And it came to pass in process of time, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage.

EXODUS 2:23KJV
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Exodus 2:23 (KJV)

What does Exodus 2:23 mean?

Exodus 2:23 describes how, after a long period, the king of Egypt died, and the Israelites, suffering under harsh forced labor, groaned and cried out because of their oppression; their desperate cries for help rose up to God. This verse marks a turning point, showing that God became attentive to the suffering of the Israelites.

The verse is set during the time when the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt, and a new Pharaoh had come to power. The people of Israel were not just quietly enduring their hardship; they were actively expressing their pain and desperation. This moment sets the stage for God’s intervention in the following chapters, as the cries of the Israelites prompt a response from God.

The Hebrew behind Exodus 2:23

  • The word for "sighed" is אָנַח (’anach), which means to groan or sigh deeply, often from pain or distress. This shows the depth of suffering the Israelites were experiencing—it was not just physical labor, but emotional anguish.
  • The word for "cried" is זָעַק (za‘aq), which means to cry out for help, especially in distress. This word emphasizes that the Israelites were not just complaining; they were urgently pleading for rescue.
  • The word for "bondage" is עֲבֹדָה (avodah), meaning forced labor or servitude. This highlights the severity and injustice of their situation, as they were being treated as slaves.

Why Exodus 2:23 matters

  • This verse clarifies that the Israelites’ suffering was ongoing and severe, not just a background detail, but a central reason for the coming events.
  • The mention of their cries reaching God signals a shift in the narrative, preparing the reader for God’s upcoming actions on behalf of His people.
  • By noting the death of the king of Egypt, the verse hints at a possible change in circumstances, but also shows that the Israelites’ situation did not improve, prompting their urgent appeal to God.

Where else these words appear

“sighed” Hebrew H584 · used in 11 verses

  • Proverbs 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
  • Lamentations 1:8 Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness: yea, she sigheth, and turneth backward.
  • Ezekiel 9:4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

“cry” Hebrew H7775 · used in 11 verses

  • 1 Samuel 5:12 And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
  • Psalms 34:15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.
  • Psalms 102:1 A Prayer of the afflicted, when he is overwhelmed, and poureth out his complaint before the LORD. Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.

“of” Hebrew H4480 · used in 25 verses

  • Genesis 2:6 But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground.
  • Leviticus 11:13 And these are they which ye shall have in abomination among the fowls; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, and the ossifrage, and the ospray,
  • 1 Kings 6:16 And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even for the oracle, even for the most holy place.

“process” Hebrew H1992 · used in 44 verses

  • Genesis 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
  • Numbers 14:38 But Joshua the son of Nun, and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, which were of the men that went to search the land, lived still.
  • Psalms 38:10 My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.