The Meaning of Exodus 10:23 Explained

Exodus 10:23

KJV: They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

YLT: they have not seen one another, and none hath risen from his place three days; and to all the sons of Israel there hath been light in their dwellings.'

Darby: they saw not one another, neither rose any from his place, for three days. But all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

ASV: they saw not one another, neither rose any one from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They saw  not one  another,  neither rose  any  from his place for three  days:  but all the children  of Israel  had light  in their dwellings. 

What does Exodus 10:23 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 10:12-29 - The Plagues Of Locusts And Of Darkness
The locust is the most terrible plague of Eastern lands. The heat intense; the air languid; the sound as of a strong breeze; the sun darkened by a cloud of living things, which cover the earth several inches thick and devour every green thing, Exodus 10:15. Notice the extorted confession, at last, of sin, Exodus 10:16. Many hearts and lives are devastated by these locust-cares, which eat up all the blades of promise and darken heaven. At the first trace of genuine repentance, however, they are borne away.
The Hebrew word for darkness is the same that is used in Genesis 1:2. The sun was one of the chief deities of Egypt, hence the horror that paralyzed her population, Exodus 10:23. But there was light in Goshen. See Psalms 112:4 and John 8:12. Pharaoh proposed one last compromise. See Exodus 10:24. Moses made a grand answer. The whole universe shall share in our redemption, Romans 8:20-21. Jesus will be content with nothing less than all the purchased possession. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 10

1  God threatens to send locusts
7  Pharaoh, moved by his servants, inclines to let the Israelites go
12  The plague of the locusts
16  Pharaoh entreats Moses
21  The plague of darkness
24  Pharaoh again entreats Moses, but yet is hardened

What do the individual words in Exodus 10:23 mean?

Not they did see one - another nor did rise anyone from his place [for] three days But all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings
לֹֽא־ רָא֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־ אָחִ֗יו וְלֹא־ קָ֛מוּ אִ֥ישׁ מִתַּחְתָּ֖יו שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֑ים וּֽלְכָל־ בְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הָ֥יָה א֖וֹר בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָֽם

רָא֞וּ  they  did  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
אִ֣ישׁ  one 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אָחִ֗יו  another 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָח  
Sense: brother.
וְלֹא־  nor 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
קָ֛מוּ  did  rise 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
אִ֥ישׁ  anyone 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
מִתַּחְתָּ֖יו  from  his  place 
Parse: Preposition-m, third person masculine singular
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת  [for]  three 
Parse: Number, masculine singular construct
Root: מִשְׁלֹשׁ 
Sense: three, triad.
יָמִ֑ים  days 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
וּֽלְכָל־  But  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
בְּנֵ֧י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
א֖וֹר  light 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֹור  
Sense: light.
בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָֽם  in  their  dwellings 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מֹושָׁב  
Sense: seat, assembly, dwelling-place, dwelling, dwellers.