And the Egyptians refers to the people in general, not just the king’s officials. Were urgent with the people is literally “they were strong over the people.” The same word is used to describe the king’s “hard” heart (4.21), but here it means to “put pressure on” (Childs). So most translations say they “urged the people,” meaning the Israelites, and in some languages it will be helpful to make this explicit; for example, “The Egyptians urged the Israelites,” or “… the people of Israel.” To send them out of the land in haste translates the word “to let go,” used in Moses’ earlier demands to the king. Here the meaning is simply “to hurry and leave the country” (Good News Translation), “to hasten their departure” (New American Bible), or “to leave their country quickly.”

For they said means the Egyptian people. We are all dead men is better in New Revised Standard Version, “We shall all be dead,” meaning “We will all be dead if you don’t leave” (Good News Translation). Revised English Bible adds “or else,” and New Jerusalem Bible adds “Otherwise.”

An alternative translation model for this verse is:

• The Egyptians urged the Israelites to leave their country quickly. They said, “If you don’t leave, we will all die.”

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 .