Bible Strands
Exodus 12:29
Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, as well as all the firstborn among the livestock.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The narrator describes the tenth plague striking Egypt immediately after the Israelites obey the Passover instructions. This event occurs at midnight, directly preceding Pharaoh's midnight decree to release Israel.
The words — The text highlights בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה (ba./cha.Tzi ha./Lay.lah), literally "in the middle of the night," and הִכָּה (hi.Kah), meaning "he struck." These terms anchor the judgment to a precise temporal moment and a direct divine action.
The thread — This event echoes the warning in Exodus 4:23 and is recounted in Psalms 78:51 and Psalm 105:36 as a repeated demonstration of divine judgment against Egypt. The parallel citations confirm the strike as a defining moment in the Exodus narrative.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that the judgment bypassed social hierarchy, affecting the throne, the dungeon, and livestock equally. It requires the reader to acknowledge the complete scope of the divine action without minimizing its historical or theological weight.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
Cross-references
- Psalms 78:51 He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.
- Exodus 4:23 and I told you to let My son go so that he may worship Me. But since you have refused to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son!’”
- Psalms 105:36 Then He struck all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their vigor.
- Psalms 135:8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of both man and beast.
- Exodus 11:4 So Moses declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,
- Psalms 136:10 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt His loving devotion endures forever.
- Exodus 12:12 On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt and strike down every firstborn male, both man and beast, and I will execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.
- Numbers 8:17 For every firstborn male in Israel is Mine, both man and beast. I set them apart for Myself on the day I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.
- Exodus 13:15 And when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of man and beast. This is why I sacrifice to the LORD the firstborn male of every womb, but I redeem all the firstborn of my sons.’
- Numbers 33:4 who were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them; for the LORD had executed judgment against their gods.