Exodus 12:36 Meaning: When God Turns Enemies into Givers

Three Hebrew words carry the weight here. The first, chen, is often translated “favor.” It means grace or acceptance freely given. This was not flattery or manipulation. God Himself placed this favor in Egyptian hearts. The second word, sha’al, is the verb for “ask”, but in this form it means to ask successfully, to obtain. The older translations say “lent,” but the word does not necessarily imply a loan. What matters is that the Egyptians granted what was asked. The third word, natsal, is the key: “they plundered.” It usually means to rescue or snatch away, and in the Piel stem it means to strip off spoil. But the Israelites did not take by force. The Egyptians gave willingly. So why call it plunder? Because God was giving back what generations of slave labor had earned. The wealth was always theirs. This was not stealing. It was justice.

Christians have read this verse in different ways. Some see it as a straightforward fulfilment of God’s promise to Abraham, compensation for four hundred years of unpaid labour. The Egyptians owed that debt. Others read it as lawful spoil of war: God had declared war on Egypt through the plagues, and in ancient warfare the victor took the enemy’s goods. Still others note that the word “lent” suggests the Egyptians expected the items back after the festival, but the urgency of the departure made that impossible. What unites these views is the conviction that God, the true owner of all things, was acting justly. The Israelites did not take what did not belong to them. They received what God provided.

Some readers think the Israelites tricked the Egyptians into loaning them valuables under false pretences, then ran away with the goods. That is not what the text says. The Egyptians gave freely, urged them to leave, and called themselves dead men. The word translated “lent” can simply mean “granted.” Moreover, God’s earlier instruction to Moses promised favor, not deception. The Israelites asked openly, and the Egyptians responded out of fear and goodwill. In fact, this was no scam. It was the overdue payment of a debt that slavery had never covered.

You might be in a season where you feel cheated or overlooked. Hard work has gone unrewarded. Promises have not been kept. This verse invites you to trust that God sees what is owed. He does not forget the years of labour, the silent sacrifices, the ways you have been taken advantage of. His timing may seem slow, but when He moves, He can soften the hardest hearts and turn enemies into benefactors. You do not have to scheme or fight for what is rightfully yours. You can ask, wait, and watch what God provides. He is a God who settles accounts.