 |
|
| |
|
||||
The ten plagues (Eser Ha-Makot עשר מכות מצריים) were 10 disasters, executed against Egypt by God, in order to convince Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go. The ten plagues are described in the book of Exodus (שמות), chapters 7:14 - 12:42. These were manifestations of God's great power and caused to be declared among the nations (Ex 9:14, 16). For generations afterward their effects would be discussed by other peoples (Jos 2:9-11; 9:9; Isa 4:8; 6:6) Also, these plagues proved that the gods of Egypt were powerless (Ex 12:12; Nu 33:4). Brief summaryThe plagues were:
ContextThe main reason for the plagues was Pharaohs repeated refusal to release the Jewish people from slavery. Moses, acting as a messenger, and his brother Aaron, who spoke for Moses due to his speech defect, requested leave for the people to "sacrifice to God in the desert". Although Pharaoh usually promised to let them go after each plague, he usually withdrew his permission shortly afterwards. The third, sixth and ninth plague came without warning, suggesting that the plagues came in three iterations of three. Indeed, Biblical commentators point out parallels between individual plagues. ProphecyThe plagues, including darkness, storm, hail, swarms of locusts, and similar events, were predicted and came precisely as indicated. It would be highly unlikely to attribute them as mere coincidences or random occurrences. Advance warnings enabled those who heeded them to escape certain plagues (Ex 9:18-21; 12:1-13). God could be selective as to the plagues' effect, causing some to leave a specific area exempt, thereby identifying who were his approved servants (Ex 8:22, 23; 9:3-7, 26). He could start and stop the plagues at will (Ex 8:8-11; 9:29). Though Pharaoh's magic-practicing priests appeared to duplicate the first two plagues (perhaps even trying to credit them to their Egyptian deities), their secret arts soon failed them, and they were obliged to acknowledge "the finger of God" in the execution of the third plague (Ex 7:22; 8:6, 7, 16-19). They could not reverse the plagues and were themselves affected (Ex 9:11). God "proved himself God to Israel" and "near to them" by reclaiming them with "an outstretched arm and with great judgments" (Ex 6:6, 7; De 4:7). Following the destruction of Pharaoh's hosts in the Red Sea, the people of Israel "began to fear God and to put faith in God and in Moses his servant" (Ex 14:31). Egyptian godsAnother consequence of the plague was the proven superiority of God over the Egyptian deities ("nature gods"). Although some have advanced theories as to which god was affected by which plague, this is only scantily supported by Midrashic sources, and these attempts have generally produced widely divergent results. Some authorities say that the teaching purpose of the plagues is to demonstrate the powerlessness of Egypt's idols, affirming God's uniqueness and power. If God triumphed over the gods of Egypt, a world-leading nation, then the people of God would be strengthened in their faith although they are a small people, and would not be tempted to follow the deities that God put to shame. The plaguesBlood (7:19 - 7:25) דםThe first plague was blood. Its main purpose was to give Pharaoh a taste of God's might and strength, and to demonstrate Moses's confidence in God. According to the Hebrew Bible, Moses touched the river Nile with his staff, and all the water turned into blood. As a result, the fish of the Nile died, and Egypt was filled with stench. Other water resources used by the Egyptians were turned to blood as well (7:19). This plague lasted for seven days. Frogs (7:26 - 8:11) צפרדעThe second plague of Egypt was frogs. Herds of frogs overran Egypt and forced Pharaoh to call upon Moses, to ask him to remove the frogs. Moses agreed and told him that the next day the frogs would be gone, as proof of God's might. The next day all the frogs in the Egyptian courts and houses died. Nevertheless, Pharaoh refused to let the Hebrews worship their God in the desert, according to the biblical account. Fleas or Lice (8:12 - 8:15) כיניםThe third plague of Egypt was fleas. According to the Bible, the dust of the earth became many fleas which the Egyptians could not get rid of. Beasts or Flies (8:16 - 8:28) ערובThe fourth plague of Egypt was Arov. Commentaries usually render this word as flies, but others as beasts, capable of harming people and livestock. The Bible emphasizes that the arov only came against Egypt, and that the Land of Goshen (where the Hebrews dwelt) was clean from it. Pharaoh asked Moses to remove this plague and promised to allow the Hebrews to worship God in the desert. However, after the plague was gone, Pharaoh "hardened his heart" and refused to keep his promise. Livestock (9:1 - 9:7) דברThe fifth plague of Egypt was a disease which exterminated the Egyptian livestock; that is, horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep and goats. The Hebrew cattle were unharmed. Boils (9:8 - 9:12) שחיןThe sixth plague of Egypt was Shkhin. The Shkhin was a kind of skin disease, known as boils. The Hartum priests of Egypt could not heal this disease. Storm (9:13 - 9:25) ברדThe seventh plague of Egypt was a destructive storm. The storm was a powerful shower of hail, combined with fire burning onto the ground. The storm heavily damaged Egyptian shrubbery and crops, as well as men and livestock. The storm struck all Egypt, except for the land of Goshen. Pharaoh asked Moses to remove this plague and promised to allow the Hebrews to worship God in the desert, saying "I have sinned: God is rightous, I and my people are