The Meaning of Exodus 3:9 Explained

Exodus 3:9

KJV: Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

YLT: 'And now, lo, the cry of the sons of Israel hath come in unto Me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians are oppressing them,

Darby: And now behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me; and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them.

ASV: And now, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: moreover I have seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Now therefore, behold, the cry  of the children  of Israel  is come  unto me: and I have also seen  the oppression  wherewith the Egyptians  oppress  them. 

What does Exodus 3:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 3:1-12 - God's Message From The Bush
The learning of Egypt was not sufficient to equip Moses for his life-work. He is taken to the solitudes of the wilderness. That is God's college. All who have done the greatest work in the world have graduated there-Elijah at Horeb, Ezekiel at Chebar, Paul in Arabia, and John in Patmos. God's workers may take their arts course in the universities, but must take their Divinity course alone with Him. Often in the middle of daily duty we come on the outshining of his Presence. Let us be on the outlook for it, and take off our shoes.
This burning bush has generally been taken as the emblem of the Church amid the fires of tribulation; but there is a deeper meaning. The fire was the token of God's presence. The bush was unconsumed, because God's love is its own fuel. Notice the successive steps: "I have seen;" "heard;" "know;" "am come down;" "will send." The "cry" of the previous chapter is answered by the "coming down" of this. See Luke 18:7. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 3

1  Moses keeps Jethro's flock
2  God appears to him in a burning bush
9  He sends him to deliver Israel
13  The name of God
15  His message to Israel, and Pharaoh, whose opposition is foretold
20  He is assured of Israel's deliverance

What do the individual words in Exodus 3:9 mean?

And therefore behold the cry of the sons of Israel has come to Me and also I have seen - the oppression with which Egypt oppressed them
וְעַתָּ֕ה הִנֵּ֛ה צַעֲקַ֥ת בְּנֵי־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּ֣אָה אֵלָ֑י וְגַם־ רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־ הַלַּ֔חַץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִצְרַ֖יִם לֹחֲצִ֥ים אֹתָֽם

וְעַתָּ֕ה  And  therefore 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
הִנֵּ֛ה  behold 
Parse: Interjection
Root: הִנֵּה  
Sense: behold, lo, see, if.
צַעֲקַ֥ת  the  cry 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: צְעָקָה  
Sense: cry, outcry.
בְּנֵי־  of  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  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.
בָּ֣אָה  has  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person feminine singular
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
אֵלָ֑י  to  Me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
וְגַם־  and  also 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: גַּם  
Sense: also, even, indeed, moreover, yea.
רָאִ֙יתִי֙  I  have  seen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
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.
הַלַּ֔חַץ  the  oppression 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַחַץ  
Sense: oppression, distress, pressure.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  with  which 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
מִצְרַ֖יִם  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
לֹחֲצִ֥ים  oppressed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural
Root: לָחַץ  
Sense: to squeeze, press, oppress.