Exodus Study - The God of Israel's Ten Plagues Against Egypt

"I am the LORD; I will execute judgments against all the gods of Egypt." (Exodus 12:12b)

Jewish rabbis teach that the plagues sent by God against Egypt occurred one after another over a twelve-month period; beginning with the LORD appearing to Moses in the burning bush (which occurred in the month of Nisan on the Hebrew calendar; March/April on our modern calendar) and including the three-month period when Moses hid from his assignment and, then, traveled to Egypt to confront Pharaoh and initiate the first plague (which occurred between the months of Iyyar to Tammuz; late-April/May to early July). For reference, below you'll find a brief overview of the yearly cycle of the Hebrew calendar and how it syncs with the months of our modern-day calendar.

The ten plagues displayed the victorious power of YHVH* (the LORD), the God of Israel, over all of the various gods worshiped in ancient Egyptian mythology.

*YHVH (most likely pronounced as Jehovah {YeHoVah in Hebrew} or Yahweh) is the name that the God of Israel revealed as His own; see Exodus 3:14. The four letters making up His name, YHVH, is known as the Tetragrammaton. Whenever they appear in our English versions of the Scriptures, they are translated as Lord in all caps (i.e. the LORD). Rabbis have (questionably) taught for centuries that the LORD's name is so sacred that it shouldn't be commonly spoken. So, instead it is usually abbreviated without the Hebrew vowel markings (which, in turn, renders it unpronounceable). Therefore, there's not a clear knowledge of how to properly pronounce it. In my opinion (based on more-recent findings of ancient Hebrew manuscripts containing the vowel markings), Jehovah is probably the closest English pronunciation of YHVH that we have. I have used the Tetragrammaton throughout this post to specifically distinguish the God of Israel from the Egyptian "gods."

A List of the Ten Plagues with Corresponding Dates:

1. Blood - Av 1 (July/August)

2. Frogs - Elul 1 (August/September)

3. Gnats - Tishri 1 (September/October)

4. Swarms of Flies - Cheshvan 1 (October/November)

5. Death of the Livestock - Kislev 1 (November/December)

6. Boils - Tevet 1 (December/January)

7. Hail - Shevat 1 (January/February)

8. Locusts - Adar 1 (February/March)

9. Darkness - Nisan 1 (March/April)

10. Death of the Firstborn Son - Nisan 15 (March/April)

First Plague. Water Turned to Blood -

Judgment against Hapi (the god of the Nile)

Hapi - the god of the annual flooding of the Nile

• The annual flooding occurred between May and August every year

• The annual flooding of the surrounding rivers contributed to 90% of the water source of the Nile

• The flooding of the Nile plains provided the fertile soil needed to ensure healthy and abundant crops because the area was otherwise a desert with little water access; it also deposited rich silt (fertile soil) on the river’s banks

• Hapi, the “god of the Nile” was in charge of the annual flooding of the Nile; in Egyptian thought, both Hapi and the Pharaoh controlled the flooding

• The annual flooding was known as the “Arrival of Hapi”

• Because the flooding ensured fertile soil, Hapi was a symbol of fertility

• Some of Hapi’s titles included “Lord of the Fish and Birds of the Marshes” and “Lord of the River Bringing Vegetation”

The first plague was also a judgment against Apis (the god of the Nile), Isis (the goddess of the Nile), and Khnum (the guardian of the Nile). It was a demonstration of YHVH’s power over these “gods” who didn’t have the power or ability to stop His plague over their territory (i.e. the Nile).

This plague of blood would have affected the Egyptians food supply since all of the fish in the Nile River died.

During this period of time, they also had no access to clean drinking water since the river itself provided nearly all of the available water. The Egyptians depended on the river for survival.

The death of the fish also caused a very unpleasant stench in Egypt.

The Nile was turned to blood for seven days.

