The "first-born of the poor" signifies the most miserable of the poor
(Isaiah 14:30) The "church of the first-born" signifies the church of
the redeemed. The destruction of the first-born was the last of the
ten plagues inflicted on the Egyptians
(Exodus 11:1-8; 12:29,30)
Menephtah is probably the Pharaoh whose first-born was slain. His son
did not succeed or survive his father, but died early. The son's tomb
has been found at Thebes unfinished, showing it was needed earlier
than was expected. Some of the records on the tomb are as follows:
"The son whom Menephtah loves; who draws towards him his father's
heart, the singer, the prince of archers, who governed Egypt on behalf
of his father. Dead."
