Exodus 12:32 Meaning: Pharaoh’s Final Plea
Take both your flocks and your herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also!”
Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.
Take both your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.
both your flock and your herd take ye, as ye have spoken, and go; then ye have blessed also me.'
Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and go; and bless me also.
Meaning in one sentence
After the death of Egypt’s firstborn, Pharaoh finally lets Israel go, and begs for a blessing. But is his plea genuine? Explore Exodus 12:32.
Context
Exodus 12 records the final and most devastating of the ten plagues: the death of every firstborn in Egypt. At midnight the Lord struck, and a great cry rose up across the land. Pharaoh, who had refused to let Israel go through nine previous plagues, now summons Moses and Aaron in the dark. He tells them to take the people, along with all their flocks and herds, and leave at once. Then he adds one more thing, something unexpected: he asks them to bless him also. The verse captures a moment of complete collapse. The king who defied God is now begging for a blessing from the very people he had oppressed. But the question that lingers is whether this is genuine repentance or only the terror of a man who has lost everything.
Key Words
Three times in this short verse the Hebrew word gam appears, often translated as “also.” Pharaoh says, “Take both your flocks and your herds … and bless me also.” The repetition signals how completely he has abandoned his earlier demands. He is no longer holding anything back. The word for “bless” is barak, a verb that can mean to kneel or to bring a gift of praise. When the king of Egypt asks for a blessing, he is essentially bowing before the God of Israel. And the phrase “as you have said” is Pharaoh’s verbal surrender: after months of “I will not let you go,” he now echoes the exact terms Moses had spoken. These small details reveal a man who has finally hit bottom. Whether he rose from there in faith or only in fear is the question.
How Christians Read This Verse
Many commentators notice how completely Pharaoh’s pride has been crushed. Barnes writes that no words could show submission more strikingly. Gill observes that the Targum interprets the request as “pray for me that I die not,” showing a desperate fear of death. Wesley suggests he wants their prayers to prevent further plagues. Yet Matthew Henry notes that while he begged for their prayers, there is no record that he ever sought God himself. These observations leave the question open: was this a moment of genuine humility, or only a cry from a cornered man? The Bible does not resolve it, which may be exactly the point.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume that Pharaoh’s request for a blessing proves his heart had finally changed. In fact, his later decision to chase Israel with his army (Exodus 14) shows that his submission was temporary. The blessing he sought was not a sign of repentance but a desperate attempt to avoid more judgment. A person can ask for God’s help without giving God his life.
Living This Out
This week you might find yourself asking God for help in a crisis. That is not wrong. But notice what Pharaoh did not do: he did not change the way he lived. He got what he wanted, the Israelites gone, and then went back to his old ways. Where in your life have you asked for God’s blessing while holding back from what He actually asks of you? That is a question worth sitting with. It is good to cry out in trouble. It is better to let that cry turn into a change.
Main takeaway: Pharaoh asked for a blessing while still refusing to truly submit to God, a warning we can all need.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
Pharaoh was mean to God’s people and said they could not leave. But then something very sad happened in his house, so he told them to go. He even asked them to pray for him. Sometimes we only say sorry when we get in trouble. God wants us to love Him all the time, not just when we need help.
For ages 9, 12
Pharaoh let the Israelites go only after his own son died. He asked for a blessing, but his heart was still hard. Soon after, he chased after them with his army. It is easy to turn to God when life falls apart, but real change means following Him even after the crisis passes. Next time you pray for help, ask yourself if you are ready to let God change your whole direction.
Questions People Ask
Why did Pharaoh ask for a blessing in Exodus 12:32?
Pharaoh asked Moses and Aaron to bless him after finally letting the Israelites go. Many commentators believe he was asking them to pray that his own life would be spared, since his firstborn had just died. The request shows his fear and his sudden humility, though it did not last.
Did Pharaoh truly repent in Exodus 12:32?
The Bible does not say he repented. His request sounds humble, but in Exodus 14 he pursues Israel with his army, showing his heart remained hard. Most interpreters see his words as a cry of desperation, not genuine repentance. True repentance would have changed his actions later.
What does 'bless me also' mean in the original Hebrew?
The Hebrew word for 'bless' is *barak*, which can mean to kneel or to bring a gift. Pharaoh, who once saw himself as a god, now asks the Israelites' God for favor through the prayers of Moses and Aaron. The phrase shows his complete reversal of attitude.
How is this verse connected to the Passover story?
Exodus 12:32 is part of the final scene before the Exodus. God's judgment on Egypt's firstborn breaks Pharaoh's resistance, and he finally releases the Israelites. The Passover itself points forward to Christ, the Lamb who delivers us from a greater bondage than Egypt.
Why did Pharaoh change his mind after letting Israel go?
After the Israelites departed, Pharaoh and his officials regretted losing their slave labor. Their hearts were hardened (Exodus 14:5-8), and they pursued Israel. This shows that Pharaoh's concession was not a true change of heart but only a temporary surrender to overwhelming circumstances.
For pastors & researchers
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