Exodus 11:5 BSB — MannaFest

Exodus 11:5

and every firstborn son in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the servant girl behind the hand mill, as well as the firstborn of all the cattle.

BSB

Parallel translations (2) ▾

ASV

and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne, even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill; and all the first-born of cattle.

KJV

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

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Commentary

3 voices

Albert Barnes

1798–1870

Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)

Two points are to be noticed: 1. The extent of the visitation: the whole land suffers in the persons of its firstborn, not merely for the guilt of the sovereign, but for the actual participation of the people in the crime of infanticide Exo 1:22. 2. The limitation: Pharaoh’s command had been to slay ALL the male children of the Israelites, but only one child in each Egyptian family was to die. If Tothmosis II was the Pharaoh, the visitation fell with special severity on his family. He left no son, but was succeeded by his widow.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

Matthew Henry

1662–1714

Commentary on the Whole Bible (1710)

Warning is here given to Pharaoh of the last and conquering plague which was now to be inflicted. This was the death of all the first-born in Egypt at once, which had been first threatened ( ch. iv. 23 , I will slay thy son, thy first-born ), but is last executed; less judgments were tried, which, if they had done the work would have prevented this.

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

Two portable millstones are used for the purpose, of which the uppermost is turned by a small wooden handle, and during the operation the maid sits behind the mill.

Voices on this verse

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Original language & word study

19 tagged words

Original	Transliteration	Meaning	Word study
וּמֵ֣ת	u.Met	and he will die	H4191 →
כָּל־	kol-	every	H3605 →
בְּכוֹר֮	be.khOr	firstborn	H1060 →
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ	be.'E.retz	in [the] land of	H776 →
מִצְרַיִם֒	mitz.ra.Yim	Egypt	H4714 →
מִבְּכ֤וֹר	mi.be.Khor	from [the] firstborn of	H1060 →
פַּרְעֹה֙	par.'Oh	Pharaoh	H6547 →
הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב	hai.yo.Shev	who sits	H3427 →
עַל־	'al-	on	H5921 →
כִּסְא֔וֹ	kis.'O	throne his	H3678 →
עַ֚ד	'ad	unto	H5704 →
בְּכ֣וֹר	be.Khor	[the] firstborn of	H1060 →
הַשִּׁפְחָ֔ה	ha.shif.Chah	the maidservant	H8198 →
אֲשֶׁ֖ר	'a.Sher	who	H834 →
אַחַ֣ר	'a.Char	[is] behind	H310 →
הָרֵחָ֑יִם	ha.re.Cha.yim	the hand-mill	H7347 →
וְכֹ֖ל	ve.Khol	and every	H3605 →
בְּכ֥וֹר	be.Khor	firstborn of	H1060 →
בְּהֵמָֽה׃	be.he.Mah	livestock	H929 →

Rare words are the text's own signal of a deliberate thread: the fewer the occurrences, the more the places it appears belong together.

The walk

The walk8

Where the connections lead

Follow this verse’s cross-references two steps out. Each card is a verse this one points to, and beneath it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several different paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it. Every stop shows its own words, and every stop is a page.

Through
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,…
leads to
- Psalms 78:51
  He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.
  Reached by 3 independent paths from here.
- Psalms 105:36
  Then He struck all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their vigor.
  Reached by 4 independent paths from here.
- Psalms 135:8
  He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of both man and beast.
  Reached by 3 independent paths from here.
- Psalms 136:10
  He struck down the firstborn of Egypt His loving devotion endures forever.
  Reached by 3 independent paths from here.
- 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!’”
Through
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…
leads to
- 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,…
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
Through
Psalms 135:8
He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, of both man and beast.
leads to
- 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…
  Reached by 2 independent paths from here.
Through
Psalms 78:51
He struck all the firstborn of Egypt, the virility in the tents of Ham.
leads to
- Psalms 105:23
  Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob dwelt in the land of Ham.

About Exodus

The Giving of the Law on Mount Sinai — Gustave Doré, Doré's English Bible (1866), public domain

Exodus: the study guide →Read chapter 11 →The featured study →

PlaceThe NileEgyptThe land where Joseph rose, where Israel grew into a nation in bondage, where the Passover lamb was slain and the sea opened, and…

Continue: Exodus 11 →

01Commentary

The record, by era

Voices on this verse

02Original language & word study

03The walk

Where the connections lead

04Related verses

06About Exodus

The record, by era

Where the connections lead

Commentary

Original language & word study

The walk

Related verses

About Exodus