Two of the most dramatic stories in the Bible occur early in the book of Exodus. We begin with the ten plagues in the confrontation between Moses and Pharaoh and follow that shortly after with the dramatic division of the Red Sea. For over three thouand years, Jews and Christians have told and retold those stories. Most people with a primitive knowledge of the Bible will have heard of these events. (I recall, as a teenager, taking a date to a movie that was based on a murderer acting out the ten plagues. I forget -- was that movie The Abominable Dr.Phibes?)
Although the ten plagues in Egypt are dramatic and colorful, the main purpose of the plagues was a theological one. Indeed the plagues are often called signs (oth, אוֹת), and if we wanted to count carefully, we might find eleven "signs" beginning with the staff of Moses, a rod that turns into a serpent that eats up the serpents of Pharaoh’s magicians. (That event has not been counted as one of the plagues because it does not damage or hurt the Egyptians but also because the number ten is a much more “Biblical” number.)
As a reading of the first dozen chapters of Exodus reveals, the main message of each plague is to display the power, the universal power of the God of the Israelites, that God who identifies himself by name to Moses as Yahweh, and then identifies himself to the Egyptian king as the Creator of the universe, the single God Who controls everything and Who can easily defeat any of the Egyptian gods. While the Egyptians boasted of a "powerful hand and outstretched arm", the God of the Israelites uses that same phrasing to make it clear that it is in fact, He Himself Who had the power. (See the statement to Pharaoh in Exodus 9:16.)
In addition to displaying His power over the Egyptians, God also seemed to be making statements about creation, as the divine Being Who rules creation. Quite a number of the plagues have a certain de-creation theme, reversing some type of creation event of Genesis 1. One obvious example occurs in the ninth plague: the three days of darkness reverse the creation of light on Day 1 of creation.
In his commentary on Exodus, Fretheim has a nice section on the plagues (pp. 105-112.) Fredheim says.
“It is commonly thought that the plagues become increasingly more serious and unpleasant, more and more a threat to Egypt's well-being, beginning with annoyances, moving to disease and damage, andfinally to darkness (= uncreation) and death. “
On the uncreation aspects of the plagues, Fretheim writes:
“They [the plagues] are most fundamentally concerned with the natural order of things, God's nonhuman creation. Each has to do with various phenomena of the natural order. The collective image presented is that the entire created order is caught up in this struggle, either as cause or victim. Pharaoh's antilife measures have unleashed chaotic powers that threaten the very creation that God intended. ... Water is no longer water; light and darkness are no longer separated; diseases of people and animals run amok; insects and amphibians swarm out of control. ... [T]he signs come to a climax in the darkness, which in ettect returns the creation to the first day of Genesis 1, a precreation state of affairs. While everything is unnatural in the sense of being beyond the bounds of the order created by God, the word hypernatural (nature in excess) may better capture the sense.The plagues are hypernatural at various levels-timing, scope, intensity. Some sense for this is also seen in recurrent phrases to the effect that such "had never been seen before, nor ever shall be again" (10:14; cf. 10:6; 9:18, 24; 11:6).God's immediate goal is to get Israel through the waters of chaos, enabling them to walk on the "dry ground" of creation as God works his cosmicaly re-creative deed."
There have been attempts to organize the 10 plagues in the various groups are with various themes. To quote Fredheim:
"[T]here is a certain logic to five groups of two in terms of content (Nile, insects, diseases, damage, darkness/death); or, three groups of three in terms of seting (Pharaoh approached early morning outside – plagues 1, 4, 7; at the palace – plagues 2, 5, 8; and not at all – plagues 3, 6, 9), climaxing in the death of the firstbom."
Because the plagues were such drammatic events at the birth of the nation of Israel, it is not surprising that they will be referred to in other Old Testament passages. The plague show up in two psalms (78 and 105) and are in the background of the Ezekiel chapters 29-32. They are alluded to briefly in other places.
Let us briefly review the ten (no, eleven?) signs that occur in chapters 7 to 12 of Exodus.
0. Staff Becomes a Viper
When Moses first meets Pharaoh, he displays God's power with a staff that becomes a snake (Exodus 7:8-13.) The serpent was a classical Egyptian symbol, often accompanying images of the Pharaoh. Here the word translated "serpent" is commonly used for dragons or monsters or venomous snakes. These are scary beings! Although the magicians appear to duplicate this, the serpents of YHWH swallow the serpents of Israel, a clear statement and warning of things to come.
1. The Nile Turns to Blood
In Exodus 7:17–18 the Nile and all its waterways are turned to blood. The Nile river is the major source for Egypt's prosperity and so the effect of this on the people of Egypt is clearly painful. In this episode YHWH is identified as "God of the Hebrews" and he again says, "Know Me!"
In this sign, Pharaoh is warned in advance. The king's magicians can duplicate the plague but apparently cannot reverse it.
2. The Invasion of Frogs
In Exodus 8:1–4, once again, Moses warns Pharaoh. The language of Genesis 1 is used here -- just as God created animals on Days 5 and 6, so that the land and seas "teemed" with them, the Egyptian land will "teem" with frogs. This is another "trick" that the Egyptian magicians can also do. They have repeated the "sign" with serpents and then the two plagues of blood and frogs but have been unable to reverse the plagues.
