Exodus 13:15

13:15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused ¹  to release us, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of people to the firstborn of animals. ²  That is why I am sacrificing ³  to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb, but all my firstborn sons I redeem.’

Exodus 16:29

16:29 See, because the Lord has given you the Sabbath, that is why ⁴  he is giving you food for two days on the sixth day. Each of you stay where you are; ⁵  let no one ⁶  go out of his place on the seventh day.”

Exodus 18:14

18:14 When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, “What is this ⁷  that you are doing for the people? ⁸  Why are you sitting by yourself, and all the people stand around you from morning until evening?”

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¹ tn Heb “dealt hardly in letting us go” or “made it hard to let us go” (see S. R. Driver, Exodus, 110). The verb is the simple Hiphil perfect הִקְשָׁה (hiqshah, “he made hard”); the infinitive construct לְשַׁלְּחֵנוּ (lÿshallÿkhenu, “to release us”) could be taken epexegetically, meaning “he made releasing us hard.” But the infinitive more likely gives the purpose or the result after the verb “hardened himself.” The verb is figurative for “be stubborn” or “stubbornly refuse.”

² tn The text uses “man” and “beast.”

³ tn The form is the active participle.

⁴ sn Noting the rabbinic teaching that the giving of the Sabbath was a sign of God’s love – it was accomplished through the double portion on the sixth day – B. Jacob says, “God made no request unless He provided the means for its execution” (Exodus, 461).

⁵ tn Heb “remain, a man where he is.”

⁶ tn Or “Let not anyone go” (see GKC 445 §138.d).

⁷ tn Heb “what is this thing.”

⁸ sn This question, “what are you doing for the people,” is qualified by the next question. Sitting alone all day and the people standing around all day showed that Moses was exhibiting too much care for the people – he could not do this.