Exodus 9:17 — Word Study
WLCעוֹדְךָ֖ מִסְתּוֹלֵ֣ל בְּעַמִּ֑י לְבִלְתִּ֖י שַׁלְּחָֽם׃
BSAStillʻôwd [yet, continuing in pride] you lord itçâlal over My peopleʻam [exalt yourself against, uplifted in pride against, My nation, Amaw] and do notbiltîy allow them to goshâlach [refuse to let, lest, to send them away, to depart]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| עוֹדְךָ֖ | still you | Suffix |
| מִסְתּוֹלֵ֣ל | [are] exalting yourself | Verb, Hithpael, participle (active) masculine singular |
| בְּעַמִּ֑י | on people my | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
| לְבִלְתִּ֖י | to not | Preposition, noun common both singular construct |
| שַׁלְּחָֽם׃ | to let go them | Verb piel infinitive construct common, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | Still, you lord it over My people and do not allow them to go. |
| KJV | As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? |
| ASV | As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? |
| YLT | still thou art exalting thyself against My people — so as not to send them away; |
| WEB | because you still exalt yourself against my people, that you won’t let them go. |
| BBE | Are you still uplifted in pride against my people so that you will not let them go? |
Where they part company is in the phrase עוֹדְךָ֖ — see How Translations Differ.
The main clause is followed by two phrases that clarify the subject and the action, emphasizing Pharaoh's continued oppression.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbסָלַל
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Exodus 9:17
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Challenge to Pharaohgenerated
Exodus 9:17 shows God confronting Pharaoh's arrogance as he continues to oppress the Israelites. Despite the plagues, Pharaoh remains obstinate, refusing to heed God's commands. This passage is part of the broader narrative of the Exodus, where God demonstrates His power and sovereignty over Egypt, aiming to free His people from slavery.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job 9:4 | God is wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has resisted Him and prospered? |
| 2 | Job 15:25–26 | For he has stretched out his hand against God and has vaunted himself against the Almighty, |
| 3 | Job 40:9 | Do you have an arm like God’s? Can you thunder with a voice like His? |
| 4 | Isaiah 10:15 | Does an axe raise itself above the one who swings it? Does a saw boast over him who saws with it? It would be like a rod waving the one who lifts it, or a staff lifting him who is not wood! |
| 5 | Isaiah 26:11 | O LORD, Your hand is upraised, but they do not see it. They will see Your zeal for Your people and be put to shame. The fire set for Your enemies will consume them! |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עוֹדְךָ֖, 'od.Khagenerated
The word עוֹד (‘od) indicates a sense of continuation or persistence. It emphasizes that Pharaoh's actions are ongoing, highlighting his refusal to relent in his pride and oppression.
This parsing as a suffix indicates a direct address to Pharaoh, reinforcing the personal nature of God's challenge to him.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
In this study, we analyze the verse as presented in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses the phrase you lord it over to capture Pharaoh's pride and authority over the Israelites.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb מִסְתּוֹלֵ֣ל (mis.to.Lel), meaning 'you are exalting yourself,' governs the sentence, with a subject and two phrases providing context. The structure emphasizes Pharaoh's actions and their implications.
The sentence's order places the adverbial עוֹדְךָ֖ ('od.Kha) at the beginning, highlighting the ongoing nature of Pharaoh's pride.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עוֹדְךָ֖ as σὺ (you), which retains the direct address to Pharaoh but lacks the nuance of 'still' that underscores the persistence of his pride.
The choice of ἐμποιῇ for מִסְתּוֹלֵ֣ל indicates a focus on the act of exalting oneself, aligning with the Hebrew meaning but potentially softening the emphasis on pride.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Exodus 9:17 shows God telling Pharaoh that he continues to dominate His people and refuses to let them go. This highlights Pharaoh's stubbornness and pride, which persist despite the plagues sent by God.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that Pharaoh exerts his authority and power over the Israelites, refusing to release them from slavery.
God confronts Pharaoh to demonstrate His sovereignty and to challenge Pharaoh's false sense of power.
This verse is part of the narrative where God seeks to free the Israelites from oppression, showcasing His power against Pharaoh's pride.
Pharaoh's stubbornness serves as a warning against pride and the refusal to heed God's commands.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life might I be resisting God's will as Pharaoh did?
- How can I recognize and confront pride in my own actions?
- What does this passage teach me about authority and accountability?
- How can I support those who are oppressed, following God's example of delivering His people?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Exodus 9:17 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAs yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?] And so against God himself, disobeying his commands, despising his messengers, and slighting his miracles, and
Read John Gill on Exodus 9 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryAnd in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. No JFB commentary on these verses.
Read Robert Jamieson on Exodus 9 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleAgainst my people, i.e. against me acting for my people. The gracious God takes what is done to or against his people as done to or against himself. See ,45 Acts 9:4,5.
