Exodus 11

The Voice

11 Eternal One (to Moses): I am going to strike Pharaoh and his Egypt one more time, and after this final plague, Pharaoh will release you from Egypt. When he finally releases you, he will be so glad to see you go that he will practically force you out of this land. ²Go now and speak to all the people. Have every man and every woman ask their neighbors to give them items made of silver and gold.

³Now the Eternal caused the Egyptian people to have a favorable attitude toward His people. And Moses was already highly regarded in the land of Egypt by Pharaoh’s servants and most Egyptians.

Moses (to Pharaoh): ⁴This is the message of the Eternal: “About midnight I will move through Egypt, ⁵and every firstborn son in every family in Egypt will die—from the firstborn of Pharaoh (who rules from his throne) to the firstborn of the slave girl (who grinds at the mill). The firstborn of all your cattle and livestock will die as well. ⁶The air will be heavy with loud wailing throughout the land of Egypt, a deep and dismal mourning unlike any that has been or will ever be again in the land. ⁷But among the people of Israel not even a dog’s bark will disturb the night. Then you will know that the Eternal makes a sharp distinction between Egypt and Israel.”

⁸All those who are servants to you, Pharaoh, will come down to me and humbly bow before me and beg, “Please go! You and all those who follow you! Leave now!” That is when I will go.

Then Moses, who was boiling with anger, left Pharaoh’s presence.

Eternal One (to Moses): ⁹Pharaoh will not pay attention to what you say. As a result, My wonders will increase in all the land of Egypt.

Pharaoh’s stubbornness never frustrates the divine plan. God turns it and uses it to demonstrate to all that He is the one True God.

¹⁰Moses and Aaron performed all of these wonders in the presence of Pharaoh. But the Eternal hardened Pharaoh’s stubborn heart, and Pharaoh refused to release the Israelites from his land.