THE 10 PLAGUES OF EGYPT AND WHAT THEY MEAN - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2024

The 10 plagues of Egypt are a set of supernatural calamities that occurred in Ancient Egypt that, according to the Old Testament, were the work of God with the purpose of manipulating Pharaoh to free the Hebrew slaves.

According to biblical texts, the prophet Moses and his brother Aaron asked the pharaoh for an interview in order to convince him to set the Hebrew slaves free. Ramses, the pharaoh, asked both of them to give him some kind of signal that would demonstrate the power of the Hebrew God.

Then, Aaron took the rod of Moses - the one that, according to the sacred texts, had the ability to perform miracles - and transformed it into a serpent. Pharaoh's sorcerers also succeeded in turning two rods into snakes through witchcraft tricks; however, both were eaten by Moses' serpent.

Despite this, Pharaoh did not want to accept Moses' request. Consequently, God ordered his prophet to send a series of punishments to the Egyptian people in order to appease the pride of the ruler. Through these ten calamities God allowed the people of the Israelites to break free from the yoke of the Egyptians.

For many years these plagues were thought to be only metaphorical, in order to educate believers. However, a documentary entitled The Secret of the Ten Plagues by National Geographic established how the plagues could have occurred thanks to a series of weather events that caused problems in Egypt.

The 10 plagues of Egypt

The waters that turn to blood

The Nile. Heinz Albers, www.heinzalbers.org

In Exodus 7, verse 14-24, it was established that the first plague was the blood present in the prolific waters of the Nile.

Moses demanded the deliverance of God's people; However, the pharaoh refused, so the prophet decided to hit the waters of the Nile with his rod, turning them into blood.

Several fish, as well as countless species, died due to the pollution of the waters. In order to obtain adequate water for their consumption, the Egyptians had to dig extensive wells. Pharaoh's sorcerers managed to imitate the miracle of Moses through a trick, which caused that Pharaoh did not change his mind.

Spiritual meaning

According to some beliefs, each plague symbolized a confrontation with one of the Egyptian gods. In other words, this biblical story not only narrates the confrontation between Moses and the Pharaoh, but also proposes the battle between the God of the Hebrews and the different Egyptian deities: each plague is directed towards a specific God.

The waters of the River Nile turned into blood symbolize the triumph of God over Khnum, the protector deity of the Nile; it also involves a victory over Hapy, who was the god of the flood.

Scientific explanation

Taking into account what we know today, it is likely that what happened at that time was a plague of red algae, which usually appear in some weather conditions and give the waters a reddish color.

This occurs very frequently in the oceans and is known as “the red tide”, although it can also happen in fresh waters.

This type of algae, microscopic in size, contains a remarkable number of toxins that accumulate in shellfish, causing the poisoning of those animals that consume them.

The plague of frogs

Ryan hodnett

In Exodus 8, verse 1-15, it is established how the second epidemic was introduced. After seven days, Moses unleashed the second plague: countless numbers of frogs began to appear, which multiplied rapidly and entered the rooms and ovens of the Egyptians.

Pharaoh once again resorted to his sorcerers so that they would copy Moses' trick, in order to convince himself that the power of the God of the Hebrews was not greater than that of their gods. However, the plague became so untenable that Ramses asked Moses to plead with God for mercy, in order to end the plague of frogs.

Moses asked God to end this plague, so God agreed to take the frogs out of the city. However, the pharaoh did not soften his determination.

Spiritual meaning

This second plague was directed at the goddess Heget, who was the deity in charge of creation and birth, as well as the germination of cereals.

This goddess used to be represented by a frog; therefore, this animal was considered sacred within the Egyptian culture.

Scientific explanation

It has been found that the phenomenon of the "rain of frogs" has occurred more than once in the history of humanity and in different regions of the world. For example, there is a publication in the press on July 12, 1873 where there is talk of an episode of frog rains, which "darkened the sky and the earth" after a noisy storm.

According to some sources, the frogs were the ecological consequence of the imbalance that occurred in the Nile, since these amphibians had to move due to the poison caused by the dead algae. Consequently, the frogs sought refuge and a new home in Egyptian territory.

The plague of mosquitoes

JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/)

In Exodus 8, verse 16-19, the plague of mosquitoes appears, although it can also refer to lice or fleas, since there is no exact translation for the Hebrew word kinim.

This event occurred when God told Moses to send Aaron to extend his rod to strike the dust from the ground, which turned into a giant cloud of mosquitoes.

The bites caused great annoyance to the Egyptian people and, on this occasion, the pharaoh's sorcerers could not imitate the miracle of Moses, so they had to recognize the superior power of the Hebrew God.

Spiritual meaning

In this case, it is considered that God's attack was against the deity Geb, who was in charge of the earthly situations of the Egyptian people, such as the correct functioning of fertility and vegetation.

Scientific explanation

As stated in the documentaries, it would not be surprising if there was an epidemic of mosquitoes or lice after the production of toxic algae and the mobilization of frogs.

