Was 'Let My People Go' just a trick?

Each time Moses commanded Pharaoh to 'let My people go,' he requested permission merely to allow Israel a three-day journey to worship YHVH ELOHIM in the desert.  Yet never do we find Moses telling Pharaoh the 'whole truth', that he in fact intended to lead Israel out of slavery to the Promised Land.

Was Moses telling a lie?  Didn't YHVH tell Moses that Pharaoh won't listen in any event (Ex 3:19) so why not tell Pharaoh the whole truth in the first place?  Could Moses' plan have realistically been kept secret from the Egyptians?  After all, when YHVH commanded Moses to go to Pharaoh, he also instructed him to gather Israel and inform them of the true plan, that they were on their way to the Promised Land. (Ex 3:16-17, 4:29-31)  Could it be expected that no one will leak the story to the Egyptians? 

YHVH's revelation to Moses at the burning bush introduced the primary theme of the book of Exodus - YHVH's fulfillment of His covenant with the Fathers. This was reflected already in YHVH's opening message to Moses at the 'bush'.

"I am the ELOHIM of your forefathers, the ELOHIM of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob...  I have seen the affliction of My people in Egypt...  I have come down now to save them and bring them to a good land..."  (Ex 3:6-9)

YHVH did not appear to Moses simply to provide him with  information.  He charged Moses with a mission.

"And now go for I am sending you to Pharaoh, and take My people the children of Israel out of Egypt."   (Ex 3:10)  

Moses had been commissioned to serve as YHVH's agent to bring about His divine plan. 
What was that plan?  How did YHVH plan to take Israel out of Egypt?  Why the Ten Plagues?  Why all the 'theatrics'?

Moses was startled by YHVH's commandment that he take Israel out of Egypt.  Considering his having been a fugitive from Egypt for many years, why should Pharaoh even allow him an audience?  Furthermore, Moses has been away from his people for most of his adult life. (He ran away at a rather young age and returned only at age eighty.)  How could the Israelites possibly accept him as their official leader?

YHVH told Moses to take His nation out of Egypt, without providing even a clue concerning how to get the job done. Therefore, Moses' immediate response to this command was quite understandable.

"And Moses said to ELOHIM: who am I that I can go to Pharaoh, and how can I take Israel out of Egypt?"   (Ex 3:11) 

Moses was asking how he was supposed to take Israel out.  However, YHVH's answer to his question did not seem to address this issue at all.

"And He said: For I will be with you, and this is the sign that I have sent you - when you take the Nation out of Egypt, you shall worship Elohim on this mountain."  (Ex 3:12) 

How did this answer Moses' question?  Moses asked how he was supposed to take them out, and YHVH told him what to do after he took them out. YHVH never answered Moses' question and what YHVH answered Moses never asked!

A few verses later we read more about the plan.

"You and the elders shall go to the King of Egypt and tell him: The ELOHIM of the Hebrews had come and told us that we must go for a three-day journey into the desert (to Mount Horeb) to offer sacrifices to YHVH our ELOHIM."   (Ex 3:18) 

Was YHVH sugesting that Moses lie to Pharaoh? 

In Exodus chapter five the Torah records the actual details of Moses' initial confrontation with Pharaoh.

"Afterward Moses and Aaron came and said to Pharaoh: Thus said YHVH the ELOHIM of Israel, let My People go and worship Me in the desert.  (Pharaoh refused)  And they answered: the ELOHIM of the Hebrews has called upon us to take a three-day journey into the desert in order that we may sacrifice to YHVH our ELOHIM, lest he strike us with pestilence or sword."  
(Ex 5:1-3) 

This final phrase - "lest he strike us with pestilence or sword" - is the key to understanding YHVH's intention in Ex 3:2.  The plan was rather simple.  Moses warned Pharaoh that if he did not allow Israel to journey into the desert and worship their ELOHIM, a severe Divine punishment will ensue and many people will die, and that this impending punishment will involve the Egyptians as well.  Moses argued that in the 'best interests' of both Pharaoh and the Egyptian people, they should allow Israel a 'short vacation' for them to worship their ELOHIM in the desert.

