Exodus 12:30 - Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

Generated Verse: Exodus 12:30

What does "Exodus 12:30" mean?


Exodus 12:30 describes the aftermath of the tenth and final plague that God sent upon Egypt to convince Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. Let's break it down:

"Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians...": This emphasizes the widespread impact. Pharaoh himself, his royal court, and all the Egyptian people were affected by what was about to be revealed. The fact that Pharaoh woke up in the middle of the night indicates the urgency and horror of the situation.

"...and there was a great cry in Egypt...": This indicates widespread mourning and lamentation. The Hebrew phrase used here conveys a deep, desperate, and anguished sound of sorrow.

"...for there was not a house where there was not one dead.": This is the most crucial part. It means that in every Egyptian household, someone had died during the night. This refers specifically to the death of the firstborn in each family, both human and livestock, as warned by God (Exodus 11:5). This universal loss is what caused the overwhelming grief and the "great cry."

In essence, the verse describes the devastating consequence of Pharaoh's refusal to heed God's warnings. The death of the firstborn in every Egyptian home was a final and terrible plague that broke Pharaoh's resistance and compelled him to finally let the Israelites go. The verse highlights the magnitude of the loss and the profound grief that engulfed the entire nation of Egypt.

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