Sunday, November 19, 2006

Exodus 9

The 5th, 6th & 7th Plagues:

Livestock, Boils & Hail


According to Exodus, God sent the ten plagues on Egypt for the following reasons:

1) To deliver the Israelites (Exodus 3:8; 19–20; 6:1, 5).

2) To answer Pharaoh’s question: ‘Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice and let Israel go?’ (Exodus 5:2; 7:5; 8:22; 9:14).

3) So that the Israelites would know the power of Yahweh (Exodus 6:7; 10:2).

4) To show that the earth belongs to Yahweh, not to the Egyptian gods (Exodus 9:16, 29; 11:7).

5) To execute judgment on ‘all the gods of Egypt’ (Exodus 12:12).

-- The ten plagues of Egypt, Miracles or ‘Mother Nature’?: www.answersingenesis.org/creation/v27/i1/plagues.asp



The Plagues and the Exodus, by Dr. David Livingston www.ancientdays.net/plagues.htm


Yahweh's Purpose in the Plagues

   The first reason for the final plague was that the Egyptians may know that Yahweh is God! (Exodus 7:5; 8:10; 9:14-16,27; 10:16; 14:4.) The Lord is gracious in that He says over and over that He is doing this for the Egyptians that they might know He is the Lord. In fact, among the Egyptians, those who exercised faith were saved (Exodus 9:20-21; 12:38). Just as we today have an incentive to believe in Christ because of His miracles (John 20:31), so the Egyptians had opportunity to believe because of the plagues.


   The second reason for the plagues was that Israel might know Yahweh, their God, is The God and that there is no other (Exodus 10:1-2; 11:7; 14:31; Deuteronomy 4:32-35, Psalms 135:5-10). Some of the Israelites seem to have lost faith in Jehovah during their servitude. Possibly they were impressed with Egypt's gods since they seemed to be helping the Egyptians. But now Israel was to see evidence of Yahweh's absolute sovereignty and superiority over all the gods of Egypt. In fact, in Exodus 10:2, we read that the Lord mocked the Egyptian gods.


   Why didn't pharaoh believe? Why should he? He was a god! If he believed, he would lose his "divinity." But God hardened his heart. Why? Because, if he had repented and let Israel go after the first plague, all the gods of Egypt would have retained their greatness in the eyes of the Egyptians and of Israel. People had to suffer to demonstrate that all gods other than Yahweh were nothing.


   Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, summed it up well when he later said, "I know now that the Lord is greater than all other gods, because he rescued his people from the oppression of the proud Egyptians." (Exodus 18:11)


   Necessary in the plan for Israel's salvation was that they should do a simple, visible act. That was to take a lamb, kill it, and put some of its blood on the doorpost of their dwelling. Egyptian symbolism is interesting even in this act, for a door was a symbol of both entry and defense. And gates played a special role in the journey of the deceased through the nether world. For Israel, putting blood on the doorposts indicated that something done in one's heart is not enough. They had to act out their faith. Pharaoh could have saved his first-born if he had done that. But it would have destroyed the Egyptian system. In doing so, he would have acknowledged Yahweh as God. Furthermore, sheep were an abomination to the Egyptians.


   Yahweh's plan of salvation for Israel was not only to put down the gods of Egypt. God was calling out a people for Himself. This was His greater and higher purpose. For Israel to be a special people to the Lord, they had to break with the associations they had in Egypt.



(1) “Go back to Pharaoh,” the Lord* commanded Moses. “Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord*, the God** of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.


*Lord: Yahweh. The expression "the Lord said" or "commanded" occurs 45 times in Exodus according to Bullinger in "The Companion Bible".


**Lord God: Yahweh Elohim


(2) If you continue to hold them and refuse to let them go,


(3) the hand of the Lord* will strike all** your livestock***—your horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep, and goats—with a deadly plague.


*hand of the Lord: occurs in 3:19, 6:1, 13:3 and here and is normally associated with some mighty act of judgment. This is the first plague in which the term occurs, and it concerns the first plague that directly causes death - a pattern leading up to the death of the Egyptian army.


