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"For God caused the Egyptians to be very favorable to the people of Israel, and Moses was a very great man in the land of Egypt and was revered by Pharaoh’s officials and the Egyptian people alike."
- Exodus 11: 3, The Living Bible, see link below.
1 Summary and Analysis.
And said YHWH to Moses, "od" (again / yet / etc) "nega" (plague / affliction) "echad" (one) "bo" (to come / to go) on Pharaoh, and on Egypt - "ken" (thus / therefore / surely) let you go... when "shalach" (sends) you out "kalah" (completely) he will "garash garash" (drive out / cast out / expel / divorce (the word is repeated in the text for emphasis)) you this "zeh" (place).
There is no doubt that this next plague is aimed at Pharaoh. Whatever is coming will completely turn him from just being disagreeable, into forcing them out. So far, while some of the plagues have made it into the palace, having a frog in your bed and grasshoppers in your kitchen are unpleasant, but tolerable. The text doesn't specify if the biting midges had a taste for royalty or not, nor does it state whether or not the king broke out in a rash when all of his magicians did. But this one will be different.
Remember at the end of chapter three when God told Moses that the women of the people of Israel were going to take all the treasure when they left Egypt? - we're there. And this will give us an opportunity to look at the women early in Exodus. Don't worry, we'll come back to them before the end.
2 Summary:
Speak to the people, let ask every man from his neighbor, and every woman from her neighbor, items of silver, and gold.
This is slightly different than what was in chapter three, but it does specify that the women are to ask as well as the men.
a focus on: The Women of the Exodus.
So far we've only met a handful of women in the story. Besides Moses's mother when she put him in a boat, and then later nursed him, and his sister who doesn't have a name, yet. In fact, his mother isn't named during the boat story, we find out her name was Jochebed in the genealogy of chapter 6, see verse 20. His sister isn't named in the text until chapter 15 where she sings a song and dances, see verse 20 and following where she is also called a 'prophetess'.
Zipporah is both named and married to Moses late in chapter 2 of Exodus, and then makes a speech during a nasty scene at the end of chapter 4. She is not named again until chapter 18 when Jethro, her father, makes a curtain call.
The only Egyptian woman that makes any impression during the story is the Daughter of Pharaoh. She plays a major part in the early portion of the drama, both rescuing Moses from the river and bringing him into the palace to be weaned by his own mother. But she is not named, and after she presents him to her own father as his grandson, she is never seen again. We also do not know the relationship of "Moses's Pharaoh" to the previous one who was his stepmother's father, see chapter 2 : verse 23.
As far as we know from the text, there are no women in the court of the king, although we do find out he has 'maidservants' who have children. And while we soon find out that Pharaoh has a firstborn, we don't know if this child was born to his Royal Wife as heir to the throne or not, nor does the Hebrew text specify that it was a son (see interlinear Hebrew-English for 11 : 5 below).
While some scholars maintain that this is because of the low status of women and hammer against the patriarchal society of the time when the females were property of the males, and all that is true, it is also likely that their lack of inclusion is simply due to the fact that the story moves along without them well enough. They are involved when they have to be involved.
You see the same thing throughout the entire Old Testament, and further. Women come into sharp focus during the story of Rahab, who ends up in the ancestry of King David and thereby, Christ, after having a somewhat interesting early career. And there are others, such as Ruth in her own book, and Samuel's mother Hannah (see links to those three below), but that isn't what we are doing now.
Tonight, during the actual Exodus and the origination of the Passover, the women are taking an active role, besides taking everything of value that they can carry from the Egyptians.
Here, tonight, during the First Passover, it will be the women who prepare the bread that becomes the symbol of the night and the name of the meal, and get the household ready to go.
end focus
3
"way nathan" (and gave) YHWH "chen" (favor / grace) the people in the "ayin" (eyes / sight) of Egypt. "gam" (also / indeed) the "ish" (man) Moses was "gadol" (great / important) "meod" (very / exceedingly) in "erets" (land) of "Mitsrayim" (Egypt), in "ayin" (eyes / sight) of "ebed" (servants) of Pharaoh, and in "ayin" (eyes / sight) of the people.
