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Yahweh Says One More Plague

11 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt; (A)after that he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out from here completely. Speak now in the [a]hearing of the people so that (B)each man may ask from his neighbor and each woman from her neighbor for articles of silver and articles of gold.” (C)(And Yahweh gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. (D)Moreover, the man Moses himself was very great in the land of Egypt, both in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants and in the sight of the people.)

So Moses said, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘About (E)midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt, and (F)all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the servant-girl who is behind the millstones; and all the firstborn of the cattle. Moreover, there shall be (G)a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again. (H)But for any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even [b]bark, whether against man or beast, that you may know how Yahweh makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’ (I)Then all these your servants will come down to me and bow themselves [c]before me, saying, ‘Go out, you and all the people who [d]follow you,’ and after that I will go out.” (J)And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.

Then Yahweh said to Moses, “(K)Pharaoh will not listen to you, so (L)that My miraculous wonders will be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” 10 (M)Now Moses and Aaron did all these miraculous wonders before Pharaoh; yet (N)Yahweh [e]hardened Pharaoh’s heart with strength, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 11:2 Lit ears
  2. Exodus 11:7 Lit sharpen his tongue
  3. Exodus 11:8 Lit to
  4. Exodus 11:8 Lit are at your feet
  5. Exodus 11:10 Lit strengthened

The Death of the Firstborn

11 Now the Lord had told Moses, “I have one more ·way to punish the king and the people of [L plague to bring on Pharaoh and] Egypt. After this, ·the king [L he] will send all of you away from ·Egypt [L this place]. When he does, he will ·force you to leave completely [drive you away]. Tell ·the men and women of Israel [L in the hearing of the people] ·to ask their neighbors [that each man should ask his neighbor and each woman should ask her neighbor] for things made of silver and gold.” The Lord had caused the Egyptians to ·respect [show favor to] the Israelites, and both ·the king’s [L Pharaoh’s] officers and the Egyptian people considered Moses to be a great man.

So Moses said to ·the king [L him], “This is what the Lord says: ‘About midnight tonight I will go through all Egypt. Every firstborn son in the land of Egypt will die—from the firstborn son of ·the king [L Pharaoh], who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the slave girl ·grinding grain [L who is behind the handmill]. Also the firstborn farm animals will die. There will be loud outcries everywhere in Egypt, worse than any time before or after this. But not even a dog will ·bark [growl] at the ·Israelites [L the sons/T children of Israel] or their animals.’ Then you will know that the Lord ·treats Israel differently from [makes a distinction between Israel and] Egypt. All your officers will come to me. They will bow facedown to the ground before me and say, ‘Leave and take all your people ·with you [who follow you; L who are on your foot].’ After that, I will leave.” Then Moses very angrily left ·the king [L Pharaoh].

The Lord had told Moses, “·The king [L Pharaoh] will not listen to ·you and Aaron [L you] so that I may do many ·miracles [wonders] in the land of Egypt.” 10 Moses and Aaron did all these great ·miracles [wonders] in front of ·the king [L Pharaoh]. But the Lord ·made him stubborn [L hardened the heart of Pharaoh], and the king would not let the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] leave his country.

The Plague on the Firstborn

11 Now the Lord had said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go(A) from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely.(B) Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.”(C) (The Lord made the Egyptians favorably disposed(D) toward the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded(E) in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.)

So Moses said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘About midnight(F) I will go throughout Egypt.(G) Every firstborn(H) son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill,(I) and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be loud wailing(J) throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.’ Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction(K) between Egypt and Israel. All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying, ‘Go,(L) you and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will leave.”(M) Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.

The Lord had said to Moses, “Pharaoh will refuse to listen(N) to you—so that my wonders(O) may be multiplied in Egypt.” 10 Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart,(P) and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.