Exodus 12:12

12 On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the LORD !

Exodus 12:12 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 12:12

For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night
. Which must be understood consistent with his omnipresence, and of the manifestation of his powerful presence, or of the exertion of his mighty power in the following event: and will smite all the

firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast;
as had been declared to Pharaoh, ( Exodus 11:5 )

and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment;
meaning either figuratively, the nobles, princes, judges and civil magistrates, who are sometimes called Elohim, gods; but since the firstborn of these, as of others, and so the judgment on them, are comprehended in the preceding clause, this is, rather to be understood literally of the idols of the Egyptians, their images of gold and silver, or of whatever they were made of: the Targum of Jonathan is,

``on all the idols of the Egyptians I will exercise four judgments; the molten idols shall be melted, the idols of stone shall be cut asunder, the idols of earth shall be broke to pieces, and the idols of wood shall become ashes;''

see ( Numbers 33:4 ) ( Isaiah 19:1 ) and there are some traces of this in Heathen writers; Artapanus ^F5 says, that by an earthquake most of the temples in Egypt fell; and Justin ^F6 reports, that Moses, being the leader of the exile Israelites, stole away the sacred things of the Egyptians, i.e. their gods, which they endeavoured to regain by force of arms:

I am the Lord;
God Almighty, faithful and true, and therefore what was threatened should certainly be performed, and thereby the Egyptians and all others might know that he was Jehovah alone, and that there is no God beside him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F5 Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 436.
F6 E Trogo, l. 36. c. 2.

Exodus 12:12 In-Context

10 Do not leave any of it until the next morning. Burn whatever is not eaten before morning.

11 “These are your instructions for eating this meal: Be fully dressed, wear your sandals, and carry your walking stick in your hand. Eat the meal with urgency, for this is the LORD ’s Passover.

12 On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn son and firstborn male animal in the land of Egypt. I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt, for I am the LORD !

13 But the blood on your doorposts will serve as a sign, marking the houses where you are staying. When I see the blood, I will pass over you. This plague of death will not touch you when I strike the land of Egypt.

14 “This is a day to remember. Each year, from generation to generation, you must celebrate it as a special festival to the LORD . This is a law for all time.