Exodus 11 5

Exodus 11:5 kjv

And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first born 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.

Exodus 11:5 nkjv

and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals.

Exodus 11:5 niv

Every firstborn 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, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well.

Exodus 11:5 esv

and every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the cattle.

Exodus 11:5 nlt

All the firstborn sons will die in every family in Egypt, from the oldest son of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the oldest son of his lowliest servant girl who grinds the flour. Even the firstborn of all the livestock will die.

Exodus 11 verses

Exodus 11 5 Meaning

This verse declares the comprehensive and unavoidable nature of the tenth and final plague God would inflict upon Egypt: the death of every firstborn. It emphasizes the absolute totality of the judgment, extending from the highest in society—Pharaoh's heir, who embodies the future of the kingdom—to the lowest—the child of a slave woman, toiling at the handmill, and even encompassing all the firstborn among their livestock. This severe act serves as God's final, devastating blow against Egyptian defiance, aimed at compelling Pharaoh to release the Israelites and definitively demonstrating Yahweh's supreme power over all of Egypt and its vast pantheon of gods.

Exodus 11 5 Context

Exodus chapter 11 concludes the narrative of the ten plagues by introducing the final and most devastating judgment. After Pharaoh's persistent refusal to let Israel go despite nine escalating plagues—each a direct challenge to Egyptian deities—God announces the precise nature and extent of the tenth plague. This specific verse (Exodus 11:5) details the comprehensive sweep of the impending doom, revealing that the judgment will strike every social stratum, from the heir of the most powerful ruler to the child of the lowliest slave, and even animal life, demonstrating that no one in Egypt would be exempt from this particular act of divine retribution. This event directly targeted Pharaoh, who was considered a living god and the "firstborn" of Ra, challenging his divine authority and the very basis of Egyptian social order and their pantheon, especially deities related to life, fertility, and protection (e.g., Khnum, Heket, Min, Hathor). The announcement of this plague serves as God's final warning, immediately preceding the implementation of Passover (Exod 12), which would distinguish Israel from Egypt and serve as a perpetual memorial.

Exodus 11 5 Word analysis

• And all the firstborn (וְכָל־בְּכ֥וֹר, ve'khol-bekhor):
  • וְכָל (ve'khol): "And all," "every," emphasizing totality. This is not a partial or limited strike, but universal across the target population.
  • בְּכ֥וֹר (bekhor): "Firstborn." A highly significant term in ancient Hebrew and Near Eastern culture, denoting the eldest son. The firstborn possessed special rights of inheritance, leadership, and, sometimes, priestly functions. This plague is a "measure-for-measure" judgment for Pharaoh's refusal to release Israel, whom God called "My son, My firstborn" (Exod 4:22). It represents the loss of future, lineage, and a profound personal and national calamity.
• in the land of Egypt (בְּאֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙, be'eretz Mitzrayim):
  • בְּאֶ֤רֶץ (be'eretz): "In the land." Specifies the geographical scope, emphasizing that the entire nation of Egypt, from its borders to its innermost homes, would be affected.
  • מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ (Mitzrayim): "Egypt." The nation in rebellion against God's command. The Hebrew name is a dual form, possibly alluding to Upper and Lower Egypt, reinforcing the idea of a total, nationwide impact.
• shall die (יָמ֖וּת, yamut):
  • יָמ֖וּת (yamut): "He/it shall die." From the verb mut ("to die"). This definitive future tense signifies a certain, unavoidable divine decree. It conveys absolute divine authority over life and death.
• from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne (מִבְּכ֤וֹר פַּרְעֹה֙ הַיֹּשֵׁב֙ עַל־כִּסְא֔וֹ, mi'bekhor Par'oh ha'yoshev al kis'o):
  • מִבְּכ֤וֹר פַּרְעֹה֙ (mi'bekhor Par'oh): "From the firstborn of Pharaoh." Establishes the uppermost societal reach of the judgment. Pharaoh's firstborn was not merely an heir but considered divinely protected and essential for dynastic continuity and the nation's spiritual well-being. This was a direct assault on the perceived deity and authority of Pharaoh.
  • הַיֹּשֵׁב֙ עַל־כִּסְא֔וֹ (ha'yoshev al kis'o): "who sits on his throne." This phrase underscores the royal status and political significance of the target. Losing such an heir would profoundly destabilize the kingdom and shatter the confidence in Pharaoh's own divine power.
• even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill (עַ֚ד בְּכ֣וֹר הַשִּׁפְחָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הָרֵחָ֑יִם, 'ad bekhor ha'shifcha asher al ha'rechayim):
  • עַ֚ד בְּכ֣וֹר הַשִּׁפְחָ֔ה ('ad bekhor ha'shifcha): "Even to the firstborn of the female servant." שִׁפְחָה (shifchah) refers to a female slave, representing the lowest social class. This establishes the lower extreme of the judgment's scope, demonstrating its absolute pervasiveness without exception for status.
  • אֲשֶׁ֖ר עַל־הָרֵחָ֑יִם (asher al ha'rechayim): "who is behind the handmill." Grinding grain by handmill was the most laborious and lowest-status task, often assigned to women or slaves. This vivid detail depicts the plague's universal reach into every household, no matter how humble, signifying that no aspect of Egyptian life, from royalty to the most basic labor, would escape God's judgment.
• and all the firstborn of the animals (וְכֹ֖ל בְּכ֥וֹר בְּהֵמָֽה, ve'khol bekhor behemah):
  • וְכֹ֖ל בְּכ֥וֹר בְּהֵמָֽה (ve'khol bekhor behemah): "And all the firstborn of the animals/livestock." The judgment extends beyond human life to animal life. This represented a severe economic blow to an agrarian society like Egypt and served as a direct challenge to Egyptian zoomorphic deities (e.g., Apis the bull, Hathor as a cow-goddess, Sobek as a crocodile-god), demonstrating Yahweh's supreme dominion over all creation that their gods supposedly controlled.

