Exodus 11:1

The Plague on the Firstborn Foretold

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will bring upon Pharaoh and Egypt one more plague. After that, he will allow you to leave this place. And when he lets you go, he will drive you out completely.

Exodus 11:1 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 11:1

And the Lord said unto Moses
While in the presence of Pharaoh, by a secret impulse upon his mind; or he had said F13, which some refer as far back as to his appearance to him in Midian, ( Exodus 4:23 ) , which is too remote; rather it refers to the last time he went to Pharaoh, being sent for by him; and the words may be rendered, "for the Lord had said" F14; and so are a reason why Moses was so bold, and expressed himself with so much confidence and assurance to Pharaoh, that he would see his face no more: yet will I bring one plague [more] upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt;
upon him and all his subjects, for the following one would affect all the families of Egypt, in which there was a son: afterwards he will let you go hence;
out of Egypt readily, at once, and not attempt to stop or retard your going: when he shall let you go;
declare his will, give leave and orders for it: he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether;
absolutely, entirely, without any exception or limitation, them, their wives, their children, their flocks and herds, and whatsoever belonged to them, without any restraint upon them in any respect, and without any condition of return, or fixing any time for it, but the dismission should be general, unlimited, and unconditional; or, "in thrusting he shall thrust you out" F15, with force and vehemence, with urgency and in great haste.


FOOTNOTES:

F13 (rmayw) "dixerat", some in Vatablus, Ainsworth, Cartwright; so Aben Ezra.
F14 "Dixerat enim", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Rivet.
F15 (vrgy vrg) "expellendo expellet", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius; so Fagius, Vatablus, Cartwright.

Exodus 11:1 In-Context

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will bring upon Pharaoh and Egypt one more plague. After that, he will allow you to leave this place. And when he lets you go, he will drive you out completely.
2 Now announce to the people that men and women alike should ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.”
3 And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.
4 So Moses declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,
5 and every firstborn son in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the servant girl behind the hand mill, as well as the firstborn of all the cattle.
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