The Meaning of Exodus 11:4 Explained

Exodus 11:4

KJV: And Moses said, Thus saith the LORD, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:

YLT: And Moses saith, 'Thus said Jehovah, About midnight I am going out into the midst of Egypt,

Darby: And Moses said, Thus saith Jehovah: About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt.

ASV: And Moses said, Thus saith Jehovah, About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Moses  said,  Thus saith  the LORD,  About midnight  will I go out  into the midst  of Egypt: 

What does Exodus 11:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 11:1-10 - The Death Of The First-Born Threatened
"One plague more." These are ominous words! This final act of judgment would smite the fetters from Israel's neck forever. It is vain for man to enter into conflict with God. God does not crush him at once, because He is long-suffering and forgiving. See 2 Peter 3:9. But if man persists, the inevitable blow falls. See Psalms 7:12. The word borrow is better rendered ask, Exodus 11:2, r.v. The Hebrew phrase has no suggestion of a return being expected. This was befitting payment for their long and unrewarded labor.
The great cry, Exodus 11:6, recalls the piercing wail that rings through an eastern home when death takes place. The world shall hear one other such cry, as we learn from Revelation 1:7. There is no difference between God's people and others when sin is concerned. All have come short of God's glory. Nor is there difference in His redeeming grace. But there is all the difference between those who shelter under the blood of the Lamb and those who refuse. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 11

1  God's message to the Israelites to borrow jewels of their neighbors
4  Moses threatens Pharaoh with the death the firstborn

What do the individual words in Exodus 11:4 mean?

And said Moses thus says Yahweh: About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֔ה כֹּ֖ה אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֑ה כַּחֲצֹ֣ת הַלַּ֔יְלָה אֲנִ֥י יוֹצֵ֖א בְּת֥וֹךְ מִצְרָֽיִם

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר  And  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מֹשֶׁ֔ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
כֹּ֖ה  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
אָמַ֣ר  says 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
יְהוָ֑ה  Yahweh: 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
כַּחֲצֹ֣ת  About 
Parse: Preposition-k, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: חֲצֹות  
Sense: middle, mid-, half, division.
הַלַּ֔יְלָה  midnight 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
יוֹצֵ֖א  will  go  out 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
בְּת֥וֹךְ  into  the  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
מִצְרָֽיִם  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”.