What difference does the warning about the firstborn announce between Egypt and Israel?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

Egypt is warned of the death of every firstborn and a great cry unlike any before or after. Among Israel, not even a dog will make the least noise, from people to beasts, showing the difference the Lord makes.

Chapter breakdown

What difference does the warning about the firstborn announce between Egypt and Israel? Egypt is warned of the death of every firstborn and a great cry unlike any before or after. Among Israel, not even a dog will make the least noise, from people to beasts, showing the difference the Lord makes.

The Lord tells Moses that he will bring one more plague upon Pharao and Egypt. After it, Pharao will let the people go and thrust them out. Moses is to tell all the people that every man should ask his friend, and every woman her neighbor, for silver and gold vessels.

The Lord will give his people favour in the Egyptians’ sight. Moses is a very great man in Egypt in the sight of Pharao’s servants and all the people.

Moses gives the Lord’s words: at midnight he will enter Egypt. Every firstborn in the Egyptians’ land will die, from the firstborn of Pharao, who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the handmaid at the mill, and all the firstborn of beasts.

There will be a great cry throughout Egypt, unlike any before it or after it. With all Israel’s children, not a dog will make the least noise, from people to beasts, so that they may know the wonderful difference the Lord makes between Egypt and Israel.

Moses says all these servants of Pharao will come down to him and bow before him, saying that he and all the people under him should go out. After that, Moses says, they will leave. Moses goes out from Pharao exceedingly angry. The Lord tells him that Pharao will not hear them, so that many signs may be done in Egypt.

Moses and Aaron do all the written wonders before Pharao. The Lord hardens Pharao’s heart, and he does not let Israel leave his land. Challoner’s note on this hardening directs the reader to the earlier annotations at Exodus 4:21 and 7:3.

The story inside

The chapter announces departure after one more plague, but closes before release. The people are told to ask for silver and gold vessels, and God promises favour in the Egyptians’ sight. Moses then announces midnight entry, the death of the firstborn and the contrast between Egypt’s great cry and the lack of even a dog’s noise among Israel. He says Pharao’s servants will ask him and the people to leave. Yet after Moses goes out angry, God says the king will not hear them; the closing records wonders and a continued refusal to release Israel. The announced events remain warnings and promises here. (Exodus 11:1–10.)

Lessons worth keeping

1
Keep the requests and favour in their stated form. Men ask their friends and women their neighbors for vessels. God will give favour. The chapter does not state a reason for the request or record the goods being handed over. (11:2–3.)
2
The firstborn warning names its full range. It reaches from Pharao’s firstborn to the handmaid’s firstborn at the mill and includes all the firstborn of beasts. The contrast with Israel is expressed through the great cry and the absence of the least dog’s noise. (11:4–7.)
3
The announcement of departure is distinct from departure itself. One more plague is announced, and the servants’ future request is described. The ending still says Pharao does not let Israel out. Keeping those tenses avoids turning the warning into an event already completed. (11:1, 8–10.)

Test your recall

What are the people told to ask for, and from whom? Every man asks his friend and every woman her neighbor for silver and gold vessels. What will the contrast in noise show? The great cry in Egypt and lack of even the least dog’s noise among Israel will show the wonderful difference the Lord makes. Does the chapter end with release?

Show answer

No; Pharao still does not let Israel leave. (11:2, 6–7, 10.)

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 7086–7089
Exodus Chapter 11 Pharao and his people are threatened with the death of their firstborn.
Lines 7090–7097
11:1. And the Lord said to Moses: Yet one plague more will I bring upon Pharao and Egypt, and after that he shall let you go, and thrust you out. 11:2. Therefore thou shalt tell all the people, that every man ask of his friend, and every woman of her neighbour, vessels of silver and of gold.
Lines 7098–7101
11:3. And the Lord will give favour to his people in the sight of the Egyptians. And Moses was a very great man in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharao’s servants, and of all the people.
Lines 7102–7109
11:4. And he said: Thus saith the Lord: At midnight I will enter into Egypt: 11:5. And every firstborn in the land of the Egyptians shall die, from the firstborn of Pharao who sitteth on his throne, even to the firstborn of the handmaid that is at the mill, and all the firstborn of beasts.
Lines 7110–7117
11:6. And there shall be a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as neither hath been before, nor shall be hereafter. 11:7. But with all the children of Israel there shall not a dog make the least noise, from man even to beast; that you may know how wonderful a difference the Lord maketh between the Egyptians and Israel.
Lines 7118–7125
11:8. And all these thy servants shall come down to me, and shall worship me, saying: Go forth thou, and all the people that is under thee: after that we will go out. 11:9. And he went out from Pharao exceeding angry. But the Lord said to Moses: Pharao will not hear you, that many signs may be done in the land of Egypt.
Lines 7126–7133
11:10. And Moses and Aaron did all the wonders that are written, before Pharao. And the Lord hardened Pharao’s heart, neither did he let the children of Israel go out of his land. The Lord hardened, etc.... See the annotations above, chap. 4.21, and chap. 7.3.