AND THE LORD SPOKE. The chapter opening with the words, Thus saith the Lord (v. 4)¹ should have been connected to the previous verse.² (11:4), after telling him, Thou hast spoken well; I will see thy face again no more (10:29). However, the chapter stating, Yet one plague more³ was inserted between them. The reason for this is that Scripture wanted to teach us when⁴, as in Vat. Ebr. 48, rather than u-matai, as in the printed editions. Thus saith the Lord⁵ was told to Moses.⁶ (v. 1) means: and the Lord had already said, the reference being to what God told Moses in Midian (Ex. 4:23). It was related to Moses while he was yet in Midian,⁷ viz., Behold, I will slay thy son, thy first-born (Ex. 4:23). Moses was commanded on Mount Sinai⁸ that when the time came for the plague of the first-born to arrive, every man should ask jewels of his neighbor.⁹ I have already explained why it is there written, but every woman shall ask of her neighbor (Ex. 3:22) and here it is written, and let them ask every man of his neighbor.¹⁰ Now the meaning of And the Lord said unto Moses: Yet one plague more will I bring is that the Lord had already told this to Moses.¹¹ (and he said) as a pluperfect, meaning: and he had said. There are many such cases in Scripture.¹² God said, he shall surely thrust you out, in keeping with His statement, and by a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land (Ex. 6:1).

footnotes: ¹ Rather than our verse. ² To Ex. 10:29. In other words, 11:4 should have followed 10:29, for in point of fact Moses told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord: about midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall die ³ Verses 1-3. ⁴ Reading matai ⁵ Verse 4 and what follows. ⁶ According to I.E., And the Lord said ⁷ Contra Rashi, who believes that verses 1-3 contain a prophecy to Moses while in Pharaoh’s palace. ⁸ Ex. 3:22. ⁹ The point is that the command to ask for jewels and raiment was also not given at this point. ¹⁰ See I.E. on Ex. 3:22. ¹¹ I.E. interprets va-yomer ¹² Where Scripture employs the pluperfect.

SPEAK NOW. I have already explained that the word na means now.¹³

footnotes: ¹³ See I.E. on Ex. 4:13.

AND THE LORD GAVE. Scripture relates that the Lord kept his promise to Moses: of And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians (Ex. 3:21).

[MOREOVER THE MAN MOSES.] For many let them have what they asked out of respect for Moses.

AND IN THE SIGHT OF THE PEOPLE. The people of Egypt.

ABOUT MIDNIGHT. Some grammarians say that ka-chatzot (about midnight) is an infinitive.¹⁴ Its meaning is, when it shall be exactly one half of the night. They want to compare ka-chatzot ha-laylah (about midnight) to ba-chatzi ha-laylah (at midnight)¹⁵ 4a) takes to mean exactly at midnight. in And it came to pass at midnight (Ex. 12:29). Now it is common knowledge that it is beyond the ken of a wise man to ascertain the exact moment of noon without great effort and the use of large copper instruments.¹⁶ It goes without saying that it is much harder to ascertain the more difficult time of midnight.¹⁷ I believe that there is no need for all of this since the meaning of ka-chatzot ha-laylah (about midnight) is, when the first half of the night has passed. The same is the case with ba-chatzi ha-laylah in And it came to pass at midnight (Ex. 12:29). It refers to the remaining half of the night.¹⁸ And it came to pass at midnight (ba-chatzi ha-laylah) (Ruth 3:8)¹⁹. and At midnight (chatzot laylah) I will rise to give thanks to thee (Ps. 119:62) are convincing proof of this.²⁰

footnotes: ¹⁴ A verbal noun meaning: when the night divides in half. ¹⁵ Which the Talmud (Berakhot ¹⁶ I.E. apparently refers to a sundial. ¹⁷ Hence Scripture would not employ terms that are meaningless from a practical point of view. ¹⁸ Another way of saying after midnight. ¹⁹ That the man was startled, and turned himself; and, behold, a woman lay at his feet ²⁰ The exact moment of midnight is irrelevant to what is reported in Ruth 3:8, for what reason can there be to pinpoint the exact moment that the man was startled. Similarly, David had no way of determining the exact moment of midnight while he slept.

[WILL I GO OUT.] The reference is to the decree that goes out from the Lord.²¹ does not refer to the Lord Himself but to His decree.

footnotes: ²¹ In other words, will I go out

THE FIRST-BORN OF PHARAOH THAT SITTETH UPON HIS THRONE. Who is fit to sit upon Pharaoh’s throne after him.²² Moses mentioned the most honored of all the Egyptians, namely, the son of their lord whom all of them serve and also the meanest of them all, namely, the first-born of the maid-servant, who is himself a slave.²³

footnotes: ²² Pharaoh’s first-born did not sit on the throne of Egypt, hence I.E.’s comment. ²³ The point is that all first-born shall die, from the highest to the lowest.

