What Does Exodus 10:28 Mean in the King James?
And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
A face is not only something to look at here; it is access to the person, and Pharaoh makes that access lethal.
THE MEANING
Power draws a boundary around its presence: Pharaoh sends Moses away and bars another sight of his face with a threat of death. The repeated act of seeing makes the encounter concrete; Pharaoh says that crossing this boundary means dying.
THE ROOT
רְאוֹת
re'ot
GROWS FROM
רָאָה
ra'ah
to see, perceive, or look upon
The same root appears twice: Moses must not see Pharaoh’s face, and seeing it again brings a death threat. The wording makes the danger hinge on a repeated encounter, not simply on being near Pharaoh.
ALSO GROWS
ro'eh: one who sees or perceives
רֹאֶה
The seer is named by the same act of seeing that Pharaoh forbids.
mar'eh: sight, appearance, or vision
מַרְאֶה
This branch links seeing with what comes into view: Pharaoh makes his own appearance a boundary Moses must not cross.
פָּנַי
panay
GROWS FROM
פָּנָה
panah
to turn or face toward
The word for “my face” carries the sense of panim, face or presence, and is connected with the idea of turning toward. Pharaoh is barring Moses from his presence, making the face-to-face encounter a line between exclusion and death.
ALSO GROWS
panim: face; by extension, someone’s presence
פָּנִים
It shows why “see my face” means encountering Pharaoh himself, not merely looking at his features.
lifnei: before someone; in their presence
לִפְנֵי
This related form makes the link between face and presence visible in Hebrew expressions for being “before” someone.
THE PATTERN
A face marks presence encountered, and Scripture keeps the consequence of that encounter in view.
And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.THE THREAD
And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.Both verses use the root רָאָה (ra’ah, to see) with פָּנִים (panim, face or presence) for a face-to-face encounter. Pharaoh attaches death to seeing his face; Jacob describes seeing God’s face and having his life preserved.
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