The Meaning of Exodus 3:21 Explained

Exodus 3:21

KJV: And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:

YLT: 'And I have given the grace of this people in the eyes of the Egyptians, and it hath come to pass, when ye go, ye go not empty;

Darby: And I will give this people favour in the eyes of the Egyptians, and it shall come to pass, when ye go out, that ye shall not go out empty;

ASV: And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And I will give  this people  favour  in the sight  of the Egyptians:  and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go,  ye shall not go  empty: 

What does Exodus 3:21 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 3:13-22 - Moses Sent To Deliver Israel
How unlike this Moses was to the man who, forty years before, had acted with such impulsive haste, Acts 7:23. He had learned much since then, and most about himself. But there should be no shrinking when God says I am. Fill in this blank check with whatever you need for life or godliness, and God will do that and more also, with exceeding abundance.
Had we been called upon to demonstrate the life beyond death from the Old Testament, we should hardly have turned to this chapter. But our Lord read the profound significance of these august words, Matthew 22:31-32. Evidently the patriarchs must have been all living when God spoke, or He would never have described Himself as being still their God. Had they ceased to exist He must have said, not I am, but I was the God of the fathers. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 3

1  Moses keeps Jethro's flock
2  God appears to him in a burning bush
9  He sends him to deliver Israel
13  The name of God
15  His message to Israel, and Pharaoh, whose opposition is foretold
20  He is assured of Israel's deliverance

What do the individual words in Exodus 3:21 mean?

And I will give - favor people this in the sight of the Egyptians and it shall be that when you go not you shall go empty-handed
וְנָתַתִּ֛י אֶת־ חֵ֥ן הָֽעָם־ הַזֶּ֖ה בְּעֵינֵ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהָיָה֙ כִּ֣י תֵֽלֵכ֔וּן לֹ֥א תֵלְכ֖וּ רֵיקָֽם

וְנָתַתִּ֛י  And  I  will  give 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, first person common singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
חֵ֥ן  favor 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵן  
Sense: favour, grace, charm.
הָֽעָם־  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הַזֶּ֖ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
בְּעֵינֵ֣י  in  the  sight 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, cdc
Root: עֹונָה 
Sense: eye.
מִצְרָ֑יִם  of  the  Egyptians 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרִי  
Sense: Egyptian—an inhabitant or citizen of Egypt.
וְהָיָה֙  and  it  shall  be 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
כִּ֣י  that  when 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
תֵֽלֵכ֔וּן  you  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural, Paragogic nun
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
תֵלְכ֖וּ  you  shall  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
רֵיקָֽם  empty-handed 
Parse: Adverb
Root: רֵיקָם  
Sense: vainly, emptily.