Exodus 11
Lexham English Bible
Announcement of the Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn
11 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Still one plague I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt; afterward he will release you from here. At the moment of his releasing, he will certainly drive you completely out from here. 2 Speak in the ears of the people, and let them ask, a man from his neighbor and a woman from her neighbor, for objects of silver and objects of gold.” 3 And Yahweh gave the people favor in the eyes of Egypt. Also the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of the servants of Pharaoh and in the eyes of the people.
4 And Moses said, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘About the middle of the night I will go out through the midst of Egypt, 5 and every firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the slave woman who is behind the pair of millstones and every firstborn animal.[a] 6 And there will be a great cry of distress in all the land of Egypt, the like of which has not been nor will be again.[b] 7 But against all the Israelites,[c] from a man to an animal, a dog will not even bark,[d] so that you will know that Yahweh makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ 8 And all of these your servants will come down to me and bow to me, saying, ‘Go out, you and all the people who are at your feet.’ And afterward I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in great anger.[e]
9 And Yahweh said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that my wonders may multiply[f] in the land of Egypt.” 10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, and Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not release the Israelites[g] from his land.
Footnotes
- Exodus 11:5 The Hebrew word often refers to domestic animals
- Exodus 11:6 Literally “which like it has not been and like it will not be again”
- Exodus 11:7 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
- Exodus 11:7 Literally “move his tongue” or “sharpen his tongue”
- Exodus 11:8 Literally “with heat of nose”
- Exodus 11:9 Literally “for the sake of the multiplying of my wonders”
- Exodus 11:10 Literally “sons/children of Israel”
Exodus 11
New Living Translation
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. 2 Tell all the Israelite men and women to ask their Egyptian neighbors for articles of silver and gold.” 3 (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.)
4 Moses had announced to Pharaoh, “This is what the Lord says: At midnight tonight I will pass through the heart of Egypt. 5 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. 6 Then a loud wail will rise throughout the land of Egypt, a wail like no one has heard before or will ever hear again. 7 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. 8 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.
9 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.
2012 by Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