Before each of the Ten Plagues, Moses asked permission for Israel to do nothing more than worship ELOHIM in the desert.  Each time he requested, "Let My people go so that they can worship Me in the desert." (Ex 7:16,26, 8:16, 9:1,13, and 10:3)  Never, not even once (despite many opportunities to do so) did Moses even hint to Pharaoh that Israel planned to leave for good.

When following the various negotiations conducted during the Ten Plagues, we find that they focus only on the issue of a three-day journey to worship ELOHIM, never on 'emigration rights to Canaan.'

After the plague of flies Pharaoh finally granted them permission to worship ELOHIM, only not in the desert - they must remain within the Land of Egypt.  (Ex 8:21-23)  After Moses rejected this proposal Pharaoh agreed to a short journey into the desert, but not a three-day distance.

"And Pharaoh said, I will send you out so that you can worship your ELOHIM in the desert, but don't go too far away..."   (Ex 8:24) 

Once that plague ended Pharaoh hardened his heart and broke his promise.  (Ex 8:25-28) 

After Moses warnd of the impending plague of locusts, Pharaoh's servants demanded Pharaoh's concession to Moses.  (Ex 10:7)  In response, Pharaoh entered into a new round of talks with Moses, which eventually reached an impasse over the issue of who can leave.  Moses insisted that even the women and children come along, "for all family members need to worship YHVH" while Pharaoh allowed only the men to leave.  (Ex 10:7-11)  Moses never told Pharaoh that everyone had to go because the nation planed a mass, nationwide exodus.

After the ninth plague, darkness, Pharaoh conducted one final round of negotiations.  This time, he was willing to grant permission even to the women and children, but not their sheep and cattle.  (Ex 10:24-25)  Once again, Moses countered with a 'technical reason'.     

At every stage of negotiations with Pharaoh, Moses consistently rejected any concession or compromise, insisting that everyone must go.  Still, despite numerous opportunities, he never suggested that they planned to leave for good.  Likewise, no matter how resolutely Pharaoh stuck to his hard line, he never suspected that Israel had no intention of returning!

When Pharaoh finally granted Israel permission to leave, after the tenth plague, he only told them to worship ELOHIM in the desert because that's all Moses ever asked for.  (Ex 12:29-36) 

"And he called to Moses and Aaron at night and said: Get up and get out ... and go worship your ELOHIM as you requested!  Even your sheep and cattle take with you (that's where the last negotiations broke off) as you requested and bless me as well..."  (Ex 12:31-33) 

The tenth plague brought Pharaoh to the realization that Moses' original warning of "pestilence or sword"  (Ex 5:3) had actually come true.  Not only did he agree to allow Israel the three-day journey to offer sacrifices, he even requested them to pray on his behalf.  (Ex 12:32)   

The entire Egyptian nation urged Israel to go as quickly as possible in order that they sacrifice to their ELOHIM and thereby bring this horrifying plague to an end.  They even lent them their finest wares, assuming that their slaves would soon return and bring back what they 'borrowed.'

"And it was told to the King of Egypt that the people had run away..."   (Ex 14:5) 

Pharaoh was totally unaware of Moses' true plan. He concluded that Israel had run away because they did not go to the desert.  Instead, they turned back  toward Egypt, after their original departure in the direction of the desert.

"And YHVH told Moses, tell Israel to turn around and set up camp ... near the Red Sea..."  (Ex 14:1-4) 

Had Israel continued on their journey towards the desert, Pharaoh would not have chased them.  It was because they did not keep going, but instead, returned toward Egypt and established a 'new settlement' by the Red Sea, that Pharaoh concluded:

"What have we done (we've been tricked!) for we have set Israel free from their slave labor!"  (Ex 14:5)   

When Pharaoh saw that Israel did not go to the desert, he   realized that he had been duped and now feared that Israel will declared their independence within the land of Egypt.  After all, if they didn't go to the desert nor returned home, what else were they up to? Therefore, Pharaoh immediately declared war on this rebellious nation of slaves.  (Ex 14:6-10) 

Pharaoh's main concern from the very beginning was that Israel may one day rebel and attempt to take over his own country.  (Ex 1:8-10)  It was to prevent this potential disaster that he enslaved them in the first place.  Now that Israel set up their own camp within the boundries of Egypt, it appeared that his greatest fear had come true!

