With an outstretched arm, this is the sword: Which plague in Egypt is referred to as the sword? Pesikta D'Rav Kahanah, states: "All the first born gathered around their fathers and pleaded with them: "Now that Moses has said, "all the first born in the land of Egypt shall die," (Ex. 11:5)and all that he has predicted heretofore concerning the Egyptian people has befallen them, we must get those Hebrews out of our midst, or else the Egyptian people will die.' The fathers replied: 'Each of us has ten sons; let one of them die just so that the Hebrews be not permitted to get out!' The first born then said: 'There is but one way to settle this matter: let us go to Pharaoh, since he is a first-born, who may take pity on himself and let these Hebrews get out of our midst.' They went to Pharaoh and said to him: 'Since Moses has said "All the first-born shall die," and since everything he has predicted concerning the Egyptians has befallen them, rise up and get these Hebrews out of our midst, or else the Egyptian people shall die.' But Pharaoh said to his servants: Get going and beat these cowards until they are humpbacked! And to the first born he said: I have sworn: My life or the life of the Hebrews. And you dare speak thus!' At once the first-born went out and slew sixty thousand of their fathers. Of this it is written, "To Him that smote Egypt with their first born." (Ps. 136:10) Scripture does not say here , 'To Him who smote the first born of Egypt.'