Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 12:12
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.
12. And I will go through, &c.] cf. Exo 11:4.
and against, &c.] cf. Num 33:4 (P); for ‘judgements,’ also, see on Exo 6:6.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
I 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 Exo 12:5).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Exo 12:12
Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute Judgment.
The Lord God of gods
When, in Deu 10:17, Moses says, The Lord your God is God of gods, and when, in Jos 22:22, the people exclaim, The Lord God of gods, the Lord God of gods, He knoweth–what do the words mean? Are there other gods than Jehovah? It is likely this inquiry will come up in the mind of almost any student of the Bible when he is reading the account of the ten plagues. The question is hard to discuss; but two considerations can be offered for help, and then we can reach the conclusion.
1. One is this: the entire record, unless a most elastic ingenuity of exposition be employed, seems to say that the contests delineated in the exciting chapters which record the deliverance from bondage and the establishment of Israel was between supernatural powers, rather than between ordinary human antagonists. Pharaoh accepted the gauntlet thrown down by Moses as a defiance to his gods, and, with a courage worthy of a better cause, took it up cheerfully in their name. So the conflict proceeds. The nations stand silently and solemnly by while these tremendous antagonistic forces are employed in the royal abodes, and are aroused only afterwards when the pressure outside begins to be felt. The close of the narrative teaches us that they were perfectly intelligent from the beginning in the conceptions they had of what was going on. Pharaoh finally confesses openly the defeat of his gods when he says humbly to Moses, Go then, serve Jehovah; and bless me also! And with a like acknowledgment the Israelites ascribe all the glory of their deliverance to God. They do not behave as if they owed even a decent gratitude to Moses or Aaron.
2. We must put with this consideration a second: these so-called gods of the Egyptians are spoken of constantly as if they were not mere dumb idols, nor even mere ideal creations of human imagination; the language could have hardly been stronger if it had meant to leave the impression that they were living existences–beings possessed of life and intelligence and will and some power (see Deu 32:16-17; 1Co 10:20; Psa 66:4-5). For some mysterious reason of His own, the sovereign Monarch of the universe has accepted an antagonism between the powers of evil and the powers of good in this world; and for nearly six thousand years Satan His creature has been waging battle openly amid the sublime agencies of nature with Jesus Christ His Son. We feel as if we must assume real antagonists when we read Moses own words in Num 33:4 : The Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the Lord had smitten among them; upon their gods also the Lord executed judgment.
3. Thus, then, we reach our conclusion at which all along we have been aiming. Were Pharaohs gods real gods? How was Jehovah the God of gods? And what does our text mean, Against all the gods of Egypt will I execute judgment? We ask you to recapitulate in your own minds the delineation made concerning the three cycles of miracles grouped around the three personages who stood on a certain occasion on the Mount of Transfiguration, Jesus Christ, Moses, and Elijah, each the bringer of a dispensation of revealed truth for mens salvation, the law, the prophets, and the gospel. It is sufficient to say, here at the start, that this same onset of demoniacal forces is disclosed in each of these cases, and a recognition made of the fact that the old fight with Satan was renewed, the old fight which began in the Garden of Eden. Demoniacal possession is found in these same three cycles of time, and nowhere else in the history of the Old Testament or the New. This, then, is what is intended when we say that this was a contest between Immanuel and Satan, a positive resumption of the war from the instant when the seed of the woman began to bruise the serpents head. So, when we return to the story we are studying, we are bold to say that this whole contest between Moses and Menephtah was really the sublime and awful conflict between Immanuel and Satan for the slavery, on the one side, for the salvation, on the other, of the race of human souls whom the Almighty had originally made in His own image. Several most welcome explanations, therefore, meet us just here.
1. One is concerning the abrupt cessation of performances, on the part of Pharaohs magicians, when they exclaimed, This is the finger of God. They knew that the resistance was virtually over. We may even imagine that these people had sometimes been surprised already at what actually seemed their own power. Then there is a second explanation furnished by this disclosure.
2. We know now why this history has such an evangelical spirit attributed to it when references are made in the New Testament. Read over again, in the light of such an understanding of Gods true purpose, the story which the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews gives concerning Moses choice in his early career; see how singular is the motive ascribed to him: He took his stand as a believer in Jehovah Jesus as his Redeemer–By faith Moses, etc. The New Testament writer identifies the two dispensations as the same. Israel was the Church, Jehovah was Jesus; so Moses became a Christian.
