Numbers 33:4

4 and (while) the Egyptians buried their first begotten (male) children, which the Lord had slain; for the Lord took vengeance also upon their gods. (and while the Egyptians buried their first-born sons, whom the Lord had killed; and the Lord also took vengeance upon their gods, and their animals.)

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 dwellings Moses described by the places of (the) tents, that were changed by commandment of the Lord. (and Moses wrote down each place where they pitched their tents, by the Lord's command.)
3 Therefore the sons of Israel went forth in an high hand from Rameses, in the first month, in the fifteenth day of the first month, in the tother day of pask, that is, in the morrow of the offering of the lamb of pask, while all [the] Egyptians saw, (And so the Israelites went forth defiantly from Rameses, in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month, on the day after the first Passover, that is, in the morning after the offering of the lamb of the first Passover, while all the Egyptians watched,)
4 and (while) the Egyptians buried their first begotten (male) children, which the Lord had slain; for the Lord took vengeance also upon their gods. (and while the Egyptians buried their first-born sons, whom the Lord had killed; and the Lord also took vengeance upon their gods, and their animals.)
5 The sons of Israel (first) setted tents in Succoth, (The Israelites first pitched their tents at Succoth,)
6 and from Succoth they came into Etham, which is in the last coasts of the wilderness; (and from Succoth they went to Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness;)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.