Exodus 11:7
in Exodus 11But among all the Israelites, not even a dog will snarl at man or beast.’ Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that Jehovah doth make a distinction between the Egyptians and Israel.
KJV
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the Lord doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
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This verse in Exodus 11
Commentary
9 notes on this verseNot a dog move his tongue - This passage has been generally understood as a proverbial expression, intimating that the Israelites should not only be free from this death, but that they should depart without any kind of molestation. For though there must be much bustle and comparative confusion in the sudden removal of six hundred thousand persons with their wives, children, goods, cattle, etc., yet this should produce so little alarm that even the dogs should not bark at them, which it would be natural to expect, as the principal stir was to be about midnight.
This site's exposition
a great cry will go out
on Exodus 11:6-7
Against Israel not even a dog will snarl, which Adam Clarke reads as a proverb for leaving without any disturbance. This is the fifth distinction the plagues have drawn, after 8:23, 9:4, 9:26 and 10:23.
This site's exposition
the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel
Then you will know is spoken to Pharaoh and his officials, and the plague account has used the same formula since 7:17. Charles Spurgeon sets the distinction against the years of the whip, when Egyptians lived in houses the sons of Jacob had built. One night reverses that order.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
To be angry at nothing but sin is the way not to sin in anger. Moses, having thus adverted to the disturbance which Pharaoh's obstinacy gave him, (1.) Reflects upon the previous notice God had given him of this (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
THE DIFFERENCE between the Egyptians and Israel was exceedingly manifest. At first sight it seemed to be very greatly to the advantage of Egypt. They had the whip in their hand, and poor Israel smarted under the lash. Egypt possessed the toil of the Israelites. the sons of Jacob made bricks, and the subjects of Pharaoh inhabited the houses which the sons of Jacob builded. How soon, however, were the tables turned! God wrought plagues in Egypt. but Goshen was spared.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue--No town or village in Egypt or in the East generally is free from the nuisance of dogs, who prowl about the streets and make the most hideous noise at any passers-by at night.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — starts-lowercase
THE DIFFERENCE between the Egyptians and Israel was exceedingly manifest. At first sight it seemed to be very greatly to the advantage of Egypt. They had the whip in their hand, and poor Israel smarted under the lash. Egypt possessed the toil of the Israelites. the sons of Jacob made bricks, and the subjects of Pharaoh inhabited the houses which the sons of Jacob builded. How soon, however, were the tables turned! God wrought plagues in Egypt. but Goshen was spared. He sent a thick darkness over all the land, even darkness that might be felt; but in all the land of Goshen there was light. He sent all manner of flies and lice in all their borders, but throughout the habitations of Israel not a fly was to be seen, neither were they molested by the living things which crept upward from the quickened dust of the earth. The Lord sent hail and a murrain upon all the cattle of the Egyptians; but the cattle of the children of Israel were spared, and on their fields fell no desolating shower from heaven. At last the destroying angel unsheathed his glittering sword to smite his last decisive blow. In every house throughout the land of Egypt there was weeping and wailing, he smote the firstborn of Egypt, the chief of all their strength; but as for his people, he led them forth like sheep, he led them through the wilderness like a flock, by the hand of Moses and Aaron. They came to the Red Sea, and he divided a path for them they went through the sea on foot, there did they rejoice in Him. The flood; stood upright as a heap land the depths were congealed in the heart of the sea. They passed through the depths as through a wilderness, which the Egyptians essaying to do were drowned. The Lord, in all these things, put a glorious difference between Egypt and Israel. The fiery cloudy pillar which gave light to Israel was darkness to the eyes of Egypt.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Shall not a dog move his tongue - A proverb expressive of freedom from alarm and immunity front assault.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וּלְכֹ֣ל׀ | ulekhol | and to all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| בְּנֵ֣י | benei | [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| לֹ֤א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יֶֽחֱרַץ־ | yecheratz- | it will sharpen | H2782 → | |
| כֶּ֙לֶב֙ | kelev | a dog | H3611 → | |
| לְשֹׁנ֔וֹ | leshono | tongue its | H3956 → | |
| לְמֵאִ֖ישׁ | lemeish | to from a human | H376 → | 1663 times |
| וְעַד־ | vead- | and unto | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| בְּהֵמָ֑ה | behemah | livestock | H929 → | 190 times |
| לְמַ֙עַן֙ | lemaan | so that | H4616 → | 272 times |
| תֵּֽדְע֔וּן | tedeun | you may know ! | H3045 → | 945 times |
| אֲשֶׁר֙ | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| יַפְלֶ֣ה | yafleh | he separates | H6395 → | 7 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בֵּ֥ין | bein | between | H996 → | 407 times |
| מִצְרַ֖יִם | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| וּבֵ֥ין | uvein | and between | H996 → | 407 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
וּלְכֹ֣ל׀and to all
ulekholH3605 →5413 times
בְּנֵ֣י[the] people of
beneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
לֹ֤אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
יֶֽחֱרַץ־it will sharpen
yecheratz-H2782 →
כֶּ֙לֶב֙a dog
kelevH3611 →
לְשֹׁנ֔וֹtongue its
leshonoH3956 →
לְמֵאִ֖ישׁto from a human
lemeishH376 →1663 times
וְעַד־and unto
vead-H5704 →1261 times
בְּהֵמָ֑הlivestock
behemahH929 →190 times
לְמַ֙עַן֙so that
lemaanH4616 →272 times
תֵּֽדְע֔וּןyou may know !
tedeunH3045 →945 times
אֲשֶׁר֙that
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
יַפְלֶ֣הhe separates
yaflehH6395 →7 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בֵּ֥יןbetween
beinH996 →407 times
מִצְרַ֖יִםEgypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
וּבֵ֥יןand between
uveinH996 →407 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Exodus 8:22But on that day I will give special treatment to the land of Goshen, where My people live; no swarms of flies will be found there. In this way you will know that I,…
it leads to
- Exodus 9:4
But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.’”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Malachi 3:18
So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 10:23
No one could see anyone else, and for three days no one left his place. Yet all the Israelites had light in their dwellings.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 9:4
Through
Malachi 3:18So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
it leads to
- Matthew 25:46
And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
- Genesis 18:25
Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the…
- Psalms 58:10–11
The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
- Joshua 24:15
But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods…
- Matthew 25:46
Through
Exodus 9:4But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.’”
it leads to
- Exodus 8:22
But on that day I will give special treatment to the land of Goshen, where My people live; no swarms of flies will be found there. In this way you will know that I,…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Exodus 8:22
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Exodus
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Charles Spurgeon, The New Park Street Pulpit, Sermon No. 305: Separating the Precious From the Vile; Charles Spurgeon, The New Park Street Pulpit, Sermon 305, Separating the Precious From the Vile; Charles Spurgeon, The New Park Street Pulpit, Sermon No. 305: “Separating the Precious From the Vile” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.