Discovery BoxExodus 12:30 
Context12:30 Pharaoh got up 1 in the night, 2 along with all his servants and all Egypt, and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was no house 3 in which there was not someone dead.
Exodus 21:35-36
Context21:35 If the ox of one man injures the ox of his neighbor so that it dies, then they will sell the live ox and divide its proceeds, 4 and they will also divide the dead ox. 5 21:36 Or if it is known that the ox had the habit of goring, and its owner did not take the necessary precautions, he must surely pay 6 ox for ox, and the dead animal will become his. 7
1 tn Heb “arose,” the verb קוּם (qum) in this context certainly must describe a less ceremonial act. The entire country woke up in terror because of the deaths.
2 tn The noun is an adverbial accusative of time – “in the night” or “at night.”
3 sn Or so it seemed. One need not push this description to complete literalness. The reference would be limited to houses that actually had firstborn people or animals. In a society in which households might include more than one generation of humans and animals, however, the presence of a firstborn human or animal would be the rule rather than the exception.
4 tn Literally “its silver” or “silver for it.”
5 tn Heb “divide the dead.” The noun “ox” has been supplied.
6 tn The construction now uses the same Piel imperfect (v. 34) but adds the infinitive absolute to it for emphasis.
7 sn The point of this section (21:28-36) seems to be that one must ensure the safety of others by controlling one’s property and possessions. This section pertained to neglect with animals, but the message would have applied to similar situations. The people of God were to take heed to ensure the well-being of others, and if there was a problem, it had to be made right.
