And when we cried unto the LORD God of our fathers, the LORD heard our voice, and looked on our affliction, and our labour, and our oppression:

DEUTERONOMY 26:7KJV
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Deuteronomy 26:7 (KJV)

What does Deuteronomy 26:7 mean?

Deuteronomy 26:7 says that when the Israelites called out to the LORD, the God of their ancestors, God listened to them and saw the suffering, hard work, and oppression they were experiencing. The verse highlights God’s attentive response to the cries of His people during their time of distress.

In this part of Deuteronomy, Moses is speaking to the Israelites, reminding them of their history as they prepare to enter the Promised Land. He recalls how their ancestors, while enslaved in Egypt, cried out to God, who heard them and took notice of their pain and forced labor. This verse is part of a larger passage where the people are instructed to remember and declare God’s faithfulness in rescuing them.

The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 26:7

  • "cried" (צָעַק, tsa‘aq): This word means to call out or cry for help, often in desperation. It emphasizes the deep distress of the Israelites in Egypt.
  • "heard" (שָׁמַע, shama‘): This word means to listen or pay attention. It highlights that God was not distant but actively attentive to their plea.
  • "affliction" (עָנִי, ‘oni): This word refers to misery or suffering, especially the kind that comes from being oppressed or humbled.
  • "labour" (עָמָל, ‘amal): This word means hard work or toil, pointing to the exhausting physical demands placed on the Israelites.
  • "oppression" (לַחַץ, lachats): This word means crushing pressure or harsh treatment, describing the severe conditions the Israelites endured in Egypt.

Why Deuteronomy 26:7 matters

  • Deuteronomy 26:7 clarifies that God’s response to the Israelites was not automatic or impersonal; He listened and cared about their specific suffering and struggles.
  • This verse connects the Israelites’ present identity to their past, reminding them that their freedom and blessings are rooted in God’s compassionate intervention.
  • The verse sets up the reason for the Israelites’ gratitude and worship, which is a central theme in the surrounding passage about bringing the firstfruits as an offering.

Where else these words appear

“oppression” Hebrew H3906 · used in 10 verses

  • Exodus 3:9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.
  • 2 Chronicles 18:26 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I return in peace.
  • Psalms 43:2 For thou art the God of my strength: why dost thou cast me off? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

“affliction” Hebrew H6040 · used in 37 verses

  • Genesis 16:11 And the angel of the LORD said unto her, Behold, thou art with child, and shalt bear a son, and shalt call his name Ishmael; because the LORD hath heard thy affliction.
  • Nehemiah 9:9 And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea;
  • Psalms 107:10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;

“cried” Hebrew H6817 · used in 53 verses

  • Genesis 4:10 And he said, What hast thou done? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
  • Joshua 24:7 And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.
  • 2 Kings 8:5 And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.

“labour” Hebrew H5999 · used in 54 verses

  • Genesis 41:51 And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.
  • Psalms 73:5 They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men.
  • Ecclesiastes 3:13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.