Numbers 33:4

4 Who were burying their firstborn, whom the Lord had slain (upon their gods also he had executed vengeance,)

Numbers 33:4 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 33:4

For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the Lord
had smitten among them
Which contributed much to the more easy and safe deliverance of the children of Israel; for their hearts were heavy with sorrow, and their hands were full, and they had other work to do, namely, to bury their dead, than to molest Israel; and besides, they knew it was for detaining them this stroke came upon them:

upon their gods also the Lord executed judgments;
they were moved at the presence, and by the power of God, and fell and were dashed to pieces, as the idols of the same land were in later times, see ( Isaiah 19:1 ) and this still the more intimidated and frightened the Egyptians, that they dared not attempt to hinder the departure of the Israelites from them. The Targum of Jonathan says, the Word of the Lord did this; and adds, their molten idols became soft, their strong idols were mutilated, their earthen idols were diminished, their wooden idols became ashes, and those of beasts died.

Numbers 33:4 In-Context

2 Which Moses wrote down according to the places of their encamping, which they changed by the commandment of the Lord.

3 Now the children of Israel departed from Ramesses the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month, the day after the phase, with a mighty hand, in the sight of all the Egyptians,

4 Who were burying their firstborn, whom the Lord had slain (upon their gods also he had executed vengeance,)

5 And they camped in Soccoth.

6 And from Soccoth they came into Etham, which is in the uttermost borders of the wilderness.