If you're wondering why the Egyptians thought so much of Moses, think about this... he was standing up for his people. Something the locals probably hadn't seen from their own royal house in some time. Also, we've seen where there was those in the Pharaoh's court that believed Moses and took action when they could to avoid problems. Remember that, it comes up again later.
Sidenote:
OK. At the end of chapter 10, the Pharaoh tells Moses that if he comes back into his presence he'll be killed. And Moses replies that he will never appear before him again.
We're not sure how to reconcile those two promises with this next speech by Moses and what the text immediately following says. It could be that Moses is outside the Pharaoh's dining room, speaking loudly in through the window so the king can't see him while he eats supper. We don't know.
4 - 5
"way yomer" (and said) Moses, "koh" (so / thus) "amar" (says / said) YHWH. "chatsoth" (middle 'of the night') I "yatsa" (go out / come out / bring forth) "tavek" (midst / middle) of Egypt, "muth" (to die / to be dead / 'will be killed') "kol" (all / every) "bekor" (firstborn) in land Egypt, 'from' "bekor" (firstborn (the word for a 'male' is NOT in the Hebrew)) of Pharaoh who "yashab" (sits / remains) on his "kisseh" (throne / seat), even to the firstborn of the "shiphchah" (maidservant / female servant) who is behind the "recheh" ('millstone' / handmill (there is a link below to a museum with a photo of a period statue of a woman using a roller mill of this type)) - and all the firstborn of the "behemeh" (animals / cattle).
The term "bekor" implies that it is the first born offspring, male or female, of human or animal, that is killed. Tradition says it is the firstborn son, but that may not have been the case. The idea that it was either sex is supported by the coming statement that there wasn't a household in Egypt that wasn't in mourning. We will also note here, that Pharaoh himself must not have been a 'first born' child.
6
"hayah" (become / to be / happen) "tseaqah" (cry / outcry) "gadol" (great / large) in "kol" (all) "erets" (land) Egypt, "asher" (which) like not was, nor again.
7 Summary:
But against any of the Sons of Israel "lo" (not) "charats" (act / move) "keleb" (dog) "lashon" (tongue / 'speak'), against man nor beast, that you may "yada" (know / understand) that "palah" (distinguished / separated) "bayin" (between / among) Egypt and Israel.
8 Text and observation.
And shall "yarad" (go/come down) all your "ebed" (servants) to me "shachah" (bow down / prostrate) to me "amar" (saying), "yatsa" (get out / depart) "attah" (you) and "kol" (all) "am" (people) who "regel" ('walk with' / 'follow') you. And "achar" (afterward / following) that, I will "yatsa" (go out / depart), and he "yatsa" (went out) from Pharaoh in "chori" (fierce / hot) "aph" (anger / wrath (the Hebrew implies 'flared nostrils')).
Was Moses so bold that he stomped into the throne room and made his speech before Pharaoh could order his guards to kill him. Or as we speculated in the note, perhaps he didn't exactly ENTER the presence of the king, but he made sure Pharaoh could hear him, as is confirmed in the next verse. That way Moses the Lawgiver isn't on the record as having lied to the king (like, say, Abraham had a habit of doing) when he had his final say.
9
But said YHWH to Moses, "lo" (not) "shama" (regard / listen (includes idea of 'obey')) you Pharaoh, "maan" (in order that / for the sake of) "rabah" (multiply / increase) My "mopheth" (signs / wonders / miracles) "erets" (land / country) of Egypt.
10 Comment.
Summary- No, not ours. That's what this verse is in the text. It simply states that Moses and Aaron had performed wonders before Pharaoh, and YHWH hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he wouldn't let the Sons of Israel leave.
End Chapter 11
Selected Resources:
All links will open in a new tab/window, all were working as of original date of posting:
Interlinear English / Hebrew: Chapter 11 https://biblehub.com/interlinear/exodus/11.htm
https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1611_Exodus-Chapter-11/
Egyptian Museum of Barcelona https://www.diegoverger.com/blog/2016/egyptian-museum-barcelona-photos/
Rahab's story in the Book of Joshua chapters 2 and 6 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Joshua%202&version=GNT
The Book of Ruth. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ruth%201&version=GNT
Hannah's story begins in chapter one verse nine. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Samuel%201&version=GNT
NOTE: The Bible Study Lesson presented above is posted as a reference document to begin a conversation of the topic. And that's it. Please accept it at such.
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