Exodus 10:26
“Our livestock also shall go with us. Not a hoof shall be left behind, for of it we must take to serve Yahweh our God; and we don’t know with what we must serve Yahweh, until we come there.””
What does Exodus 10:26 mean?
Moses is standing firm with Pharaoh about what freedom will actually look like for the Israelites. He's saying they won't leave their animals behind—every single one matters, because they'll need them to worship God properly once they reach the wilderness. There's a practical wisdom here too: Moses is acknowledging that he doesn't yet know exactly what God will ask of them, so they need to bring everything they might need. This captures something deeply human about trust during uncertain times. Moses isn't being stubborn for stubbornness' sake; he's insisting on complete freedom precisely because the future remains unknown. When we're moving toward healing or change in our own lives, this resonates: sometimes we hold tight to the resources and relationships we have, not because we're fearful, but because we genuinely don't know what we'll need on the path ahead. Full freedom means not leaving anything essential behind.