the Egyptians? For it had bene better for vs to serue the Egyptians, then that wee should die in the wildernesse.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Is not this the word which we spoke to thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians? for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in this wilderness.
English Revised Version
Is not this the word that we spake unto thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
Berean Standard Bible
Did we not say to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."
Young's Literal Translation
Is not this the word which we spake unto thee in Egypt, saying, Cease from us, and we serve the Egyptians; for better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in a wilderness?'
Update Bible Version
Isn't this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than we should die in the wilderness.
Webster's Bible Translation
[Is] not this the word that we told thee in Egypt, Saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For [it had been] better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
World English Bible
Isn't this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, 'Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians?' For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness."
New King James Version
Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, "Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness."
New Living Translation
Didn't we tell you this would happen while we were still in Egypt? We said, ‘Leave us alone! Let us be slaves to the Egyptians. It's better to be a slave in Egypt than a corpse in the wilderness!'"
New Life Bible
Did we not tell you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone and let us serve the Egyptians'? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die here."
New Revised Standard
Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, ‘Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Is not this the word which we spake unto thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians, - for it is better for us, to serve the Egyptians, than to die in the desert?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Is not this the word that we spoke to thee in Egypt, saying: Depart from us, that we may serve the Egyptians? for it was much better to serve them, than to die in the wilderness.
Revised Standard Version
Is not this what we said to you in Egypt, 'Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."

Contextual Overview

10 And whanne Farao hadde neiyed the sones of Israel, reisiden her iyen, and thei sien Egipcians bihynde hem, and dredden greetli; and thei crieden to the Lord, 11 and seiden to Moises, In hap sepulcris weren not in Egipt, therfor thou hast take vs awei, that we schulen die in wildirnesse? what woldist thou do this, that thou leddist vs out of Egipt? 12 Whether this is not the word which we spaken to thee in Egipt, `and seiden, Go awei fro vs, that we serue Egipcians? for it is myche betere to serue hem, than to die in wildirnesse. 13 And Moises seide to the puple, Nyle ye drede, stonde ye, and `se ye the grete werkys of God, whiche he schal do to dai; for ye schulen no more se Egipcians, whiche ye seen now, til in to with outen ende; 14 the Lord schal fiyte for you, and ye schulen be stille.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Is not this: Exodus 5:21, Exodus 3:9

Let us alone: Hosea 4:17, Mark 1:24, Mark 5:7, Mark 5:17, Mark 5:18

For it had: Jonah 4:3, Jonah 4:8

Reciprocal: Exodus 6:9 - hearkened Exodus 13:17 - the people repent Exodus 17:2 - the people Numbers 20:4 - that we Joshua 7:7 - to deliver 1 Samuel 8:8 - General 1 Samuel 27:1 - there is nothing 2 Samuel 14:32 - it had been Psalms 78:42 - the day Psalms 106:7 - but Acts 7:39 - and in

Cross-References

Genesis 11:27
Sotheli these ben the generaciouns of Thare. Thare gendride Abram, Nachor, and Aran. Forsothe Aran gendride Loth;
Genesis 12:5
And he took Saray, his wijf, and Loth, the sone of his brother, and al the substaunce which thei hadden in possessioun, and the men whiche thei hadden bigete in Aran; and thei yeden out that thei `schulen go in to the loond of Chanaan. And whanne they camen in to it,
Genesis 14:9
that is, ayens Chodorlaomor, kyng of Elamytis, and Thadal, kyng of folkis, and Amrafel, kyng of Sennaar, and Ariok, kyng of Ponte; foure kyngis ayens fyue.
Genesis 14:11
Sotheli thei token awei al the catel of Sodom and Gomorre, and alle thingis that perteynen to mete, and yeden awei;
Genesis 14:12
also and thei token awey Loth and his catel, the sone of the brother of Abram, which Loth dwellide in Sodom.
Genesis 14:13
And, lo! oon that ascapide, telde to Abram Ebrew, that dwellide in the valei of Mambre of Amorrei, brother of Escol, and brother of Aner; for these maden couenaunt of pees with Abram.
Genesis 14:17
Sotheli the kyng of Sodom yede out in to the metyng of him, after that he turnede ayen fro sleyng of Chodorlaomor, and of kyngis that weren with him, in the valei of Sabe, which is the valey of the kyng.
Genesis 14:19
and he blesside Abram, and seide, Blessid be Abram of hiy God, that made heuene and erthe of nouyt,
Numbers 16:26
he seide to the cumpeny, Go ye awey fro the tabernaclis of wickid men, and nyle ye touche tho thingis that parteynen to hem, lest ye ben wlappid in the synnes of hem.
Job 9:23
If he betith, sle he onys, and leiye he not of the peynes of innocent men.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt,.... The thing they suggested to him, and talked with him about while they were in the land of Egypt, before they came out of it, particularly after their service and bondage were made more severe and cruel upon Moses and Aaron's demanding their dismission, see Exodus 5:21:

saying, let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? peaceably and quietly, as we have been used to do, since there is no likelihood of being freed, and since we are more evilly treated than before:

for it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness: of such mean spirits were they, and had so poor a notion of, and taste for liberty, and so ungrateful were they to their deliverer.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Let us alone - This is a gross exaggeration, yet not without a semblance of truth: for although the Israelites welcomed the message of Moses at first, they gave way completely at the first serious trial. See the reference in the margin. The whole passage foreshadows the conduct of the people in the wilderness.


 
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