Exodus 11:3

The man Moses was very great. Some have thought it strange that Moses, if he were indeed the author of the Pentateuch, should make such a comment. There is, however, nothing in the statement inferring vanity on the part of Moses. He is simply explaining why the Egyptians gave so freely of their means. It was natural that, as the agent of God, the people should have associated Moses with the “very great” signs they had witnessed. First of all, he had confounded the magicians (ch. 8:18, 19), then he had so impressed the courtiers that a number of them took advantage of one of his warnings and saved their livestock (ch. 9:20). Finally, almost the entire court became convinced that it lay in his power to destroy the country (ch. 10:7). Moses had dealt with the king as with an equal, and the fact that the people reverenced him as a god automatically enhanced Moses’ reputation with them. Had Moses not appeared to them as a most extraordinary person whom it would be dangerous to molest, some violence would probably have been done him long since. As it was, the entire nation seemed happy that the people who had occasioned them so much misfortune were to leave, and therefore they gave gladly of their means.