Before Moses left Pharaoh, having said “You will never see my face again”, he was really angry, but The LORD told Moses that there would be one last plague on Pharaoh and Egypt (v1-3). There was no doubt that Pharaoh would let them go after this one, in fact ‘he will drive you out’. Moses was to tell the whole people of Israel to ask their neighbours for articles of gold and silver. The LORD had given them favour in the eyes of the Egyptians and Moses was revered as a great man in the eyes of all including Pharaoh.
The people of Egypt were exasperated with what had gone on even though Pharaoh was stubborn, and they were willing to give them gold and silver probably to leave them in peace.
As often happens, the ordinary people suffer more than the leaders and are more observant and are willing to see an end to the troubles.
One writer said that the gold and silver articles were used later by the Israelites to adorn the Sanctuary and the sacred vessels.
The LORD told Moses (v4-8), “Thus says the LORD: ‘About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt; and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the hand mill, and all the firstborn of the animals. Then there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as was not like it before, nor shall be like it again. But against none of the children of Israel shall a dog move its tongue, against man or beast, that you may know that the LORD does make a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.’ And all these your servants shall come down to me and bow down to me, saying, ‘Get out, and all the people who follow you!’ After that I will go out.”
Moses informed Pharaoh of the catastrophic event that was about to follow – death of the firstborn of Egypt, humans and animals. Nothing quite like it before or again. This was to show once more that God was different to their gods, and He would make a distinction between the people of Egypt and the people of Israel. The people would see it plainly and they would have no-one else to blame but Pharaoh.
Unbelievably, Pharaoh would not listen and would not let them go. This was going to affect all from the highest to the lowest.