**all: The word “all” clearly does not mean “all” in the exclusive sense, because subsequent plagues involve cattle. The word must denote such a large number that whatever was left was insignificant for the economy. It could also be taken to mean “all [kinds of] livestock died.”


***livestock: The 5th plague, on the livestock (which provided food, milk, clothing and transportation), was a direct attack on Apis, the sacred bull god, and Mnevis, a bull-god symbol of fertility, as well as Hathor, the cow-like mother goddess, and Isis, the queen of the gods, who wore a cow’s horns on her head. They were all shown to be imposters. The original form under which Hathor was worshipped was that of a cow. Later she is represented as a woman with the head of a cow, and finally with a human head. She was the symbolic mother of Pharaoh, and the king of Egypt was referred to as "the son of Hathor."


   Horses and cattle were not only highly valued in the land of Egypt, but they were also sacred. "All Egyptians use bulls and bull-calves for sacrifice, if they have passed the test for 'cleanness'; but they are forbidden to sacrifice heifers, on the ground that they are sacred to Isis." -- http://www.padfield.com/2002/egypt_2.html (Against All the Gods of Egypt).


(4) But the Lord will again make a distinction between the livestock of the Israelites and that of the Egyptians. Not a single one of Israel’s animals will die!


(5) The Lord has already set the time for the plague to begin. He has declared that he will strike the land tomorrow.’”


(6) And the Lord did just as he had said. The next morning all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but the Israelites did’t lose a single animal.


   Yet, we read about Egyptian animals in verses 9-10 and 22! Some, such as Bullinger, believe this means "all kinds of cattle". Possibly, only the animals in the open field were affected.


   At this time of year, about January to April, the Egyptians kept their animals out in the field because it was good weather. About the end of April the weather became so hot they had to put them under cover to protect them. So the animals are out in the field about this time of year. So this plague is only going to affect those animals which are in the field on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks. But the LORD will make a distinction [#1 because first of all it is only going to happen to the animals that are in the field and not under cover and #2 the Lord will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing will die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel. This time the land of Goshen is involved. God is going to go right down through Goshen and all the rest of Egypt and every animal that belongs to an Egyptian and is in the field dies. Every animal that belongs to a Jew and is in the field lives. Goshen is no longer a haven for Egyptians. -- Studies in the Life of Moses (Peninsula Bible Church): www.pbc.org/library/files/html/14753_moses11.html


(7) Pharaoh sent* his officials to investigate, and they discovered that the Israelites had not lost a single animal! But even so, Pharaoh’s heart remained stubborn**, and he still refused to let the people go.


*sent: I wonder if they brought back livestock from the Israelites to replenish what they'd lost. They certainly could have done so with no problem.


**stubborn: Hebrew heavy


(8) Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from a brick kiln, and have Moses toss it into the air* while Pharaoh watches.


*air: If Moses tosses the soot into the air, it will symbolize that the disease is falling from heaven.


(9) The ashes will spread like fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, causing festering boils to break out on people and animals throughout the land.”


(10) So they took soot from a brick kiln and went and stood before Pharaoh. As Pharaoh watched, Moses threw the soot into the air, and boils broke out on people and animals alike.


(11) Even the magicians were unable to stand before Moses, because the boils* had broken out on them and all the Egyptians.


*boils: The 6th plague showed the impotence of any of the gods of magic and healing, such as Hike and Thoth (Imhotep), to protect even the magicians from the boils, and thus from the power of Yahweh. Deuteronomy 28:27 The Lord will afflict you with the boils of Egypt and with tumors, scurvy, and the itch, from which you cannot be cured.


   This plague was probably skin anthrax, a black abscess that develops into a pustule. This plague was accompanied by painful boils that affected the knees, legs, and soles of the feet (see Deuteronomy 28:35). This explains why Pharaoh's magicians could not stand before Moses. This medical malady was an affront to Imhotep, the god of medicine, Serapis, the deity in charge of healing, and to Thoth, the ibis-headed god of intelligence and medical learning.
-- http://www.padfield.com/2002/egypt_2.html (Against All the Gods of Egypt). This sixth plague, like the third, is unannounced.


   The magicians have lost their power, but Moses and Aaron are far from done! The magicians have been exposed as fakes and their magic cannot even save themselves! Satan's powers are limited.