Second Plague. Frogs from the Nile - Judgment Against Heket (the goddess of fertility & water)

Heket - the goddess of fertility

• She was represented in the form of a frog

• She was also connected to the annual flooding of the Nile (the last stages of the flooding and the early germination of crops)

• Interestingly, the frogs (symbolizing fertility) reproduced so abundantly by the hand of YHVH that they overwhelmed the land of Egypt and were found in places of the home (like the bed and bedroom) that were used for intimacy (i.e. fertility) and in the kitchen (like the ovens and kneading bowls) where Heket had dominion (the germination of the  crops; specifically the grain for bread)

• Once the frogs died and were piled into heaps, a very unpleasant stench covered the land of Egypt

The second plague was a demonstration of YHVH’s power over Heket, the goddess of fertility, because the frogs (which represented her deity) so overpopulated that they became a snare to the Egyptians and orchestrated chaos in the land of Egypt.

Third Plague. Gnats from the Dust - Judgment Against Geb (the god of the earth)

Geb - the god of the earth

• He is regarded in ancient Egyptian mythology as the personified fertile earth and barren desert (dirt/sand)

• also known as the “father of snakes”

• YHVH struck the land of Egypt and turned the dust of the earth into gnats (may also have been lice, mosquitos or fleas); instead of the soil becoming fertile crops, it became noisome gnats (parasites)

• Man was formed from the dust of the earth during creation, but now it was used by YHVH to invoke disorder

The third plague was a demonstration of YHVH’s power over Geb, the "god of the earth", because he was supposed to sustain Egypt's soil and agriculture, yielding life and abundance, but instead the dust of the earth was turned into noisome parasites.

Fourth Plague. Swarms of Flies - Judgment Against Khepri (the lord of the flies)

Khepri - the lord of flies

• He is often depicted with the head of a scarab beetle or fly

• Only the Egyptians were affected by this plague

• The flies were most likely biting flies that would draw blood and leave painful bites

• Interestingly, the last three plagues represent different elements of creation: water (frogs), earth (gnats), and, now, air (flies)

This plague shows YHVH’s authority over the Egyptian god, Khepri, who is unable to protect his people from suffering from the very thing he represents and has authority over - flies.

Fifth Plague. Death of the Egyptian Livestock - Judgment Against Apis (the god of animals)

Apis - the god of animals

• Depicted as a black bull (son of Hathor, an Egyptian goddess, who is depicted with the head of a cow)

• A symbol of the king (i.e. Pharaoh)

• A common title was used for Egyptian gods and kings that stemmed from the worship of Apis: “Strong bull of his mother Hathor” (a goddess of Egypt)

This so-called “god of the bulls” couldn’t stop YHVH from killing all Egyptian livestock (horses, donkeys, camels, herds [cows], and flocks) by a deadly plague; YHVH totally wiped out the Egyptian livestock, but not one animal of the Israelites, living in Goshen, died.

The impact from this loss would greatly affect the Egyptians economically through their food supply, transportation, military supply, and farming.

Sixth Plague. Ashes to Boils - Judgment Against Isis (the goddess of healing)

Isis - the goddess of healing

• She was worshiped as the “divine mother of the Pharaoh”

• She was believed to help the dead enter into the afterlife

• Her maternal nature was invoked when the common people asked for healing

• She was considered greater than other Egyptians gods and was said to protect the kingdom of Egypt from enemies

• The ashes which caused the boils/sores to form came from the "furnace of affliction"

• Perhaps this “furnace of affliction” was the very furnace(s) that the Egyptians forced the Israelites to use to bake their bricks which were then used to build Egypt's cities; the Egyptians had no mercy for the Israelites while they enforced back-breaking labor

YHVH’s plague of boils (painful skin lesions) attacked the bodies of the Egyptians whom were supposedly under the protection of Isis, "the greatest of all gods/goddesses" whose role it was to protect the kingdom of Egypt, as well as to provide the means for healing. Yet, she is utterly defeated by YHVH and does nothing to come to the aid of her worshipers.

Now, the Egyptians experienced a taste of the affliction they had put on God’s people. Isis could do nothing to relieve the boils as the Egyptians cried out in pain and suffering.

