Exodus 11:3
in Exodus 11And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jehovah gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people.
KJV
And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people.
⋯
This verse in Exodus 11
Commentary
6 notes on this verseAbout Isaac it is said that "he grew strong until he became great, exceedingly great." Moses was called "great," and John the Baptist was called "great," and now Jesus is called "great," and after this no one is any longer called "great." For before he who is truly "great" had come, in comparison with the rest of men, the saints whom we mentioned earlier were called "great."
This site's exposition
let every man borrow of his neighbour
on Exodus 11:2-3
The instruction repeats a promise made at the bush, where Exodus 3:21 and 3:22 said the people would not go out empty, and Exodus 12:35 reports it carried out. Adam Clarke argues at 3:22 that the English borrow misrepresents the Hebrew shaal, which is the ordinary verb for asking, so what the text describes is a request granted rather than a loan never repaid. Behind both stands Genesis 15:14, where God told Abram that afterward shall they come out with great substance. The favour is given by the LORD, and the same verse says the man who fled Egypt at 2:15 is now great in the sight of Pharaoh's own servants.
This site's exposition
Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt
Adam Clarke traces this regard to the signs Pharaoh's officials had watched Moses work through nine plagues. In his reading the same standing kept Moses from violence at a hostile court. Origen counts him among the few men Scripture calls great.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
When Moses had come to the place which God shows him, he is not permitted to ascend, but first God says to him, "Loose the tie of the shoes from your feet." None of these things are said to Abraham and Isaac, but they ascend and do not put aside their shoes. The reason for this is perhaps that although Moses was "great," he was nevertheless coming from Egypt, and some fetters of mortality were bound to his feet. Abraham and Isaac, however, have none of these, but "they come to the place."
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The man Moses was very great - The miracles which Pharaoh and his servants had already seen him work had doubtless impressed them with a high opinion of his wisdom and power. Had he not appeared in their sight as a very extraordinary person, whom it would have been very dangerous to molest, we may naturally conclude that some violence would long ere this have been offered to his person.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
The purport thereof is that the Egyptians did not hate them because of the plagues. Instead, they conceived affection for them, and the Israelites found favor in their eyes, the Egyptians acknowledging, “we are the wicked ones.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
THUS SAITH THE ETERNAL: ABOUT MIDNIGHT WILL I GO OUT INTO THE MIDST OF EGYPT. Moses said this to Pharaoh and to his servants, as he mentioned at the end of his words, And all these thy servants shall come down unto me. 91 Verse.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּתֵּ֧ן | vaiyiten | and he gave | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| יְהוָ֛ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| חֵ֥ן | chen | [the] favor of | H2580 → | 69 times |
| הָעָ֖ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| בְּעֵינֵ֣י | beeinei | in [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| מִצְרָ֑יִם | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4713 → | 70 times |
| גַּ֣ם׀ | gam | also | H1571 → | 769 times |
| הָאִ֣ישׁ | haish | the man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֗ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| גָּד֤וֹל | gadol | [was] great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| מְאֹד֙ | meod | very | H3966 → | 300 times |
| בְּאֶ֣רֶץ | beeretz | in [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| מִצְרַ֔יִם | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| בְּעֵינֵ֥י | beeinei | in [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| עַבְדֵֽי־ | ʾavdei- | [the] servants of | H5650 → | 799 times |
| פַרְעֹ֖ה | faroh | Pharaoh | H6547 → | 274 times |
| וּבְעֵינֵ֥י | uveeinei | and in [the] eyes of | H5869 → | 887 times |
| הָעָֽם׃ ס | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
וַיִּתֵּ֧ןand he gave
vaiyitenH5414 →2011 times
יְהוָ֛הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
חֵ֥ן[the] favor of
chenH2580 →69 times
הָעָ֖םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
בְּעֵינֵ֣יin [the] eyes of
beeineiH5869 →887 times
מִצְרָ֑יִםEgypt
mitzrayimH4713 →70 times
גַּ֣ם׀also
gamH1571 →769 times
הָאִ֣ישׁthe man
haishH376 →1663 times
מֹשֶׁ֗הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
גָּד֤וֹל[was] great
gadolH1419 →526 times
מְאֹד֙very
meodH3966 →300 times
בְּאֶ֣רֶץin [the] land of
beeretzH776 →2504 times
מִצְרַ֔יִםEgypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
בְּעֵינֵ֥יin [the] eyes of
beeineiH5869 →887 times
עַבְדֵֽי־[the] servants of
ʾavdei-H5650 →799 times
פַרְעֹ֖הPharaoh
farohH6547 →274 times
וּבְעֵינֵ֥יand in [the] eyes of
uveeineiH5869 →887 times
הָעָֽם׃ סthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Isaiah 60:14The sons of your oppressors will come and bow down to you; all who reviled you will fall facedown at your feet and call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy…
it leads to
- Isaiah 49:23
Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow to you facedown and lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD;…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Isaiah 45:14
This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, along with the Sabeans, men of stature, will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Revelation 3:9
Look at those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews but are liars instead. I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know…
- Isaiah 49:23
Through
Exodus 3:21And I will grant this people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that when you leave, you will not go away empty-handed.
it leads to
- Psalms 105:37
He brought Israel out with silver and gold, and none among His tribes stumbled.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 12:36
And the LORD gave the people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that they granted their request. In this way they plundered the Egyptians.
- Genesis 39:21
the LORD was with him and extended kindness to him, granting him favor in the eyes of the prison warden.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Psalms 105:37
Through
Revelation 3:9Look at those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews but are liars instead. I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and they will know…
it leads to
- Isaiah 60:14
The sons of your oppressors will come and bow down to you; all who reviled you will fall facedown at your feet and call you the City of the LORD, Zion of the Holy…
- Revelation 2:9
I know your affliction and your poverty—though you are rich! And I am aware of the slander of those who falsely claim to be Jews, but are in fact a synagogue of Satan.
- Isaiah 60:14
About Exodus
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON LEVITICUS 12.2.5; Origen of Alexandria, Homilies on Leviticus and Origen of Alexandria, HOMILIES ON GENESIS 8:7.