Exodus 11:4-10 - Every firstborn in the land of Egypt will die

11:4-7

A terrible plague is going to be brought upon the land, far worse than the previous nine. It would involve the death of the firstborn, of both man and beast, and would affect both high and low, right from Pharaoh down to the slave girl. We may react that this is unfair, but a people are affected by the leaders they have. Moreover, Pharaoh had already had nine chances to repent, and is now being given a last chance. There was no need for Egypt to undergo the plague. However, Israel would not be affected.

11:8-10

The whole land would be affected, and at the end of it they would bow down before the Lord and implore the people to get out of the land. Moses left Pharaoh “in hot anger”. Moses had a temper and eventually it would play a part in his downfall. It is possible that the events in this chapter happened before his departure at the end of chapter 10. God warns Moses that Pharaoh would not listen, so he, and the nation of Egypt, would have to endure the final plague. Verse 10 provides a summary of the previous chapters. We are about to read of the final and terrible plague. This verse emphasises that there was no need for this to have happened, but it had to happen because of the hardness of heart of Pharaoh. Likewise with hell. Hell is terrible, but there is actually no need for anyone to go there, save for their hardness of heart.