This is because frogs usually feed on flies and lice. These amphibians are in charge of controlling that the mosquito population is not excessive, as Stephan Pflugmacher stated in the National Geographic special.

When the frogs were moved, the mosquitoes had more opportunities to reproduce excessively; Furthermore, polluted waters could also cause the proliferation of these insects.

As if this were not enough, these insects are considered to be carriers of a bacterium called Yersinia pestis, which causes bubonic plague, a disease that can be related to the plague of livestock death, as well as boils.

The plague of flies

This fourth plague of Egypt can be found in Exodus 8, verse 20-32. In this part of the biblical text it is established that a huge swarm of flies infected the country. According to the sacred scriptures, the Israelites - located in the area called the land of Goshen - did not suffer from this evil.

Again, this time Pharaoh petitioned Moses for mercy, begging him to stop the plague. The prophet prayed to God asking him to take away the flies, to which God agreed. However, Pharaoh was unable to soften his heart and kept his word to keep the Hebrews captive and enslaved.

Spiritual meaning

It is considered that this plague was sent by God in order to attack Dua, the Egyptian god in charge of personal hygiene and toiletries. Flies usually bring innumerable infections and threaten cleanliness and health; For this reason, it is considered that the God of the Hebrews attacked this deity.

Scientific explanation

Previously this was considered to be the plague of wild animals, such as poisonous scorpions or snakes, since the Hebrew word arov can be translated as "mixture"; in this case, a mix of dangerous animals.

However, a study carried out in 1996 by J. S Marr establishes that what actually happened was an epidemiological problem as a consequence of a change in the climate.

This brought with it large swarms of flies, especially the so-called stable fly, whose scientific name is Stomoxys calcitrans.

The plague on cattle

Ereenegee

The fifth plague consisted of a monumental pestilence that killed any type of Egyptian cattle, whether they were donkeys, camels, horses, goats, sheep or cows.

The description of this plague can be found in Exodus 9, verse 1-7, where it is further established that the livestock of the Hebrews remained healthy and intact. This plague resulted in the malnutrition of the Egyptian people.

Spiritual meaning

The death of cattle is associated with God's attack on the Egyptian goddess of cows, popularly known as Hathor.

This deity was in charge of raising and nursing the king, as well as being the goddess of women, fertility and love. With this new attack, the God of the Israelites once again demonstrated his power above any other pagan deity.

Scientific explanation

The description of this pest, taking into account the scientific statements related to it, is clearly consistent with a disease known as rinderpest, which is caused by an extremely lethal virus.

In fact, between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries this disease wiped out all populations of cow cattle throughout the African continent and the European continent, since it spread throughout all these territories.

According to an article on the origin of rinderpest, published in the New York Times in 2010, this disease arose in Asia and could have moved to Egypt five thousand years ago thanks to the existence of a series of prehistoric trade routes, killing 80% of the cattle.

It is also believed that the already described plague of mosquitoes could play a very important role in the appearance of this phenomenon.

The plague of ulcers

The description of this plague can be found in Exodus 9, verse 8-12, and it is usually described as a skin-type disease whose more accurate translation would be a rash or ulcer and that affected the Egyptian people.

In the narrative, it is stated that God told Moses and his brother Aaron to take two handfuls of soot extracted from the furnace, and then spread the ashes before Pharaoh.

In this way, God spread the ulcers and rashes throughout the population and livestock of Egypt. On this occasion, the plague even affected the Pharaoh's sorcerers, who died without being able to heal themselves with their knowledge. However, this plague did not touch any of the Israelites.

It is very likely that the pharaoh also caught these terrible rashes; however, he remained in his position and did not want to give in this time either.

Spiritual meaning

Some consider that this plague, also known as the plague of boils, was an attack by God on Imhotep, who was the deity in charge of medicine and learning.

With this attack the God of the Israelites demonstrated his superiority, even above the knowledge and medical discipline of the time.

Scientific explanation

The boils described in this pest are painful bumps that are generally framed by a reddish halo. Its cause is a bacterium called Staphylococcus aureus, which lives on the skin of humans but can cause serious infections.

The theory in this regard establishes that what happened was an outbreak of smallpox, since this disease also causes serious blisters and can spread rapidly in the population, as it is a very contagious disease.

Records were even found that smallpox had already affected the Egyptian people three thousand years ago, since scars of this disease were found in some mummies belonging to that period, among which that included Ramses V.

The plague of the rain of fire and hail

This seventh evil can be found described in Exodus 9, verse 13 and 35. It is said that it consisted of a destructive and violent storm sent by God when he asked Moses to raise his staff to heaven.

This evil was considered more supernatural than the previous plagues, since it brought with it a shower of fire and hail. The storm destroyed all Egyptian crops and orchards, as well as affecting a considerable number of livestock and people.

According to the scriptures, this rain struck the entire Egyptian country except the land of Goshen. It was then that Pharaoh begged Moses for the third time to remove the plague, promising that he would let the Hebrew people go.

