We are in chapter ten of Exodus with our word for today. עָנָה be bowed down, humbled, be wretched, be crouched, hunched up, emaciated, cringe, stoop, submit. It is used 79 times in the Old Testament. We see our word used in the sense of being mistreated. Genesis 16:6 “Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai וַתְּעַנֶּ֣הָ mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. Our word is also used in the sense of being humbled by God himself. Deuteronomy 8:2-3 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to עַנֹּֽתְךָ֜ humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He וַֽיְעַנְּךָ֮ humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. This is how our word is used in our passage today. Exodus 10:3 So Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, ‘How long will you refuse to לֵעָנֹ֖ת humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.
I find it interesting that our word used to describe what Pharaoh should be doing is the same word used to describe what the Hebrew slaves were experiencing throughout all their years of slavery. Genesis 15:13 Then the Lord said to him, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and וְעִנּ֣וּ mistreated there. Exodus 1:11-12 So they put slave masters over them to עַנֹּת֖וֹ oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were יְעַנּ֣וּ oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. We find this idea of God turning the tables on people and situations throughout the Bible. Luke 1:52 He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. This is why Jesus taught that we should humble ourselves or else God will have to humble us himself. Matthew 23:11-12 The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Luke 14:7-11 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” I’ll close with this great reminder. 1 Peter 5:5-6 All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.
