Exodus 12:30
ESV
And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians. And there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where someone was not dead.
NIV
Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.
NASB
And Pharaoh got up in the night, he and all his servants and all the Egyptians, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no home where there was not someone dead.
CSB
During the night Pharaoh got up, he along with all his officials and all the Egyptians, and there was a loud wailing throughout Egypt because there wasn’t a house without someone dead.
NLT
Pharaoh and all his officials and all the people of Egypt woke up during the night, and loud wailing was heard throughout the land of Egypt. There was not a single house where someone had not died.
KJV
And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
NKJV
So Pharaoh rose in the night, he, all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.
What does Exodus 12:30 mean?
God knew that Egypt's king, the pharaoh, would never release Egypt's Hebrew slaves unless put under the most dire pressure (Exodus 3:19–20). Moses knew the Lord planned to threaten Pharaoh's own son with death (Exodus 4:21–23). After multiple catastrophes, Pharaoh continued to defy God. This led to a final plague (Exodus 11:4–6) which has taken the life of the king's own firstborn son (Exodus 12:29). Every household in Egypt is stricken, and the night is filled with horrified mourning. Only the Israelites (Exodus 11:7; 12:6–7, 13) are spared.Pharaoh is utterly broken. Despite earlier threats (Exodus 10:28), he summons Moses and Aaron and releases Israel (Exodus 12:31). This comes with no conditions, requirements, or half-measures. For the first time, Pharaoh fully and completely agrees to freeing the nation's Hebrew captives (Exodus 1:11–14). His submission is exactly what Moses had predicted (Exodus 11:8)
This is not an expression of faith; Pharaoh has permanently cut himself off from any chance of repentance (Exodus 9:34–35; 10:1; Proverbs 29:1). He is simply beaten and left with no choice. This mood will only last a little while before dissolving into irrational hate once again (Exodus 14:5–9).
The people of Egypt are in a similar state of mind. They had seen evidence that these plagues were divine judgment (Exodus 8:19; 10:7). They were intimidated by Moses and the Israelite people (Exodus 11:2–3). Like Pharaoh, they will insist that their former slaves leave the country immediately (Exodus 12:33). However, it seems some Egyptians chose to join with Israel (Exodus 12:38) rather than remain in Egypt.
