Exodus 11:4
So Moses declared, "This is what the LORD says: 'About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,
So Moses declared,

Moses spoke as God’s appointed servant before Pharaoh and the Egyptians. His authority did not rest in personal power but in the God who had sent him to demand Israel’s release. After repeated refusals from Pharaoh, Moses announced the final judgment with unwavering obedience.

Exo 6:29 He said to him, “I am the LORD; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt…
Exo 10:3 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and told him,…
Exo 7:2 You are to speak all that I command you,…

“This is what the LORD says:

Yahweh Himself was the source of the warning. Pharaoh was not resisting Moses alone; he was resisting the covenant God who had remembered His people’s suffering and pledged to deliver them. The coming judgment would reveal the Lord’s supremacy over Egypt’s king, gods, and power.

Exo 4:22 Then tell Pharaoh that this is what the LORD says:…
Exo 9:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him…”…
Exo 5:1 After that, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said…

‘About midnight

God set the hour of judgment according to His own perfect purpose. The night would become the setting for both Egypt’s deepest sorrow and Israel’s decisive deliverance. Israel’s protection through the Passover sacrifice would show that rescue from judgment required God’s provision.

Exo 12:29 Now at midnight the LORD struck down every firstborn male…
Job 34:20 They die in an instant, in the middle of the night.…
Psa 105:36 Then He struck all the firstborn in their land,…

I will go throughout Egypt,

The Lord would personally execute judgment throughout the land, reaching every level of Egyptian society. Egypt had afflicted God’s firstborn son, Israel, and the death of Egypt’s firstborn would display the terrible cost of Pharaoh’s hardened rebellion. God’s visitation would compel Pharaoh to release Israel and begin the exodus that would define the nation’s redemption.

Exo 12:12 On that night I will pass through the land of Egypt…
Exo 12:23 When the LORD passes through to strike down the Egyptians,…
Exo 3:20 So I will stretch out My hand and strike the Egyptians…

Persons / Places / Events
1. Moses
The prophet and leader chosen by God to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage. He serves as the mediator between God and Pharaoh.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal presence and faithfulness to His promises. He is the one executing judgment on Egypt.

3. Egypt
The land where the Israelites were enslaved. It represents a place of oppression and idolatry, soon to experience God's judgment.

4. Pharaoh
The ruler of Egypt, whose heart was hardened against letting the Israelites go, despite witnessing God's power through the plagues.

5. The Plague of the Firstborn
The final and most severe of the ten plagues, where God declares He will strike down the firstborn in Egypt, leading to the eventual release of the Israelites.
Teaching Points
God's Sovereignty and Judgment
God is sovereign over all nations and rulers. His judgments are just and purposeful, serving to fulfill His divine plan.

The Importance of Obedience
Moses' role as a faithful messenger underscores the importance of obedience to God's commands, even when facing opposition.

The Power of God's Word
When God speaks, His words carry authority and power. Believers are called to trust in His promises and warnings.

Deliverance Through Judgment
God's deliverance often comes through judgment. The Israelites' liberation from Egypt foreshadows the ultimate deliverance through Christ.

Faith in Action
Moses' declaration of God's word required faith. Believers are encouraged to act in faith, trusting in God's timing and methods.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the announcement of the final plague demonstrate God's sovereignty over Egypt and its gods?

2. In what ways does Moses' role as a mediator between God and Pharaoh parallel the role of Christ as our mediator?

3. How can we apply the principle of obedience seen in Moses' actions to our own lives today?

4. What does the plague of the firstborn teach us about the seriousness of sin and the need for repentance?

5. How does the concept of deliverance through judgment in Exodus relate to the New Testament understanding of salvation through Christ?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Exodus 12
Details the fulfillment of the plague of the firstborn and the institution of the Passover, which becomes a pivotal moment in Israel's history.

Hebrews 11:28
Highlights Moses' faith in instituting the Passover, showing the connection between faith and obedience to God's commands.

1 Samuel 2:6
Reflects on God's sovereignty over life and death, similar to His actions in the plague of the firstborn.

Revelation 16:1
Describes the pouring out of God's wrath in the end times, drawing a parallel to the plagues in Egypt as a demonstration of divine judgment.
The Beginning of the EndJ. Orr Exodus 11:1-4
A ContrastJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 11:4-10
A FinaleJ. Orr Exodus 11:4-10
A People's Efforts for Freedom SuccessfulScientific IllustrationsExodus 11:4-10
Separating the Precious from the VileSpurgeon, Charles HaddonExodus 11:4-10
The Church and the WorldE. Armstrong Hall, M. A.Exodus 11:4-10
The Church and the WorldHomilistExodus 11:4-10
The Importance of the FirstbornJ. H. Kurtz, D. D.Exodus 11:4-10
The Last Plague ThreatenedJ. S. Exell, M. A.Exodus 11:4-10
The Tenth Plague and its Decisive ResultD. Young Exodus 11:4-10; 12:29-36
People
Aaron, Egyptians, Israelites, Moses, Pharaoh
Places
Egypt
Topics
Egypt, Forth, Middle, Midnight, Midst, Says, Throughout, Thus
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Exodus 11:4

     4948   hour

Exodus 11:4-5

     5652   babies

Exodus 11:4-6

     5688   firstborn

Exodus 11:4-7

     4843   plague

Exodus 11:4-9

     5102   Moses, life of

Library
A Last Merciful Warning
'And the Lord said unto Moses, Yet will I bring one plague more upon Pharaoh, and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go hence: when he shall let you go, he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether. 2. Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man borrow of his neighbour, and every woman of her neighbour, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold. 3. And the Lord gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Separating the Precious from the Vile
Now, in your ears this day, Egypt and Israel are declared to be types of two people who dwell upon the face of the earth,--the men that fear the Lord and the men that fear him not. The Egyptians are the pictures of those who are dead in trespasses and sins, enemies to God by wicked works, and aliens from the commonwealth of Israel. The Israelites, God's ancient people, are set before us as the representatives of those who have through grace believed in Christ, who fear God and who seek to keep his
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 6: 1860

Appendix 2 Extracts from the Babylon Talmud
Massecheth Berachoth, or Tractate on Benedictions [76] Mishnah--From what time is the "Shema" said in the evening? From the hour that the priests entered to eat of their therumah [77] until the end of the first night watch. [78] These are the words of Rabbi Eliezer. But the sages say: Till midnight. Rabban Gamaliel says: Until the column of the morning (the dawn) rises. It happened, that his sons came back from a banquet. They said to him: "We have not said the Shema.'" He said to them, "If the column
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Exodus
The book of Exodus--so named in the Greek version from the march of Israel out of Egypt--opens upon a scene of oppression very different from the prosperity and triumph in which Genesis had closed. Israel is being cruelly crushed by the new dynasty which has arisen in Egypt (i.) and the story of the book is the story of her redemption. Ultimately it is Israel's God that is her redeemer, but He operates largely by human means; and the first step is the preparation of a deliverer, Moses, whose parentage,
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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