After more than 400 years of slavery, the nation of Israel will finally leave Egypt. It hasn’t happened yet in the Narrative, but God tells Moses in Exodus 11:1 that the next time Moses talks to Pharaoh will be the last. After that, Pharaoh will let Israel go.
But their departure won’t be easy, nor will it be be peaceful. The tenth plague will bring death on a scale that the world hadn’t seen by that point, with the firstborn of every family—human and animal, slave or free—dying in the middle of the night.
In anticipation of their departure, God tells Moses to instruct the Israelites to ask for gold and silver from their Egyptian neighbors. When they leave a few hours later, they’ll leave loaded down with the treasures of Egypt.
This was prophesied way back in Exodus 3:22, right when God first told Moses what to expect in Egypt. He told Moses in this way, they will “plunder the Egyptians.”
The use of “plunder” implies a military battle of sorts where Egypt loses and Israel enjoys the spoils of battle. It’s not a gift—at least not in the way that it’s perceived in Exodus 10. Instead, God sees the Israelites departure from Egypt as a victory for Himself and His people, as His plagues defeated Egypt and all of their so-called “gods.”
But why did Israel need all that gold to begin with?
The easiest answer is that they needed the gold and silver to later build the Tabernacle. A quick glance through Exodus 25-31 shows just how many valuable objects were used in its construction, a large percentage of which came from plundering Egypt.
That answer, although practical, doesn’t explain the why. After all, God could’ve chosen to build the Tabernacle out of items they already had on hand. No reason to take from the Egyptians to accomplish that, right?
Some have seen this plundering as a form of reparations for the 400 years of slavery. Egypt has taken generations from the Israelites, both in human lives and accumulated wealth. Plundering the Egyptians is a way of retaking some of that for themselves.
Others argue that it defines the Exodus themselves. Since they’re leaving in the middle of the night, and leaving quickly, a departure with just the things you have on hand could signal an escape, rather than an Exodus. Leaving with an armful of gold from your captors testifies to victory, instead.
Jewish commentators are especially interesting on this point. One Jewish scholar claims that God told them to take from the Egyptians to incite them to chase Israel, where God could eventually destroy them. Another argues that leaving with goods removes the bitterness of slavery and keeps them from “hating the Egyptians” later (Deuteronomy 23:8).
I’ll admit that I’m undecided. This particular scene has always interested me, not because I doubt God’s command but because I don’t fully grasp the purpose. My faith is fine, but it’s a curiosity in my world.
What do you think? Why did God tell Israel to “plunder the Egyptians” on their way out of town? Send me an email at brady@coffeeandaBible.com to let me know what you think!
