Exodus Chapter 11 Verses 1-3

:1 “And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. 2 Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. 3 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.” 

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether.”  The number ten is associated with the subject of law or commandments.  This was to be the tenth or last plague upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt and they were all brought forth by the commandment of God.  God had previously promised that after he had shown his power unto Pharaoh that he would deliver the children of Israel.  Now had come the time for that final plague that not only would convince Pharaoh that he should let the children of Israel go, but that he would thrust them out altogether.  Egypt had been pretty much destroyed by the first nine plagues, so this tenth plague would have to be immense if after the destruction of Egypt Pharaoh had refused to let the children of Israel go.   

“Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.  And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians.”  The LORD had previously promised that the children of Israel would not go out empty.  The Egyptians had benefited immensely from the unlawful slavery of the children of Israel.  Now it is time that the children of Israel to get back some of the goods that they had been deprived of.  The LORD gave the children of Israel favor in the sight of the Egyptians and they lent them much in the form of jewels of silver and jewels of gold.  In granting the children of Israel favor, the LORD was preparing them for the building of the tabernacle and its furnishings.  Among the materials that would compose the tabernacle and its furnishings in the wilderness were much silver and gold.   

“Moreover the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh's servants, and in the sight of the people.”  The servants of Pharaoh and the people of Egypt ascribed greatness unto Moses because of all the mighty works that they had been witness to.  Moses, as we will learn was a man of faith, he was an extremely humble man and was richly blessed of God.  However, the mighty works were by the hand of God.  The honor of greatness truly belonged to God and not Moses. 

 Verses 4-10

:4 “And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: 5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more. 7 But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel. 8 And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger. 9 And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt. 10 And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.” 

 “And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt: 5 And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the firstborn of the maidservant that is behind the mill; and all the firstborn of beasts. 6 And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.”   

Some have said that a death angel went out and smote all the firstborn, but the scripture plainly says that the LORD himself went out into the midst of Egypt.   

This plague was unlike the previous plagues, in that the previous plagues that touched the resources and comforts of Pharaoh and the Egyptians.  In this plague death itself was the judgment upon Egypt and such death that every household of Egypt would be affected as the firstborn of every house would die that night.  The significance of the firstborn is that the firstborn represents the household.  This plague did not just extend to the people but it also extended to the firstborn of the beasts.   

This judgment did not respect the position of the people in Egypt, but it was the same whether it was the household of Pharaoh or the household of the maidservant behind the mill.  Likewise, God’s eternal judgment of sin does not respect the position of any person.  According to the scriptures, “every sin and disobedience receives a just recompense of reward.”    

“But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.”  Judgment to the Egyptians was personally directed to each individual and none would escape suffering this judgment.  However, the judgment of the children of Israel was not directed to them personally, but a lamb would die for them.   

The doctrine of election is clearly alluded to in this passage.  God chose the children of Israel because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  God did not choose the Egyptians as they had no covenant promise.  Moreover, God chose his people before the foundation of the world based on a covenant that he made with himself and recorded for us in Rom. 8:29, 30: “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.”  Those God did not choose before the foundation of the world have no covenant promise. 

Moreover, the doctrine of particular redemption is also alluded to in the above passage.  The lamb suffered the judgment for each household of the children of Israel, but each household of the Egyptians personally suffered the judgment of God.  Similarly, Christ died for the sins of the elect family of God, but did not die for the sins of those he did not choose before the foundation of the world.  Those, not chosen, will have to personally suffer the judgment of their sins. 

“And all these thy servants shall come down unto me, and bow down themselves unto me, saying, Get thee out, and all the people that follow thee: and after that I will go out. And he went out from Pharaoh in a great anger.”  The day of reckoning had come for Pharaoh and his servants.  This final judgment would not only bring about the order to let the children of Israel go, but also would result in the servants of Pharaoh coming to bow down before Moses.   

“And the LORD said unto Moses, Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you; that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”  The LORD repeated to Moses that Pharaoh would not hearken unto him until all the wonders of God were multiplied in the land of Egypt.  Now this last plague would bring about what the LORD had commanded in the beginning.   

“And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.”