And It Was at Midnight the LORD Himself Struck the Firstborn

"And it was at midnight" (Exodus 12:29). Their Creator divided it. Why is this said? Because elsewhere it says, "And Moses said, Thus says the LORD, About midnight" (Exodus 11:4). But is it possible for flesh and blood to determine the exact middle of the night? Rather, from here we learn that their Creator divided it. Rabbi Judah ben Beteira says: He who knows His hours and His times divided it. Rabbi Eliezer says: "Night" is stated here and "night" is stated elsewhere; just as the night stated here is until midnight, so the night stated elsewhere is until midnight. "And the LORD struck." I might understand by means of an angel or by means of a messenger; therefore Scripture says, "And I will strike every firstborn" (Exodus 12:12), not by means of an angel and not by means of a messenger. "And the LORD struck every firstborn." Even the firstborn of Egypt who were in other places, from where do we know? Scripture says, "To Him who struck Egypt through their firstborn" (Psalms 136:10). The firstborn of Ham, Put, Cush, and Lud, from where? Scripture says, "And He struck every firstborn in Egypt, the first of their strength in the tents of Ham" (Psalms 78:51). "From the firstborn of Pharaoh." Scripture comes to teach you about Pharaoh, that he himself was a firstborn. Or perhaps Scripture comes only to teach about his son, that he was a firstborn? When it says "who sat on his throne," his son is already mentioned; so what does Scripture teach by "from the firstborn of Pharaoh"? It comes to teach about Pharaoh, that he himself was a firstborn, and he was spared from among all the firstborn, and concerning him Scripture says, "But for this very purpose I have raised you up" (Exodus 9:16). Baal Zephon was spared from among all the objects of worship, in order to entice the heart of the Egyptians; concerning it He says, "He makes nations great and destroys them" (Job 12:23). "To the firstborn of the captive." But what sin had the captives committed? Rather, so that the captives would not say, "Their object of worship brought the punishment upon them; mighty is our god that it stood by itself, mighty is our god that the punishment did not rule over us." This teaches you that whatever decrees Pharaoh decreed against Israel, the captives rejoiced in them; and concerning them Scripture says, "He who rejoices at calamity shall not go unpunished" (Proverbs 17:5), and it says, "When your enemy falls, do not rejoice," and so forth (Proverbs 24:17). And it is written, "Son of man, because Tyre said against Jerusalem, Aha" (Ezekiel 26:2), what does it say? "Behold, I am against you, O Tyre, and I will bring up nations against you" (Ezekiel 26:3). And not only captives, but even male and female slaves, as it is said, "to the firstborn of the maidservant" (Exodus 11:5). "And every firstborn of beast." But what sin had the beast committed? Rather, so that the Egyptians would not say, "Our object of worship brought the punishment upon us; mighty is our god that it stood by itself, and the punishment did not rule over it."