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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.

Yahweh Says One More Plague

11 Then Yahweh 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 surely drive you out from here completely. Speak now in the [a]hearing of the people so that (B)each man may ask from his neighbor and each woman from her neighbor for articles of silver and articles of gold.” (C)(And Yahweh gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. (D)Moreover, the man Moses himself was very great in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.)

So Moses said, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘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, even to the firstborn of the servant-girl who is behind the millstones; and all the firstborn of the cattle. Moreover, 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 for any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even [b]bark, whether against man or beast, that you may know how Yahweh makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ (I)Then all these your servants will come down to me and bow themselves [c]before me, saying, ‘Go out, you and all the people who [d]follow you,’ and after that I will go out.” (J)And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.

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

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 11:2 Lit ears
  2. Exodus 11:7 Lit sharpen his tongue
  3. Exodus 11:8 Lit to
  4. Exodus 11:8 Lit are at your feet
  5. Exodus 11:10 Lit strengthened