Seventh Plague. Hail - Judgment Against Nut (the goddess of the sky)

Nut - the goddess of the sky

• She is depicted wearing a water-pot

• She was the goddess of the sky and the heavenly bodies

• She was seen as the barrier separating the forces of chaos from the ordered cosmos in the world

• During this plague, hail and fire (lightning) rained down from the sky

• The hail was very large and very destructive, along with the lightning strikes; they destroyed any crops, trees, livestock, or person left behind in the fields

• The flax and barley were destroyed, but the wheat was unharmed because it was still in the ear of the grain (husk) and was not yet in ripening condition

• The flax and barley were used for clothing and in worship rites to the Egyptian gods

Nut, the goddess of the sky, was powerless to stop YHVH from opening up the floodgates of heaven, in the form of hail and lightning, upon the Egyptians. In YHVH's mercy, the Egyptians were warned to seek shelter for themselves and their livestock, but anyone who did not heed the warning, nor feared YHVH, suffered great loss. However, neither hail nor lightning strikes were in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites dwelled.

Eighth Plague. Locusts - Judgment Against Set (the god of storms)

Set - the god of storms

• He was depicted as a dog-like animal

• He was known as the “Destroyer” and “Lord of the Red Land” (i.e. the desert of Egypt)

• He represented the terrors of the deserts (like punishing hot winds & savage beasts)

• He was also associated with destructive terror

• YHVH sent a strong east wind that lasted all day and all night to gather the locusts

YHVH sent the plague of locusts to inflict total destruction and terror on the Egyptians; the locusts were so numerous and dense that they covered the entire surface of the land and they ate the remainder of what was left behind after the destruction of the hail: every tree/plant growing in the fields. Set, who had control over the wind of the desert, had no power to stop YHVH from bringing the destroying locusts into the land.

Ninth Plague. Darkness - Judgment Against Ra (the god of the sun)

Ra - the god of the sun

• He was one of the most important gods of Egypt

• One of his duties was to carry the sun across the skies to light the day

• He represented life, warmth, and growth

• The Egyptians regarded Ra as the principal god who was the source of life

• He was one of the most worshiped gods of Egypt and considered the “king of the gods”

YHVH showed His power over Ra by completely blotting out the sun for a total of three days. Not only was there palpable darkness, but it was probably cold as well. YHVH obliterated Ra’s representation of life and warmth, while humiliating their most venerated god in Egypt. YHVH proved His ultimate authority over life and death; light and darkness!

Tenth Plague. Death of the Firstborn - Judgment Against Pharaoh (“son of Ra") & Khnum (the god of rams/sheep)

Pharaoh - the son of Ra manifested in flesh

• Just as Pharaoh was considered and venerated as the firstborn "son of Ra," the coming judgment was against all firstborn males in Egypt (including livestock)

Khnum - the god of the rams

• This plague would also have been an attack on Khnum, the god of rams, who is depicted with a ram’s head with twisting horns; the Israelites were saved (“passed over”) from the Destroyer because of the blood of their Passover lamb, slain on their behalf, which had been applied to their doorposts.

• The ancient Egyptians considered rams to be the earthly manifestations of gods

• Rams would appear as temple statues in their physical, animal form; they were revered for their fertility and warlike attributes (and therefore would never be sacrificed to their Egyptian gods)

Since rams were seen as sacred because of the Egyptian god, Khnum, “sacrificing sheep would have been offensive to the god of the rams." YHVH used the symbol of the lamb to display His ultimate power and holiness. The sacrifice (killing) of the sheep is what brought redemption and deliverance to the Israelites.

“The plagues, culminating with the death of all Egyptian firstborn sons, provide a hint of the coming Messianic redemption foreshadowed in Egypt.” -John Parsons, Hebrew for Christians

• Foreshadow: an indication (sign) of the occurrence of a future event

Redemption through the sacrifice of the Passover lamb:

A distinction was made during the tenth plague. Any home that had applied the blood of the Passover lamb to its doorposts was “passed over” by the Angel of Death who was sent to kill all of the firstborn sons of Egypt. Likewise, today, anyone who believes in Jesus, the “Lamb of God,” is saved by His blood and redeemed from eternal destruction.

Sound off in the comment section below...👇🏼

If you were an Egyptian living during the time of the Exodus, which plague (besides the tenth plague), would you have been most fearful of experiencing?