New American Standard Bible 1995
Exodus 12:29
29Now it came about at 1midnight that 2the Lord struck all 3the 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 4cattle.
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 shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the Lord who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’” And the people bowed low and worshiped. 28Then the sons of Israel went and did so; just as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so they did. Now it came about 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 cattle. 30Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no home where there was not someone dead. 31Then he called for Moses and Aaron at night and said, “Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the sons of Israel; 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
- Now it cameהָיָהhâyâh · to beH1961
- midnightחֲצִיchêtsîy · halfH2677
- midnightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- struckנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- allכֹּלkôl kôl · allH3605
- the firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
- in the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- of Pharaohפַּרְעֹהpar‛ôh · PharaohH6547
- who satיָשַׁבyâshab · to dwellH3427
- on his throneכִּסֵּאkissê' kissêh · throneH3678
- of the captiveשְׁבִיshebîy · captivityH7628
- whoאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
- was in the dungeonבַּ֫יִתbayith · house: homeH1004
- was in the dungeonבּוֹרbôr · pitH953
- cattleבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
Cross-references for Exodus 12:29
- Exodus 12:12For I will go through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments--I am the Lord.
- Exodus 11:4Moses said, “Thus says the Lord, ‘About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt,
- Exodus 13:15It came about, when Pharaoh was stubborn about letting us go, that the Lord killed every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of beast. Therefore, I sacrifice to the Lord the males, the first offspring of every womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.’
- Job 34:20In a moment they die, and at midnight People are shaken and pass away, And the mighty are taken away without a hand.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:2For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.
- Numbers 3:13For all the firstborn are Mine; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I sanctified to Myself all the firstborn in Israel, from man to beast. They shall be Mine; I am the Lord.”
- Numbers 8:17For every firstborn among the sons of Israel is Mine, among the men and among the animals; on the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I sanctified them for Myself.
- Numbers 33:4while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn whom the Lord had struck down among them. The Lord had also executed judgments on their gods.
- Psalms 78:51And smote all the firstborn in Egypt, The first issue of their virility in the tents of Ham.
- Psalms 105:36He also struck down all the firstborn in their land, The first fruits of all their vigor.
- Psalms 135:8He smote the firstborn of Egypt, Both of man and beast.
- Psalms 136:10To Him who smote the Egyptians in their firstborn, For His lovingkindness is everlasting,
- Hebrews 11:28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.
- Hebrews 12:23to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
- Exodus 4:23So I said to you, ‘Let My son go that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your firstborn.”’”
- Exodus 11:5and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of the Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; all the firstborn of the cattle as well.
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
Notes
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
New American Standard Bible 1995 — © 1960–1995 The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
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