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Exodus 7:16

Context
7:16 Tell him, ‘The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you to say, 1  “Release my people, that they may serve me 2  in the desert!” But until now 3  you have not listened. 4 

1 tn The form לֵאמֹר (lemor) is the Qal infinitive construct with the lamed (ל) preposition. It is used so often epexegetically that it has achieved idiomatic status – “saying” (if translated at all). But here it would make better sense to take it as a purpose infinitive. God sent him to say these words.

2 tn The imperfect tense with the vav (וְיַעַבְדֻנִי, vÿyaavduni) following the imperative is in volitive sequence, showing the purpose – “that they may serve me.” The word “serve” (עָבַד, ’avad) is a general term to include religious observance and obedience.

3 tn The final עַד־כֹּה (’ad-koh, “until now”) narrows the use of the perfect tense to the present perfect: “you have not listened.” That verb, however, involves more than than mere audition. It has the idea of responding to, hearkening, and in some places obeying; here “you have not complied” might catch the point of what Moses is saying, while “listen” helps to maintain the connection with other uses of the verb.

4 tn Or “complied” (שָׁמַעְתָּ, shamata).



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