Exodus 11:1-10
One More Plague
1Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will bring upon Pharaoh and Egypt one more plague. After that, he will allow you to leave this place. And when he lets you go, he will drive you out completely.
2Now announce to the people that men and women alike should ask their neighbors for articles of silver and gold.”
3And the LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, Moses himself was highly regarded in Egypt by Pharaoh’s officials and by the people.
4So Moses declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘About midnight I will go throughout Egypt,
5and every firstborn son in the land of Egypt will die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, to the firstborn of the servant girl behind the hand mill, as well as the firstborn of all the cattle.
6Then a great cry will go out over all the land of Egypt. Such an outcry has never been heard before and will never be heard again.
7But among all the Israelites, not even a dog will snarl at man or beast.’ Then you will know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel.
8And all these officials of yours will come and bow before me, saying, ‘Go, you and all the people who follow you!’ After that, I will depart.” And hot with anger, Moses left Pharaoh’s presence.
9The LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh will not listen to you, so that My wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.”
10Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh, but the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not let the Israelites go out of his land.
Berean Standard Bible
A final warning prepares Israel for the night when Egypt's firstborn will be struck.
Do not turn the people in the scene into cardboard heroes or villains. Exodus shows fear, courage, impatience, violence, complaint, worship, and mercy close together. We can name what is wrong without pretending that our own household is above the same need for correction.
Let children ask their questions before adults supply an explanation. A question can be a form of attention, and careful listening keeps the reading from becoming a speech.
A faithful response may be quiet: tell the truth, keep a promise, share a burden, or return to work that was left unfinished. Let the family keep one clear thread from “One More Plague” in view during the week, and return to it when circumstances make faith feel less tidy than it sounded at the table.
Questions
1 What is happening in this reading?
AnswerA final warning prepares Israel for the night when Egypt's firstborn will be struck. It invites the family to see what the people fear, choose, and learn as the scene moves rather than reducing the unit to a single inspirational sentence.
2 What should we notice?
AnswerNotice the words, actions, relationships, and limits in the reading. Ask who speaks, who acts, who is vulnerable, and who is accountable. The concrete details around “One More Plague” are part of the meaning, not background decoration.
3 What response does it invite?
AnswerIt invites honest attention and responsible trust. The household does not need to copy every action described. It can receive the warning, promise, command, or example that is actually present and ask how faithfulness would look at home.
4 What could a family practice?
AnswerA family could identify one person who has less power in the situation and ask what care would look like for them. Explain why that practice belongs to “One More Plague,” rather than treating the reading as a general prompt to be nicer. Keep the response concrete enough to recognize when it has been done.
What This Means for Us
“One More Plague” gives the household a clear place to notice fear, courage, complaint, and mercy. The text does not ask us to pretend that the pressure, cost, or unfinished work is absent.
Ask where this reading touches your household's use of power, memory, speech, work, worship, or care for people who depend on you. Keep the question close to home. Do not use Exodus as a quick verdict on another person's faith while avoiding the responsibility it places in front of you.
Choose one truthful response for the week. It may be a prayer, a repair, a shared task, a boundary, an act of welcome, or a remembered promise. Let it be concrete enough that the family can recognize it when it has been done.
Prayer
We pray: God who hears and leads, meet us where a final warning prepares israel for the night when egypt's firstborn will be struck has made us tired or afraid. Give us truthful words, patient courage, and care that becomes practical. Teach our household to trust You together. Amen.