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The
Ten Plagues
Moses and Aaron repeatedly come
before Pharaoh to demand in the name
of G-d, "Let My people go, so that
they may serve Me in the
wilderness." Pharaoh repeatedly
refuses. Aaron's staff turns into a
snake and swallows the magic sticks
of the Egyptian sorcerers.
Pharaoh still refuses to let the
Jews go. Moses warns him that G-d
will smite Egypt. Pharaoh remains
impervious. G-d begins to send a
series of plagues upon the
Egyptians. In the throes of each
plague, Pharaoh promises to let the
Children of Israel go; but he
reneges the moment the affliction is
removed.
1) Aaron strikes the Nile, the
waters turn to blood;
2) Swarms of frogs overrun the land;
3) Lice infest all men and beasts.
Still, Pharaoh remains stubborn;
4) Hordes of wild animals invade the
cities,
5) a pestilence kills the domestic
animals,
6) painful boils afflict the
Egyptians.
7) Fire and ice combine to descend
from the skies as a devastating
hail. Still, "the heart of Pharaoh
was hardened and he would not let
the children of Israel go; as G-d
had said to Moses."
The people of Egypt have suffered
too much. They beg Pharaoh to let
the Jews go. When Moses comes to
warn Pharaoh of the eighth plague,
Pharaoh says: You say that you want
to go serve your G-d? I'll let the
men go, as long as the women and
children stay behind. No, says
Moses, we must all go, men women and
children, cattle and herds. Pharaoh
once again refuses.
The next plagues descends upon
Egypt.
8) a swarm of locusts devours all
the crops and greenery;
9) a thick, palpable darkness
envelops the land.
The Israelites are instructed to
bring a "Passover offering" to G-d:
a lamb or kid is to be slaughtered
and its blood sprinkled on the
doorposts and lintel of every
Israelite home, so that G-d should
pass over these homes when He comes
to kill the Egyptian firstborn. The
roasted meat of the offering is to
be eaten that night together with
matzah (unleavened bread) and bitter
herbs.
Then G-d brings the tenth plague
upon Egypt,
10) all the firstborn of Egypt are
killed at the stroke of midnight of
the 15th of the month of Nissan. |
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