Μὴ οὕτως πορευέσθωσαν δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες καὶ λατρεύσατε τῷ θεῷ τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτοὶ ζητεῖτε ἐξέβαλον δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ προσώπου Φαραω (Exodus 10:11 LXX)
Let them not go thus. Only the men—go and serve God, for that is what you are seeking. And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.
Grammatical Insight
This verse in the Septuagint crystallizes Pharaoh’s strategy of partial compliance, framed entirely in the precision of Greek command forms. The text opens with a prohibitive expression: μὴ οὕτως πορευέσθωσαν — “Let them not go thus.” The use of μὴ with a third person present imperative (πορευέσθωσαν) conveys prohibition in the form of royal command. The syntax captures not just Pharaoh’s speech, but his posture: prohibition masked as permission. The particle δὲ softens the tone rhetorically, marking a transition to pragmatic negotiation rather than total rejection.
Next, the nominative subject οἱ ἄνδρες clarifies who may go. Pharaoh is delineating boundaries: only the men, not the families, are to proceed. This restriction is grammatical as well as moral. The imperative λατρεύσατε (“serve” or “worship”) is aorist active — it denotes a single, defined act of worship, not ongoing devotion. The aorist mood here communicates limitation: one act, one event, one concession. Pharaoh grants worship, but under controlled conditions.
The explanatory clause τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτοὶ ζητεῖτε (“for this is what you yourselves are asking”) serves as a justification, using γὰρ to express reason. The pronoun αὐτοὶ (“you yourselves”) is emphatic by position, underscoring Pharaoh’s manipulative tone: he pretends to give exactly what was requested while actually narrowing it. The final clause, ἐξέβαλον δὲ αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ προσώπου Φαραω, uses the aorist ἐξέβαλον (“they drove out”) in a narrative perfective sense. The aorist collapses time, showing the expulsion as swift and decisive. The genitive construction ἀπὸ προσώπου Φαραω (“from the presence of Pharaoh”) formalizes the dismissal — Pharaoh’s face becomes the boundary of exile.
In short, Greek grammar here dramatizes political and spiritual resistance. Every verb tense, every mood, every pronoun is part of a royal strategy: limit worship, retain power.
Exploring the Verse as a Living Lesson
Let us step into the tension of this verse. Imagine a student reading it aloud: μὴ οὕτως πορευέσθωσαν δὲ οἱ ἄνδρες — “Let the men not go thus.” The Greek rhythm is abrupt, almost bureaucratic. Pharaoh’s syntax is calculated, built on imperatives and clauses that allow illusion of permission. He is granting “freedom” with conditions. The aorist imperative λατρεύσατε does not invite relationship with God; it allows only an event, a performance. The grammar, therefore, reveals Pharaoh’s theology: worship is tolerable, so long as it does not transform.
The clause τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτοὶ ζητεῖτε is almost sarcastic in tone. The emphatic αὐτοὶ (“you yourselves”) points the finger of blame back at Moshe and Aharon. Students learning Koine Greek note how pronoun position can carry emotion — here, it carries manipulation. Pharaoh’s Greek is technically polite but semantically deceptive. His final command, ἐξέβαλον δὲ αὐτοὺς, shifts from speech to narrative. The verse moves from verbal control to physical expulsion. Syntax becomes power in motion.
For language learners, this verse shows how Koine Greek can encode political nuance. The imperatives are not merely grammatical — they are psychological. The prohibitive μὴ οὕτως πορευέσθωσαν warns us that even sacred speech can be twisted into control. Pharaoh’s voice is grammatically correct but spiritually false.
Where Syntax Meets Revelation
Beneath this grammar lies a revelation about divine worship and human authority. The imperatives and prohibitions of Pharaoh’s speech mirror every worldly attempt to define the terms of holiness. The aorist λατρεύσατε compresses worship into an event — but in truth, divine service is continual. The grammar betrays the heart of the speaker. In Koine Greek, aspect often carries theology: the aorist marks completion, while the present marks continuity. Pharaoh chooses the aorist because he wants worship to end.
The emphatic pronoun αὐτοὶ and the causal γὰρ unveil Pharaoh’s rhetoric of justification. He argues as if he were granting justice: “For this is what you yourselves asked.” But the syntax is deceptive, using logical particles (γὰρ) to rationalize oppression. This is not the Greek of grace; it is the Greek of control.
Then comes the narrative shift: ἐξέβαλον δὲ αὐτοὺς. The aorist depicts finality — they were expelled, cast out, dismissed from Pharaoh’s sight. The phrase ἀπὸ προσώπου Φαραω is more than spatial. “From the face of Pharaoh” echoes biblical themes of presence and distance. To stand before someone’s face (πρόσωπον) in Scripture is to stand in relationship. Pharaoh’s rejection breaks that relationship. Syntax here encodes alienation.
Through Greek grammar, the narrative reveals its theology: the world tolerates limited worship, but God demands total devotion.
Form and Function Table
| Greek Word | Root | Form | Lexical Meaning | Grammatical Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| μὴ | — | Negative particle | not | Introduces prohibition | Used with subjunctive or imperative forms |
| πορευέσθωσαν | πορεύομαι | Present middle imperative, 3rd plural | let them go, let them depart | Main verb of prohibition | Present tense shows ongoing permission denied |
| λατρεύσατε | λατρεύω | Aorist active imperative, 2nd plural | worship, serve | Command given to Moshe and Aharon | Aorist aspect limits action to one event |
| ζητεῖτε | ζητέω | Present active indicative, 2nd plural | you seek | Main verb of justification clause | Present tense indicates ongoing request |
| ἐξέβαλον | ἐκβάλλω | Aorist active indicative, 3rd plural | they cast out | Main verb of narrative close | Perfective aspect: expulsion as complete act |
| ἀπὸ προσώπου Φαραω | — | Prepositional phrase (genitive) | from the face of Pharaoh | Locative phrase of separation | Idiomatic expression for dismissal or rejection |
Divine Clauses
This verse closes with tension unresolved — a contest between divine calling and human command. Pharaoh’s syntax seeks to domesticate devotion: “Go, but not thus.” The prohibitive μὴ οὕτως defines the eternal clash between God’s absolute will and man’s conditional obedience. Greek grammar serves as battlefield. Every mood, tense, and pronoun participates in the conflict.
Yet, while Pharaoh speaks in aorists and imperatives, God answers in covenant and continuation. The verbs of limitation are met by divine verbs of promise. The aorist ἐξέβαλον may close Pharaoh’s sentence, but it cannot close the story. Those cast out from his face will soon stand before the face of YHWH at Sinai.
Thus, even within the syntax of opposition, Scripture whispers hope. Grammar reveals theology: finite verbs, infinite grace. When earthly rulers issue prohibitions, heaven writes participles of purpose. The grammar of Exodus 10:11 reminds us that every attempt to restrict worship ends where divine freedom begins.
