God did not instruct Israel to borrow and repay; He instructed them to ask, and He caused the Egyptians to give their wealth generously.
Les Feldick teaches that the King James word 'borrowed' is unfortunate and misleading because borrowing implies repayment. The Israelites were merely to ask the Egyptians for what they needed for their journey, and God gave Israel favor so the Egyptians freely gave gold, silver, and raiment. The greater purpose was to supply the materials Israel would later use to build the tabernacle.
Exodus 12:35-36 — This is the actual account of Israel requesting and receiving Egyptian wealth, which is the exact passage behind the question.
After the final plague, Moses told the children of Israel to ask the Egyptians, and the record says, "And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment" (Exodus 12:35). The very next verse shows the LORD's direct involvement: "And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians" (Exodus 12:36). The account presents the LORD as the One who gave Israel favor, and the result is described as Israel spoiling Egypt. No repayment by Israel is ever mentioned.
Les Feldick teaches that the KJV's word 'borrowed' in Exodus 12:35 gives the wrong impression. Borrowing, he says, implies that you will give the item back; God never intended that. The meaning is that the children of Israel were merely to ask the Egyptians, "do you have anything with which to send us on our journey?" (Clip 1). He calls the rendering unfortunate and says it should be understood as asking and receiving, not borrowing. Les also emphasizes God's sovereignty in the transaction. God gave Israel favor in the sight of the Egyptians, and the Egyptians gave them "such things as they required" so that Israel spoiled Egypt (Clip 2). He says God had all this set up sovereignly because Israel had been slaves for many years, and God was going to see that they received their back wages (Clip 5). Finally, Les points out that this was not simply a way to enrich Israel. In Exodus 25, God would instruct Moses to build the tabernacle, and all the gold, silver, and precious stones would come from the wealth Israel had received from Egypt (Clips 2 and 3). Thus the giving had a tabernacle purpose from the beginning.
In Exodus 12:35 the KJV says the children of Israel "borrowed" jewels of silver, gold, and raiment. Les Feldick says this word is unfortunate because when you borrow something you expect to give it back. God never intended that, so Les says the meaning is that they were merely to ask the Egyptians for what they needed for the journey. He suggests it is a mistranslation in the King James.
God's direct involvement is recorded in Exodus 12:36: "the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians." Les Feldick says God was instrumental here. He caused the Egyptians to give Israel what they required, and as a result Israel spoiled Egypt.
Les Feldick points to Exodus 25, where God instructs Moses to build the tabernacle. He asks where the gold, silver, and precious stones would come from. The answer is Egypt—Israel carried that wealth out with them. Les says God was not just spoiling Egypt to pad Israel's pockets; He had the tabernacle in view.
Les Feldick says that by the time Israel left, Egypt was "a complete shambles economically, socially, militarily, and everything." He describes the reason as Israel taking the wealth of Egypt—not through deceit, but because the sovereign God had laid it on the Egyptians to give everything they had.
Who Spoke from the Burning Bush? The Mystery of "I AM" Revealed
But now, what I want you to see, let's use Scripture too. And they took up stones to cast at him. Why? They were going to kill him for being such a blasphemer, to claim that he was the Jehovah, the I am of the Old Testament. And they attempted to kill him, but he hid himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them. And so he passed by.
Asking, Not Borrowing
Les explains that the KJV's 'borrowed' is unfortunate because borrowing implies repayment; God never intended that, and the Israelites were merely to ask the Egyptians for supplies for their journey.
Egypt Gave and Israel Spoiled Egypt
Les shows how God gave Israel favor so the Egyptians gave them gold, silver, and raiment, and the Exodus 25 tabernacle is already in view.
Tabernacle Supplies Came from Egypt
Les points out that the materials for the tabernacle—gold, silver, onyx stones, and spices—came from the wealth the Egyptians gave when Israel left Egypt.
Egypt's Ruin and God's Sovereignty
Les says Egypt was left a shambles economically, socially, and militarily, not because Israel took by deception but because God moved the Egyptians to give.
Back Wages for Israel
Les explains that God sovereignly arranged for Israel to receive back wages for their years of slavery, as the Egyptians freely gave them wealth and wished them gone.
God vs. Satan's Magicians: Why Aaron's Rod Swallowed Theirs
Else, verse 21, If thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies or insects upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and in the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of the swarms of flies or insects, and also the ground whereon they are. But now here's why I jumped this far.
God vs. Satan's Magicians: Why Aaron's Rod Swallowed Theirs
Now I got to explain that, because I know I used to wonder, and a lot of people have, how did Moses and Aaron have such access to the king of Egypt? Well I read, and again, I have to, you know, you have to depend on what other people write sometime, but I have read that had this been Babylon, they would have never been able to do it.
Exodus 12:35: And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment:
This verse contains the word 'borrowed' that Les Feldick says gives the wrong impression about the transaction.
Exodus 12:36: And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians.
The LORD's role and the Egyptians' giving are seen here, and the result is that Egypt was spoiled.
Exodus 25:8: And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
God's command to build the tabernacle shows why the Egyptian wealth was needed.
Les Feldick says no, not in the sense we think. The KJV uses 'borrowed,' but he calls it unfortunate and a mistranslation because borrowing implies returning. The intent was for Israel to ask the Egyptians to give them supplies for their journey.
God was sovereignly behind the giving. He caused the Egyptians to give because Israel had served as slaves and God was providing back wages; also, the wealth would later be used to build the tabernacle.
According to Les Feldick, Egypt was a complete shambles economically, socially, and militarily. The Egyptians had given their wealth to Israel and were eager for them to leave.
To spoil means to carry off the goods of the Egyptians. Les says Israel took Egypt's wealth, not by deceit, but because God moved the Egyptians to give it.
Watch the Teaching: Who Spoke from the Burning Bush? The Mystery of "I AM" Revealed