The Plunder Of The Egyptians

in
 

Exodus 12:33-36

33 The Egyptians were urgent with the people to send them out of the land in haste. For they said, “We shall all be dead.” 34 So the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading bowls being bound up in their cloaks on their shoulders. 35 The people of Israel had also done as Moses told them, for they had asked the Egyptians for silver and gold jewelry and for clothing. 36 And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

 
 

The exodus is the formative event in the history of Israel, and the Israelites’ experience as slaves, liberated by God, shapes their future laws. Here, when they are delivered from slavery, the Israelites take with them some of the wealth of Egypt. Years later, note the law that Moses gives them regarding freed slaves:

13 And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed. 14 You shall furnish him liberally out of your flock, out of your threshing floor, and out of your winepress. As the Lord your God has blessed you, you shall give to Him. 15 You shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I command you this today. [Deuteronomy 15:13-15]

In the same way, we ought to always remember that the Lord has been merciful to us, so we ought to show mercy to others.

To whom can you be merciful today?