Tanach · Rishonim on Tanach · Ramban · Torah

Ramban on Exodus 11:9/רמב"ן על שמות י״א:ט׳

אוַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה לֹא יִשְׁמַע אֲלֵיכֶם פַּרְעֹה בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁהָיָה רָאוּי שֶׁיְּפַחֵד פַּרְעֹה וַעֲבָדָיו בְּמַכַּת הַבְּכוֹרוֹת וְיִירָא מִמֶּנָּה יוֹתֵר מִכָּל אֲשֶׁר בָּא עֲלֵיהֶם, וּכְבָר רָאוּ כָּל דִּבְרֵי מֹשֶׁה מִתְקַיְּמִים בָּהֶם, בַּעֲבוּר כֵּן הוֹדִיעוֹ הַשֵּׁם שֶׁהוּא מְחַזֵּק אֶת לִבּוֹ כְּדֵי שֶׁיַּרְבֶּה בּוֹ מוֹפְתָיו בְּמַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה וּשְׁפָטִים בֵּאלֹהֵיהֶם. וְרַשִׁ"י אָמַר מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת וּקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף וּלְנַעֵר הַמִּצְרִים בְּתוֹכוֹ. וְלֹא יִתָּכֵן זֶה בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁאָמַר (שמות י"א:י') "וְלֹא שִׁלַּח אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאַרְצוֹ":

1AND THE ETERNAL SAID UNTO MOSES: PHARAOH WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO YOU. It was to be expected that Pharaoh and his servants should dread the plague of the firstborn and be in consternation thereof moreso than for anything that had happened to them — indeed they had previously seen all the words of Moses fulfilled. G-d therefore informed Moses that it is He Who is hardening his [Pharaoh’s] heart, so that His wonders would be multiplied through the plague of the firstborn in both man and beast and the judgments He will execute against their gods.⁹⁴Rashi commented: “So that My wonders may be multiplied. This refers to the slaying of the firstborn, the division of the Red Sea, and the overthrowing of the Egyptians in it.” This explanation is not possible, because of the verse after that which states, And the Eternal hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the children of Israel go out of his land.⁹⁶, which was mentioned in Verse 9, refers only to those wonders which took place before the exodus, as Verse 10 clearly indicates that on account of the hardening of Pharaoh’s heart he did not let the people go. It thus cannot refer to the division of the Red Sea and the overthrowing of the Egyptians in it, as these wonders happened after the exodus (Mizrachi).