Commentary for Exodus 4:23

ואמר אליך AND I HAVE SAID UNTO THEE, as a messenger of the Omnipresent God, שלח את בני LET MY SON GO,

הנה אנכי הורג את בנך בכורכך, even though when it comes to the period known as קץ הימים, the end of the days of this planet, G’d will cause the kind of upheaval which will result in all the nations calling G’d by His chosen name and they will all serve Him without reservations, (Tzefaniah 3,9) even then Israel will still be special inasmuch as it is “My son.” I relate to Israel as a father relates to his son, not as a master relates to his servant, even the most benign of masters. A servant’s loyalty or “love” for his master is based on his expectations of reward, or his fear of punishment, not so a son’s loyalty and love. An additional reason for My preference for Israel is the fact that it is My firstborn son, i.e. it is the first nation to accept My position as Creator, King, Master in this universe. At a time when all the other nations were still following their misguided theologies, only the Jewish people proclaimed Me exclusively as their G’d and lawgiver. (compare Micah 4,5).

If you keep refusing to release My firstborn, הנה אנכי הורג את בנך בכורך, “I am going to kill your firstborn.” G-d explains to Pharaoh that His system of meting out justice is based on the punishment fitting the crime. Rashi adds that here we find G-d already predicting that noncompliance will eventually result in the tenth plague.

הנה אנכי הרג וגו׳ BEHOLD I WILL SLAY etc. — This, it is true, was the last of the plagues, but it was by mention of it that God gave him the first warning regarding the plagues that would come upon him, because this was the severest of them all. This is what Scripture means by, (Job 36:22) “Behold God is mighty in His power”, therefore “Who is a teacher like unto Him?” — This signifies: A human being who intends to avenge himself upon his fellow keeps his plans secret in order that he may not seek means of escape. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is so mighty in His power that there is no possibility of escape from His hand except by returning to Him in penitence. Just on this account He teaches him (informs him what punishment will befall him) and so warns him to return to Him (Exodus Rabbah 9:9).