Read Matthew Poole on Exodus 9 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsExodus 9:17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?Ver. 17. As yet exaltest thou thgself?] q.d., No amendment yet? A sore sign of a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction. It is ill with the body when physic will either not enter or not stay with us.
Read John Trapp on Exodus 9 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(17) As yet exaltest thou thyself?—Heb., Dost thou still exalt, or oppose, thyself against My people?—i.e., Art thou not tired of the contest? Dost thou still, in thy folly, continue it?
Read Charles John Ellicott on Exodus 9 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 17. As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people] So it appears that at this time he might have submitted, and thus prevented his own destruction.
Read AdamClarke on Exodus 9 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges17. exaltest thyself] A peculiar word, found only here. The root means to cast up a way (Isaiah 57:14; Isaiah 62:10); and the Heb. words for ‘Siege-mound,’ and ‘high-way’ (properly, a ‘raised way’), are derived from it; hence the meaning seems properly to be, ‘raisest thyself up as a mound (or obstacle) against my people,’ to oppose their release.
Read Cambridge on Exodus 9 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the BibleSEVENTH PLAGUE — THE HAIL, Exodus 9:13-35. The third triad of judgments is introduced with unusual formality and solemnity. Pharaoh was now a “vessel of wrath,” fit only for destruction. See note on Exodus 9:12.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Exodus 9 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
Still, you lord it over My people and do not allow them to go.
because you still exalt yourself against my people, that you won’t let them go.
Still, you lord it over My people and do not allow them to go.
You are still exalting yourself against my people by not releasing them.
Tyndale line
As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
As yet dost thou exalt thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
Yet thou exaltest thy selfe against my people, and lettest them not goe.
Strictly literal
Dost thou still exalt thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
still thou art exalting thyself against My people — so as not to send them away;
still you are exalting yourself against My people—so as not to send them away;
If thou dost yet wantonly oppress my people, so as not to let them go:
You are still lifting yourself up against my people by not letting them go.
From the Latin
Dost thou yet hold back my people: and wilt thou not let them go?
Simplified
But in your pride you are still tyrannizing my people, and refuse to let them leave.
Are you still uplifted in pride against my people so that you will not let them go?
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Samaritan Pentateuch agree word for word on this verse, affirming the consistency of the text across these traditions. The Septuagint also matches the Hebrew closely in terms of word correspondence.
עוֹדְךָ֖ מִסְתּוֹלֵ֣ל בְּעַמִּ֑י לְבִלְתִּ֖י שַׁלְּחָֽם׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
עודך מסתולל בעמי לבלתי שׁלחם
Agrees with the Masoretic Text here, word for word.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Exodus 9:17
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
עוֹד (owd) primarily denotes a sense of iteration or continuance, functioning mostly as an adverb meaning 'still,' 'yet,' or 'again.' It can also imply addition or repetition, as in 'more' or 'besides.' The word appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing persistence or continuation.
עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides
base
H5750 עוֹד and (14 t.) עֹד subst. a going round, continuance, but used mostly as adv. acc. still, yet, again, besides
5750 `owd ode
or rod {ode}; from 5749; properly, iteration or continuance;
used only adverbially (with or without preposition), again,
repeatedly, still, more:--again, X all life long, at all,
besides, but, else, further(-more), henceforth, (any) longer,
(any) more(-over), X once, since, (be) still, when, (good,
the) while (having being), (as, because, whether, while) yet
(within).
see HEBREW for 05749
עוֹד (od) — still.
subst
1) a going round, continuance
adv
2) still, yet, again, besides
2a) still, yet (of continuance or persistence)
2b) still, yet, more (of addition or repetition)
2c) again
2d) still, moreover, besides
Aramaic equivalent: od (עוֹד "still" H5751)
Adv | Suff — SuffixHAcmsc/Sp2ms
סָלַל (salal) is a Hebrew verb meaning to lift up or cast up, often in the context of building a highway or a way. It can also imply exalting oneself or something, as well as making something plain. The entries suggest a range of uses, from physical elevation to figurative exaltation.
[סָלַל] vb. lift up, cast up
Qal
cast up a highway
cast up a way
lift up
Pilp. exalt her (i.e. Wisdom)
Hithp. exalt oneself
base
H5549 סָלַל lift up, cast up
5549 calal saw-lal'
a primitive root; to mound up (especially a turnpike);
figurative, to exalt; reflexively, to oppose (as by a dam):--
cast up, exalt (self), extol, make plain, raise up.
סָלַל (sa.lal) — to build.
1) to lift up, cast up, exalt
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to cast up a highway
1a2) to cast up a way
1a3) to lift up (of song)
1b) (Pilpel) to exalt, esteem highly, prize
1c) (Hithpoel) to exalt oneself
V-r — Verb · Hithpael · participle (active) masculine singularHVtrmsa
עַם (am) primarily means 'people' or 'nation,' referring to a collective group, often in the context of tribes such as those of Israel. It can also denote kinsmen or compatriots. The term appears in various contexts, including military and familial references. There is a mention of a specific individual named Ammi in Song of Solomon 6:12.
