As I posted a song name 'The Plagues' in previously entry. I just want to explain more about those PLAGUES.
The Plagues of Egypt, also called the Ten Plagues or the Biblical Plagues,were ten calamities that inflicted upon Egypt to persuade Pharaoh to release Israelites from slavery. Pharaoh capitulated after the tenth plague, triggering the Exodus of the Jewish people. The plagues were designed to contrast the power of Yahweh with the impotence of Egypt's various gods.
I. Plague of blood : Ex. 7:14-25
God instructed Moses to dip the top of his staff in the river Nile; all of its water turned into blood. As a result of blood, the fish of Nile died, filling Egypt with an awful stench.
Pharaoh's sorcerers demonstrated that they could turn water into blood too, so Pharaoh made no consession to Moses' demands.
II. Plague of frogs : Ex. 7:25-8:11
God commanded Moses to tell Aaron to stretch the staff over the water, and hordes of frogs came and overran Egypt. Pharaoh was forced to grant permission for the Israelites to leave so that Moses would agree to remove the frogs.
Nevertheless, Pharaoh rescinded his permission, and the Israelites stayed in Egypt.
III. Plague of lice or gnats : Ex. 8:12-15
God instructed Moses to tell Aaron to take the staff and strike at the dust, which turned into a mass of lice that the Egyptian could not get rid of.
IV. Plague of flies or wild animals : Ex. 8:20-32
The swarm came against the Egyptians, that it did not affect the land of Goshen (where the Israelites lived).
However, when the plague was gone, Pharaoh refused to allow the Israelites' freedom again.
V. Plague of pestilence : Ex. 9:1-7
Epidemic disease exterminated the Egyptian livestock; that is, horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep and goats.
Once again, Pharaoh made no concessions.
VI. Plague of boils : Ex. 9:8-12
God commanded Moses and Aaron to each take two handfuls of soot from a furnace, which Moses scattered skyward in Pharaoh's presence. The soot induced festering Shkhin eruptions on Egyptian men and livestock.
VII. Plague of hail : Ex. 9:13–35
God commanded Moses to stretch his staff skyward, at
which point the storm commenced. It was even more evidently supernatural than
the previous plagues, a powerful shower of hail intermixed with fire.
The storm heavily damaged Egyptian orchards and crops, as well
as people and livestock. The storm struck all of Egypt except for the Land of
Goshen. However, after the storm ceased, Pharaoh again "hardened his
heart" and refused to keep his promise
IIX. Plague of locusts : Ex. 10:1–20
God then had Moses stretch his staff
over Egypt, and a wind picked up from the east. The wind continued until the
following day, when it brought a locust swarm. The swarm covered the sky,
casting a shadow over Egypt. It consumed all the remaining Egyptian crops,
leaving no tree or plant standing. Pharaoh again asked Moses to remove this
plague and promised to allow all the Israelites to worship God in the desert.
As promised, God sent a wind that blew the locusts into the Red Sea. However,
He also hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he did not allow the Israelites to leave.
IX. Plague of darkness : Ex.
10:21–29
God
commanded Moses to stretch his hands up to the sky, to bring darkness upon
Egypt. This darkness was so heavy that an Egyptian could physically feel it.
They couldn't work or do activities. They were unable to track time for lack of
light and they even had a hard time interacting with each other. The Egyptians
had to rely on the senses of touch and hearing. It lasted for three days,
during which time there was light in the homes of the Israelites. Pharaoh then
called to Moses and offered to let all the Israelites leave, if only the
darkness would be removed from his land. However, he required that their sheep
and cattle stay. Moses refused any compromise, and went on to say that Pharaoh
must allow them to take also the animals because they are needed for sacrifice.
Pharaoh, enraged, then threatened to execute Moses if he should again appear
before Pharaoh. Moses replied that he would indeed not visit the Pharaoh again.
X.
Death of the firstborn (מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת): Ex. 11:1–12:36
Before this final plague, God commanded Moses to inform all the Israelites to mark lamb's blood on the doorposts on every door in which case the LORDwill pass over them and not "suffer the destroyer to come into your houses and smite you" (chapter 12, v. 23), thus sparing all the Israelite first-borns. This was the hardest blow upon Egypt and the plague that finally convinced Pharaoh to submit, and let the Israelites go.
| “ | This is what the LORD says: 'About midnight I will go throughout Egypt. Every firstborn in Egypt will die, from the firstborn son of Pharaoh, who sits on the throne, to the firstborn of the slave girl, who is at her hand mill, and all the firstborn of the cattle as well. There will be loud wailing throughout Egypt—worse than there has ever been or ever will be again.' | ” |
— Exodus 11:4–6
|
After this, Pharaoh, furious, saddened, and afraid that he would be killed next, ordered the Israelites to go away, taking whatever they wanted. The Israelites did not hesitate, believing that soon Pharaoh would once again change his mind, which he did; and at the end of that night Moses led them out of Egypt with "arms upraised".
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