3. In the same way the allusions made to the incidents of the later history become intelligible. You recall the terrible trouble from the fiery serpents; put with that now the exhortation of the apostle Paul: Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. He here says that Christ was the one who was tempted in that murmuring; it was Christ who was leading Israel through the wilderness. There never has been but one Church, but one Leader of Gods elect, but one Redeemer, but one way in which to be saved. (C. S. Robinson, D. D.)
Past redemption point
On the bank of the Niagara River, where the rapids begin to swell and swirl most desperately, preparatory to their final plunge, is a sign-board which bears a most startling legend. Past Redemption Point, it reads. To read it even when one feels the soil firm beneath his feet sends a shiver of horror through ones soul as he looks off upon the turbulent water and realizes the full significance of the sign. The one who gets into those boiling rapids and passes that point, cannot retrace his way, cannot pull to shore, cannot be rescued by friends. Past redemption point! How many men despise the warnings God sends, and pass the last stage at which they could arrest their evil way, and too late they find they have passed redemption point!
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 12. Against all the gods of Egypt, c.] 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 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 hostile to the Hebrews with Pharaoh himself, therefore these judgments fell equally heavy on them also. But we may ask, Did not these judgments fall equally on all the families of Egypt, though multitudes of them had no particular part either in the evil counsel against the Israelites or in their oppression? Why then distinguish those in calamities in which all equally shared? None of these interpretations therefore appear satisfactory. Houbigant, by a very simple and natural emendation, has, he thinks, restored the whole passage to sense and reason. He supposes that elohey, GODS, is a mistake for ahley, TENTS or habitations, the he and the lamed being merely interchanged. This certainly gives a very consistent sense, and points out the universality of the desolation to which the whole context continually refers. He therefore contends that the text should be read thus: And on all the TENTS (or HABITATIONS) of Egypt I will execute judgment; by which words the Lord signified that not one dwelling in the whole land of Egypt should be exempted from the judgment here threatened. It is but justice to say that however probable this criticism may appear, it is not supported by any of the ancient versions, nor by any of the MSS. collated by Kennicott and De Rossi. The parallel place also, Nu 33:4, is rather against Houbigant’s interpretation: For the Egyptians buried all their first-born, which the Lord had smitten among them: upon their gods also [ ubeloheyhem] the Lord executed judgments. But Houbigant amends the word in this place in the same way as he does that in Exodus. There appears also to be an allusion to this former judgment in Isa 19:1: Behold, the Lord – shall come into Egypt, and the idols [ eliley] of Egypt shall be moved at his presence. And in Jer 43:13: The houses of the gods [ bottey elohey] of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire. The rabbins say that “when Israel came out of Egypt, the holy blessed God threw down all the images of their abominations, and they were broken to pieces.” When a nation was conquered, it was always supposed that their gods had either abandoned them or were overcome. Thus Egypt was ruined, and their gods confounded and destroyed by Jehovah. See Clarke on Ex 11:7.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I will execute judgment; either,
1. By exposing them to shame and contempt, as vain and impotent gods that could not save their worshippers. But that appeared before. Or,
2. By destroying those beasts which they worshipped; and it is not unlikely but those particular beasts, which were their chief idols, as Apis, Mnevis, &c., were first-born, and therefore perished in this plague. Or,
3. By over-throwing their idols, as he afterwards did Dagon. And so some Hebrew writer tells us, that this very night all their idols were broken and thrown down. And there are some footsteps hereof even in heathen authors; of whom some tell us that most of the temples of Egypt at one time fell down by an earthquake; and others affirm, that the Egyptian gods, for fear of one Typho, (by whom it is apparent they meant Moses,) did hide themselves for a season, &c.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
12. smite . . . gods ofEgyptperhaps used here for princes and grandees. But,according to Jewish tradition, the idols of Egypt were all on thatnight broken in pieces (see Num 33:4;Isa 19:1).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night,….. Which must be understood consistent with his omnipresence, and of the manifestation of his powerful presence, or of the exertion of his mighty power in the following event: and will smite all the
firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; as had been declared to Pharaoh, Ex 11:5
and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment; meaning either figuratively, the nobles, princes, judges and civil magistrates, who are sometimes called Elohim, gods; but since the firstborn of these, as of others, and so the judgment on them, are comprehended in the preceding clause, this is, rather to be understood literally of the idols of the Egyptians, their images of gold and silver, or of whatever they were made of: the Targum of Jonathan is,
“on all the idols of the Egyptians I will exercise four judgments; the molten idols shall be melted, the idols of stone shall be cut asunder, the idols of earth shall be broke to pieces, and the idols of wood shall become ashes;”
see Nu 33:4 and there are some traces of this in Heathen writers; Artapanus e says, that by an earthquake most of the temples in Egypt fell; and Justin f reports, that Moses, being the leader of the exile Israelites, stole away the sacred things of the Egyptians, i.e. their gods, which they endeavoured to regain by force of arms:
I am the Lord; God Almighty, faithful and true, and therefore what was threatened should certainly be performed, and thereby the Egyptians and all others might know that he was Jehovah alone, and that there is no God beside him.
