Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, May 7th, 2025
the Third Week after Easter
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

Exodus 11:4

Then Moses confronted Pharaoh: " God 's Message: ‘At midnight I will go through Egypt and every firstborn child in Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the slave girl working at her hand mill. Also the firstborn of animals. Widespread wailing will erupt all over the country, lament such as has never been and never will be again. But against the Israelites—man, woman, or animal—there won't be so much as a dog's bark, so that you'll know that God makes a clear distinction between Egypt and Israel.'

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Plague;   Thompson Chain Reference - Midnight;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Pharaoh;   Easton Bible Dictionary - First-Born;   Plague;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Exodus, Book of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Exodus;   Firstborn;   Moses;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Demon, Demoniacal Possession, Demoniacs;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Plagues of Egypt;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Plagues of egypt;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Plagues, the Ten,;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Plagues of Egypt;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Exodus, the Book of;   Harden;   Midnight;   Plagues of Egypt;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Eschatology;   Horology;   Talmud;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Moshe said, "This is what the LORD says: 'About midnight I will go out into the midst of Mitzrayim,
King James Version
And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord , About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:
Lexham English Bible
And Moses said, "Thus says Yahweh, ‘About the middle of the night I will go out through the midst of Egypt,
New Century Version
So Moses said to the king, "This is what the Lord says: ‘About midnight tonight I will go through all Egypt.
New English Translation
Moses said, "Thus says the Lord : ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,
Amplified Bible
Then Moses said, "Thus says the LORD: 'At midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt,
New American Standard Bible
Then Moses said, "This is what the LORD says: 'About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt,
Geneva Bible (1587)
Also Moses sayde, Thus sayth the Lord, About midnight will I goe out into the middes of Egypt.
Legacy Standard Bible
So Moses said, "Thus says Yahweh, ‘About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt,
Contemporary English Version
Moses went to the king and said: I have come to let you know what the Lord is going to do. About midnight he will go through the land of Egypt,
Complete Jewish Bible
(iv) Moshe said, "Here is what Adonai says: ‘About midnight I will go out into Egypt,
Darby Translation
And Moses said, Thus saith Jehovah: About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt.
Easy-to-Read Version
Moses said to the king, "The Lord says, ‘At midnight tonight, I will go through Egypt,
English Standard Version
So Moses said, "Thus says the Lord : ‘About midnight I will go out in the midst of Egypt,
George Lamsa Translation
And Moses said, Thus says the LORD, About midnight I will go forth into the midst of Egypt;
Good News Translation
Moses then said to the king, "The Lord says, ‘At about midnight I will go through Egypt,
Christian Standard Bible®
So Moses said, “This is what the Lord says: About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,
Literal Translation
And Moses said, So says Jehovah, About the middle of the night I will go out in the midst of Egypt.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Moses sayde: Thus sayeth the LORDE: At mydnight wil I go out in the lande of Egipte,
American Standard Version
And Moses said, Thus saith Jehovah, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:
Bible in Basic English
And Moses said, This is what the Lord says: About the middle of the night I will go out through Egypt:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Moyses sayde, Thus sayth the Lorde: At mydnyght, wyll I go out into the myddest of Egypt,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Moses said: 'Thus saith the LORD: About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt;
King James Version (1611)
And Moses said, Thus saith the Lord, about midnight will I goe out into the midst of Egypt.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Moses said, These things saith the Lord, About midnight I go forth into the midst of Egypt.
English Revised Version
And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:
Berean Standard Bible
So Moses declared, "This is what the LORD says: 'About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and he seide, The Lord seith these thingis, At mydnyyt Y schal entre in to Egipt;
Young's Literal Translation
And Moses saith, `Thus said Jehovah, About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt,
Update Bible Version
And Moses said, Thus says Yahweh, About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt:
Webster's Bible Translation
And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:
World English Bible
Moses said, "This is what Yahweh says: 'About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt,
New King James Version
Then Moses said, "Thus says the LORD: "About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt;
New Living Translation
Moses had announced to Pharaoh, "This is what the Lord says: At midnight tonight I will pass through the heart of Egypt.
New Life Bible
Moses said, "The Lord says this: ‘About midnight I will go through Egypt.
New Revised Standard
Moses said, "Thus says the Lord : About midnight I will go out through Egypt.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Moses said, Thus saith Yahweh, - About midnight, am, I, going forth in the midst of Egypt;
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: Thus saith the Lord: At midnight I will enter into Egypt:
Revised Standard Version
And Moses said, "Thus says the LORD: About midnight I will go forth in the midst of Egypt;
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Moses said, "Thus says the LORD, 'About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt,

