What does Exodus 11:8 mean?
Pharaoh hears these words from Moses, who continues to speak despite a death threat (Exodus 10:28–29). He is voicing the Lord's message: a dire promise that every "firstborn" in Egypt will die in the night (Exodus 11:4–6). This will not happen to the Hebrew slaves (Exodus 11:7) which the Egyptians have refused to set free. In fact, Egypt's ruler, Pharaoh, has been spiteful (Exodus 5:17–19), stubborn (Exodus 5:2; 7:13–14, 22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7, 34; 10:10), and deceitful (Exodus 8:15, 31–32; 9:34–35; 10:19–20) in his treatment of the Hebrews.When God first sent Moses back into Egypt, the Lord predicted these events (Exodus 3:20; 4:21–23). This final plague (Exodus 7:21; 8:6, 17, 24; 9:6, 10, 24; 10:14, 23) will do more than break Egyptian resolve. It will cause them to actively push the Israelites away: to demand that the Hebrews take all they have, with additional treasures (Exodus 3:21–22; 11:1–3), and leave Egypt behind (Exodus 12:30–33).
This verse describes Moses' mood as one of "hot anger" or "fiercely angry." This parallels Jesus' emotions when driving corrupt businessmen from the temple in Jerusalem (John 2:15; Mark 11:15–17). Not all anger is sinful; in this case, Moses is angry that Pharaoh has defied God (Exodus 5:2; 10:3) and brought misery to the Egyptian people. Some anger is extremely dangerous. Forty years earlier Moses had fled Egypt because he faced death for an act of rage (Exodus 2:11–15). He would later suffer for an angry outburst against Israel (Numbers 20:7–12).