e Apud Euseb. Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 436. f E Trogo, l. 36. c. 2.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
12. For I will pass through the land. This refers to the first passover, the night in which they were to be delivered from Egypt; and God expressly declares that He will be the judge against the false gods, because it then especially appeared how utterly unable they were to help, and how vain and fallacious was their service. The absurd commentary of some of the Rabbins (317) is tame and far-fetched, that the idols should be cast down, because by the single miracle of their redemption, all superstitions were magnificently overturned, and whatsoever men believed about idols was condemned as folly and delusion. God therefore affirms, that he would not only conquer the nation itself, but its very gods. Perhaps Isaiah alludes to this passage when he says,
“
Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt; and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence,” (Isa 19:1😉
for wherever He has appeared as the Savior of His people, He has asserted His glory in opposition to all impious and corrupt religions.
(317) C. found in S. M. that Onkelos and the Rabbis said the Egyptian idols were laid prostrate. — W.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(12) For I will pass through.Rather, go through, since the word used is entirely unconnected with pesahh.
Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment.The translation gods is far preferable to that of princes, given in the margin. The death of all the firstborn beasts would have been felt by the Egyptians as a heavy judgment upon their gods. Some of their sacred animals were regarded as actual incarnations of deity; and if any of these perished, as is likely, the threat would have been executed to the letter. But even apart from this, as cows, sheep, goats, cats, dogs, jackals, crocodiles, hippopotami, apes, ibises, frogs, &c, were sacred, either throughout Egypt or in parts of it, a general destruction of all firstborn animals would have been felt as a blow dealt to the gods almost equally.
I am the Lord.Heb. I, Jehovah. The construction is, I, Jehovah, will execute judgment.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
12. Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment See Introd . to the history of the plagues, (1 . )
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 12:12. Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment The original word here rendered gods, is alei; which, in the margin of our Bibles, is rendered princes; as the word aleim sometimes signifies: and Wall is strongly of opinion that this is its true meaning. But the generality of interpreters understand the idol-gods of Egypt to be here meant. And to this they think, Isa 19:1 and Jer 43:13 refer; as, indeed, seems very probable.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Behold, the hour of visitation! Num 32:4 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 12:12 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.
Ver. 12. And I will smite all the firstborn. ] This crosseth not that in Eze 18:20 , “The son shall not bear the iniquity of his father”; for God never punisheth the innocent, because all are guilty before him. These Egyptians had slain Israel, God’s firstborn. And it is the observation of Theodoret, that when God smote Pharaoh’s firstborn, he drew blood of the arm for the cure of the head: which, because it mended not thereupon, came also to confusion.
And against all the gods of Egypt.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
gods, or princes. But see notes on object of the several plagues.
I am the LORD, or I, Jehovah.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
pass: Exo 12:23, Exo 11:4, Exo 11:5, Amo 5:17
will smite: Exo 12:29, Exo 12:30, Exo 11:4-6
against: Num 33:4, 1Sa 5:3, 1Sa 6:5, 1Ch 14:12, Isa 19:1, Jer 43:13, Zep 2:11
gods: or, princes, Exo 21:6, Exo 22:28, Psa 82:1, Psa 82:6, Joh 10:34, Joh 10:35
I am the Lord: Exo 6:2, Isa 43:11-15, Eze 12:16
Reciprocal: Gen 31:30 – my gods 2Sa 7:23 – nations and their gods Psa 78:51 – smote Psa 81:5 – through Psa 91:7 – General Psa 105:36 – He smote Psa 135:8 – smote Psa 136:10 – General Isa 46:1 – Bel Jer 43:12 – in the Jer 46:25 – with their Jer 50:3 – both Jer 51:18 – in the Eze 29:8 – cut Eze 30:13 – I will also Dan 11:8 – their gods Nah 1:12 – pass Nah 1:14 – out Hab 3:14 – the head Act 12:23 – the angel
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 12:12. Dreadful work was to be made this night in Egypt: all the firstborn of man and beast were this night to be slain, and judgment to be executed upon all the gods of Egypt Their idol-gods. The images made of metal were, probably, melted, those of wood consumed, and those of stone broken to pieces. To this Isa 19:1, and Jer 43:13, have been thought to allude. It may also signify, that God destroyed their sacred animals.