evil". However, after the storm ceased, Pharaoh "hardened his heart" and refused to keep his promise. Locusts (10:1 - 10:20) ארבהThe eighth plague of Egypt was locusts. The locusts swarmed Egypt and consumed all Egyptian crops, leaving no tree or plant standing on the face of Egypt. The swarm of locusts covered the sky and created darkness in Egypt. After Moses' threats and Egyptian pleas Pharaoh agreed to let only Hebrew men to go out to the desert, while women, children and livestock are to remain in Egypt. Moses demanded that all shall go, and when Pharaoh refused, this plague struck Egypt. Pharaoh again asked Moses to remove this plague and promised to allow all the Hebrews to worship God in the desert. However, after the locusts went away, Pharaoh "hardened his heart" and refused to keep his promise. Darkness (10:21 - 10:29) חושךThe ninth plague of Egypt was complete darkness, lasting for three days. Pharaoh called upon Moses, agreeing to let the Hebrews go out to the desert, but leaving their livestock in Egypt. Moses refused this condition, and in addition required that Pharaoh would donate a sacrifice. This outraged Pharaoh, and he threatened Moses in death. Death of Firstborn (11:1 - 12:42) מכת בכורותThe tenth and final plague of Egypt was the death of all Egyptian first born - from the king's first born to the widow's first born, including first born of livestock. This was the hardest and cruelest blow upon Egypt and the plague that finally convinced Pharaoh to submit, and let the Hebrews go. God told Moses that this plague would cause Pharaoh to send the Hebrews away, and ordered him to prepare the people for leaving. He also ordered Moses to teach the ritual of Pesah sacrificng a lamb for God, and eating Matzot ("Poor's Bread" לחם עוני). God told Moses to order the Hebrews to mark their doorstep with the lamb's blood, in order that the plague of death would pass over them. In the middle of the night, God himself (in the form of the angel of death) came upon Egypt and took the life of all the Egyptian first born sons, including Pharaoh's own. There was a great cry in Egypt, such as had never been heard before. No Hebrew first born was killed, as God passed over Hebrew houses. After this, Pharaoh, furious and sad, ordered the Hebrews to go away, taking whatever they want. The Hebrews don't hesitate; and at the end of that night Moses led them out of Egypt. Discussions on the plaguesWere the plagues a miracle or natural disasters?Some science writers and bible researchers have tried to explain that the plagues were natural disasters, and not supernatural miracles by God. Some have offered natural explanations for most of the phenomena: the blood in the Nile (1) was actually pollution caused by volcanic activity or abnormal algae rapid growth caused by El Nino, which caused the frogs (2) to leave the river, which brought herds of insects (3,4) which spread diseases (5,6). They also suggest explanations for the locusts (8), and speculate that the darkness (9) was caused by a solar eclipse or sandstorm. These explanations do not account for the selectiveness of the plagues: according to the Hebrew Bible the plagues damaged only Egyptians, while the Hebrews remain intact. The double-selectiveness of the last plague (10) - only first born dies - also does not have a naturalistic explanation. (But there was a hypothesis told that the food left in storage was polluted by the excrement of locusts, and Cladosporium ,or black mold, grew in the crops. Because the first son might received double food in tradition, they would take more mildew than other would. In result, allergies occurred and killed those first-borns.) Typically, details of the account which do not accord with these natural explanations, skeptics and other modern writers account for as being pious exaggerations intended to encourage faith. Following the assumption that at least some of the details are accurately reported, many modern Jews agree that some of the plagues were indeed natural disasters, but argue from the fact that they followed one another with such uncommon rapidity, that God's hand was behind them. Indeed, several Biblical commentators (Nachmanides and, more recently, Rabbi Yaakov Kamenetzky) have pointed out that for the plagues to be a real test, they had to contain an element leading to doubt. For example, the splitting of the Red Sea in Exodus appeared to be caused by "a strong eastern wind", providing the Egyptian pursuers, and also those who later recount the story, grounds to doubt the Divine origin of the plague. Was the tenth plague moral?The last plague has seemed to many to be a very cruel and unjustifiable punishment for the Egyptians, and is criticised for promoting an unethical delight in the suffering of others. A common and widely accepted Jewish Midrash explains the dreadful plague by expanding upon 10:28, where Pharaoh threatens to kill Moses:
This Midrash justifies the last plague with two main arguments:
The Plagues in Popular CultureThe Ten Plagues of Egypt were dramatized by the heavy metal group Metallica in their song "Creeping Death", on their 1983 release Ride the Lightning. Late bassist Cliff Burton came up with the title of the song while watching the 1956 Biblical epic The Ten Commandments, specifically when the Angel of Death moved among Egyptians, killing the firstborn in each family. See alsoExternal LinksExodus - relevant chapters
|
||
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright 2008 WordIQ.com - Privacy Policy
::
Terms of Use
:: Contact Us
:: About Us This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Ten plagues". |