And you shall say to Pharaoh introduces a quote within the quote that began with verse 21. This in turn introduces another quote, ‘Thus says the LORD …,’ and within that quote another is introduced with and I say to you. Changing some levels of direct speech to indirect, as in Good News Translation, will make it easier for the hearer as well as the reader to keep in mind who is speaking. (See the comment on quotes at 7.16.)

And you shall say is frequently translated as “Then you shall say,” in order to show that the words for Moses to speak should come after the Pharaoh has persistently refused. This anticipates the problem of tense in verse 23. Thus Good News Translation, in avoiding extensive quotes within quotes, has “Then you must tell him that I, the LORD, say, ‘Israel….’ ”

For Pharaoh see the discussion at 1.11b. Thus says the LORD is the ancient “messenger formula” used ten different times in Exodus and many times throughout the prophetic books. Since it is intended to introduce the exact words of Yahweh through the mouth of the messenger, it should be translated consistently and with a ring of authority. (A formula is a fixed arrangement of words, so it is usually helpful to translate it in the same way each time it appears. See also 5.1; 7.17; 8.1, 20; 9.1, 13; 10.3; 11.4; and 32.27.) New English Bible has “these are the words of the LORD,” and New Jerusalem Bible has “This is what Yahweh says.” Good News Translation‘s “I, the LORD, say” has changed the third person to first person in order to avoid three levels of embedded quotes. Translators should find the most forceful way to say this in the receptor language.

Israel is my first-born son is a metaphor meaning “The people of Israel are like a firstborn son to me.” Literally the Hebrew says “Israel is my son, my firstborn,” and this will be a suitable translation in many languages. The first-born son means the oldest son. Most languages will have technical terms designating this child. Israel, the new name given to Jacob in Gen 32.28, is used collectively for all his descendants, but note that it is possible to express this as “The people of Israel are like…,” as suggested above. The first-born son, of course, enjoyed a special status in the ancient Israelite family, but the reference here already points to the tenth plague, in which the firstborn son of the Pharaoh was killed (11.5).

And I say to you is present tense in Revised Standard Version. However, the Hebrew verb may be rendered either as say or as “said,” so Good News Translation has “I told you….” Most translations use the past tense, “said.” This assumes that the demand to let the people go has already been made, as in Good News Translation, “I told you to let my son go.” Some scholars have suggested that verses 22-23 are out of place, having originally followed 11.3 as Moses’ warning of the tenth plague. But even in their present position it is better to use the past tense.

Let my son go that he may serve me is a quote within a quote within a quote. The word for “let go” also means to release, let loose, or send away. This “demand formula” is the same formula used repeatedly by Moses during the course of the plagues in Egypt, except that elsewhere my son is changed to “my people.” (See also 5.1; 7.16; 8.1, 20; 9.1, 13; and 10.3.) The singular son should be retained here because of the intentional contrast with the Pharaoh’s firstborn son in 4.23b. That he may serve me is better understood as “so that he might worship me” (Good News Translation). The verb “to serve,” in reference to God, implies performing the proper rites in worship.

Alternative translation models for verses 22-23a are:

• Then you must say to the king that the LORD [or, Yahweh] says this: “The people of Israel are like a firstborn son to me. So I am telling you to release my son, so that he may worship me.”

Or in languages that require direct speech:

• … I have told you, ‘Release my son, so that he may worship me.’ ”

If you refuse is literally “and you refused,” but the problem of the tense intended is not easily resolved. Revised Standard Version and others (New American Bible, Die Bibel im heutigen Deutsch), in using the present tense, are forced to render the common conjunction waw as if. Behold, along with the separate pronoun I, introduces the consequences of Pharaoh’s refusal with great emphasis. Most English versions now avoid using the archaic behold, but other languages may be able to render the word naturally. (See the comment at 1.9.) If the present tense is followed (if you refuse), this emphasis may be expressed as in New American Bible: “I warn you.” If the past tense is preferred (“you refused”), the emphasis may be expressed with Good News Translation‘s use of “Now,” or Jerusalem Bible‘s use of “So be it!” (New Jerusalem Bible has “well then!”) Other possibilities are “All right!” as in “All right! I am going to kill…,” or “Because you are stubborn, I am going to….”

I will slay your first-born son uses the participial form of slay, and thus carries the meaning of “I am going to kill,” or “I intend to kill.” In some languages this will be expressed as “I have set my heart to kill….” The same general word for “kill” is used in 2.14. (See the comment there.)

Alternative translation models using the present tense (1) and the past tense (2) for this verse are:

(1) If you refuse to release him, I warn you that I intend to kill your firstborn son.
(2) but you refused to release him. All right! I am going to kill your firstborn son.

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 .