Exodus 12:29

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

27then you will say, ‘It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover, when he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt, when he struck Egypt and delivered our households.’” The people bowed down low to the ground, 28and the Israelites went away and did exactly as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron. It 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. 30Pharaoh got up in the night, along with all his servants and all Egypt, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no house in which there was not someone dead. 31Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron in the night and said, “Get up, get out from among my people, both you and the Israelites! Go, serve the Lord as you have requested!

Exodus 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 12:12I 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 11:4Moses said, “Thus says the Lord: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,
• Exodus 13:15When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to release us, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of people to the firstborn of animals. That is why I am sacrificing to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb, but all my firstborn sons I redeem.’
• Job 34:20In a moment they die, in the middle of the night, people are shaken and they pass away. The mighty are removed effortlessly.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:2For you know quite well that the day of the Lord will come in the same way as a thief in the night.
• Numbers 3:13because all the firstborn are mine. When I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I set apart for myself all the firstborn in Israel, both man and beast. They belong to me. I am the Lord.”
• Numbers 8:17For all the firstborn males among the Israelites are mine, both humans and animals; when I destroyed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I set them apart for myself.
• 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.
• Psalms 78:51He struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, the firstfruits of their reproductive power in the tents of Ham.
• Psalms 105:36He struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of their reproductive power.
• Psalms 135:8He struck down the firstborn of Egypt, including both men and animals.
• Psalms 136:10to the one who struck down the firstborn of Egypt, for his loyal love endures,
• Hebrews 11:28By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that the one who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them.
• Hebrews 12:23and congregation of the firstborn, who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous, who have been made perfect,
• Exodus 4:23and I said to you, ‘Let my son go that he may serve me,’ but since you have refused to let him go, I will surely kill your son, your firstborn!”’”
• Exodus 11:5and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn son of the slave girl who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle.

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

• Bereavement
• Children
• Criminals
• Egyptians
• Firstborn
• Miracles
• Passover
• Plague

In the dictionaries

• Egypt
• Pharaoh
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Pharaoh, king of Egypt
• Blood
• Convocation
• Cry
• Firstborn
• Leaven
• Mean

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