The Israelites Are Driven Out Of The Land. Series

The Israelites are driven out of the land.

Exodus 12:31-36 (NIV)

31During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD as you have requested. 32Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me."

33The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. "For otherwise," they said, "we will all die!" 34So the people took their dough before the yeast was added and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing. 35The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.

INTRODUCTION TO

EXODUS 12:31-36

Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron during the night. "Get out!" he ordered. "Leave my people—and take the rest of the Israelites with you! Go and worship the LORD as you have requested. Take your flocks and herds, as you said, and be gone. Go, but bless me as you leave." All the Egyptians urged the people of Israel to get out of the land as quickly as possible, for they thought, "We will all die!"

The Israelites took their bread dough before yeast was added. They wrapped their kneading boards in their cloaks and carried them on their shoulders. And the people of Israel did as Moses had instructed; they asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold. The LORD caused the Egyptians to look favorably on the Israelites, and they gave the Israelites whatever they asked for. So they stripped the Egyptians of their wealth!

COMMENTARY ON

EXODUS 12:31-36 (NIV)

31During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD as you have requested.

The darkness kept the Egyptians in anxiety and horror for three days and nights; now, their rest is interrupted by far more terrible calamity. The plague struck their firstborn, the joy and hope of their families. They had slain the Hebrews' children, and now God slew theirs. It reached from the throne to the dungeon: prince and peasant stand upon the same level before God's judgments. As the messenger of woe, the destroying angel entered every dwelling unmarked with blood. He did his dreadful errand, leaving not a house in which no one was dead. Imagine the cry that rang through the land of Egypt, the long, loud shriek of agony that burst from every dwelling. Thus, in that dreadful hour, the Son of man shall visit sinners with the last judgment. God's sons, his firstborn, were now released. Men had better come to God's terms first, for he will never come to theirs. Now Pharaoh's pride is abased, and he yields. God's word will stand; we get nothing by disputing or delaying to submit. In this terror, the Egyptians would purchase the favor and the speedy departure of Israel. Thus the Lord took care that their hard-earned wages should be paid, and the people provided for their journey.

Then he called for Moses and Aaron by night and said, "Rise, go out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel. And go, serve the LORD as you have said.

32Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me."

Also, take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and be gone; and bless me also." Moreover, the Egyptians urged the people that they might send them out of the land in haste. For they said, "We shall all be dead."

We can imagine that some of the Israelites did not follow God's instruction to get all the leaven out (Exodus 12:15). Now, because of the haste of their departure, they had to do what God had told them because God arranged the circumstances so that they could not use leaven.

Similarly, God sometimes arranges circumstances where obedience is made necessary, even if we would not usually choose it. For example, God may want a man to give up friends that bring a bad influence, and the man finds that his friends leave him first.

33The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. "For otherwise," they said, "we will all die!"

Egyptians urged the people that they might send them out of the land in haste… they plundered the Egyptians: The Egyptians also agreed that the Israelites must go, to the extent that they essentially paid the Israelites to leave. Therefore, the children of Israel left in a hurry, so quickly that there was no time to let the bread rise. This is why they had to eat unleavened bread as the LORD had commanded.