Exodus 11:1-8

A Final Plague Threatened

1 The LORD said to Moses, "Yet ¹one plague more I will bring upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt. Afterward he will let you go from here. ²When he lets you go, he will drive you away completely.

2 Speak now in the hearing of the people, that ³they ask, every man of his neighbor and every woman of her neighbor, for silver and gold jewelry."

3 ⁴And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and in the sight of the people.

4 So Moses said, "Thus says the LORD: ⁵About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt,

5 and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is ⁶behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle.

6 ⁷There shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has never been, nor ever will be again.

7 But not a dog shall growl ⁸against any of the people of Israel, either man or beast, that you may know that the LORD ⁹ makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.

8 And ¹⁰all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, 'Get out, you and all the people who follow you.' And after that I will go out." And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.

Exodus 11:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 11

Moses having an intimation from the Lord that one plague more would be brought on Pharaoh, and then he would let Israel go, when they should borrow of their neighbours jewels of gold and silver, the people being in great favour with the Egyptians, Ex 11:1-3, he declares to Pharaoh, before he went out of his presence, the slaying of all the firstborn in Egypt, which would issue in the dismission of Israel, and then he went out from him in great anger, Ex 11:4-8, but still Pharaoh would not hearken, and his heart was hardened, and he refused again to let Israel go, Ex 10:9,10.

Cross References

• 1. [Exodus 4:23]
• 2. Exodus 12:31, 33, 39
• 3. Exodus 3:22; Exodus 12:35
• 4. Exodus 3:21; Exodus 12:36
• 5. Exodus 12:29; [Job 34:20; Amos 4:10]
• 6. Matthew 24:41; Luke 17:35
• 7. Exodus 12:30; [Amos 5:16, 17]
• 8. [Exodus 8:22; Exodus 9:4]
• 9. Exodus 9:4
• 10. Exodus 12:33