And it came to pass, that at midnight, &c.— See ch. Exodus 11:4-5. If the common interpretation of the words in Exodus 12:12 the gods of Egypt be embraced; we may reasonably suppose, that the first-born of beasts is here so particularly specified, on account of the veneration which the Egyptians paid to the beasts; those, especially, which were held and worshipped as emblematical of their gods. Herodotus informs us, lib. ii. c. 36. that the Egyptians lived promiscuously with their cattle. The word בכור becor, rendered the first-born, comes from the verb בכר bacer, to precede, go before, &c. and so may signify, those which had the pre-eminence; the chief and most distinguished, Exodus 4:22.Psalms 89:27. Micah 6:7. Wis 18:12.
Related Commentaries of Exodus 12:29
Exodus 12:29
29 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;g and all the firstborn of cattle.