Words-group analysis:

• "And all the firstborn... shall die": This phrase encapsulates the core decree and its sweeping nature. It establishes divine certainty ("shall die") and the comprehensive nature of the final plague.
• "from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill": This uses a literary device called a merism, where two extreme opposites represent an entire range. It emphatically conveys the absolute and inescapable pervasiveness of the judgment across all societal strata in Egypt, sparing no class or individual from its reach.
• "and all the firstborn of the animals": This final addition ensures the judgment is utterly complete, impacting not only human lives but also the very economic and religious fabric of Egyptian society, again highlighting God's total sovereignty.

Exodus 11 5 Bonus section

• Polemics against Egyptian Mythology: The tenth plague directly challenges multiple facets of Egyptian religion. Pharaoh himself was seen as divine, often the son of Ra. His firstborn was believed to possess unique vitality from Ra. This plague not only struck down their human leaders and their lineage but also humiliated key Egyptian deities like Ra (sun god, giver of life), Min (fertility and reproduction god), Khnum (potter god who formed humans on his wheel), Isis (mother goddess, protector), Hathor (mother goddess, often depicted as a cow). The inability of these gods to protect the Egyptian firstborn or prevent the widespread death proved their nullity compared to Yahweh.
• Preparation for a New Identity: The death of Egypt's firstborn paved the way for Israel's "birth" as a nation. It necessitated the establishment of the Passover, creating a memorial of redemption that would shape Israel's identity and their understanding of God's covenant faithfulness for generations to come. The firstborn in Israel were then redeemed (Exod 13:11-16), signifying their dedication to God in response to His salvific act.
• Severity as Necessity: The extreme severity of this final plague highlights the depth of Pharaoh's hardened heart and God's unwavering commitment to His covenant with Israel. Lesser judgments had failed; this decisive blow was required to finally break Pharaoh's resistance and free God's people for their purpose in the world.
• Prefiguring the Last Judgment: The judgment of the firstborn is often seen as a foretaste of future and final judgments. It portrays God's ultimate justice, where the unrepentant face the full consequences of their opposition to Him, while those marked by faith and obedience are saved from His wrath, echoing themes found in New Testament prophecies of the end times.

Exodus 11 5 Commentary

Exodus 11:5 details the final, crushing blow against Egypt, precisely because of Pharaoh's continued defiance. The selection of the firstborn as the target is deeply symbolic and powerfully just: as Pharaoh refused to release Israel, God's "firstborn" (Exod 4:22), so God takes Egypt's firstborn. The broad scope, reaching from the highest echelons of royalty to the lowest echelons of slavery, and even encompassing animals, leaves no room for evasion, demonstrating God's omnipotence and inescapable justice. This plague also functions as a profound theological statement, dismantling the very foundation of Egyptian polytheism, as all their fertility, life, and royal protection deities proved powerless against the God of Israel. It sets the stage for the pivotal event of the Passover, establishing a pattern of redemption through sacrifice and distinguishing God's faithful from those under His judgment, irrevocably proving Yahweh's supreme authority and fulfilling His promise to liberate His people.