Exodus 11 – Study

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each passage has a four-Part approach to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Genesis 11:1-10

1 Now the Lord said to Moses, ‘I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and on Egypt. After that, he will let you go from here, and when he does, he will drive you out completely. 2 Tell the people that men and women alike are to ask their neighbours for articles of silver and gold.’ 3 (The Lord made the Egyptians favourably disposed towards the people, and Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.)

4 So Moses said, ‘This is what the Lord says: “About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. 5 Every firstborn son in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn son of the female slave, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. 6 There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt – worse than there has ever been or ever will be again. 7 But among the Israelites not a dog will bark at any person or animal.” Then you will know that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. 8 All these officials of yours will come to me, bowing down before me and saying, “Go, you and all the people who follow you!” After that I will leave.’ Then Moses, hot with anger, left Pharaoh.

9 The Lord had said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh will refuse to listen to you – so that my wonders may be multiplied in Egypt.’ 10 Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go out of his country.

A. Find Out:

1. What will be the effect of the last plague? v.1
2. When would it occur? v.4
3. How extensive would it be? v.5,6
4. What will happen to the Israelites? v.7
5. How will Egypt’s leadership come to Moses? v.8a
6. How did Moses leave Pharaoh’s court? v.8c

B. Think:

1. What does this plague say about accountability to God?
2. How would you describe the effect of this plague on Egypt, in your own words?
3. Why do you think Moses was angry when he left Pharaoh?

C. Comment:

      This is both a shocking and yet profoundly challenging passage. First the shock: this plague will hit EVERY single Egyptian family without exception. There will be a dead body in every Egyptian home that night. Second the challenge: the fact that God takes the oldest son of every Egyptian household, shows that He holds every household accountable for the sins of Egypt. Probably they all worshipped the various gods and every person contributed in some way to the state of the nation, and each is therefore accountable.

      Now let’s consider it all in a wider context. Romans 3:10-18 declares about the human race that ALL sin, ALL deserve God’s judgement. Every person in Egypt would die sometime, but what is shocking is that so many will die at one time. From our human, self-centred and often godless perspective we can be shocked at such “loss of life”. Moses should be an example to follow for he left “hot with anger”. Anger? Yes, anger that Pharaoh’s crass stupidity should bring the nation to this. There was no need for this to happen, they just had to let Israel go. What was happening was because of Pharaoh’s stubborn foolishness. It was his choice!

D. Application?

1. Angry against God or against man’s sin?
2. God is ALWAYS just!