“And commanded them concerning the children of Israel…” – the Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘My children are naysayers, they are irritable, they are burdensome. Accept it upon yourself in full knowledge that they will curse you [and] they will stone you with stones.’ “And concerning Pharaoh king of Egypt, to take the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt” – the Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Treat him with deference and accord respect to royalty, even though I must execute justice against him.’
Moses did so, as it is stated: “All these servants of yours will come down to me [and will bow down to me, saying: Leave, you and all the people who are with you]” (Exodus 11:8). He did not say it about him, but only about his servants, even though he should have said: ‘You and your king,’ as [Pharaoh] himself came, as it is stated: “Pharaoh rose at night, [he and all his servants.… He called for Moses and Aaron by night and said: Rise, go out from among my people]” (Exodus 12:30–31).
The reason he did not mention him was in order to accord respect to royalty. Rabbi Yaakov says: What is “and commanded them”? The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Include the leaders among them with you,’ as you find written thereafter: “These are the heads of their fathers’ houses” (Exodus 6:14).