The ancient rabbis said that the ten plagues were plagues against the Egyptians and against their "gods." The plagues were also there also to teach humans something.
Here are the first four plagues in Exodus:
1. the river (Nile) turned into blood. (7:14-25)
a. the fish die
b. river becomes "foul"
c. included all water in Egypt including vessels to hold and drink
d. necromancers repeated the same "trick"
e. Pharaoh's heart was strong
f. lasted seven(7) days.
Human element: G-d told Moses had Aaron stretch out his staff
2. frogs on the land. (8:1-11)
a. necromancers repeated the same "trick"
b. Pharaoh agreed to let Israel go until plague ended
c. frogs died and made the land stink
d. Pharaoh recanted the "liberation"
Human element: G-d told Moses had Aaron stretch out his staff
3. dust became lice(8:12-15)
a. lice on man and animal
b. sorcerers tried to repeat the same "trick, but failed"
c. sorcerers called plague "finger of G-d"
d. Pharaoh's heart was strong
Human element: G-d told Moses had Aaron stretch out his staff
4. swarm of wild beasts [usually translated as flies](8:16)
a. all animals effected except
b. Goshen,where Israel settled, was spared
c. Pharaoh agreed to let Israel make offering in Egypt
d. Moses refused because Israel's offering (lamb or baby goat) was an Egypt "deity" and feared Egyptian reaction
e. Moses suggested three day journey
f. Pharaoh said, not that far
g. Pharaoh's heart was strong
Human element: G-d told Moses, who was told to rise up early
1. What are G-d's teachings with each plague?
2. Was the human element important?
3. What was Pharaoh's reaction?
4. How were Pharoah's magicians important?
5. What is the significance of Pharaoh' repeated reaction?
6. Other than the fear of Egyptians stoning what was "wrong" with Pharaoh's "compromise?"
7. Egyptian animals were normally hereded in Goshen, yet Israeli herds didn't suffer. Why?
8. What was the significance of Moses getting up early?
9. Does man control nature? Is it major? Is man control of nature always positive or negative?
Finally was it "fair" to "harden Pharaoh' heart?
Next week: plagues 5-7
I am sorry
But I have absolutely no idea of what point you are making.
Nor meeeow,
and I'm usually rather purr-ceptive...
The Ten Plagues: The First Four
Harden Pharaoh' heart? Does that not take away his CHOICE? Do we not have FREE WILL?
May Your Light Forever Shine
Many will agree and disagree
That's one of the biggest arguements of all. Of course, it's moot.
Portia
A Habit, Not a Hobbit
At the beginning of the story of the plagues Pharaoh has the choice to follow Moses's request. As Pharaoh continues to prevent Israel's liberation then it became a habit. Then there is no choice. G-d has harden Pharaoh's heart.
Just so you know your question has been debated for over 3000 years. I have given you just one explanation. Very good.
Hardening....
...in some ways, the narrative resembles or perhaps even inspired some similar passages; an irony which almost indicates an exasperated parent who says, "Fine...you want to be that way, then go ahead." Instead of causing Pharaoh's heart to harden there's just no attempt to Pharaoh from having his own way; no excuse when he's proven wrong time after time in his choice to keep Israel enslaved?
Love, Andrea Lena
No.
How a being that is supposedly infinitely merciful and good could murder and wilfully cause suffering to innocents as vengeance against the actions of one man is beyond me. It is fascinating how much murder, rape, and genocide is okayed or actively carried out by God. None of these actions are okay. In answer to your question, no; nothing that occurred here was fair or just.
Seems like god needed to
Seems like god needed to brag. I'm better than the sorcerors of the egyptian gods. I can wreck greater plagues over humanity.
I don't really know what to think about the moses stretched out his staff bits. That seems more like a magic ritual than something a real god would need. I'd think it would be more impressive if he'd just gone to the Pharao and told him what would happen if he didn't fullfill his wishes.
Well just my opinion,
Beyogi
The Ten Plagues - the First Four
It is not my intention to start a religious or political discussion that could, (and probably would) be detrimental to this site, so please don't take it that way. After all, a discussion of religion and politics is not the purpose of this site, nor should it be, so please keep your stories coming!!!! I offer the following as a true historical background of the beginning of the Jewish nation, that you authors can use to build your own fictional universes (and there are already many good ones on this site).
There is more behind these plagues than seems apparent to the casual reader of the Bible. The Jews (Hebrews, or Abraham's Children, as they came to be known), were at THIS time still led by GOD, and not by man. In fact, they were ALWAYS led by GOD and not by man if you will continue reading and studying this early history of the JEWS (read the history of the JEWS in what they now call the Books of History). What was happening in Egypt at this time was prior to GOD giving the children of ISRAEL (the Jews, and Hebrews) all the laws, including the Ten Commandments, they needed to become a nation, and not a large number of people in subjection of other rulers, who were NOT PART OF THE HEBREW NATION ( Jews ). God sent these plagues to not only free them from Egyptian Bondage, but also to prepare them for a Law to govern them until the Death of Christ on the Cross. Deuteronomy is the final speech of Moses to God's People (THE JEWS, OR HEBREWS), and is a summation of those laws. Please note that these laws were given as a way to live their lives, and WERE NOT A LAW OF FORGIVENESS of sins. The laws given in the first five books of what we (everyone) now know as the OLD TESTAMENT were given ONLY to the Jews and to no other peoples. In short, even though it may appear that God is NOT what we think of as a GOD, in reality He was preparing His People to be a nation by ultimately giving them a set of LAWS by which they could govern themselves, instead of being governed by the dictates of MAN which were not consistent among Nations. This law gave the JEWS a law that would guide them regardless of what nation was currently ruling them, and obeying these laws caused them to be BLESSED by GOD, or REJECTED by GOD as their circumstances dictated --- if they obeyed these laws, they were blessed; if they disobeyed the laws given them by GOD, GOD rejected them until they changed their ways, and began obeying Him again.
The plagues were the necessary prelude to the Giving of God's Law thru Moses, to the Children of Israel (the JEWS, OR HEBREWS, if you will). The plagues separated the laws of Man governing them, from the Laws of God which guided them until the death of Christ on the cross.
As an afterthought, it will be interesting to see what the beginning writer of this series has in mind. Perhaps a TG story? Or ???.... And from this point forward, there is plenty of potential for fictional TG stories to be told. So what can you authors come up with???
Don't let someone else talk you out of your dreams. How can we have dreams come true, if we have no dreams?
Katrina Gayle "Stormy" Storm
eer... no
Edit: sorry i thought this was something else
Why this is important
Freedom isn't free. To obtain, and sometimes keep it it takes: "blood, sweat and tears." (Winston Churchill, 13 May 1940). It is the same story over and over. The American Revolution and its Civil war are just examples in one country. It is the reqason the U S and the British Epire fought in WWII. It is the reason for the liberation in almost every country on this planet. As Abraham Lincoln said in his second inaugural speech, "Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword,...".
Now, look into each plague and try to see "why this plague?" what did it prove.
It's OK, Shalimar,
You can say God! This comes from a Protestant who has found God at High Mass and Temple and tent meetings! We each have a little different slant on Him or call Him by different names, but I'm convinced that we're all talking to the same God!
Shalimar, You keep writing what you want. Some readers won't get it, but that's OK. It's only important that you get it.
Ole
We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!
Gender rights are the new civil rights!