The Last Plague

11 Now the Lord said to Moses, “One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt; (A)after that he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will assuredly drive you out from here completely. Speak now [a]so that the people hear, that (B)each man is to ask of his neighbor, and each woman of her neighbor, articles of silver and articles of gold.” And (C)the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. (D)Furthermore, the man Moses himself was [b]greatly esteemed in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.

Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘About (E)midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt, and (F)all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well. So there shall be (G)a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again. (H)But not even a dog will [c]threaten any of the sons of Israel, nor anything from person to animal, so that you may [d]learn how the Lord distinguishes between Egypt and Israel.’ And (I)all these servants of yours will come down to me and bow themselves [e]before me, saying, ‘Go out, you and all the people who [f]follow you,’ and after that I will go out.” (J)And he left Pharaoh in the heat of anger.

Then the Lord said to Moses, “(K)Pharaoh will not listen to you, so (L)that My wonders will be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” 10 So (M)Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh; yet (N)the Lord [g]hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 11:2 Lit in the ears of the people that
  2. Exodus 11:3 Lit very great
  3. Exodus 11:7 Lit move its tongue
  4. Exodus 11:7 Lit know
  5. Exodus 11:8 Lit to
  6. Exodus 11:8 Lit are at your feet
  7. Exodus 11:10 Lit made strong

Death for Egypt’s Firstborn

11 Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will strike Pharaoh and the land of Egypt with one more blow. After that, Pharaoh will let you leave this country. In fact, he will be so eager to get rid of you that he will force you all to leave. Tell all the Israelite men and women to ask their Egyptian neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” (Now the Lord had caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the people of Israel. And Moses was considered a very great man in the land of Egypt, respected by Pharaoh’s officials and the Egyptian people alike.)

Moses had announced to Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord says: At midnight tonight I will pass through the heart of Egypt. All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest servant girl who grinds the flour. Even the firstborn of all the livestock will die. Then a loud wail will rise throughout the land of Egypt, a wail like no one has heard before or will ever hear again. But among the Israelites it will be so peaceful that not even a dog will bark. Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites. All the officials of Egypt will run to me and fall to the ground before me. ‘Please leave!’ they will beg. ‘Hurry! And take all your followers with you.’ Only then will I go!” Then, burning with anger, Moses left Pharaoh.

Now the Lord had told Moses earlier, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, but then I will do even more mighty miracles in the land of Egypt.” 10 Moses and Aaron performed these miracles in Pharaoh’s presence, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he wouldn’t let the Israelites leave the country.