The tenth plague: the death of the first born
1 Yahweh said to Moses, “I will bring one more plague on Pha raoh and Egypt. After that he will send you away and even drive you away completely.
2 Speak to the people and tell them that both men and women are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.”
3 Yahweh disposed the Egyptians favorably towards the people. Moses, moreover, was regarded as a person of importance in Egypt both by Pharaoh’s ministers and by the people.
4 Moses said, “This is Yahweh’s message: ‘About midnight, I shall go through Egypt
5 and all the firstborn in Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who is heir to the throne, to the firstborn of the servant behind the mill and the firstborn of the animals.
6 There will be great wailing throughout all Egypt, such as has never been before and never will be again.
7 But among the Israelites not a dog will howl for the death of either man or beast. This is that you may understand that Yahweh makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.
8 All these ministers of yours will come down to me and bow before me saying, ‘Go, you and all who follow you!’ After that I will leave.” And turning in anger he left Pharaoh.
9 Yahweh said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, and so the wonders that I do in Egypt will be multiplied.”
10 Moses and Aaron had worked all these marvels in the presence of Pha raoh, but Yahweh had made Pha raoh obstinate and he would not let the people of Israel leave his country.
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Comments Exodus, Chapter 11
• 11.1 All the firstborn in Egypt shall die. The tenth plague nears: the “Angel of Yahweh” will make the sons of the Egyptians die. Very possibly, as in 2 Kings 19:25, this was some epidemic or plague. At this very time, the meal of the paschal lamb will be celebrated.