Technically speaking, Israel did go on a three-day journey to worship YHVH at Mount Sinai.  Moses never really 'lied'.  He simply omited any reference to the next stage, after the three-day vacation.

It is commonly assumed that the only obstacle preventing Israel's return to Canaan was their enslavement to Egypt.  However, if we consider their condition more realistically, we realize that they had no other alternative but to remain in Egypt.  Even if Pharaoh had granted them permission to emigrate, could the two million ex-slaves survive the lengthy and difficult journey through the desert?  And even if they could make it to Canaan, could they conquer the land with its walled cities and formidable, armed enemies?  As the spies themselves concluded, such a plan would be suicidal! (Numbers 14:1-4) 

Thus, without some sort of divine intervention, Israel had no realistic alternative other than to stay in Egypt.  When they cried out for salvation (Ex 2:23-25)  they desired only a lighter workload and a little taste of freedom; they did not yearn for Zion.

YHVH had no intention to fool Pharaoh.  He was concerned with two independent issues.

1) To redeem Israel from Egypt - to fulfill His covenant with Abraham. 
2) To 'teach' Pharaoh and his country that He exists and that He is higher than all the gods of Egypt.

In His revelation to Moses at the burning bush YHVH charged Moses with the responsibility of dealing with both issues.  Why did Moses confront Pharaoh in the first place?  If the entire purpose of the exodus from Egypt was to fulfill the covenant and take Israel back to Canaan, why involve Egypt in this process at all?  Surely YHVH could create circumstances whereby they could return without official Egyptian authorization. 

Nonetheless, at the burning bush YHVH insisted upon Israel receiving permission to leave. 

"Now go, I have sent you to Pharaoh..."  (Ex 3:10)  

Moses responded, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh."  (Ex 3:11)  Moses' confrontation with Pharaoh was critical to YHVH's plan.  YHVH did not tell Moses to 'trick' Pharaoh.  Rather, Moses had to confront Pharaoh over the fundamental issue of religious freedom, the basic right of any people, especially an oppressed nation, to worship their ELOHIM.  The fact that Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, the world superpower and center of ancient civilization, rejected this request shows that he considered himself above his fellow man.  He acted as though he himself was god.  YHVH therefore had to teach him (and all future 'Pharaohs') that YHVH ELOHIM is The Supreme. 

The primary goal of the exodus was that Egypt realize that YHVH ELOHIM is above all.  Moses was selected to deliver this message in YHVH's Name, directly to Pharaoh.  The ten plagues ensured the Egyptians' understanding of this message.

From Israel's perspective, the central purpose of the exodus related to the fulfillment of YHVH's covenant with the Abraham; that YHVH will bring them back to Canaan in order to make them a special nation. 

YHVH instructed Moses to make a reasonable request - to allow his afflicted brethren to worship their ELOHIM.  Moses did not lie to Pharaoh, nor did he deceive him.  He simply claimed the legitimate right of religious freedom for an oppressed people! 

It is interesting to note the inter-relationship between the plagues and the commandments. YHVH's ultimate goal was to establish the Nation of Israel as a model society, to bring all mankind to recognize YHVH ELOHIM.  At the exodus from Egypt and  specifically at the moment when Israel became a nation, Egypt  had to recognize YHVH as El Elyon, The Most High God.

Initially this goal was to be achieved through force, by Moses' rod and YHVH's ten Plagues.  Ultimately, it would be achieved through grace - the message and the principles of YHVH's ten Commandments.