Exodus 11
Big idea: A single short chapter announcing the end. God tells Moses there is one more plague, after which Pharaoh will not merely let them go but drive them out altogether — and instructs the people to ask their neighbours for silver and gold, which they get, because Yahweh has given them favour and Moses himself is now great in Egypt. Then Moses delivers the sentence: about midnight I will go out into the middle of Egypt, and every firstborn shall die, from Pharaoh's own heir to the servant girl at the mill and the firstborn of the livestock. There will be a great cry such as there has never been. But against Israel not a dog will even bark — that you may know Yahweh makes a distinction.
Chapter 11 announces the plague but does not carry it out. Chapter 12 stops the narrative to give Israel the instructions that will get them through that night — a lamb, its blood, and a meal eaten ready to travel.
11:1–3 — One more plague
Yahweh tells Moses that one more plague will come on Pharaoh and on Egypt, and after that he will let you go — indeed he will surely thrust you out altogether. The people are to ask their neighbours for articles of silver and gold. And Yahweh gives the people favour in the Egyptians' sight; moreover the man Moses is very great in Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants and of the people.
1 Yahweh said to Moses, “I will bring yet one more plague on Pharaoh, and on Egypt; afterwards he will let you go. When he lets you go, he will surely thrust you out altogether. 2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man ask of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.” 3 Yahweh gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people.
11:4–10 — About midnight
Moses announces it: about midnight I will go out into the middle of Egypt, and all the firstborn shall die — from Pharaoh's firstborn on his throne to the firstborn of the servant girl behind the mill, and all the firstborn of the livestock. There will be a great cry throughout all Egypt, such as there has never been and never will be again. But against the children of Israel not a dog will even bark, that you may know Yahweh makes a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel. All your servants will come down and bow to me and say, get out — and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.
4 Moses said, “This is what Yahweh says: ‘About midnight I will go out into the middle of Egypt, 5 and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the mill, and all the firstborn of livestock. 6 There will be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been, nor will be any more. 7 But against any of the children of Israel a dog won’t even bark or move its tongue, against man or animal, that you may know that Yahweh makes a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel. 8 All these servants of yours will come down to me, and bow down themselves to me, saying, “Get out, with all the people who follow you;” and after that I will go out.’” He went out from Pharaoh in hot anger. 9 Yahweh said to Moses, “Pharaoh won’t listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.” 10 Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, but Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he didn’t let the children of Israel go out of his land.
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).