Psalms 135:8 Meaning: The Passover Judgment That Brought Deliverance
He struck the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and animal.
Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast.
Who smote the first-born of Egypt, Both of man and beast;
Who smote the first-born of Egypt, From man unto beast.
Who smote the firstborn of Egypt, both of man and beast;
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Psalm 135:8 mention striking the firstborn of Egypt? Learn how this final plague delivered Israel and points to Christ, our Passover Lamb.
Context
The psalmist is calling Israel to praise Yahweh for who He is and what He has done. He has just described God's power over creation, clouds, lightning, wind. Then he turns to history. Verse 8 sits at the heart of a section that recalls the exodus from Egypt and the conquest of Canaan. The final plague, the death of every firstborn, is singled out not because the psalmist delights in suffering, but because it was the blow that broke Pharaoh's resistance and secured Israel's freedom. One terrible night changed everything. The psalmist wants his readers to remember: this is what the Lord can do when He acts for His people.
Key Words
The Hebrew word behind struck (נָכָה, nakah) is forceful and decisive. It means to smite, to kill, to send judgment. This is not a light tap; it is a blow that ends things. The same word appears in the Exodus account when God says He will strike the firstborn. The psalmist chooses it deliberately to underscore finality.
Firstborn (בְּכוֹר, bekor) carried more than birth order in the ancient world. The firstborn represented the strength of a family, the heir, the future. To strike the firstborn was to cut off hope. When God struck the firstborn of Egypt, He struck at the nation's pride and security.
The phrase both of man and animal translates the Hebrew idiom from man unto beast. It is a way of saying everything in between, every living thing that was firstborn. Nothing was exempt. This completeness shows that the judgment was not random but thorough. The God who controls the wind and the lightning is the same God who brings history to a point of decision. For Israel, that point meant freedom. For Egypt, it meant loss.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christians across traditions see this event as the cornerstone of the Exodus story. Protestant commentators like Barnes highlight it as the greatest of the plagues, the one that made Egypt willing to let Israel go. Baptist expositor Gill sees a clear type of Christ: the firstborn of Egypt die while Israel is saved by the blood of the Passover lamb, pointing to the Lamb of God who takes away sin. Reformed voices such as Calvin emphasize God’s sovereignty displayed in a judgment that secures redemption. Though no single tradition claims to have exhausted the meaning, all agree on this: the striking of Egypt's firstborn was not an act of cruelty but of deliverance. It is a sobering reminder that freedom sometimes comes through judgment, and that God's mercy toward His people is inseparable from His justice against oppression.
A common misunderstanding
Living This Out
Think of one situation where you feel powerless. Maybe a relationship that has kept you trapped, a fear that has held you for years, a habit you cannot break. This verse reminds you that God can act decisively. He did not send half-measures to Egypt. He sent one final blow that ended the oppression once and for all. You can bring that stuck place before Him this week and ask Him to do whatever it takes to set you free. That might feel uncomfortable. Freedom often does. But the God who struck the firstborn of Egypt is the same God who hears your cry. He is able to break the chains that nothing else can touch.
Main takeaway: God's judgment on Egypt's firstborn was the final stroke that broke oppression and secured freedom for His people.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God did something very strong to help His people get free. He made the firstborn in Egypt die. It was sad, but it made the king let God's people go. God is strong enough to help you when you are stuck.
For ages 9, 12
The tenth plague on Egypt was the worst one. Every firstborn son and even the firstborn animals died. But the Israelites were safe if they put lamb's blood on their door frames. This terrible event shows us how serious sin is, and how God provides a way to be saved. It points forward to Jesus, the Lamb of God, whose blood saves us from something worse than Egypt.
Questions People Ask
Why did God kill the firstborn of Egypt?
The final plague was the last of ten judgments God sent to convince Pharaoh to release Israel from slavery. After nine plagues, Pharaoh still refused. The death of the firstborn broke his resistance once and for all. The Bible presents it as God's decisive act to free His people and to demonstrate His power over all the gods of Egypt.
Does Psalm 135:8 include animals in the plague?
Yes. The phrase 'both of man and animal' makes clear that every firstborn creature in Egypt died. The Hebrew idiom 'from man unto beast' means everything in between. This was not a selective judgment; it covered all firstborn life, as described in Exodus 12:29.
How does this verse connect to the Passover?
The death of Egypt's firstborn is the event that the Passover commemorates. Israel was spared by placing lamb's blood on their doorposts. The psalmist mentions this plague as the climax of God's deliverance. Many Christians see it as a foreshadowing of Christ, our Passover Lamb, whose blood saves us from judgment and sets us free from sin.
Is it wrong to celebrate a verse about judgment?
The psalmist is not celebrating death. He is celebrating God's power to save. The focus is on what God did for Israel, not on the suffering of Egypt. When we read such verses, we are meant to marvel at God's faithfulness and to trust that He will act decisively for His people, even when the way seems severe.
Why does the psalmist single out this plague instead of listing all ten?
The tenth plague was the turning point. After it, Pharaoh let Israel go. By focusing on this one act, the psalmist shows that God's power is not limited to many small signs; He can finish what He starts. Barnes notes that this was the 'chief and crowning judgment' that secured Israel's freedom.
For pastors & researchers
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