Chapter 11

Translation and Transliteration of

Listen to this chapter in Hebrew:

1And Hashem said to Moshe, “I will bring but one more plague upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt; after that he shall let you go from here; indeed, when he lets you go, he will drive you out of here one and all.

vai-YO-mer a-do-NAI el mo-SHEH, OD ne-GA a-KHAD a-VEE al pa-RO v'-al mitz-RA-yim, a-kha-RAY-khen ye-sha-LAKH et-KHEM mi-ZEH, k'-sha-LE-kho ka-LAH ga-RAYSH ye-ga-RAYSH et-KHEM mi-ZEH

אוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה ע֣וֹד נֶ֤גַע אֶחָד֙ אָבִ֤יא עַל־פַּרְעֹה֙ וְעַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֕ן יְשַׁלַּ֥ח אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִזֶּ֑ה כְּשַׁ֨לְּח֔וֹ כָּלָ֕ה גָּרֵ֛שׁ יְגָרֵ֥שׁ אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִזֶּֽה׃

2Tell the people to borrow, each man from his neighbor and each woman from hers, objects of silver and gold.”

da-BER-na b'-o-Z'-nay ha-AM, v'-yish-a-LU eesh me-EYT ray-E-hu v'-i-SHAH me-EYT r'-u-TAH, k'-LEI-k'-SEF u-k'-LEI za-HAV

בדַּבֶּר־נָ֖א בְּאׇזְנֵ֣י הָעָ֑ם וְיִשְׁאֲל֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ ׀ מֵאֵ֣ת רֵעֵ֗הוּ וְאִשָּׁה֙ מֵאֵ֣ת רְעוּתָ֔הּ כְּלֵי־כֶ֖סֶף וּכְלֵ֥י זָהָֽב׃

3Hashem disposed the Egyptians favorably toward the people. Moreover, Moshe himself was much esteemed in the land of Egypt, among Pharaoh's courtiers and among the people.

va-yi-TAYN a-do-NAI et KHAYN ha-AM b'-ay-NAY mitz-RA-yim GAM ha-EESH mo-SHEH ga-DOL m'-OD b'-E-retz mitz-RA-yim b'-ay-NAY av-DAY far-OH uv-ay-NAY ha-AM

גוַיִּתֵּ֧ן יְהֹוָ֛ה אֶת־חֵ֥ן הָעָ֖ם בְּעֵינֵ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם גַּ֣ם ׀ הָאִ֣ישׁ מֹשֶׁ֗ה גָּד֤וֹל מְאֹד֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּעֵינֵ֥י עַבְדֵֽי־פַרְעֹ֖ה וּבְעֵינֵ֥י הָעָֽם׃

11:3 Hashem disposed the Egyptians favorably toward the people

Rabbi Samson R. Hirsch (1808-1888)

What transpires at this time that causes the Egyptians to finally find value in the Jewish nation and Moshe? Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch posits that after the plague of darkness, when the Egyptians were able to see again, they finally acknowledge the morality of the people they have cruelly enslaved. For three days, Egypt was blind and immobilized; the Jews could have easily taken advantage of this situation. Yet, when the light returns at the conclusion of the plague, the Egyptians discover that nothing has been moved from its rightful place. At this juncture, the Egyptians stand in awe of the Jewish people and Moshe, their leader. The Jewish mission is to be a light unto the nations, an example of honesty, morality and closeness to Hashem. When the People of Israel live up to this mission, the world is in awe.

4Moshe said, “Thus says Hashem: Toward midnight I will go forth among the Egyptians,

vai-YO-mer mo-SHE ko AMAR a-do-NAI, ka-kha-TZOT ha-la-Y'-la a-NEE yo-TZE b'-TOCH mitz-RA-yim

דוַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֑ה כַּחֲצֹ֣ת הַלַּ֔יְלָה אֲנִ֥י יוֹצֵ֖א בְּת֥וֹךְ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

5and every first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the first-born of the slave girl who is behind the millstones; and all the first-born of the cattle.

u-MET kol b'-KOR b'-E-retz mitz-RA-yim, mi-b'-KOR par-OH ha-yo-SHEV al-ki-SO, ad b'-KOR ha-shi-F'cha a-SHER a-KHAR ha-re-KHA-yim, v'-kol b'-KOR b'-he-MAH.

