Exodus 14:12 (WEB)

Passage

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.”

Nearby Context

Exodus 14:10 When Pharaoh came near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were very afraid. The children of Israel cried out to Yahweh.

Exodus 14:11 They said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us out of Egypt?

Exodus 14:12 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.”

Exodus 14:13 Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which he will work for you today: for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall never see them again.

Exodus 14:14 Yahweh will fight for you, and you shall be still.”

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "word", "spoke", "egypt", "saying", "leave", "alone", "serve", and "egyptians". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "word" and "spoke", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 11's "They said to Moses Because there were..." into verse 13's "Moses said to the people Don t...", so "word" and "spoke" belong inside that flow. In Exodus context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "word" and "spoke" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.