Exodus 14:12

¹⁰ And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.

¹¹ And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.

¹³ And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

¹⁴ The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Did we not say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
KJV: Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
WEB: Isn’t this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”
ASV: Is not this the word that we spake unto thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.
DARBY: Is not this what we told thee in Egypt, when we said, Let us alone, and we will serve the Egyptians? For [it had been] better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.
BLB: [Is] this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, ‘Leave us alone, and we will serve Egypt.’? For [it is] better for us to serve Egypt than to die in the wilderness.”

ÅB: Var det ikke det vi sa til deg i Egypt: La oss være i fred, vi vil tjene egypterne; det er bedre for oss å tjene egypterne enn å dø i ørkenen?
OTB: Sa vi ikke til deg i Egypt: 'La oss være i fred så vi kan tjene egypterne'? Det hadde vært bedre for oss å tjene egypterne enn å dø i ørkenen!"
B1930: Var det ikke det vi sa til dig i Egypten: La oss være i fred, vi vil tjene egypterne; det er bedre for oss å tjene egypterne enn å dø i ørkenen?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Jonah 4:3
Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for it is better for me to die than to live.
Read in context
Jonah 4:8
And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
Read in context
Exodus 6:9
And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage.
Read in context
Exodus 5:21
And they said unto them, The LORD look upon you, and judge; because ye have made our savour to be abhorred in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand to slay us.
Read in context
Exodus 3:9
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.
Read in context
Mark 5:7
And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.
Read in context
Hosea 4:17
Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
Read in context
Mark 5:17–18
And they began to pray him to depart out of their coasts.
Read in context