The Meaning of Exodus 12:29 Explained

Exodus 12:29

KJV: And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

YLT: And it cometh to pass, at midnight, that Jehovah hath smitten every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who is sitting on his throne, unto the first-born of the captive who is in the prison-house, and every first-born of beasts.

Darby: And it came to pass that at midnight Jehovah smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of cattle.

ASV: And it came to pass at midnight, that Jehovah smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the first-born of cattle.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass, that at midnight  the LORD  smote  all the firstborn  in the land  of Egypt,  from the firstborn  of Pharaoh  that sat  on his throne  unto the firstborn  of the captive  that [was] in the dungeon;  and all the firstborn  of cattle. 

What does Exodus 12:29 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 12:29-36 - The First-Born Of Egypt Slain
It was night, the time for peace, rest and silence. None anticipated evil, unless some few among the Egyptians had begun to believe in the veracity of Moses, that man of God. Suddenly, without warning, there was death everywhere. Death can enter the palace, elude the sentinels, pass locked doors, and smite the son of Pharaoh; while the lowly obscurity of the woman grinding corn and the captive in the dungeon, will not save them from his blow. There is no difference between us all in the fact of our sinnership, or the inevitableness of penalty, unless redeemed, as Israel was, by sacrifice.
Pharaoh's surrender was complete. Children? Yes! Flocks and herds? Yes! There was also a great popular uprising, and the people readily supplied the Israelites with whatever they asked-their wages for long unpaid servitude. They went forth as a triumphant host, "more than conquerors" through Him who loved them. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 12

1  The beginning of the year is changed
3  The Passover is instituted
11  The import of the rite of the Passover
15  Unleavened bread
29  The firstborn are slain
31  The Israelites are driven out of the land
37  They come to Succoth
41  The time of their sojourning
43  The ordinance of the Passover

What do the individual words in Exodus 12:29 mean?

And it came to pass at midnight that Yahweh struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who [was] in the dungeon and all of livestock
וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֗יְלָה וַֽיהוָה֮ הִכָּ֣ה כָל־ בְּכוֹר֮ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַיִם֒ מִבְּכֹ֤ר פַּרְעֹה֙ הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב עַל־ כִּסְא֔וֹ עַ֚ד בְּכ֣וֹר הַשְּׁבִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית הַבּ֑וֹר וְכֹ֖ל בְּהֵמָֽה

וַיְהִ֣י ׀  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
בַּחֲצִ֣י  at 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֲצִי 
Sense: half.
הַלַּ֗יְלָה  midnight 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
וַֽיהוָה֮  that  Yahweh 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
הִכָּ֣ה  struck 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
בְּכוֹר֮  the  firstborn 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּכֹר  
Sense: firstborn, firstling.
בְּאֶ֣רֶץ  in  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִצְרַיִם֒  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
מִבְּכֹ֤ר  from  the  firstborn 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בְּכֹר  
Sense: firstborn, firstling.
פַּרְעֹה֙  of  Pharaoh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: פַּרְעֹה  
Sense: the common title of the king of Egypt.
הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב  who  sat 
Parse: Article, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יָשַׁב 
Sense: to dwell, remain, sit, abide.
כִּסְא֔וֹ  his  throne 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: כִּסֵּא 
Sense: seat (of honour), throne, seat, stool.
בְּכ֣וֹר  the  firstborn 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בְּכֹר  
Sense: firstborn, firstling.
הַשְּׁבִ֔י  of  the  captive 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שְׁבִי 
Sense: captivity, captives.
בְּבֵ֣ית  [was]  in 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
הַבּ֑וֹר  the  dungeon 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּור 
Sense: pit, well, cistern.
וְכֹ֖ל  and  all 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: כֹּל  
Sense: all, the whole.
בְּהֵמָֽה  of  livestock 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: בְּהֵמָה  
Sense: beast, cattle, animal.