עַם, עָם 1810 n.m. people
a people, nation
= smaller units
= common people
people in gen., persons
phrases
base
[עַם] n.[m.] kinsman (on father's side)
base
H5971a עַם, עָם people H5971b עַם kinsman (on father's side)
5971 `am am
from 6004; a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a
tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or
attendants; figuratively, a flock:--folk, men, nation,
people.
see HEBREW for 06004
עַם (am) — people.
: people/nation
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — kinsman.
kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Ammi.
A man living at the time of United Monarchy, only mentioned at Sng.6.12
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — People's (Gate).
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — (Ibleam)-am.
Combined with yiv.le.am (יִבְלְעָם "Ibleam" H2991)
§ kinsman, kindred
עַם (am) — Amaw.
This name means nation, people
עַם (am) — people: soldiers.
: soldiers/army
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
עַם (am) — people: creatures.
: creatures
1) nation, people
1a) people, nation
1b) persons, members of one's people, compatriots, country-men
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp1bs
בִּלְתִּי (bilti) is a Hebrew word primarily functioning as a negative particle meaning 'not' or 'except.' It can also convey meanings like 'without' or 'until not,' and is often used with prepositional prefixes. The word is derived from the concept of failure, and its usage is consistent across various contexts in the Old Testament.
בֵ֫לֶת subst. prop. failure, hence used as particle of negation, not, except
adv. not
after a preceding negation, not = except
conj. (likewise after a neg., expressed or implied)
With preps.
base
H1115 בֵ֫לֶת subst. prop. failure, hence used as particle of negation, not, except
1115 biltiy bil-tee'
constructive feminine of 1086 (equivalent to 1097); properly,
a failure of, i.e. (used only as a negative particle, usually
with a prepositional prefix) not, except, without, unless,
besides, because not, until, etc.:--because un(satiable),
beside, but, + continual, except, from, lest, neither, no
more, none, not, nothing, save, that no, without.
see HEBREW for 01086
see HEBREW for 01097
בִּלְתִּי (bil.ti) — lest.
subst
1) not, except
adv
2) not
3) except (after preceding negation)
conj
4) except (after an implied or expressed negation)
with prep
5) so as not, in order not
6) an account of not, because...not
7) until not
Prep | Conj — Preposition · noun common both singular constructHR/Ncbsc
The Hebrew word שָׁלַח (shalach) is a primitive root meaning 'to send' with a wide range of applications. It can refer to sending away, stretching out (especially a hand), or letting go. The entries indicate various forms, including sending off, casting out, and setting free. Notably, it can also imply divorce or being sent away in a marital context.
שָׁלַח 814 vb. send
Qal
send: human subj.
send: subj. י׳ (God)
stretch out, esp. acc. hand
rarely send away: human subj.
let loose
Niph. letters were sent
Pi.
send off, away, human subj.
send away, subj. י׳
give over
cast out
send out, forth
let go, set free
shoot forth branches
let down
shoot
Phrases
Pu. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)
Hiph. and I (י׳) will send
base
H7971 שָׁלַח send .. send: human subj.
. send: subj. י׳ (God)
. stretch out, esp. acc. hand
. rarely send away: human subj.
. let loose
. letters were sent
. . send off, away, human subj.
. . send away, subj. י׳
. give over
. cast out
. send out, forth
. let go, set free
. shoot forth branches
. let down
. shoot
. Phrases
. be sent off (started on journey); be put away, divorced, of wife; be impelled(?)
. and I (י׳) will send
7971 shalach shaw-lakh'
a primitive root; to send away, for, or out (in a great
variety of applications):--X any wise, appoint, bring (on the
way), cast (away, out), conduct, X earnestly, forsake, give
(up), grow long, lay, leave, let depart (down, go, loose),
push away, put (away, forth, in, out), reach forth, send
(away, forth, out), set, shoot (forth, out), sow, spread,
stretch forth (out).
שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: depart.
: depart/send
1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to send
1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct
1a3) to send away
1a4) to let loose
1b) (Niphal) to be sent
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out
1c2) to let go, set free
1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)
1c4) to let down
1c5) to shoot
1d) (Pual) to be sent off, be put away, be divorced, be impelled
1e) (Hiphil) to send
שָׁלַח (sha.lach) — to send: let go.
: let_go/free
1) to send, send away, let go, stretch out
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to send
1a2) to stretch out, extend, direct
1a3) to send away
1a4) to let loose
1b) (Niphal) to be sent
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to send off or away or out or forth, dismiss, give over, cast out
1c2) to let go, set free
1c3) to shoot forth (of branches)
1c4) to let down
1c5) to shoot
V-Piel-Inf-a | Suff — Verb piel infinitive construct common · suffixHVpcc/Sp3mp