What is the meaning of Exodus 11:5?

And every firstborn son in the land of Egypt will die

• The statement is literal: God announces a nationwide judgment that reaches every household, echoing the warning already given in Exodus 4:22–23 and reinforced in Exodus 11:4.

• It proves God’s unmatched sovereignty; He controls life itself (Job 1:21).

• The breadth of the judgment underscores that sin has consequences for all who oppose God (Romans 6:23).

• By targeting “firstborn,” God confronts the Egyptians’ belief in their deities’ protective power (Exodus 12:12), revealing their impotence.

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from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne

• Judgment begins at the pinnacle of Egyptian power, showing that earthly status cannot shield anyone from divine justice (Psalm 2:10–12).

• Pharaoh’s heir represented Egypt’s future; striking him exposed the emptiness of Pharaoh’s stubborn resistance (Exodus 10:1).

• This fulfills God’s promise that Pharaoh would “let My people go” under compulsion (Exodus 6:1).

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to the firstborn of the servant girl behind the hand mill

• God’s reach extends to the lowest social level, proving He is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34).

• The hand mill image paints a humble, everyday scene, reminding us that ordinary life cannot ignore God’s decrees (Proverbs 15:3).

• Divine justice is holistic; complacency toward God’s commands invites judgment just as overt defiance does (Isaiah 24:2).

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as well as the firstborn of all the cattle

• Animals share in the plague, demonstrating the cosmic scope of sin’s curse (Genesis 3:17–18; Romans 8:20–22).

• This mirrors the earlier plague on livestock (Exodus 9:1–7) and anticipates later laws concerning the redemption of firstborn animals for Israel (Exodus 13:12–13).

• God shows total superiority over Egypt’s animal–associated deities, declaring, “Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment” (Exodus 12:12).

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summary

Exodus 11:5 declares God’s final, comprehensive judgment on Egypt: every firstborn, from palace to millstone to pasture, would die. The verse underscores His absolute authority, the certainty of His promises, and the futility of resisting His will. By striking the firstborn, God liberates His covenant people and reveals that status, power, or occupation offer no refuge from His righteous justice.