Exodus 3:7
in Exodus 3The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jehovah said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people that are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
KJV
And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;
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This verse in Exodus 3
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Taskmasters - Oppressors. A different word from that in Exo 1:11. I know - The expression implies personal feeling, tenderness, and compassion (compare Exo 2:25 margin).
This site's exposition
I have surely seen the affliction of my people
on Exodus 3:7-8
Three verbs answer the close of chapter 2, where God heard the groaning, remembered his covenant, looked upon the people and had respect unto them. Seen, heard and know stand here against taskmasters, cry and sorrows, so the rescue begins as an answer to something God has been listening to. I am come down repeats the movement of Genesis 11:5 at Babel, and the good land described in verse 8 is the land promised to Abram at Genesis 15:18 to 15:21, where a longer list of the same peoples is given.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt,....
It is likely they were not permitted to make a remonstrance of their grievances to Pharaoh, nor to seek relief against their task-masters in any of his courts, nor scarcely durst complain to one another; but God observed their tears. Note, Even the secret sorrows of God's people are known to him.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Moreover, the time, as well as all the circumstances of this miraculous appearance, were such as to give him an illustrious display of God's faithfulness to His promises. The period of Israel's journey and affliction in Egypt had been predicted (Ge 15:13), and it was during the last year of the term which had still to run that the Lord appeared in the burning bush.
I have surely seen - ראה ראיתי raoh raithi, seeing, I have seen - I have not only seen the afflictions of this people because I am omniscient, but I have considered their sorrows, and my eye affects my heart.
The words behind it
18 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| רָאֹ֥ה | raoh | certainly <to see> | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| רָאִ֛יתִי | raiti | I have seen | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| עֳנִ֥י | ʾoni | [the] affliction of | H6040 → | 36 times |
| עַמִּ֖י | ʾami | people my | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם | bemitzrayim | [is] in Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| צַעֲקָתָ֤ם | tzaakatam | cry of distress their | H6818 → | 21 times |
| שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙ | shama'ti | I have heard | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| מִפְּנֵ֣י | mipenei | <from> because of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| נֹֽגְשָׂ֔יו | nogesav | taskmasters its | H5065 → | 23 times |
| כִּ֥י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| יָדַ֖עְתִּי | yada'ti | I know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מַכְאֹבָֽיו׃ | makhovav | pains its | H4341 → |
וַיֹּ֣אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
רָאֹ֥הcertainly <to see>
raohH7200 →1300 times
רָאִ֛יתִיI have seen
raitiH7200 →1300 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
עֳנִ֥י[the] affliction of
ʾoniH6040 →36 times
עַמִּ֖יpeople my
ʾamiH5971 →1873 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם[is] in Egypt
bemitzrayimH4714 →641 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
צַעֲקָתָ֤םcry of distress their
tzaakatamH6818 →21 times
שָׁמַ֙עְתִּי֙I have heard
shama'tiH8085 →1159 times
מִפְּנֵ֣י<from> because of
mipeneiH6440 →2123 times
נֹֽגְשָׂ֔יוtaskmasters its
nogesavH5065 →23 times
כִּ֥יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
יָדַ֖עְתִּיI know
yada'tiH3045 →945 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
מַכְאֹבָֽיו׃pains its
makhovavH4341 →
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
Psalms 145:19He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry and saves them.
it leads to
- Psalms 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.
- Ephesians 3:16–20
I ask that out of the riches of His glory He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being,
- John 15:7
If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
- Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
- 1 John 5:15
And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him.
- Psalms 37:4
Through
Psalms 34:6This poor man called out, and the LORD heard him; He saved him from all his troubles.
it leads to
- Psalms 34:17–19
The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears; He delivers them from all their troubles.
- Psalms 3:4
To the LORD I cry aloud, and He answers me from His holy mountain. Selah
- Psalms 10:17
You have heard, O LORD, the desire of the humble; You will strengthen their hearts. You will incline Your ear,
- Psalms 34:17–19
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Exodus
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.