הוּמֵ֣ת כׇּל־בְּכוֹר֮ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ מִבְּכ֤וֹר פַּרְעֹה֙ הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב עַל־כִּסְא֔וֹ עַ֚ד בְּכ֣וֹר הַשִּׁפְחָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר אַחַ֣ר הָרֵחָ֑יִם וְכֹ֖ל בְּכ֥וֹר בְּהֵמָֽה׃

6And there shall be a loud cry in all the land of Egypt, such as has never been or will ever be again;

v'-ha-Y'-ta t'-ZA-a-KAH g'-do-LAH b'-kol E-retz mitz-RA-yim, a-SHER ka-MO-hu lo ni-h'-YA-tah, v'-ka-MO-hu lo to-SIF

ווְהָ֥יְתָ֛ה צְעָקָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה בְּכׇל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם אֲשֶׁ֤ר כָּמֹ֙הוּ֙ לֹ֣א נִהְיָ֔תָה וְכָמֹ֖הוּ לֹ֥א תֹסִֽף׃

7but not a dog shall snarl at any of the Israelites, at man or beast—in order that you may know that Hashem makes a distinction between Egypt and Yisrael.

u-l'-KOL b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL lo ye-khe-RATZ-k'-LEV l'-SHO-no l'-ME-ISH v'-AD b'-HE-ma l'-ma-an tay-d'-UN a-SHER ya-FLEH a-do-NAI BAYN mitz-RA-yim u-BAYN yis-ra-AYL

זוּלְכֹ֣ל ׀ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל לֹ֤א יֶֽחֱרַץ־כֶּ֙לֶב֙ לְשֹׁנ֔וֹ לְמֵאִ֖ישׁ וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה לְמַ֙עַן֙ תֵּֽדְע֔וּן אֲשֶׁר֙ יַפְלֶ֣ה יְהֹוָ֔ה בֵּ֥ין מִצְרַ֖יִם וּבֵ֥ין יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

8Then all these courtiers of yours shall come down to me and bow low to me, saying, ‘Depart, you and all the people who follow you!' After that I will depart.” And he left Pharaoh's presence in hot anger.

v'-ya-ROD kol-a-va-DE-kha e-LEH e-LAI v'-hish-ta-KHA-vu-LEE lay-MOR: tze AT-tah v'-kol-ha-AM a-SHER b'-ra-G'-le-KHA, v'-a-cha-RAY-khen e-TZE, va-YAY-tze me-im pa-RO b'-kho-REE-af. (S)

חוְיָרְד֣וּ כׇל־עֲבָדֶ֩יךָ֩ אֵ֨לֶּה אֵלַ֜י וְהִשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־לִ֣י לֵאמֹ֗ר צֵ֤א אַתָּה֙ וְכׇל־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־בְּרַגְלֶ֔יךָ וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֖ן אֵצֵ֑א וַיֵּצֵ֥א מֵֽעִם־פַּרְעֹ֖ה בׇּחֳרִי־אָֽף׃

9Now Hashem had said to Moshe, “Pharaoh will not heed you, in order that My marvels may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”

vai-YO-mer a-do-NAI el mo-SHE lo yish-MA a-lay-KHEM par-OH l'-ma-AN r'-VOT moftai b'-E-retz mitz-RA-yim

טוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה לֹא־יִשְׁמַ֥ע אֲלֵיכֶ֖ם פַּרְעֹ֑ה לְמַ֛עַן רְב֥וֹת מוֹפְתַ֖י בְּאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

10Moshe and Aharon had performed all these marvels before Pharaoh, but Hashem had stiffened the heart of Pharaoh so that he would not let the Israelites go from his land.

u-MO-sheh v'-a-ha-RON a-SU et-KOL ha-mo-f'-TEEM ha-EL-leh lif-NEY par-O va-y'-cha-ZEK a-do-NAI et-LEV par-O v'-lo shi-LAKH et b'-NAY yis-ra-AYL me-a-rets-O.

יוּמֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאַהֲרֹ֗ן עָשׂ֛וּ אֶת־כׇּל־הַמֹּפְתִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה לִפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֑ה וַיְחַזֵּ֤ק יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹֽא־שִׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מֵאַרְצֽוֹ׃