Christian Standard Bible
Exodus 12:29
29Now at midnight the Lord struck every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon, and every firstborn of the livestock.
Exodus 12:29 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
- New International Version (NIV)At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well.
- English Standard Version (ESV)At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock.
- New King James Version (NKJV)And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of livestock.
Context of Exodus 12:29
27you are to reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when he struck the Egyptians, and he spared our homes.’” So the people knelt low and worshiped. 28Then the Israelites went and did this; they did just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. Now at midnight the Lord struck every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon, and every firstborn of the livestock. 30During the night Pharaoh got up, he along with all his officials and all the Egyptians, and there was a loud wailing throughout Egypt because there wasn’t a house without someone dead. 31He summoned Moses and Aaron during the night and said, “Get out immediately from among my people, both you and the Israelites, and go, worship the Lord as you have said.
Read all of Exodus 12Exodus 12:29 word by word
וַיְהִ֣י׀ בַּחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֗יְלָה וַֽיהוָה֮ הִכָּ֣ה כָל־בְּכוֹר֮ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַיִם֒ מִבְּכֹ֤ר פַּרְעֹה֙ הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב עַל־כִּסְא֔וֹ עַ֚ד בְּכ֣וֹר הַשְּׁבִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית הַבּ֑וֹר וְכֹ֖ל בְּכ֥וֹר בְּהֵמָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it came to pass, that at midnightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- And it came to pass, that at midnightחֲצִיchêtsîy · halfH2677
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- smoteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- all the firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
- in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- of Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
- that satיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- on his throneכִּסֵּאkissê' kissêh · throneH3678
- of the captiveשְׁבִיshebîy · captivityH7628
- in the dungeonבּוֹרbôr · pitH953
- in the dungeonבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- of cattleבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
Cross-references for Exodus 12:29
- Exodus 12:12“I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night and strike every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, both people and animals. I am the Lord; I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt.
- Exodus 11:4So Moses said, “This is what the Lord says: About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,
- Exodus 13:15When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed every firstborn male in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of humans and the firstborn of livestock. That is why I sacrifice to the Lord all the firstborn of the womb that are males, but I redeem all the firstborn of my sons.’
- Job 34:20They die suddenly in the middle of the night; people shudder, then pass away. Even the mighty are removed without effort.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:2For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
- Numbers 3:13because every firstborn belongs to me. At the time I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated every firstborn in Israel to myself, both man and animal. They are mine; I am the Lord.”
- Numbers 8:17For every firstborn among the Israelites is mine, both man and animal. I consecrated them to myself on the day I struck down every firstborn in the land of Egypt.
- Numbers 33:4Meanwhile, the Egyptians were burying every firstborn male the Lord had struck down among them, for the Lord had executed judgment against their gods.
- Psalms 78:51He struck all the firstborn in Egypt, the first progeny of the tents of Ham.
- Psalms 105:36He struck all the firstborn in their land, all their first progeny.
- Psalms 135:8He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, both people and animals.
- Psalms 136:10He struck the firstborn of the Egyptians His faithful love endures forever.
- Hebrews 11:28By faith he instituted the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn might not touch the Israelites.
- Hebrews 12:23to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written in heaven, to a Judge, who is God of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect,
- Exodus 4:23I told you: Let my son go so that he may worship me, but you refused to let him go. Look, I am about to kill your firstborn son!”
- Exodus 11:5and every firstborn male in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the servant girl who is at the grindstones, as well as every firstborn of the livestock.
Commentaries on Exodus 12:29
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 29Smote all the first born - If we take the term first-born in its literal sense only, we shall be led to conclude that in a vast number of the houses of the Egyptians there could have been no death, as it is not at all likely that every first-born child of every Egyptian family was still alive, and that all the first-born of their cattle still remained. And yet it is said, Exodus 12:30, that there was not a house where there was not one dead. The word…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 29This plague is distinctly attributed here and in Exodus 12:23 to the personal intervention of the Lord; but it is to be observed that although the Lord Himself passed through to smite the Egyptians, He employed the agency of “the destroyer” Exodus 12:23, in whom, in accordance with Hebrews 11:28, all the ancient versions, and most critics, recognize an Angel (compare 2 Kings 19:35; 2 Samuel 24:16).Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 29-36Verses 29-36 The Egyptians had been for three days and nights kept in anxiety and horror by the darkness; now their rest is broken by a far more terrible calamity. The plague struck their first-born, the joy and hope of their families. They had slain the Hebrews' children, now God slew theirs. It reached from the throne to the dungeon: prince and peasant stand upon the same level before God's judgments. The destroying angel entered every dwelling unmarked…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 28-30The predicted plague was fulfilled. Just as death spares no one, so no one in Egypt, from Pharaoh to the lowest prisoner, escaped the effects of Pharaoh’s pride.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2929. at midnight the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt--At the moment when the Israelites were observing the newly instituted feast in the singular manner described, the threatened calamity overtook the Egyptians. It is more easy to imagine than describe the confusion and terror of that people suddenly roused from sleep and enveloped in darkness--none could assist their neighbors when the groans of the dying and the wild shrieks of…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 12:29
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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