The Plague on the Firstborn Foretold

1  וַיֹּ֨אמֶר (And said) יְהוָ֜ה (YHWH) אֶל־ (to) מֹשֶׁ֗ה (Moses), ע֣וֹד (Yet) נֶ֤גַע (plague) אֶחָד֙ (one) אָבִ֤יא (I will bring) עַל־ (on) פַּרְעֹה֙ (Pharaoh) וְעַל־ (and on) מִצְרַ֔יִם (Egypt); אַֽחֲרֵי־ (After) כֵ֕ן (that) יְשַׁלַּ֥ח (he will send out) אֶתְכֶ֖ם (you⁺) מִזֶּ֑ה (from this place). כְּשַׁ֨לְּח֔וֹ (When he sends you out), כָּלָ֕ה (completely) גָּרֵ֛שׁ (driving out) יְגָרֵ֥שׁ (he will drive out) אֶתְכֶ֖ם (you⁺) מִזֶּֽה׃ (from this place). 2  דַּבֶּר־ (Speak) נָ֖א (now) בְּאָזְנֵ֣י (in the ears) הָעָ֑ם (of the people), וְיִשְׁאֲל֞וּ (and let ask) אִ֣ישׁ׀ (each man) מֵאֵ֣ת (from) רֵעֵ֗הוּ (his neighbor), וְאִשָּׁה֙ (and each woman) מֵאֵ֣ת (from) רְעוּתָ֔הּ (her neighbor), כְּלֵי־ (articles) כֶ֖סֶף (of silver) וּכְלֵ֥י (and articles) זָהָֽב׃ (of gold).

3  וַיִּתֵּ֧ן (And gave) יְהוָ֛ה (YHWH) אֶת־ (-) חֵ֥ן (favor) הָעָ֖ם (the people) בְּעֵינֵ֣י (in the eyes) מִצְרָ֑יִם (of Egypt). גַּ֣ם׀ (Moreover), הָאִ֣ישׁ (the man) מֹשֶׁ֗ה (Moses) גָּד֤וֹל (was great) מְאֹד֙ (very) בְּאֶ֣רֶץ (in the land) מִצְרַ֔יִם (of Egypt), בְּעֵינֵ֥י (in the eyes) עַבְדֵֽי־ (of the servants) פַרְעֹ֖ה (of Pharaoh), וּבְעֵינֵ֥י (and in the eyes) הָעָֽם׃ס (of the people).

4  וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (And said) מֹשֶׁ֔ה (Moses), כֹּ֖ה (Thus) אָמַ֣ר (says) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH): כַּחֲצֹ֣ת (About) הַלַּ֔יְלָה (midnight) אֲנִ֥י (I) יוֹצֵ֖א (am going out) בְּת֥וֹךְ (into the midst) מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (of Egypt), 5  וּמֵ֣ת (and shall die) כָּל־ (every) בְּכוֹר֮ (firstborn) בְּאֶ֣רֶץ (in the land) מִצְרַיִם֒ (of Egypt), מִבְּכ֤וֹר (from the firstborn) פַּרְעֹה֙ (of Pharaoh) הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב (who sits) עַל־ (on) כִּסְא֔וֹ (his throne), עַ֚ד (even to) בְּכ֣וֹר (the firstborn) הַשִּׁפְחָ֔ה (of the maidservant) אֲשֶׁ֖ר (who) אַחַ֣ר (is behind) הָרֵחָ֑יִם (the handmill), וְכֹ֖ל (and every) בְּכ֥וֹר (firstborn) בְּהֵמָֽה׃ (of a beast). 6  וְהָֽיְתָ֛ה (And there shall be) צְעָקָ֥ה (a cry) גְדֹלָ֖ה (great) בְּכָל־ (in all) אֶ֣רֶץ (the land) מִצְרָ֑יִם (of Egypt), אֲשֶׁ֤ר (such as) כָּמֹ֙הוּ֙ (like it) לֹ֣א (not) נִהְיָ֔תָה (was), וְכָמֹ֖הוּ (and shall be like it) לֹ֥א (not) תֹסִֽף׃ (again). 7  וּלְכֹ֣ל׀ (And against all) בְּנֵ֣י (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל (of Israel) לֹ֤א (not) יֶֽחֱרַץ־ (shall sharpen) כֶּ֙לֶב֙ (a dog) לְשֹׁנ֔וֹ (its tongue), לְמֵאִ֖ישׁ (against man) וְעַד־ (even to) בְּהֵמָ֑ה (beast), לְמַ֙עַן֙ (so that) תֵּֽדְע֔וּן (you⁺ may know) אֲשֶׁר֙ (that) יַפְלֶ֣ה (distinguishes) יְהוָ֔ה (YHWH) בֵּ֥ין (between) מִצְרַ֖יִם (Egypt) וּבֵ֥ין (and between) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (Israel).

8  וְיָרְד֣וּ (And shall come down) כָל־ (all) עֲבָדֶיךָ֩ (your servants) אֵ֨לֶּה (these) אֵלַ֜י (to me) וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲוּוּ־ (and bow themselves) לִ֣י (to me), לֵאמֹ֗ר (saying), צֵ֤א (Go out) אַתָּה֙ (you) וְכָל־ (and all) הָעָ֣ם (the people) אֲשֶׁר־ (who) בְּרַגְלֶ֔יךָ (are at your feet). וְאַחֲרֵי־ (And after) כֵ֖ן (that) אֵצֵ֑א (I will go out).

וַיֵּצֵ֥א (And he went out) מֵֽעִם־ (from) פַּרְעֹ֖ה (Pharaoh) בָּחֳרִי־ (with burning) אָֽף׃ס (anger).

9  וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (And said) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֶל־ (to) מֹשֶׁ֔ה (Moses), לֹא־ (Not) יִשְׁמַ֥ע (will listen) אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם (to you⁺) פַּרְעֹ֑ה (Pharaoh), לְמַ֛עַן (so that) רְב֥וֹת (may be multiplied) מוֹפְתַ֖י (My wonders) בְּאֶ֥רֶץ (in the land) מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (of Egypt).

10  וּמֹשֶׁ֣ה (And Moses) וְאַהֲרֹ֗ן (and Aaron) עָשׂ֛וּ (did) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) הַמֹּפְתִ֥ים (the wonders) הָאֵ֖לֶּה (these) לִפְנֵ֣י (before the face) פַרְעֹ֑ה (of Pharaoh), וַיְחַזֵּ֤ק (and strengthened) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֶת־ (-) לֵ֣ב (the heart) פַּרְעֹ֔ה (of Pharaoh), וְלֹֽא־ (and not) שִׁלַּ֥ח (did he send out) אֶת־ (-) בְּנֵֽי־ (the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל (of Israel) מֵאַרְצֽוֹ׃פ (from his land).