BO בֹּ֖א (Come) EXODUS 10:1-13:16)

PROPHETS: JEREMIAH 46:13-28 | GOSPEL: JOHN 19: 31-37

by Min. Donald H. Garrett

TORAH:

In this section YaHVaH tells Mosheh to come to Pharaoh. He doesn’t say go to Pharaoh, but rather come (at least in the Tanach). Why come? I see this as YaHVaH telling Mosheh to still show Pharaoh respect as the legitimate ruler so that it would be YaHVaH’s glory shown instead of Mosheh’s. Note YaHVaH’s Words to Mosheh, “so that you may relate in the ears of your son and your son’s son that I made a mockery of Egypt and My signs that I placed among them” (Tanach, Sh’moth 10:2a) and “so shall ye know that I am YAHVAH” (ROSNV, Exodus 10:2b). Mosheh tells Pharaoh that YaHVaH is sending a plague of locusts (the 8th plague) to destroy all plant life and harass the people. Pharaoh’s own counselors advise him that Egypt is lost if he doesn’t comply. However, they give him bad counsel on ONLY sending out the men of Yisrael. When Mosheh requests everyone, men, women and children, Pharaoh sees it as evil intent and refuses. The plague came and for the second time Pharaoh admits he has sinned and asks forgiveness,”I have sinned against YAHVAH your Elohim, and against you. 17 Now therefore, forgive, I pray you, my sin; only this time, and make entreaty to YAHVAH your Elohim, that He may take away from me at least this death” (ROSNV, Exodus 10:16b-17). Note that he only asks for the current plague (he calls death) to be lifted and does not address repentance for his sin by sending the Israelites away.

Of course, this leads to the 9th plague of darkness. Now this darkness was not ordinary darkness, but darkness you could FEEL without seeing anyone else. In a sense total blindness. It makes Pharaoh willing to send all the people away, including the children, but not their livestock. Mosheh refuses this and states that not only shall their livestock go, but all of Egypt’s livestock will go with them as well. Imagine that for a minute. All the crops have been destoyed and now all the livestock will be taken, basically no food for all of Egypt except what they have stored. Pharaoh rushes Mosheh out and says Mosheh shall not see his face again or die.

the 10th plague of death of the firstborn is announced in chapter 11 to Mosheh. Despite Pharaoh being the king, YaHVaH gave the Yisraelites favor in the eyes of the Egyptians, even making Mosheh exceedingly great in their eyes. This favor plays a part in the Yisraelites exodus (see below in chapter 12).

In chapter 12 is the institution of the first Passover that saves the Israelites. At midnight the plague of the firstborn strikes Egypt. Their was such an outcry in Egypt that Pharaoh summoned Mosheh and Aaron at night. Remember, Mosheh was not to see Pharaoh’s face again or die. I can only assume that Pharaoh was cloaked in darkness and not visible to Mosheh, yet Pharaoh capitulates to all of Mosheh’s previous demands for all the Yisraelites to go along with all the livestock. Even all of the Egyptians implored the Yisraelites to leave. They gave them silver vessels, gold vessels, and garments “so they emptied Egypt” (Tanach, Sh’moth 12:36b). The Yisraelites had lived in Egypt for 430 years. Approximately 600,000 men on foot, plus women and children, left Egypt in the Exodus.

At the end of this parshah, in Chapter 13, YaHVaH tells Mosheh that ALL firstborn or every human or animal is YaHVaH’s. Mosheh speaks to the people to institute the Pesach, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and redemption of the firstborn in remembrance FOREVER. YaHVaH does not guide the Yisraelites out the nearest way to Canaan so as to prevent fear of war causing them to return back.

(c) Copyright January 2021 Min. Donald H. Garrett and Odon Obadyah Ministries

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