Bible Strands
Psalms 105:36
Then He struck all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their vigor.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The psalmist recounts God's historical judgments against Egypt to the assembled community of Israel. This declaration occurs immediately after the locust plague and directly precedes the account of Israel's wealth-filled departure from the land.
The words — וַיַּךְ (va.yakh) translates literally as "and He struck down," denoting a decisive, completed action. רֵאשִׁית (re'shit) means "beginning" or "firstfruits," here applied to the firstborn as the initial harvest of Egyptian strength.
The thread — The strike against the firstborn echoes the plague narrative in Psalms 136:10 and connects to the protective mechanism of the Passover in Hebrews 11:28. The designation of the firstborn as the beginning of strength parallels Genesis 49:3, where the firstborn represents the initial measure of a patriarch's might.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that God's judgment systematically targets the strongest generation of an oppressor nation to secure deliverance. It requires the reader to trace how divine power dismantles human vigor to accomplish redemption without deviation.
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
He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength.
Cross-references
- Genesis 49:3 Reuben, you are my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, excelling in honor, excelling in power.
- Psalms 136:10 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt His loving devotion endures forever.
- Hebrews 11:28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch Israel’s own firstborn.
- 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!’”
- Exodus 11:4 So Moses declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,
- 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.
- 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.
- Psalms 78:51 He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.
- Psalms 135:8 He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of both man and beast.