Exodus 12:29

Exodus 12:29

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.

a. NLT: And that night at midnight, the LORD struck down all the firstborn sons in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sat on his throne, to the firstborn son of the prisoner in the dungeon. Even the firstborn of their livestock were killed.

b. 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.

c. YLT: And it cometh to pass, at midnight, that Jehovah hath smitten every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who is sitting on his throne, unto the first-born of the captive who is in the prison-house, and every first-born of beasts.

d. Amplified Bible Classic: At midnight the Lord slew every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the prisoner in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock.

e. Septuagint: And it came to pass at midnight that the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharao that sat on the throne, to the first-born of the captive-maid in the dungeon, and the first-born of all cattle.

f. Stone Edition Torah/Prophets/Writings: It was at midnight that HASHEM smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharoah sitting on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon, and every firstborn animal.

1. “And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt…”

a. at midnight [2677 * chetsiy] [Strong: from 2673; the half or middle:--half, middle, mid(-night), midst, part, two parts.]

b. midnight [3915 * layil; or (Isa. 21:11) leyl; also Laylah] [Strong: from the same as 3883; properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity:--((mid-))night (season).]

c. the LORD [3068 * Yhovah] [Strong: from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord.]

d. smote [5221 * nakah] [Strong: a primitive root; to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively):--beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), X go forward, X indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer, punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike, be stricken, (give) stripes, X surely, wound.]

e. all the firstborn [1060 * bkowr] [Strong: from 1069; firstborn; hence, chief:--eldest (son), firstborn(-ling).]

1). Did God actually kill the firstborn in Egypt? I believe He did. A few other passages support it.

a). 2 Samuel 24:16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

b). 2 Kings 19:35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the LORD went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

f. in the land [776 * 'erets] [Strong: from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.]

g. of Egypt [4714 * Mitsrayim; dual of 4693; Mitsrajim] [Strong: Upper and Lower Egypt:--Egypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.]

2. “…from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon…”

a. from the firstborn [1060 * bkowr] [Strong: from 1069; firstborn; hence, chief:--eldest (son), firstborn(-ling).]

b. of Pharaoh [6547 *  Par`oh] [Strong: of Egyptian derivation; Paroh, a general title of Egyptian kings:--Pharaoh.]

c. that sat [3427 * yashab] [Strong: a primitive root; properly, to sit down (specifically as judge. in ambush, in quiet); by implication, to dwell, to remain; causatively, to settle, to marry:--(make to) abide(-ing), continue, (cause to, make to) dwell(-ing), ease self, endure, establish, X fail, habitation, haunt, (make to) inhabit(-ant), make to keep (house), lurking, X marry(-ing), (bring again to) place, remain, return, seat, set(- tle), (down-)sit(-down, still, -ting down, -ting (place) -uate), take, tarry.]

d. on his throne [3678 * kicce'; or kicceh] [Strong: from 3680; properly, covered, i.e. a throne (as canopied):--seat, stool, throne.]

e. unto the firstborn [1060 * bkowr] [Strong: from 1069; firstborn; hence, chief:--eldest (son), firstborn(-ling).]

f. of the captive [7628 * shbiy] [Strong: from 7618; exiled; captured; as noun, exile (abstractly or concretely and collectively); by extension, booty:--captive(-ity), prisoners, X take away, that was taken.

g. in the dungeon [1004 * bayith] [Strong: probably from 1129 abbreviated; a house (in the greatest variation of applications, especially family, etc.):--court, daughter, door, + dungeon, family, + forth of, X great as would contain, hangings, home(born), (winter)house(-hold), inside(-ward), palace, place, + prison, + steward, + tablet, temple, web, + within(-out).]

h. dungeon [953 * bowr bore from 952 (in the sense of 877); a pit hole (especially one used as a cistern or a prison):--cistern, dungeon, fountain, pit, well.]

3. “…and all the firstborn of cattle.”

a. all the firstborn [1060 * bkowr] [Strong: from 1069; firstborn; hence, chief:--eldest (son), firstborn(-ling).]

b. cattle [929 * bhemah] [Strong: from an unused root (probably meaning to be mute); properly, a dumb beast; especially any large quadruped or animal (often collective):--beast, cattle.]