Hebrews 11:27

Hebrews 11:27

By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

a. NLT: It was by faith that Moses left the land of Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger. He kept right on going because he kept his eyes on the one who is invisible.

  

b. NIV: By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible.

c. YLT: By faith he left Egypt behind, not having been afraid of the wrath of the king, for, as seeing the Invisible One -- he endured;

d. Amplified Bible Classic: [Motivated] by faith he left Egypt behind him, being unawed and undismayed by the wrath of the king; for he never flinched but held staunchly to his purpose and endured steadfastly as one who gazed on Him Who is invisible.

e. Peshitta Eastern Text: By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; and he survived after he had seen God, who is invisible.

1. “By faith he forsook Egypt…”

a. [By] faith [Strong: 4102 pístis, pis'-tis; from 3982; persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself:—assurance, belief, believe, faith, fidelity.]

b. [he] forsook [Strong: 2641 kataleípō, kat-al-i'-po; from G2596 and G3007; to leave down, i.e. behind; by implication, to abandon, have remaining:—forsake, leave, reserve.]

c. Egypt [Strong: 125 Aígyptos, ah'-ee-goop-tos; of uncertain derivation; Ægyptus, the land of the Nile:—Egypt.]

2. “...not fearing the wrath of the king…”

a. not [Strong: 3361 mḗ, may; a primary particle of qualified negation (whereas G3756 expresses an absolute denial); (adverb) not, (conjunction) lest; also (as an interrogative implying a negative answer (whereas G3756 expects an affirmative one)) whether:—any but (that), × forbear, + God forbid, + lack, lest, neither, never, no (X wise in), none, nor, (can-)not, nothing, that not, un(-taken), without. Often used in compounds in substantially the same relations.]

b. fearing [Strong: 5399 phobéō, fob-eh'-o; from G5401; to frighten, i.e. (passively) to be alarmed; by analogy, to be in awe of, i.e. revere:—be (+ sore) afraid, fear (exceedingly), reverence.]

  

c. the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

d. wrath [Strong: 2372 thymós, thoo-mos'; from G2380; passion (as if breathing hard):—fierceness, indignation, wrath.]

e. of the [Strong: 3588 ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.]

  

f. king [Strong: 935 basileús, bas-il-yooce'; probably from G939 (through the notion of a foundation of power); a sovereign (abstractly, relatively, or figuratively):—king.]

1). The Scripture says plainly that Moses fled Egypt in faith, which means there was previous instruction from God that he was to leave. It also says that he left and he wasn’t afraid of the wrath of the king. In order to get some background we need to look at passages in Genesis and Acts.

a). Exodus 2:11-15  And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.

2:12 And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.

2:13 And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?

2:14 And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.

2:15 Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.

b). Acts 7:22-29 And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

7:23 And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

7:24 And seeing one of them suffer wrong, he defended him, and avenged him that was oppressed, and smote the Egyptian:

7:25 For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not.

7:26 And the next day he shewed himself unto them as they strove, and would have set them at one again, saying, Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?

7:27 But he that did his neighbour wrong thrust him away, saying, Who made thee a ruler and a judge over us?

7:28 Wilt thou kill me, as thou diddest the Egyptian yesterday?

7:29 Then fled Moses at this saying, and was a stranger in the land of Madian, where he begat two sons.

2). The picture we get from Hebrews 11 greatly fills in the blanks concerning Moses spiritual condition in his early adult life in Egypt. This is all before the burning bush encounter with God.

a). Hebrews 11:24-27 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;

11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

11:27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

3. “...for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.”

a. for [Strong: 1063 gár, gar; a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):—and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

b. [he] endured [Strong: 2594 karteréō, kar-ter-eh'-o; from a derivative of G2904 (transposed); to be strong, i.e. (figuratively) steadfast (patient):—endure.]

  

c. as [Strong: 5613 hōs, hoce; probably adverb of comparative from G3739; which how, i.e. in that manner (very variously used, as follows):—about, after (that), (according) as (it had been, it were), as soon (as), even as (like), for, how (greatly), like (as, unto), since, so (that), that, to wit, unto, when(-soever), while, × with all speed.]

d. seeing [Strong: 3708 horáō, hor-ah'-o; properly, to stare at (compare G3700), i.e. (by implication) to discern clearly (physically or mentally); by extension, to attend to; by Hebraism, to experience; passively, to appear:—behold, perceive, see, take heed.]

e. [him who is] invisible [Strong: 517 aóratos, ah-or'-at-os; from G1 (as a negative particle) and G3707; invisible:—invisible (thing).]

  

1). The Scripture declares that Moses saw “him who is invisible”, this required eyes of faith with spiritual senses.

a). Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.

b). 2 Peter 1:5-9  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

1:6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

1:7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

1:8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1:9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.