Contextual Overview

4Then Moses confronted Pharaoh: " God 's Message: ‘At midnight I will go through Egypt and every firstborn child in Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the slave girl working at her hand mill. Also the firstborn of animals. Widespread wailing will erupt all over the country, lament such as has never been and never will be again. But against the Israelites—man, woman, or animal—there won't be so much as a dog's bark, so that you'll know that God makes a clear distinction between Egypt and Israel.' 8 "Then all these servants of yours will go to their knees, begging me to leave, ‘Leave! You and all the people who follow you!' And I will most certainly leave." Moses, seething with anger, left Pharaoh. 9 God said to Moses, "Pharaoh's not going to listen to a thing you say so that the signs of my presence and work are going to multiply in the land of Egypt." 10 Moses and Aaron had performed all these signs in Pharaoh's presence, but God turned Pharaoh more stubborn than ever—yet again he refused to release the Israelites from his land.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

About: Exodus 12:12, Exodus 12:23, Exodus 12:29, Job 34:20, Amos 4:10, Amos 5:17, Matthew 25:6

will I go: 2 Samuel 5:24, Psalms 60:10, Isaiah 42:13, Micah 2:13

Reciprocal: Exodus 9:15 - that Exodus 10:4 - morrow Exodus 10:29 - I will see Psalms 105:36 - He smote Isaiah 44:26 - confirmeth Ezekiel 3:8 - General Habakkuk 3:14 - the head

Cross-References

Genesis 6:4
This was back in the days (and also later) when there were giants in the land. The giants came from the union of the sons of God and the daughters of men. These were the mighty men of ancient lore, the famous ones.
Deuteronomy 9:1
Attention, Israel! This very day you are crossing the Jordan to enter the land and dispossess nations that are much bigger and stronger than you are. You're going to find huge cities with sky-high fortress-walls and gigantic people, descendants of the Anakites—you've heard all about them; you've heard the saying, "No one can stand up to an Anakite."
2 Samuel 8:13
David built a victory monument on his return from defeating the Arameans. Abishai son of Zeruiah fought and defeated the Edomites in the Salt Valley. Eighteen thousand of them were killed. David set up a puppet government in Edom, and the Edomites became subjects under David. God gave David victory wherever he marched.
Proverbs 10:7
A good and honest life is a blessed memorial; a wicked life leaves a rotten stench.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Moses said,.... To Pharaoh before he left him, when he had told him he should see his face no more; for the three preceding verses are to be read in a parenthesis, being placed here by the historian, as giving some light to this last discourse and transaction between Moses and Pharaoh:

thus saith the Lord, about midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt; perhaps to the capital and metropolis of it, which might stand in the midst of it, as usually does the royal city; or it may only signify that he would go into the very heart of it, and steer his course all around in every part and quarter of it, slaying the firstborn everywhere in all towns and cities throughout the kingdom, as follows; in order to which he is said to go out, either from the place where Moses used to go and pray to him, and where he met him and gave him his orders and instructions, or out of the land of Goshen, where he dwelt among the Israelites; or rather it only signifies the manifestation of himself in some work and action of his, the exertion of his power in inflicting punishment for sin: thus God is sometimes said to go forth out of his place when he is about to exercise judgment in the earth; for this must be understood consistent with his omnipresence, see Isaiah 26:21 and this was to be done about midnight, the middle of the night following the present day, which was the fourteenth of the month of Abib or Nisan; it was in the morning of that day Moses had this discourse with Pharaoh, and in the evening of it the passover was kept, and about the middle of the night the firstborn were slain, as follows.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

And Moses said - The following words must be read in immediate connection with the last verse of the preceding chapter.

About midnight - This marks the hour, but not the day, on which the visitation would take place. There may have been, and probably was, an interval of some days, during which preparations might be made both for the celebration of the Passover, and the departure of the Israelites.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 11:4. About midnight will I go out — Whether God did this by the ministry of a good or of an evil angel is a matter of little importance, though some commentators have greatly magnified it. Both kinds of angels are under his power and jurisdiction, and he may employ them as he pleases. Such a work of destruction as the slaying of the first-born is supposed to be more proper for a bad than for a good angel. But the works of God's justice are not less holy and pure than the works of his mercy; and the highest archangel may, with the utmost propriety, be employed in either.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile