Exodus 5:2

King James Version with Strong's Numbers

And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֔ה מִ֤י יְהוָה֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אֶשְׁמַ֣ע בְּקֹל֔וֹ לְשַׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לֹ֤א יָדַ֙עְתִּי֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֔ה וְגַ֥ם אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹ֥א אֲשַׁלֵּֽחַ׃

Transliteration

And wayyōʾmer Parʿōh: Who is YHWH ʾăšer I should ʾešmaʿ to his qōl to ləšallaḥ ʾet-Yiśrāʾēl? Not yādaʿtî ʾet-YHWH and also ʾet-Yiśrāʾēl not ʾăšallēaḥ.

Grammar Details

• *wayyōʾmer*: qal imperfect with waw consecutive, 3rd masculine singular - and he said
• *Parʿōh*: proper noun, masculine singular - Pharaoh
• *mî*: interrogative pronoun - who?
• *YHWH*: proper noun, divine name - Yahweh
• *ʾăšer*: relative particle - that, who, which
• *ʾešmaʿ*: qal imperfect, 1st singular - I should listen/heed/obey
• *bə*: preposition - in, with, by
• *qōl*: noun, masculine singular construct with 3rd masculine singular suffix - his voice
• *lə*: preposition - to, for
• *šallaḥ*: piel infinitive construct - to send away, release
• *ʾet*: direct object marker
• *Yiśrāʾēl*: proper noun - Israel
• *lōʾ*: negative particle - not
• *yādaʿtî*: qal perfect, 1st singular - I know/knew
• *wə*: conjunction - and
• *gam*: adverb - also, moreover
• *ʾăšallēaḥ*: piel imperfect, 1st singular - I will send away, release

Word Meanings

• *wayyōʾmer*: and he said, he replied, he answered
• *mî*: who?, which one?
• *ʾăšer*: who, which, that
• *ʾešmaʿ*: I should listen to, obey, heed
• *qōl*: voice, sound, noise
• *šallaḥ*: to send away, release, let go
• *yādaʿtî*: I know, I have known, I recognize
• *ʾăšallēaḥ*: I will release, I will let go, I will send away

Referenced Verses

• Exod 3:19 : 19 And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.
• 2 Kgs 18:35 : 35 Who are they among all the gods of the countries, that have delivered their country out of mine hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of mine hand?
• Job 21:15 : 15 What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
• Ps 10:4 : 4 The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.
• Ps 12:4 : 4 Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?
• Ps 14:1 : 1 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
• Jer 44:16-17 : 16 As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee. 17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil.
• John 16:3 : 3 And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
• Rom 1:28 : 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
• 2 Thess 1:8 : 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
• 2 Chr 32:15 : 15 Now therefore let not Hezekiah deceive you, nor persuade you on this manner, neither yet believe him: for no god of any nation or kingdom was able to deliver his people out of mine hand, and out of the hand of my fathers: how much less shall your God deliver you out of mine hand?
• 2 Chr 32:19 : 19 And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man.
• 1 Sam 2:12 : 12 Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial; they knew not the LORD.