Exodus 3:21 · Bible study
Exodus 3:21 Commentary: God Grants Favor, Israel Goes Laden
Hebrew · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
God promises to turn Egyptian hearts toward Israel and ensure they leave with wealth, a display of sovereignty over oppressors and faithfulness to
Research Summary
- Meaning: God assures Israel He will make the Egyptians favorably disposed so they leave with wealth, not empty-handed.
- Key words: chen (favour/grace), a gift, not earned; sha'al (ask, not borrow); reqam (empty, vainly).
- Main debate: Was the 'spoiling' of Egypt a moral borrowing or a divine recompense for slave labour? Lexical evidence favours the latter.
- Theological theme: God’s sovereignty over human hearts and His covenant faithfulness across generations.
- Best use: Preach or teach as a display of God’s power to reverse fortunes and provide beyond expectations, linking to later fulfillment in Exodus 12:35, 36 and the Tabernacle.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
And I will grant this people such favor in the sight of the Egyptians that when you leave, you will not go away empty-handed.
WEB World English Bible 2000
I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and it will happen that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed.
KJV King James Version 1769
And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
`And I have given the grace of this people in the eyes of the Egyptians, and it hath come to pass, when ye go, ye go not empty;
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And I will give this people favour in the eyes of the Egyptians, and it shall come to pass, when ye go out, that ye shall not go out empty;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
And I will give favour to this people, in the sight of the Egyptians: and when you go forth, you shall not depart empty:
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Y yo daré á este pueblo gracia en los ojos de los Egipcios, para que cuando os partiereis, no salgáis vacíos:
E eu darei a este povo favor aos olhos dos egípcios, para que quando vos partirdes, não saiais vazios:
Je ferai même trouver grâce à ce peuple aux yeux des Égyptiens, et quand vous partirez, vous ne partirez point à vide.
Und ich will diesem Volk Gnade geben vor den Ägyptern, daß, wenn ihr auszieht, ihr nicht leer auszieht;
En Ik zal dit volk genade geven in de ogen der Egyptenaren; en het zal geschieden, wanneer gijlieden uitgaan zult, zo zult gij niet ledig uitgaan.
E farò sì che questo popolo trovi favore presso gli Egiziani; e avverrà che, quando ve ne andrete, non ve ne andrete a mani vuote;
I dam łaskę ludowi temu w oczach Egipczanów: i stanie się, gdy wychodzić będziecie, że nie wynijdziecie próżni.
И дам народу сему милость в глазах Египтян; и когда пойдете, то пойдете не с пустыми руками:
我必叫 你們 在埃及人 眼 前蒙 恩， 你們去 的時候 就不至於 空手 而去。
And I will give this people grace in the eyes of the Egyptians, so that when you go out you will go out with your hands full.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Exodus 3:21
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that this verse is God's direct promise to overturn the natural hostility of the Egyptians. Calvin emphasizes that God 'gives' favor, it is not earned but bestowed by Him who turns wolves into lambs. Matthew Henry notes that God instructs Moses beforehand of success, raising expectation. Keil and Delitzsch connect the promise to the earlier prophecy to Abraham (Genesis 15:14) that Israel would leave 'with great substance.' Gill adds that the Egyptians, perceiving the plagues as divine punishment, become willing to give. The certainty of the promise is underscored by the Hebrew construction: the emphatic negative lo (not) with the verb telechu (you will go) declares they will not go empty, God's word guarantees the outcome.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: God promises to give Israel favor with the Egyptians so they will leave with goods, not empty-handed – a direct fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The meaning of 'favour' (chen) | All traditions see it as a divine gift, God causes the Egyptians to be well-disposed toward Israel. | Some emphasize this as an act of common grace (God's general kindness), others specify it as a supernatural intervention that overrides natural hostility. |
| Morality of plundering the Egyptians | Christians agree that God commanded it and it was not theft, as the Egyptians gave willingly. | Protestants often frame it as back wages for unpaid slave labour (a form of reparative justice). Catholic and Orthodox traditions tend to highlight the typological meaning, the wealth of Egypt later used for the Tabernacle, rather than the economic justice dimension. |
| Fulfillment of Abrahamic promise | All see a direct connection to Genesis 15:14, Abraham was told his descendants would leave with great possessions. | Some interpret this as literal gold and silver; others see it also foreshadowing the spiritual wealth (wisdom, revelation) that Israel would carry from Egypt. |
| God's sovereignty over human will | God can turn the hearts of enemies without violating their free will. | Calvin and Reformed tradition emphasize monergistic divine control; Arminian and Eastern Orthodox nuances stress that God works with human cooperation, persuading rather than overriding. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for generations, enduring harsh labor and oppression. The Pharaoh who 'knew not Joseph' viewed them as a threat, and the Egyptians generally regarded them with suspicion or contempt (Exodus 1). In this context, for the oppressors to suddenly provide gold, silver and clothing required a supernatural reversal. The promise looks back to Abraham's covenant: 'Know for sure that your descendants will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs… and they will be enslaved and mistreated… Then in the fourth generation they shall come back here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete' (Genesis 15:13, 16). God adds that afterward they will come out 'with great possessions' (Genesis 15:14).
