Numbers 33:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

When the Egyptians inter their firstborn, it is the fathers, who are already deceased in worldly matters, that lay their sons to rest. The firstborn of the Egyptians can be likened to the philosophies that ensnare and deceive individuals. When the living children of Israel were liberated, they covered their dead to avoid following the example of those who had perished. Regarding the passage that states, "and in their gods he wrought judgement," or as the Septuagint renders it, vengeance, Jewish tradition holds that on the night of the Exodus, all the temples in Egypt were either shattered by an earthquake or struck by lightning. However, if we interpret this spiritually, we see that as we depart from Egypt, the idols of falsehood crumble, and the wisdom of erroneous teachings is obliterated.