(12) But the Lord hardened* Pharaoh’s heart, and just as the Lord had predicted** to Moses, Pharaoh refused to listen.


*hardened: This is the first place where it says God hardened Pharaoh's heart. Up to now Pharaoh has been hardening his own heart, but here God hardens Pharaoh's heart. He does it because Pharaoh has been given many chances to repent but continues to hardened his heart. So God, in His judicial wrath, Himself hardens Pharaoh's heart. But let me point something out to you. This does not say that Pharaoh can no longer make choices. It does not say that Pharaoh is lost beyond recall. We are going to see that in a minute. God does not go around willy-nilly hardening people. You can never ever blame God for your sin. If Pharaoh could not repent, Pharaoh could then blame God, "I couldn't repent because You wouldn't let me." But we can never pass the buck that way!-- Studies in the Life of Moses (Peninsula Bible Church): www.pbc.org/library/files/html/14755_moses12.html


**predicted - in 4:21. Pharaoh is just a tool in God's hand.


(13) Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh. Tell him, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so they can worship me.


(14) If you don’t, I will send more plagues on you* and your officials and your people. Then you will know that there is no one like me in all the earth.


*you: Hebrew on your heart


(15) By now I could have lifted my hand and struck you and your people with a plague to wipe you off the face of the earth.


(16) But I have spared you for a purpose—to show you my power* and to spread my fame throughout the earth.


*to show you my power: Greek version reads to display my power in you; compare Romans 9:17.


(17) But you still lord it over my people and refuse to let them go.


(18) So tomorrow at this time I will send a hailstorm* more devastating than any in all the history of Egypt.


*hailstorm: Hail is often associated with God's judgment - Joshua 10:11; Psalm 18:12; Isaiah 28:2, 17, 30:40; Ezekiel 13:11-13; 38:22.


   This would have been a very unusual occurrence, for the region around Cairo normally receives only two inches of rain per year.


(19) Quick! Order your livestock and servants to come in from the fields to find shelter. Any person or animal left outside will die when the hail falls.’”


(20) Some of Pharaoh’s officials were afraid because of what the Lord had said. They quickly brought their servants and livestock in from the fields.


   Some of Pharaoh's officials are getting the message and may be some of those who left with the children of Israel when they left Egypt.


(21) But those who paid no attention to the word of the Lord left theirs out in the open.


   Pharaoh didn't bring in the animals because he'd then have to admit that Ra, the great sun god, the national god of Egypt can do nothing . Pharaoh is one of the manifestations of Ra which makes him a god in his own right, and this is also true of his first born son whom God is going to take care of also. Pharaoh would have to go out and make a public act of putting all his cattle, sheep, camels, horses and all his flocks under cover because of the God of the slaves. Remember what God said, "Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews." In order to save his personal prosperity the "god" of Egypt would have to go out and publicly demonstrate that Yahweh is truly the God that can do this and that Ra cannot stop Him. So, out of pride, Pharaoh won't do that. Then when the slaughter occurs, he even goes and investigates and still won't give in. -- Studies in the Life of Moses (Peninsula Bible Church): www.pbc.org/library/files/html/14753_moses11.html. Pride is what is making Pharaoh "harden his heart". Does this apply to us today?


(22) Then the Lord said to Moses, “Lift your hand toward the sky so hail may fall on the people, the livestock*, and all the plants throughout the land of Egypt.”


*livestock: I thought all the livestock had already been killed in verse 6!


(23) So Moses lifted his staff toward the sky, and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed toward the earth. The Lord sent a tremendous hailstorm against all the land of Egypt.


(24) Never in all the history of Egypt had there been a storm* like that, with such devastating hail and continuous lightning.


*storm: The Egyptian god Seteh manifested himself in the wind and storms. The 7th plague, of hail, and the 8th one, of locusts (brought by the wind), that destroyed the crops, attacked the various sky deities (e.g. Shu, Tefnut and Nut, deities of air, moisture and sky), who supposedly controlled the weather. The loss of crops showed the impotence of the gods of vegetation, agriculture and harvest (e.g. Geb and Seth).


