Contemplative Bible Reading

Exodus 12:33 (New Living Translation)

33 All the Egyptians urged the people of Israel to get out of the land as quickly as possible, for they thought, “We will all die!”

This is part of the (hi)story of God pulling the people out of Egypt and sending them to a land promised to them through their ancestors. The night of death had just occurred wherein the the oldest child of every house died. Can you imagine the horror of that night? This was not a Halloween horror movie. This was horror.

And this came at the end of a period of tragic events of agriculture failure, weather calamity, and the like. And at the same time some of these Hebrews had been meeting with Pharaoh. What in the world was happening? When would this season of misfortune end? It must be those Hebrews living here with us. There are about a million of them now. Misery and death comes with those pathetic people. Get them our of here before we all die!

That is a logical explanation and conclusion to the events. Nothing else made sense. Death and misery follow those people. Deport all of them, now.

That is what happened. Pharaoh told the people to leave. Take their stuff and leave. All debts and obligations were cancelled. Just get out of here. God moves in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.