Exodus 8:25Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Pharaoh begins to acknowledge the God that Moses had referred to (Exodus 5:2), despite his earlier claim of unfamiliarity. By addressing Him as the national deity of the Hebrews, Pharaoh attempts to limit the broader significance that Moses ascribed to Him. However, he ultimately decides to permit the departure of the Israelites, albeit first admonishing them to refrain from venturing into the wilderness, instructing instead that they should perform their sacrifices within the confines of the land amidst the Egyptians.