4 And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:
5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts.
6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.
4 And Moses H4872 said, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 About midnight H3915 H2676 will I go out H3318 into the midst H8432 of Egypt: H4714
5 And all the firstborn H1060 in the land H776 of Egypt H4714 shall die, H4191 from the firstborn H1060 of Pharaoh H6547 that sitteth H3427 upon his throne, H3678 even unto the firstborn H1060 of the maidservant H8198 that is behind H310 the mill; H7347 and all the firstborn H1060 of beasts. H929
6 And there shall be H1961 a great H1419 cry H6818 throughout all the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 such as there was none H3808 like it, nor H3808 shall be like it any more. H3254
7 But against any of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 shall not a dog H3611 move H2782 his tongue, H3956 against man H376 or beast: H929 that ye may know H3045 how that the LORD H3068 doth put a difference H6395 between the Egyptians H4714 and Israel. H3478
8 And all these thy servants H5650 shall come down H3381 unto me, and bow down H7812 themselves unto me, saying, H559 Get thee out, H3318 and all the people H5971 that follow H7272 thee: and after H310 that I will go out. H3318 And he went out H3318 from Pharaoh H6547 in a great H2750 anger. H639
4 And Moses said, Thus saith Jehovah, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:
5 and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill; and all the first-born of cattle.
6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there hath not been, nor shall be any more.
7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that Jehovah doth make a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel.
8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.
4 And Moses saith, `Thus said Jehovah, About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt,
5 and every first-born in the land of Egypt hath died, from the first-born of Pharaoh who is sitting on his throne, unto the first-born of the maid-servant who `is' behind the millstones, and all the first-born of beasts;
6 and there hath been a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there hath not been, and such as there is not again.
7 `And against all the sons of Israel a dog sharpeneth not its tongue, from man even unto beast, so that ye know that Jehovah doth make a separation between the Egyptians and Israel;
8 and all these thy servants have come down unto me, and bowed themselves to me, saying, Go out, thou and all the people who `are' at thy feet; and afterwards I do go out;' -- and he goeth out from Pharaoh in the heat of anger.
4 And Moses said, Thus saith Jehovah: About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt.
5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sitteth on his throne, even unto the firstborn of the bondwoman that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of cattle.
6 And there shall be a great cry throughout the land of Egypt, such as there hath been none like it, nor shall be like it any more.
7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast; that ye may know that Jehovah distinguisheth between the Egyptians and Israel.
8 And all these thy bondmen shall come down unto me, and bow down to me, saying, Go out, thou, and all the people that follow thee; and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a glowing anger.
4 Moses said, "This is what Yahweh says: 'About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt,
5 and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the maid-servant who is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of cattle.
6 There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been, nor shall be any more.
7 But against any of the children of Israel a dog won't even bark or move its tongue, against man or animal; that you may know that Yahweh makes a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel.
8 All these your servants shall come down to me, and bow down themselves to me, saying, 'Get out, and all the people who follow you; and after that I will go out.'" He went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.
4 And Moses said, This is what the Lord says: About the middle of the night I will go out through Egypt:
5 And death will come to every mother's first male child in all the land of Egypt, from the child of Pharaoh on his seat of power, to the child of the servant-girl crushing the grain; and the first births of all the cattle.
6 And there will be a great cry through all the land of Egypt, such as never has been or will be again.
7 But against the children of Israel, man or beast, not so much as the tongue of a dog will be moved: so that you may see how the Lord makes a division between Israel and the Egyptians.
8 And all these your servants will come to me, going down on their faces before me and saying, Go out, and all your people with you: and after that I will go out. And he went away from Pharaoh burning with wrath.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 11
Commentary on Exodus 11 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 11
Ex 11:1-10. Death of the First-born Threatened.
1. the Lord said—rather, "had said unto Moses." It may be inferred, therefore, that he had been apprised that the crisis had now arrived, that the next plague would so effectually humble and alarm the mind of Pharaoh, that he would "thrust them out thence altogether"; and thus the word of Moses (Ex 10:29), must be regarded as a prediction.
2, 3. Speak now in the ears of the people—These verses, describing the communication which had been made in private to Moses, are inserted here as a parenthesis, and will be considered (Ex 12:35).
4. Thus saith the Lord, About midnight—Here is recorded the announcement of the last plague made in the most solemn manner to the king, on whose hardened heart all his painful experience had hitherto produced no softening, at least no permanently good effect.
will I go out into the midst of Egypt—language used after the manner of men.
5. And all the first-born in the land … shall die—The time, the suddenness, the dreadful severity of this coming calamity, and the peculiar description of victims, among both men and beasts, on whom it was to fall, would all contribute to aggravate its character.
the maid-servant that is behind the mill—The grinding of the meal for daily use in every household is commonly done by female slaves and is considered the lowest employment. Two portable millstones are used for the purpose, of which the uppermost is turned by a small wooden handle, and during the operation the maid sits behind the mill.
6. shall be a great cry throughout all the land—In the case of a death, people in the East set up loud wailings, and imagination may conceive what "a great cry" would be raised when death would invade every family in the kingdom.
7. against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue—No town or village in Egypt or in the East generally is free from the nuisance of dogs, who prowl about the streets and make the most hideous noise at any passers-by at night. What an emphatic significance does the knowledge of this circumstance give to this fact in the sacred record, that on the awful night that was coming, when the air should be rent with the piercing shrieks of mourners, so great and universal would be the panic inspired by the hand of God, that not a dog would move his tongue against the children of Israel!
8. all these thy servants shall … bow down themselves unto me—This would be the effect of the universal terror; the hearts of the proudest would be humbled and do reverential homage to God, in the person of His representative.
went out … in a great anger—Holy and righteous indignation at the duplicity, repeated falsehood, and hardened impenitence of the king; and this strong emotion was stirred in the bosom of Moses, not at the ill reception given to himself, but the dishonor done to God (Mt 19:8; Eph 4:26).