The Meaning of Exodus 8:28 Explained

Exodus 8:28

KJV: And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me.

YLT: And Pharaoh saith, 'I send you away, and ye have sacrificed to Jehovah your God in the wilderness, only go not very far off; make ye supplication for me;'

Darby: And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to Jehovah your God in the wilderness; only, go not very far away: intreat for me!

ASV: And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to Jehovah your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: entreat for me.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Pharaoh  said,  I will let you go,  that ye may sacrifice  to the LORD  your God  in the wilderness;  only ye shall not go  very  far away:  intreat  for me. 

What does Exodus 8:28 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 8:16-32 - The Plagues Of Lice And Of Flies
Exodus 8:22 gives us the clue to these successive visitations-"To the end that thou mayest know." The Egyptians worshiped the river from which the frogs came; were extremely punctilious in their purity by perpetual bathing; and sacrificed to the deities who presided over the noisome insect tribes. It was necessary to prove, therefore, that these gods were no gods, "but that the Lord made the heavens." The just and righteous Jehovah could not expect Pharaoh to obey His voice, until He had shown Himself to be God of gods and Lord of lords, and that He was Lord "in the middle of the earth." He is not an absentee; but nearer than breathing.
Notice the severance in Exodus 8:22! We do not belong to this world, because we have been crucified to it in Christ, and in Him have risen to the heavenly places. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 8

1  Frogs are sent
8  Pharaoh complains to Moses, who by prayer removes them
16  The dust is turned into lice, which the magicians could not do
20  The plague of flies
25  Pharaoh inclines to let the people go, but yet is hardened

What do the individual words in Exodus 8:28 mean?

And said Pharaoh I will let go you that you may sacrifice to Yahweh your God in the wilderness only very not you shall far away Go Intercede for me
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר פַּרְעֹ֗ה אָנֹכִ֞י אֲשַׁלַּ֤ח אֶתְכֶם֙ וּזְבַחְתֶּ֞ם לַיהוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙ בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר רַ֛ק הַרְחֵ֥ק לֹא־ תַרְחִ֖יקוּ לָלֶ֑כֶת הַעְתִּ֖ירוּ בַּעֲדִֽי

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
פַּרְעֹ֗ה  Pharaoh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
אֲשַׁלַּ֤ח  will  let  go 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, first person common singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
וּזְבַחְתֶּ֞ם  that  you  may  sacrifice 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine plural
Root: זָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice.
לַיהוָ֤ה  to  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙  your  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בַּמִּדְבָּ֔ר  in  the  wilderness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מִדְבָּר 
Sense: wilderness.
רַ֛ק  only 
Parse: Adverb
Root: רַק  
Sense: only, altogether, surely.
הַרְחֵ֥ק  very 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive absolute
Root: רָחַק  
Sense: to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away.
תַרְחִ֖יקוּ  you  shall  far  away 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: רָחַק  
Sense: to be or become far, be or become distant, be removed, go far away.
לָלֶ֑כֶת  Go 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
הַעְתִּ֖ירוּ  Intercede 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine plural
Root: עָתַר  
Sense: to pray, entreat, supplicate.
בַּעֲדִֽי  for  me 
Parse: Preposition, first person common singular
Root: בַּעַד 
Sense: behind, through, round about, on behalf of, away from, about.