11 1 God promiseth their departure. 2 He willeth them to borrow their neighbors’ jewels. 3 Moses was esteemed of all save Pharaoh.

Now the Lord had said unto Moses, yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt, after that, he will let you go hence: when he letteth you go, he shall [a]at once chase you hence.

Speak thou now to the people, that every man [b]require of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, (A)jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.

And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians: also Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people.

And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, (B)About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt.

And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth on his throne, unto the firstborn of the maid servant, that is at [c]the mill, and all the firstborn of beasts.

Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was never none like, nor shall be.

But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move his tongue, neither against man nor beast, that ye may know that the Lord putteth a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.

And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and fall before me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that [d]are at thy feet, and after this will I depart. So he went out from Pharaoh very angry.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hear you, [e]that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.

10 So Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he suffered not the children of Israel to go out of his land.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 11:1 Without any condition, but with haste and violence.
  2. Exodus 11:2 Or, borrow.
  3. Exodus 11:5 From the highest to the lowest.
  4. Exodus 11:8 That is, under thy power and government.
  5. Exodus 11:9 God hardeneth the hearts of the reprobate, that his glory thereby might be the more set forth, Rom. 9:17.

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.