(25) It left all of Egypt in ruins. The hail struck down everything in the open field—people, animals, and plants alike. Even the trees were destroyed.


(26) The only place without hail was the region of Goshen, where the people of Israel lived.


(27) Then Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron. “This time I have sinned,” he confessed. “The Lord is the righteous one, and my people and I are wrong.


(28) Please beg the Lord to end this terrifying thunder* and hail. We’ve had enough. I will let you go; you don’t need to stay any longer.”


*terrifying thunder: To us the hail would have been more frightening, but to Pharaoh the thunderings were the voice of Yahweh and to be feared the most. -- Commentary on Exodus (part 2): www.geocities.com/genesiscommentary/exodus2.html


(29) “All right,” Moses replied. “As soon as I leave the city, I will lift my hands and pray to the Lord. Then the thunder and hail will stop, and you will know* that the earth belongs to the Lord.


*you will know: This clause provides the purpose - “you will know….” It was not enough to pray and have the plague stop. Pharaoh must “know” that Yahweh is the sovereign Lord over the earth. Here was that purpose of knowing through experience. This clause provides the key for the exposition of this plague: God demonstrated his power over the forces of nature to show his sovereignty – the earth is Yahweh’s. He can destroy it. He can preserve it. If people sin by ignoring his word and not fearing him, he can bring judgment on them. If any fear Yahweh and obey his instructions, they will be spared. A positive way to express the expositional point of the chapter is to say that those who fear Yahweh and obey his word will escape the powerful destruction he has prepared for those who sinfully disregard his word. -- BibleGateway - Exodus 9: www.bible.org/netbible/exo9.htm.


   All of these plagues were unnecessary if they were done so that Pharaoh would release his hold on the Israelites. After all, couldn't God have simply picked up the Israelites and moved them to the promised land - or killed Pharaoh? No, the freedom of the Israelites is only part of the purpose of God - His main purpose was to demonstrate not only to Pharaoh but to the whole world including us who He is and to demonstrate His power over Satan and his gods.


(30) But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the Lord God.”


(31) (All the flax and barley were ruined by the hail, because the barley had formed heads and the flax was budding.


   In this plague the flax and barley crops were destroyed, which means this must have taken place in January.
-- http://www.padfield.com/2002/egypt_2.html (Against All the Gods of Egypt).


(32) But the wheat and the emmer wheat were spared, because they had not yet sprouted from the ground.)


(33) So Moses left Pharaoh’s court and went out of the city*. When he lifted his hands to the Lord, the thunder and hail stopped, and the downpour ceased.


*out of the city: Perhaps Moses waited until he was out of the city because he suspected that otherwise Pharaoh planned to kill him. Commentary on Exodus (part 2): www.geocities.com/genesiscommentary/exodus2.html


(34) But when Pharaoh saw that the rain, hail, and thunder had stopped, he and his officials sinned again, and Pharaoh again became stubborn*.


*stubborn: Hebrew made his heart heavy. So, Pharaoh's repentance was not genuine, as is true of many who ask God for forgiveness and repent and then turn around and continue with their sin.


(35) Because his heart was hard, Pharaoh refused to let the people leave, just as the Lord had predicted through Moses.



On-Line Sources:



Off-Line Sources:



  • "Cruden's Complete Concordance" - Zondervan Publishing House

  • "Breath of the Holies: Secrets of Moses' Tabernacle" - DVD by Perry Stone

  • "In Search of the Mountain of God" by Robert Cornuke and David Halbrook - Broadman & Holman Publishers

  • "Symbols of Judaism" by Marc-Alai Ouaknin - Barnes & Noble Books, publisher

  • "The Exodus Revealed: Searching for the Red Sea Crossing" - (2001), DVD, Studio: Questar, ASIN: B00005AUE2, available from Amazon.com

  • "The Defender's Study Bible" -World Bible Publishers

  • "The Miracle of Passover" - DVD by Zola Levitt

  • "The NIV Application Commentary - Exodus" – Peter Enns – Zondervan™

  • "The Ten Commandments" (1956 film) from Paramount Pictures, directed by Cecil B. DeMille, starring Charlton Heston as Moses

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