Ancient Near Eastern custom held that when a nation conquered or oppressed another, the victors took plunder. But in this case God reverses the flow: His people, not their captors, will depart with wealth. The request for 'jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and clothing' (Exodus 3:22) is not borrowing, the Hebrew verb sha'al means 'to ask' or 'to request,' not 'to borrow' (Keil & Delitzsch). The Egyptians grant the requests willingly because God has disposed their hearts favorably (Exodus 12:36). The 'spoiling' of the Egyptians (Exodus 3:22; 12:36) is therefore a form of divine justice, back wages for generations of unpaid slave labor, and a visible judgment on Egypt's wealth derived from oppression.
Culturally, the gold and silver would later be used to construct the Tabernacle (Exodus 35, 36), turning the spoils of Egypt into the instruments of worship. The promise also functions as a sign: the people leave not as impoverished fugitives but as a people richly provided for by their God, foreshadowing the redemption that would not be partial but full.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries do not mention any significant textual variants for Exodus 3:21. The Masoretic Text is stable, and the verse reads consistently across all major witnesses. Some Septuagint manuscripts vary in word order but the meaning is unchanged. No variants affect interpretation.
Reception History
Exodus 3:21 has been read across church history as a showcase of God's sovereignty. Early church fathers such as Origen allegorized the gold and silver as the wisdom of Egypt that Christians may take and use for Christ. Reformation commentators like Calvin focused on the pastoral comfort: if God can turn wolf-like enemies into lambs, believers need not fear human opposition. In later evangelical and Pentecostal tradition, this verse is often used to teach that God can move on the hearts of unbelievers to bless His people, sometimes called 'the favour of God' in financial provision. Jewish interpretation (e.g. Rashi) emphasizes the justice dimension: God made the Egyptians pay for their years of oppression. The verse also appears in hymns about the exodus, sung in many traditions at Passover and Easter.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- God gives favor where we expect hatred. The same Egyptians who oppressed Israel are now made willing to give. God controls human hearts (Calvin).
- God fulfills His word across centuries. What He told Abraham 400 years earlier is now coming to pass. No promise of God falls to the ground.
- We go out with provision, not as paupers. Israel leaves with wealth that later serves worship. God does not deliver His people into a bare existence but into abundance for His purposes.
Five-point outline
- The context: four centuries of silence. God appears to Moses, rekindling the covenant. The time of fulfillment has come.
- The means: God gives favor. Not by human negotiation or natural goodwill, by divine intervention.
- The instrument: the people ask. The verb sha'al shows they made requests; the Egyptians responded. Neither side acted under coercion, but God tilted hearts.
- The result: a plundered Egypt. The wealth of the oppressor becomes the provision of the redeemed. Justice and grace meet.
- The legacy: Tabernacle materials. Exodus 35, 36: the gold and silver are freely offered for the sanctuary. God’s deliverance funds worship.
Illustration hooks
- Unexpected kindness from a difficult boss or neighbor. We know the ache of dealing with someone who has power over us. Then, unaccountably, they offer help. This is more than luck, it is God at work on hearts.
