Definition: 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 God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three daysâ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.
Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from Exodus 3:18. It’s a really important passage about God's plan to free his people from slavery. Here’s a simplified explanation: The Basic Idea: God is telling Moses (and the Israelites) that he wants to help them escape the terrible situation of being enslaved by the Egyptians. Let's unpack it piece by piece: “And they shall hearken to thy voice…” : This means God is calling people to listen to him and obey his commands. It’s a direct plea for obedience. “…and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt…” : This describes a specific journey – a three-day walk into the wilderness. “Thou” refers to Moses and the leaders of Israel (the people God chose). "The elders" means all the leaders and experienced people in their group. “…and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us…” : This is the key part. God is telling them that he has already made a deal with Pharaoh, the Egyptian king, long ago. He’s not just talking about a vague agreement; he's saying God himself intervened in a significant way. "...and now let us go, we beseech thee, three daysâ journey into the wilderness…” : This is a request – they need to travel for a specific period of time into the wilderness. "We beseech thee" means “we beg you” or “we implore you.” They’re asking for permission and guidance. "...that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God." : This is the purpose of their journey. They need to go to the Egyptian king and offer sacrifices (temple worship) to God. In a nutshell: God wants to free his people from slavery by sending them on a long journey into the wilderness, where they will perform a special ritual sacrifice to show their devotion and acknowledge God’s power. It's a crucial step in establishing a relationship with God and securing freedom for Israel. Why is this important? This verse sets up a major event in the story of the Israelites – it's the beginning of their escape from slavery, which ultimately leads to the establishment of a nation and a covenant between God and his people. --- Do you want me to: Explain any part of this verse in more detail? Connect it to a specific story or event in the Bible?