Exodus 4:22
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
And you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus said the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
American King James Version (AKJV)
And you shall say to Pharaoh, Thus said the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
American Standard Version (ASV)
And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, Israel is my son, my first-born:
Basic English Translation (BBE)
And you are to say to Pharaoh, The Lord says, Israel is the first of my sons:
Webster's Revision
And thou shalt say to Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my first-born.
World English Bible
You shall tell Pharaoh, 'Thus says Yahweh, Israel is my son, my firstborn,
English Revised Version (ERV)
And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, my firstborn:
Clarke's Exodus 4:22 Bible Commentary
Israel is my son, even my firstborn - That is, The Hebrew people are unutterably dear to me.
Barnes's Exodus 4:22 Bible Commentary
My firstborn - The expression would be perfectly intelligible to Pharaoh, whose official designation was "son of Ra." In numberless inscriptions the Pharaohs are styled "own sons" or "beloved sons" of the deity. It is here applied for the first time to Israel; and as we learn from Exodus 4:23, emphatically in antithesis to Pharaoh's own firstborn.
Wesley's Exodus 4:22 Bible Commentary
4:22 Thus saith the Lord - This is the first time that preface is used by any man, which afterwards is used so frequently by all the prophets: Israel is my son, my first - born - Precious in my sight, honourable, and dear to me.