Commentaire sur L’Exode 11:5
וּמֵ֣ת כָּל־בְּכוֹר֮ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַיִם֒ מִבְּכ֤וֹר פַּרְעֹה֙ הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב עַל־כִּסְא֔וֹ עַ֚ד בְּכ֣וֹר הַשִּׁפְחָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֖ר אַחַ֣ר הָרֵחָ֑יִם וְכֹ֖ל בְּכ֥וֹר בְּהֵמָֽה׃
et alors périra tout premier-né dans le pays d’Égypte, depuis le premier né de Pharaon qui devait occuper son trône, jusqu’au premier-né de l’esclave qui fait tourner la meule; de même tous les premiers-nés des animaux.
Rashi on Exodus
עד בכור השבי UNTO THE FIRSTBORN OF THE CAPTIVE (these words are used in 12:29 instead of עד בכור השפחה “unto the firstborn of the handmaid” in this verse) — Why were the captives smitten, for they had not enslaved the Israelites? In order that these might not say that their god had claimed satisfaction for the humiliation imposed upon them and had brought this punishment upon the Egyptians (cf. Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 12:29).
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Sforno on Exodus
מבכור פרעה עד בכור השפחה, from the highest layer of Egyptian society to the most lowly. When we read a similar line in 12,19 the meaning is “from the most severe sinner to the relatively least guilty sinner.”
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Or HaChaim on Exodus
ומת כל בכור, and every firstborn will die, etc. G'd did not say: "I will kill him." The reason, as we have pointed out on previous occasions is, that evil does not originate with G'd. He is the Creator of all that is good. Anything in the nature of evil is initiated by one of the agents He has designated. G'd Himself indicated who was the firstborn, His agents carried out the death sentence. This is why the mention of "destroyers" at the time the Israelites put the blood on their door-posts and the fact that G'd Himself orchestrated the plague are not contradictory.
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