New English Translation
Exodus 12:12
12I will pass through the land of Egypt in the same night, and I will attack all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of humans and of animals, and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment. I am the Lord.
Exodus 12:12 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)“On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am the Lord.
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.
Context of Exodus 12:12
10You must leave nothing until morning, but you must burn with fire whatever remains of it until morning. 11This is how you are to eat it – dressed to travel, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. You are to eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover. I will pass through the land of Egypt in the same night, and I will attack all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both of humans and of animals, and on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment. I am the Lord. 13The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, so that when I see the blood I will pass over you, and this plague will not fall on you to destroy you when I attack the land of Egypt. 14This day will become a memorial for you, and you will celebrate it as a festival to the Lord – you will celebrate it perpetually as a lasting ordinance.
Read all of Exodus 12Exodus 12:12 word by word
וְעָבַרְתִּ֣י בְאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַיִם֮ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַזֶּה֒ וְהִכֵּיתִ֤י כָל־בְּכוֹר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מֵאָדָ֖ם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה וּבְכָל־אֱלֹהֵ֥י מִצְרַ֛יִם אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה שְׁפָטִ֖ים אֲנִ֥י יְהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- For I will passעָבַר‛âbar · to passH5674
- through the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
- this nightלַ֫יְלָהlayil lêyl layelâh · nightH3915
- and will smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- all the firstbornבְּכוֹרbekôr · firstbornH1060
- both manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
- and beastבְּהֵמָהbehêmâh · animalH929
- and against all the godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- I will executeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- judgmentשֶׁ֫פֶטshepheţ · judgmentH8201
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for Exodus 12:12
- Exodus 12:23For the Lord will pass through to strike Egypt, and when he sees the blood on the top of the doorframe and the two side posts, then the Lord will pass over the door, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you.
- Exodus 11:4Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,
- Amos 5:17In all the vineyards there will be wailing, for I will pass through your midst,” says the Lord.
- Exodus 12:29It happened at midnight – the Lord attacked 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 prison, and all the firstborn of the cattle.
- Numbers 33:4Now the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the Lord had killed among them; the Lord also executed judgments on their gods.
- 1 Samuel 5:3When the residents of Ashdod got up early the next day, Dagon was lying on the ground before the ark of the Lord. So they took Dagon and set him back in his place.
- 1 Samuel 6:5You should make images of the sores and images of the mice that are destroying the land. You should honor the God of Israel. Perhaps he will release his grip on you, your gods, and your land.
- 1 Chronicles 14:12The Philistines left their idols there, so David ordered that they be burned.
- Isaiah 19:1Here is a message about Egypt: Look, the Lord rides on a swift-moving cloud and approaches Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him; the Egyptians lose their courage.
- Jeremiah 43:13He will demolish the sacred pillars in the temple of the sun in Egypt and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.”’”
- Zephaniah 2:11The Lord will terrify them, for he will weaken all the gods of the earth. All the distant nations will worship the Lord in their own lands.
- Exodus 21:6then his master must bring him to the judges, and he will bring him to the door or the doorposts, and his master will pierce his ear with an awl, and he shall serve him forever.
- Exodus 22:28“You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.
- Psalms 82:1God stands in the assembly of El; in the midst of the gods he renders judgment.
- John 10:34Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’?
- Exodus 6:2God spoke to Moses and said to him, “I am the Lord.
Commentaries on Exodus 12:12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 12Against all the gods of Egypt, etc. - As different animals were sacred among the Egyptians, the slaying of the first-born of all the beasts might be called executing judgment upon the gods of Egypt. As this however does not appear very clear and satisfactory, some have imagined that the word אלהי elohey should be translated princes, which is the rendering in our margin; for as these princes, who were rulers of the kingdom under Pharaoh, were equally…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 12I will pass through - A word wholly distinct from that which means “pass over.” The “passing through” was in judgment, the “passing over” in mercy. Against all the gods of Egypt - Compare the margin reference. In smiting the firstborn of all living beings, man and beast, God struck down the objects of Egyptian worship (compare Exodus 12:5).Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 12The plagues were primarily the Lord’s judgment against all the gods of Egypt (see also Numbers 33:4).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1212. smite ... gods of Egypt--perhaps used here for princes and grandees. But, according to Jewish tradition, the idols of Egypt were all on that night broken in pieces (see Nu 33:4; Is 19:1).Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 12:12
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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