[THAT IS BEHIND THE MILL.] Who grinds.²⁴ Compare, And he did grind in the prison house (Jud. 16:21). I have already explained that the prophets are not careful in preserving the exact wording but are rather concerned with reproducing meanings.²⁵. The words hagmi’ini (give me to drink) (Gen. 24:17)²⁶ and hashkini (give me to drink) (Gen. 29:45);²⁷ zakhor (remember) (Ex. 20:8)²⁸ and shamor (observe)²⁹ (Deut. 5:12); sheker (false) (Ex. 20:13)³⁰ and shav (false) (Deut. 5:17);³¹ lo tachmod (thou shalt not covet) (Ex. 20:14)³² and ve-lo titavveh (neither shalt thou covet) (Deut. 5:18)³³ have one meaning. I will yet discuss this when I comment on the prayer of Moses (Ex. 32:9). Now, the first-born of the maid-servant³⁴ means the same as the first-born of the captive (Ex. 12:29).³⁵ The captive woman is a maid-servant who sleeps in the dungeon at night as prisoners do, as was noted by Joseph when he said, that they should put me into the dungeon (Gen. 40:15).

footnotes: ²⁴ Because grinding was the most menial work, it was reserved for slaves and prisoners. ²⁵ I.E. on Gen. 5:29. Also see his commentary to Ex. 20:1 and the first chapter of the Sefer Ha-Yesod ²⁶ Spoken by Abraham’s servant to Rebekah when he asked her for water. ²⁷ Used by Abraham’s servant when he quoted what he had said to Rebekah. ²⁸ Which opens the fourth commandment quoted in Exodus. ²⁹ Which opens the fourth commandment in Deuteronomy. ³⁰ The term employed for false in the ninth commandment in Exodus. ³¹ The term employed for false in the ninth commandment in Deuteronomy. ³² Which opens the tenth commandment in Exodus. ³³ Which opens the tenth commandment in Deuteronomy. ³⁴ The term used by Moses in our verse. ³⁵ The term used by God when he first told Moses that he would slay all the first-born in the land of Egypt. I.E.’s point is that Moses was not misquoting God, as “the prophets are not careful in preserving the exact wording.”

AND THERE SHALL BE A GREAT CRY. We do not find Scripture elsewhere stating anything like kamohu lo nihyatah ve-khamohu lo tosif (such as there hath been none like it, nor shall be like it anymore).³⁶ (like it) is masculine whereas nihyatah (hath been) and tosif (shall be) are feminine. The word al (over) has been omitted from our verse and the clause should be understood literally as follows: such as over it there hath been none like it, nor such over it shall be like it a cry anymore.³⁷ and tosif refer to tze’akah (cry), a feminine noun mentioned in the first part of the verse. This eliminates the problem of having a masculine preposition/pronoun (kamohu) connected to feminine verbs (nihyatah, tosif).

footnotes: ³⁶ A comparable combination of masculine and feminine forms. Kamohu ³⁷ In other words, nihyatah

Such as like it (kamohu) refers to havoc, calamity, death, and the like.³⁸

footnotes: ³⁸ Although they are not explicitly mentioned in our verse. The Hebrew form of these words is in the masculine. According to I.E. our verse is to be explained as follows: And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt. Over such a calamity there hath been none like it (a cry), nor over such a calamity shall there ever be such (a cry).

SHALL NOT A DOG WHET HIS TONGUE. To frighten them. None whetted his tongue against any of the children of Israel (Josh. 10:21) is similar. Its meaning is that no dog shall bark at them or bite them. Now no dog shall whet his tongue at them or their cattle here on earth. How much more so when He sends a destroyer from heaven to smite their first-born?³⁹

footnotes: ³⁹ If God will not allow even a dog to bark at the Israelites, He will certainly not permit His angel to harm them.

AND ALL THESE THY SERVANTS SHALL COME DOWN UNTO ME…SAYING. On your behalf.⁴⁰

footnotes: ⁴⁰ You will send them down to me with the following message.

AND ALL THE PEOPLE THAT FOLLOW THEE. Be-raglekha (follow thee) means: who are under your dominion.⁴¹ (follow thee) literally means at thy feet. Hence I.E.’s comment. For I will lead them to the place which I desire. And there went up ten thousand at his feet (be-raglav) (Jud. 4:10) is similar.⁴² means under his dominion. Moses went out in hot anger because Pharaoh had told him, see my face no more (Ex. 10:28).

footnotes: ⁴¹ Be-raglekha ⁴² There too be-raglav

AND THE LORD SAID. According to the manner of the Hebrews and the rules of language this is to be rendered: and the Lord had already said.⁴³ can be either a perfect or a pluperfect. Here it must be a pluperfect, as God had already told what is reported in our verse to Moses in verse 1. There are many other such instances.

footnotes: ⁴³ Another way of saying that according to the rules of classical Hebrew, va-yomer

AND MOSES. Even though Moses and Aaron did all these wonders which are mentioned in Scripture, Pharaoh’s heart did not soften and he did not let them go, because God hardened his heart. The chapter opening with the words, And it came to pass at midnight (Ex. 12:29)⁴⁴ should by right have followed next so that the plagues would be described in order. However, the chapter dealing with, This is the ordinance of the Passover (chap. 12) was inserted in the middle to inform us how the first-born of Israel were saved when the destroyer came upon Egypt.⁴⁵

footnotes: ⁴⁴ Which describes the death of the first-born. ⁴⁵ They were saved by the blood of the paschal lamb which was put on the side-posts and on the lintels of the houses wherein the Passover sacrifice was eaten. See Ex. 12:7-13.