Exodus

11.1-10

In verse one, the context God delivers to Moses is that when the time comes, The Israelites will need to be prepared to depart in haste. Distinct from the directions in Exodus 3:22, "every woman shall ask of her neighbor and of the woman who lives in her house, for articles of silver and articles of gold...," in verse two, men are also directed to make preparations for this departure with the wealth begotten of the favor the Israelites had with the Egyptians and of Moses' great stature (having parlayed with Pharaoh as an equal). The extent of God's judgment was to be from the highest (Pharaoh, who sits on the throne) to the lowest (the servant-girl behind the millstones). Had Pharaoh heeded the judgments of the initial plagues, God's power would not have been demonstrated. Israel also would not have had the time to prepare for their exodus. By the time of the final plague, it had been approximately twelve months since Moses first returned to Egypt. In the statement of Yahweh yet again hardening Pharaoh's heart (v10), it is tempting to think this would be the last time this would be necessary. But it is God's full glory that must be displayed. There will be one more time. Only in true repentance is God's mercy extended to those He redeems.

CHAPTER 11

Yahweh Says One More Plague

1 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “One more plague I will bring on Pharaoh and on Egypt; after that he will let you go from here. When he lets you go, he will surely drive you out from here completely.
2 “Speak now in the hearing of the people so that each man may ask from his neighbor and each woman from her neighbor for articles of silver and articles of gold.”
3 (And Yahweh gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. 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.)
4 So Moses said, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt,
5 and 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.
6 ‘Moreover, there shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there has not been before and such as shall never be again.
7 ‘But for any of the sons of Israel a dog will not even bark, whether against man or beast, that you may know how Yahweh makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.’
8 “Then all these your servants will come down to me and bow themselves before me, saying, ‘Go out, you and all the people who follow you,’ and after that I will go out.” And he went out from Pharaoh in hot anger.
9 Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that My miraculous wonders will be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”
10 Now Moses and Aaron did all these miraculous wonders before Pharaoh; yet Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart with strength, and he did not let the sons of Israel go out of his land.