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Exodus 11 · a question people ask

Did Israel trick the Egyptians out of their silver and gold?

In the text

The verb in 11:2 is sha'al, which Brown-Driver-Briggs gives as "ask, inquire", and the World English Bible translates it "ask". Strong's lists "borrow" among the English words used for it, and Brown-Driver-Briggs gives one of its senses as "for temporary use, i.e. borrow"; the lexicon doesn't say which sense belongs in 11:2. What the text itself says: the LORD told them to ask (3:22, 11:2), "The LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians" (11:3), and when the time came the Egyptians were "urgent with the people, to send them out of the land in haste" (12:33). Then "they let them have what they asked" (12:36), where the verb is another form of sha'al that Brown-Driver-Briggs gives as "grant, make over to (as a favour, with or without request)". The text never speaks of a loan, a promise to give anything back, or a deception. It calls it plunder: "You shall plunder the Egyptians" (3:22) and "They plundered the Egyptians" (12:36). It had been promised to Abraham long before: "Afterward they will come out with great wealth" (Genesis 15:14).

The verses

“Speak now in the ears of the people, and let every man ask of his neighbor, and every woman of her neighbor, jewels of silver, and jewels of gold.” The LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, the man Moses was very great in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s servants, and in the sight of the people.”
Exodus 11:2-3 · World English Bible
“I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and it will happen that when you go, you shall not go empty-handed. But every woman shall ask of her neighbor, and of her who visits her house, jewels of silver, jewels of gold, and clothing. You shall put them on your sons, and on your daughters. You shall plunder the Egyptians.””
Exodus 3:21-22 · World English Bible
“The Egyptians were urgent with the people, to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, “We are all dead men.””
Exodus 12:33 · World English Bible
“The children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they asked of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing. The LORD gave the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. They plundered the Egyptians.”
Exodus 12:35-36 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Exodus 11

Exodus 11: One more plague

Moses gave the last warning to Pharaoh's face, after saying he would see it no more, and it was the warning God gave Moses before the first plague: the firstborn. Egypt would hear "a great cry", the same Hebrew word as Israel's cry God heard at the bush, while against Israel "a dog won’t even bark". Paul calls Christ "our Passover", the feast that came out of this night.

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions