1 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'One plague more I do bring in on Pharaoh, and on Egypt, afterwards he doth send you away from this ; when he is sending you away, he surely casteth you out altogether from this [place] ;
2 speak, I pray thee, in the ears of the people, and they ask — each man from his neighbour, and each woman from her neighbour, vessels of silver, and vessels of gold.'
3 And Jehovah giveth the grace of the people in the eyes of the Egyptians ; also the man Moses [is] very great in the land of Egypt, in the eyes of the servants of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of the people.
Note · Exode 11.1–3
Une sortie qui ne sera pas sans ressources
Les objets demandés et la faveur trouvée auprès des Égyptiens accompagnent le départ. Le récit distingue ici la population du refus royal : tous les habitants ne sont pas présentés comme hostiles. Moïse lui-même bénéficie d’une reconnaissance jusque parmi les serviteurs de Pharaon.
4 And Moses saith, 'Thus said Jehovah, About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt,
5 and every first-born in the land of Egypt hath died, from the first-born of Pharaoh who is sitting on his throne, unto the first-born of the maid-servant who [is] behind the millstones, and all the first-born of beasts ;
6 and there hath been a great cry in all the land of Egypt, such as there hath not been, and such as there is not again.
7 'And against all the sons of Israel a dog sharpeneth not its tongue, from man even unto beast, so that ye know that Jehovah doth make a separation between the Egyptians and Israel ;
8 and all these thy servants have come down unto me, and bowed themselves to me, saying, Go out, thou and all the people who [are] at thy feet ; and afterwards I do go out ;' — and he goeth out from Pharaoh in the heat of anger.
Note · Exode 11.4–8
Une mort qui traverse les rangs sociaux
L’annonce atteint le palais comme la maison de la servante. Cette extension souligne la gravité de la crise, mais ne rend pas identiques les responsabilités du roi et des personnes sans pouvoir. Une note ne doit pas effacer la difficulté de ces morts par une explication générale trop facile.
9 And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Pharaoh doth not hearken unto you, so as to multiply My wonders in the land of Egypt ;'
10 and Moses and Aaron have done all these wonders before Pharaoh, and Jehovah strengtheneth Pharaoh's heart, and he hath not sent the sons of Israel out of his land.
Note · Exode 11.9–10
Un refus devenu le fil du récit
Le chapitre conclut cette série d’avertissements par le refus persistant du roi. La répétition des signes et le durcissement soulignent la résistance d’un pouvoir qui retient les autres. Le dénouement à venir ne sera pas présenté comme un simple accord volontaire entre parties de force égale.