Exodus 11

The Plague on the Firstborn Foretoldⓘ

The LORD announces one more plague¹Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will bring upon Pharaoh and Egypt one more plague. After that, he will allow you to leave this place. And when he lets you go, he will drive you out completely. ²Now announce to the people that men and women alike should ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.”

³And the Lord gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaohʼs officials and by the people.

Moses warns of the death of the firstborn⁴So Moses declared, “This is what the Lord says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt, ⁵and every firstborn son in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the servant girl behind the hand mill, as well as the firstborn of all the cattle. ⁶Then a great cry will go out over all the land of Egypt. Such an outcry has never been heard before and will never be heard again. ⁷But among all the Israelites, not even a dog will snarl at man or beast.’^a

Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. ⁸And all these officials of yours will come and bow before me, saying, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you!’ After that, I will depart.”

And hot with anger, Moses left Pharaohʼs presence.

⁹The Lord said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

¹⁰Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened^b Pharaohʼs heart so that he would not let the Israelites go out of his land.