However, as soon as the heavens returned to normal, the pharaoh refused to fulfill his promise, once again maintaining his original posture as a slave.

Spiritual meaning

This challenge was sent by God to the god Horus, also known as "the old man." This deity, represented with the falcon, was the god of the sky and one of the main deities of the Egyptian pantheon.

Scientific explanation

Taking into account the geological records, it was established that 3500 years ago the Santorini volcano produced a strong eruption, specifically on an island near Crete. This could explain the seventh plague, since the volcanic ash may have joined with a strong electrical storm that harmed the Egyptian people.

According to climatologist Nadine Von Blohm, this combination gave rise to that possible storm consisting of fire and hail; This was stated in the scientific journal The Telegraph.

The plague of locusts

The eighth plague or plague that struck the Egyptian country was locusts, according to Exodus 10, verse 1-20. Before God sent these terrible insects, Moses decided to warn Pharaoh of what could happen if he did not accept the request of the Hebrew God.

The ruler's advisers implored the ruler to allow the Hebrews to leave with Moses, since they had endured enough hardships. However, Ramses did not want to change his mind.

These insects devour everything in their path, so they wiped out the few Egyptian crops that had been saved from the previous plagues. The locusts also ate all the plants and trees in the region.

Seeing his country devastated, Pharaoh again pleaded with Moses to eradicate this plague, promising to let the slaves out. However, he changed his mind again as soon as the plague was extinguished.

Spiritual meaning

This plague was directed towards Shu, who was the deity in charge of protecting the air, dry winds and atmospheres. This is because God polluted the entire air with those flying insects.

Scientific explanation

Lobsters could have arisen due to the eruption of the volcano located in Santorini, as this would have led to harsh weather conditions for all species, especially for birds, which generally kill these insects.

In addition, the ash also produces a greater amount of precipitation and humidity, so that lobsters can reproduce more easily.

The plague of darkness or darkness

This evil, explained in verse 21-29, occurred when God asked Moses to stretch his hands up; thus it would bring total darkness to the Egyptian people. According to the scriptures, this darkness was very heavy, so it could be physically perceived.

This darkness lasted for three days, although the scriptures assure that there was clarity in the rooms of the Hebrews.

Pharaoh told Moses that he would let the Israelites go if the darkness were removed from Egypt; however, he would only let the Hebrews go if they left him their livestock. Moses did not like this condition, so he did not accept.

Spiritual meaning

This plague is perhaps the most significant of all, since it was a direct damage to the pharaoh because Ra was the deity that represented the Sun, and the Egyptian ruler was related to this god. Furthermore, Ra was the father of all gods and the supreme judge.

Scientific explanation

This darkness can be explained by two possible theories: the first is that it could be due to the volcano's ash, which darkened the skies. The second theory indicates that it could have been a solar eclipse. Indeed, in the year 1223 a. C. a phenomenon of this type took place.

The exterminating angel

This was the last plague of Egypt and is detailed in Exodus 11 and 12. This evil ended all the first-born of the country, since they were killed by an angel of death sent by God.

Before unleashing this last plague, God commanded his Israelites to dye their doors with lamb's blood; in this way, the angel of death would not touch any Hebrew firstborn.

This dark entity spread throughout Egypt, taking the lives of all those firstborn whose homes had not been marked with the blood of lamb.

For this reason, the son of the pharaoh also passed away. This was the final blow for the president, since after this he let the Israelites go freely, who embarked free with Moses towards the desert.

Spiritual meaning

This plague was directed towards three main deities: Isis, one of the most important goddesses in Egyptian mythology, since her main focus was motherhood and caring for the sick; Osiris, god of death and protector of the deceased; and Horus, the firstborn of Osiris and Isis, who is depicted as a child.

Scientific explanation

According to a study carried out in 2003 and published in Clinical Microbiology Reviews, due to the toxins released by red algae - which can be very lethal - wheat grains were contaminated.

The scientist John Marr established that the first-born Egyptians were in charge of collecting and distributing the grains; For this reason, they were the most exposed to the so-called exterminating angel or angel of death. This could explain the tenth plague, one of the most difficult to understand.

References

1. (SA) (2017) The 10 plagues of Moses, explained by science. Retrieved on April 29, 2019 from the Diario El Español: elespanol.com
2. (SA) (nd.) Ten plagues of Egypt. Retrieved on April 29, 2019 from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia: es.wikipedia.org
3. (SA) (nd) The plagues of Egypt and their spiritual significance. Retrieved on April 29, 2019 from Restauración a las Naciones: restorationnations.com
4. (SA) (sf) The Plagues of Egypt. Retrieved on April 29, 2019 from Biblical Lessons for children: bautistas.org.ar
5. (SA) (nd) Plagues of Egypt. Retrieved on April 29, 2019 from Bibletodo: bibliatodo.com
6. López, G. (2018) The scientific explanation of the biblical plagues that struck Egypt. Retrieved on April 29, 2019 from Cultura Colectiva: culturacolectiva.com