- An inheritance you didn’t earn. Imagine receiving a financial gift from someone who once wronged your family. Awkward, but full of meaning. Israel received not only freedom but material blessing from the nation that enslaved them.
- Rear-view mirror of promises. A promise made years ago seemed forgotten, then it comes true. The fulfillment often arrives with extras, like the gold and silver. God keeps His word generously.
Questions your congregation is asking
- Is it right to take wealth from the Egyptians? Wasn't that stealing?
- If God can turn hearts, why doesn't He always do that when I face hostility?
- How do I know which promises in the Bible apply to me and which were just for ancient Israel?
Leading a Discussion
This verse sits inside God’s call to Moses at the burning bush. God already knows Pharaoh will resist (v.19), yet He promises a stunning reversal: the Egyptians themselves will supply Israel with wealth. This opens up questions about God’s control over people’s attitudes, the justice behind the 'plunder,' and the reliability of promises that wait centuries to be kept.
Discussion questions
- Read Exodus 3:21, 22 slowly. What surprises you about God’s plan for how Israel will leave Egypt?
- The Hebrew word chen (favour) is the same word for 'grace.' How does God’s gift of favor differ from natural friendliness?
- Why do you think God wanted Israel to leave with gold and silver? What does that say about His character?
- What does the fulfillment of this promise (Exodus 12:35, 36) teach you about God’s timing and trustworthiness?
- How might knowing God can turn an enemy’s heart change the way you pray for difficult relationships?
- Calvin writes that 'men’s hearts are controlled and guided by the secret inspiration of God.' Does this comfort you or challenge you? Explain.
- If you were an Israelite leaving Egypt, what would you think about the Egyptians’ sudden generosity? How does that shape your understanding of God’s providence?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Genesis 39:21 | But Yahweh was with Joseph, and showed kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison. |
| Exodus 11:3 | Yahweh gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people. |
| Exodus 12:36 | Yahweh gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. They plundered the Egyptians. |
| Nehemiah 1:11 | Lord, I beg you, let your ear be attentive now to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name; and please prosper your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.” Now I was cup bearer to the king. |
| Psalms 105:37 | He brought them out with silver and gold. There was not one feeble person among his tribes. |
| Psalms 106:46 | He made them also to be pitied by all those who carried them captive. |
| Proverbs 16:7 | When a man’s ways please Yahweh, he makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. |
| Acts 7:10 | and delivered him out of all his afflictions, and gave him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. He made him governor over Egypt and all his house. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin emphasizes that God holds absolute power over human hearts, able to transform the cruelest enemies into benefactors. He argues that fierce opposition does not escape God's control; He permits it for discipline but can instantly tame any hostile person. Believers who trust this providence need not fear human threats.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The commentator explains that in ancient times, knowing a deity's personal name was essential for prayer and help, and the name often revealed the deity's nature. This cultural background clarifies why Moses needed to know God's name. The promise that the Israelites would receive valuables from the Egyptians is attributed to a specific source.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Note emphasizes God's sovereign control over the Egyptians' hearts, turning their hostility into favor. This promise assures the Israelites they will not depart empty-handed but will receive goods from their former oppressors, showing God's provision and vindication.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill explains that the Egyptians would gladly give the Israelites anything they asked, not from generosity but to be rid of them, since they recognized the plagues came because of Israel. This fulfills God's earlier promise to Abraham that his descendants would leave with great wealth.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch insist the Israelites did not borrow or deceive the Egyptians. The Hebrew verbs mean simply to ask and to grant a request, with no intent to return. God disposed the Egyptians to give freely, so the "spoiling" was righteous plunder, a foretaste of God's people triumphing over worldly power.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads "I AM THAT I AM" as God's promise of faithful presence across time: from one future to another, He will be the same covenant God for Israel, unlike the shifting deities of surrounding nations. For Lange, the burning bush also shows God's jealous love controlling the fire of affliction without consuming His people.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry emphasizes that Moses, as God's messenger, must faithfully repeat to the elders exactly what God told him, holding nothing back. This sets a pattern for all ministers: their duty is to pass on what they have received from the Lord, not to add or omit.