3. Invasion of Gnats
The land is infested as dust turns into gnats (or lice.) This time Moses does not warn Pharaoh. The magicians cannot duplicate this plague and say (finally) "This is an act of God." Although the court magicians are impressed, Pharaoh continues to stubbornly resist.
4. Invasion of Flies
The fourth plague is a horrible swarm of flies. Moses confronts Pharaoh on his daily walk to the water and warns him. The Israelites do not experience the plague; this is a new step, an advancement in the level of the signs and plagues.
Once again, YHWH says, "this will be done so that you will know Me."
5. Destruction of Livestock
Pharaoh is warned again. Although livestock dies, none of the Israelites lose livestock. This is to indicate the special divine action involved in the deaths.
6: Boils
The sixth plague is some type of skin disease, "boils breaking out." This is the second time that Pharaoh is not warned. The magicians' attempt to duplicate the "trick" is stymied by the fact that they themselves have boils! With each new plague, Pharaoh's resistance becomes more isolated; here even his court magicians concede to Moses.
This is the first time when YHWH, not Pharaoh, is attributed with the hardening of Pharaoh's heart. Instead of giving in, Pharaoh now doubles-down on his stubbornness. This plague separates out some Egyptians who "fear the word of the Lord." Many Egyptians no longer support their king.
7. Hail
In the seventh plague a dramatic hailstorm destroys the land -- except in Goshen. Pharaoh once again repents. Sorta.... He admits that this time he has sinned and done wrong. The response from Moses is that Pharaoh and his officials do not yet truly fear YHWH. The message from Moses and Aaron is, once again, that all of the Earth is the Lord's and that He controls everything.
8. Swarms of Locusts
Exodus 10:3–6 describes the invasion of locusts. Note the long-term view – telling the story to one's children and grandchildren. The eventual results in Egypt will be dramatic. The news about YHWH's work in Israel will spread. Forty years later, a woman, Rahab, will describe (in Joshua 2: 8-11) the terror that came over Jericho when they heard the news about the actions of the God of Israelites, first in Egypt and later, in the desert.
By this time everyone but a spoiled and stubborn Pharaoh sees the wisdom in giving in to the Israelites.
The locusts are eventually carried into the Sea of Reeds by a strong wind where "Not a single... survives". This phrase will reappear when the Egyptians attempt to follow the Israelites across the Sea of Reeds.
9. Three Days of Darkness
Exodus 10:21–23 records the ninth plague. Darkness! so deep that it "can be felt." It lasts for three days, so it is not something simple like a solar eclipse.
This reverses Day 1 of Creation, un-creating light. Quite a number of the plagues "undo" creation, reversing the chaos-to-order progress of Genesis 1.
Moses makes it clear that they will not speak again. The last plague will be extreme and final, indeed indicative of a deep spiritual, universal event. We will build up to that final plague over the next two chapters.
10. Death of the Firstborn
In Exodus 11:4–6 the final plague is reported. It will completely free the Israelites. For their journey, they are to ask their Egyptian neighbors, those who have a different attitude than the Pharaoh, for treasures and wealth. (I hope some of these neighbors were warned of what was coming?!)
Across Egypt everyone weeps. The Egypt that long ago had been throwing baby boys in the Nile now loses some of its own children. Now everyone, even Pharaoh, wants the Israelites gone.
Other Biblical Passages on the Plagues
Psalm 78:43-51 reports on plagues of blood, flies, frogs, locust, hail, cattle destroyed (by hail and lightning), firstborn.
In Psalm 105:26-36 the psalmist remembers darkness, blood, frogs, flies, hail, locusts, firstborn
In Ezekiel 29-32, Ezekiel a prophesizes that Egypt will eventually be destroyed and recalls that they have been destroyed before.
The Book of Deuteronomy ... mentions the "diseases of Egypt" (Deuteronomy 7:15 and 28:60). (e.g. Deuteronomy 6:22; 11:2–3) seem to clearly allude to a plague tradition.
References
Here is a short collection of references that I have looked at besides the Fretheim commentary:
- A Wikipedia article on the plagues https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagues_of_Egypt
- An article on the plagues from chabad.org. https://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/1653/jewish/The-Ten-Plagues-of-Egypt.htm
- Videos on the plagues by the Bible Project https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=532289341837014 https://bibleproject.com/podcasts/why-are-there-10-plagues/
- An article on the plagues by Biblical Archaeology https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/exodus/exodus-in-the-bible-and-the-egyptian-plagues/
- An article on the plagues from Zondervan Academic https://zondervanacademic.com/blog/what-the-bible-tells-us-about-the-10-plagues-of-egypt
- (recommended by a friend) The Plagues of Egypt: Archaeology, History and Science Look at the Bible, by Siro Igino Trevisanato https://www.amazon.com/Plagues-Egypt-Archaeology-History-Science/dp/1593332343
.
First published March 15, 2026; updated March 15, 2026
No comments:
Post a Comment