Exodus

Warning of the Tenth Plague: The Death of All the Firstborn

The Lord said to Moses:

“I will bring one more plague on Pharaoh and Egypt. After that, he will send you away and even drive you away completely.

Speak to the people and tell them that both men and women are to ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.”

The Lord disposed the Egyptians favorably towards the people. Moses, moreover, was regarded as a person of importance in Egypt both by Pharaoh’s ministers and by the people.

Moses said:

“This is the Lord’s message: ‘About midnight, I shall go through Egypt

and all the firstborn in Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who is heir to the throne, to the firstborn of the servant behind the mill and the firstborn of the animals.

There will be great wailing throughout all of Egypt, such as has never been before and never will be again.

But among the Israelites, not a dog will howl for the death of either man or beast. This is that you may understand that the Lord makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.

All these ministers of yours will come down to me and bow before me, saying, ‘Go, you and all who follow you!’ After that, I will leave.”

And turning in anger, he left Pharaoh.

The Lord said to Moses:

“Pharaoh will not listen to you, and so the wonders that I do in Egypt will be multiplied.”

Moses and Aaron had worked all these marvels in the presence of Pharaoh, but the Lord had made Pharaoh obstinate, and he would not let the people of Israel leave his country.