Killing the Firstborn Sons of Egypt (Exodus 12:29) (7/10)

The killing of Egypt’s firstborns during the tenth plague is an appalling example of divine cruelty and reckless power. God’s decision to wipe out an entire generation of firstborns—regardless of age or species—seems less like a moral lesson and more like an arbitrary act of vengeance. The Bible doesn’t clarify if the firstborns were infants, children, teenagers, or even adults, nor does it specify whether animals—who had no part in Pharaoh’s oppression—were equally guilty. God’s wrath indiscriminately swept through homes, leaving a trail of death and destruction for what could easily be seen as a vindictive power play, punishing the innocent as much as the guilty.

If such an act were to occur today, the consequences would be staggering. In modern Egypt, roughly 30% of the population is under the age of 18, and assuming the firstborn designation still applies across the board, this could result in the death of over 3 million children alone. Add to that the firstborns of adults, who may make up a similar portion of the population, and the death toll could soar well beyond 6 million people—all for the sake of an unprovoked display of divine retribution. This is not an act of justice; it’s a grotesque demonstration of absolute, unchecked power. The killing of innocents to make a point feels less like a divine intervention and more like a psychotic tantrum from a deity seeking to remind humanity of its power, regardless of the cost.