Exodus 8:26

Moses

²⁴ And the LORD did so. Thick swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh’s palace and into the houses of his officials. Throughout Egypt the land was ruined by swarms of flies.

²⁵ Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within this land.”

But Moses replied, “It would not be right to do that, because the sacrifices we offer to the LORD our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. If we offer sacrifices that are detestable before the Egyptians, will they not stone us?

²⁷ We must make a three-day journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as He commands us.”

²⁸ Pharaoh answered, “I will let you go and sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me.”

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: But Moses replied, “It would not be right to do that, because the sacrifices we offer to the LORD our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. If we offer sacrifices that are detestable before the Egyptians, will they not stone us?
KJV: And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?
WEB: Moses said, “It isn’t appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God. Behold, if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, won’t they stone us?
ASV: And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?
DARBY: And Moses said, It is not proper to do so; for we should sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God: lo, if we sacrificed the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, would they not stone us?
BLB: And Moses said, “It is not right to do so, for the abomination of Egypt we shall sacrifice to YHWH our God. Behold, shall we sacrifice the abomination of Egypt before their eyes, and will they not stone us?

ÅB: Men Moses sa: Det er ikke rådelig å gjøre så; for det vi ofrer til Herren vår Gud, er en styggedom for egypterne; om vi nå ofret for egypternes øyne det som er en styggedom for dem, ville de da ikke steine oss?
OTB: Men Moses sa: «Det ville ikke være riktig. Ofrene vi tilbyr Herren vår Gud ville være avskyelige for egypterne. Hvis vi ofrer det som er avskyelig i deres øyne, vil de ikke steine oss?
B1930: Men Moses sa: Det er ikke rådelig å gjøre så; for det vi ofrer til Herren vår Gud, er en vederstyggelighet for egypterne; om vi nu ofret for egypternes øine det som er en vederstyggelighet for dem, vilde de da ikke stene oss?

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Genesis 43:32
They separately served Joseph, his brothers, and the Egyptians. They ate separately because the Egyptians would not eat with the Hebrews, since that was detestable to them.
Read in context
Genesis 46:34
you are to say, ‘Your servants have raised livestock ever since our youth—both we and our fathers.’ Then you will be allowed to settle in the land of Goshen, since all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians.”
Read in context
Isaiah 44:19
And no one considers in his heart, no one has the knowledge or insight to say, “I burned half of it in the fire, and I baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and I ate. Shall I make something detestable with the rest of it? Shall I bow down to a block of wood?”
Read in context
Exodus 3:18
The elders of Israel will listen to what you say, and you must go with them to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us. Now please let us take a three-day journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’
Read in context
1 Kings 11:5–7
Solomon followed Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
Read in context
2 Kings 23:13
The king also desecrated the high places east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Corruption, which King Solomon of Israel had built for Ashtoreth the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of the Moabites, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites.
Read in context
2 Corinthians 6:14–17
Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership can righteousness have with wickedness? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness?
Read in context
Deuteronomy 12:30–31
be careful not to be ensnared by their ways after they have been destroyed before you. Do not inquire about their gods, asking, “How do these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise.”
Read in context