Exodus 12:29-30 - Exposition

THE TENTH PLAGUE . At last the time had come for the dealing of the final blow. Nine plagues had been sent, nine inflictions endured, and no serious effect had been produced. Once or twice Pharaoh had wavered, had made profession of submitting himself, had even acknowledged his sin. But each time he had relapsed into obstinacy. Now at length the fiat had gone forth for that last plague which had been announced the first ( Exodus 4:23 ). Pharaoh's own son, his firstborn, the heir to his throne, was smitten with death, in common with all the other male Egyptians who had "opened the womb." What the effect on the king would have been, had he alone suffered, we cannot certainly say. As it was, the whole population of the country, nobles, tradesmen, peasants, suffered with him; and the feeling aroused was so intense that the popular movement left him no choice. The Egyptians everywhere "rose up in the night" ( Exodus 12:30 ), and raised "a great cry," and insisted that the Israelites should depart at once ( Exodus 12:33 ). Each man feared for himself, and felt his life insecure, so long as a single Israelite remained in the land.