So Pharaoh said begins with the usual conjunction waw, which here should show that the king is willing to negotiate. Moses has made his point. New American Bible marks this transition within the reply of the Pharaoh: “Well, then,” said Pharaoh, “I will let you go….” I will let you go must be understood as a conditional agreement, for he adds only you shall not go very far away. New Revised Standard Version says it better: “provided you do not go very far away.” The you is plural, referring to all the Israelites. To sacrifice to the LORD your God repeats the words of verses 25-27.

Only introduces a condition for the Israelites, namely, that they do not go very far away. Literally the Hebrew says “being far you shall not be far to go.” This is an emphatic way of saying “you must not go very far” (New International Version). No mention is made of Moses’ demand for a “three-days’ journey,” which may have been farther than the king intended.

Make entreaty for me is in the “you plural” form but is probably addressed only to Moses and Aaron, not to all the Israelites. The word for Make entreaty carries the meaning of “plead” or “intercede” (New English Bible, Jerusalem Bible), and such a translation is probably more accurate than “Pray for me” (Good News Translation). Another way of expressing this is “Please entreat Yahweh for me.” As the following verse explains, “the king” is requesting them to ask their God to remove the plague of flies. New American Bible treats this as a second condition and connects it also with the word only: “provided that you do not go too far away and that you pray for me.” In the Hebrew, however, Make entreaty is imperative in form, so this request should not be understood as a second condition.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .