Reference: Plague
American
See PESTILENCE.
Easton
a "stroke" of affliction, or disease. Sent as a divine chastisement (Nu 11:33; 14:37; 16:46-49; 2Sa 24:21). Painful afflictions or diseases, (Le 13:3,5,30; 1Ki 8:37), or severe calamity (Mr 5:29; Lu 7:21), or the judgment of God, so called (Ex 9:14). Plagues of Egypt were ten in number.
(1.) The river Nile was turned into blood, and the fish died, and the river stank, so that the Egyptians loathed to drink of the river (Ex 7:14-25).
(2.) The plague of frogs (Ex 8:1-15).
(3.) The plague of lice (Heb kinnim, properly gnats or mosquitoes; comp. Ps 78:45; 105:31), "out of the dust of the land" (Ex 8:16-19).
(4.) The plague of flies (Heb arob, rendered by the LXX. dog-fly), Ex 8:21-24.
(5.) The murrain (Ex 9:1-7), or epidemic pestilence which carried off vast numbers of cattle in the field. Warning was given of its coming.
(6.) The sixth plague, of "boils and blains," like the third, was sent without warning (Ex 9:8-12). It is called (De 28:27) "the botch of Egypt," A.V.; but in R.V., "the boil of Egypt." "The magicians could not stand before Moses" because of it.
(7.) The plague of hail, with fire and thunder (Ex 9:13-33). Warning was given of its coming. (Comp. Ps 18:13; 105:32-33).
(8.) The plague of locusts, which covered the whole face of the earth, so that the land was darkened with them (Ex 10:12-15). The Hebrew name of this insect, arbeh, points to the "multitudinous" character of this visitation. Warning was given before this plague came.
(9.) After a short interval the plague of darkness succeeded that of the locusts; and it came without any special warning (Ex 10:21-29). The darkness covered "all the land of Egypt" to such an extent that "they saw not one another." It did not, however, extend to the land of Goshen.
(10.) The last and most fearful of these plagues was the death of the first-born of man and of beast (Ex 11:4-5; 12:29-30). The exact time of the visitation was announced, "about midnight", which would add to the horror of the infliction. Its extent also is specified, from the first-born of the king to the first-born of the humblest slave, and all the first-born of beasts. But from this plague the Hebrews were completely exempted. The Lord "put a difference" between them and the Egyptians. (See Passover.)
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Jehovah will say to Moses, Pharaoh's heart was heavy; he refused to send forth the people. Go to Pharaoh in the morning; behold, he will go forth to the water, and standing to meet him at the lip of the river: and the rod which was turned into a serpent thou shalt take in thy hand. read more. And say to him, Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to thee, saying, Send forth my people, and they shall serve me in the desert: and behold, thou didst not hear until now. Thus said Jehovah, In this thou shalt know that I am Jehovah: Behold me smiting with the rod which is in my hand upon the waters that in the river, and they were turned into blood. And the fish which is in the river shall die, and the river be loathsome: and the Egyptians labored in vain to drink the water from the river. And Jehovah will speak to Moses, Say to Aaron, Take thy rod and stretch out thy hand over the waters of Egypt. upon their rivers, upon their canals, and upon their pools, and upon all the collections of their waters, and they shall be blood: and blood was in all the land of Egypt, and in wood, and in stones. And Moses and Aaron will do so as Jehovah commanded; and he will lift up the rod and will smite the water which is in the river, in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants; and all the waters which are in the river shall be turned to blood. And the fish which was in the river died; and the river will be loathsome; and the Egyptians will not be able to drink the water from the river: and the blood will be upon all the land of Egypt And the sacred scribes of Egypt will do so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh's heart will be strong, and he heard not to them as Jehovah spake. And Pharaoh will turn and will go to his house, and he did not set his heart also to this And all the Egyptians will dig round about the river for water to drink; for they will not be able to drink from the water of the river. And seven days will be filled up after Jehovah struck the river.
And Jehovah will say to Moses, Go to Pharaoh and say to him, So said Jehovah, Send forth my people, and they shall serve me. And if thou refusest to send forth, behold, I smite all thy bounds with read more. And the river abounded with frogs, and they went up and came into thy house, and into the chamber of thy bed, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading troughs: And upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants shall the frogs go up. And Jehovah will say to Moses, Say to Aaron, Stretch forth thy hand with thy rod upon the rivers, and upon the canal; and upon the pools, and bring up frogs upon the land of Egypt, And Aaron will stretch forth his hand upon the waters of Egypt; and the frog will come up and will cover the land of Egypt And the sacred scribes will do so with their charms; and they will bring up frogs upon the land of Egypt And Pharaoh will call to Moses and to Aaron, and will say, Pray to Jehovah, and he will remove the frogs from me and from my people: and I will send forth the people and they shall sacrifice to Jehovah. And Moses will say to Pharaoh, Be honored over me: at what time shall I pray for thee and for thy servants and for thy people, to cut off the frogs from thee and from thy houses, only in the river shall they remain? And he will say, To-morrow. And he will say, According to thy word: for thou shalt know, that there is not as Jehovah our God. And the frogs shall turn away from thee and from thy houses and from thy servants and from thy people; only in the river shall they remain. And Moses will go forth and Aaron from Pharaoh; and Moses will cry to Jehovah, for the word of the frogs which he set against Pharaoh. And Jehovah will do according to the word of Moses, and the frogs will die out of the houses, out of the villages and out of the fields. And they will gather them together, heaps, heaps: and the land will be loathsome. And Pharaoh will see that there was enlargement, and he made his heart heavy, and he heard not to them; as Jehovah spake. And Jehovah will say to Moses, Say to Aaron, Stretch forth thy rod and smite the dust of the earth, and it shall be for gnats upon all the land of Egypt And they will do so; and Aaron will stretch forth his hand with his rod, and will smite the dust of the earth, and it will be gnats upon man and in quadrupeds: all the dust of the earth was gnats upon all the land of Egypt And the sacred scribes will do so with their enchantments to bring forth gnats, and they will not be able: and there will be gnats upon man and upon quadrupeds. And the sacred scribes will say to Pharaoh, This the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart will be strengthened, and he heard not to them: as Jehovah said.
For if thou sendest not my people forth, behold me sending upon thee and upon thy servants, and upon thy people and upon thy houses, the gad-fly: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with the gad-fly, and also the land which they are upon it And I separated in that day the land of Goshen, which my people stood upon it, for no gad-fly to be there; that thou shalt know that I am Jehovah in the midst of the earth. read more. And I put a redemption between my people and between thy people; and in the morrow shall be this sign. And Jehovah will do so; and the gad-fly will come forth a multitude into the house of Pharaoh and the house of his servants, and into all the land of Egypt: and the land will be destroyed from before the gad-fly.
And Jehovah will say to Moses, Go to Pharaoh, and speak to him, Thus said Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, Send forth my people and they shall serve me. For if thou refusest to send forth, but yet thou holdest fast upon them, read more. Behold, the hand of Jehovah is upon thy cattle which are in the field; upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen and upon the sheep: death exceedingly heavy. And Jehovah separated between the cattle of Israel and between the cattle of Egypt: and nothing shall die from all the sons of Israel, spoken of And Jehovah will set an appointment, saying, To-morrow Jehovah will do this word in the land. And Jehovah will do this word in the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt will die: and from the cattle of the sons of Israel, not one died. And Pharaoh will send, and behold, from the cattle of Israel, there died not even one And the heart of Pharaoh will be heavy, and he sent not forth the people. And Jehovah will say to Moses and to Aaron, Take to you your two fists full of ashes of the furnace; and Moses sprinkled it towards the heavens in the eyes of Pharaoh. And it was for dust upon all the land of Egypt, and it was upon man, and upon quadruped for a burning sore breaking forth with pustules over all the land of Egypt And they will take ashes of the furnace and will stand before Pharaoh; and Moses will sprinkle it towards the heavens; and it will be a burning sore, breaking forth with pustules upon man and upon quadruped. And the sacred scribes will not be able to stand before Moses on account of the burning sore: for the burning sore was upon the sacred scribes, and in all Egypt And Jehovah will bind fast the heart of Pharaoh, and he heard not to them: as Jehovah spake to Moses. And Jehovah will say to Moses, Rise early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, Thus said Jehovah, the God of the Hebrews, Send forth my people, and they shall serve me. For in this time I send all my plagues into thy heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people: so that thou shalt know that there is not as I in all the earth.
For in this time I send all my plagues into thy heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people: so that thou shalt know that there is not as I in all the earth. For now I sent forth my hand, and surely I will smite thee and thy people with death; and thou shalt be destroyed from the earth. read more. And yet for this I raised thee up in order to cause thee to see my strength; and for the sake of declaring my name in all the earth. As yet lifting up thyself against my people not to send them forth? Behold, I rain at this time to-morrow, hail exceedingly heavy, which was not as this in Egypt from the day it was founded even now. And now send forth to secure thy cattle, and all which is to thee in the field: every man and quadruped which shall be found in the field, and shall not be gathered together to the house, and the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die. He fearing the word of Jehovah from the servants of Pharaoh, caused his servants to flee, and his cattle to the houses. And he who set not his heart to the word of Jehovah, will leave his servants and his cattle in the field. And Jehovah will say to Moses, Stretch forth thy hand toward the heavens, and there shall be hail upon all the land of Egypt, upon man and upon quadruped, and upon the green herb of the field in the land of Egypt And Moses will stretch forth his rod towards the heavens, and Jehovah gave voices, and hail; and fire will go upon the earth: and Jehovah will rain hail upon the land of Egypt And there will be hail and fire taking hold in the midst of the hail, exceedingly heavy, which was not as this upon all the land of Egypt from the time it was for a nation. And the hail will strike in all the land of Egypt, all which is in the field, from man, and even to quadruped, and every green herb of the field; the hail smote and broke in pieces every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, there were the sons of Israel, was no hail. And Pharaoh will send and call for Moses and for Aaron, and will say to them, I sinned this time: Jehovah is just, and I and my people unjust Pray ye to Jehovah and much, from there being voices of God and hail; and I will send you forth, and ye shall not add to stand. And Moses will say to him, When I have gone forth from the city, I will spread forth my hands to Jehovah; the voices shall cease, and the hail shall be no more; for thou shalt know that to Jehovah is the earth. And thou and thy servants, I knew that ye will not yet fear from before Jehovah God. And the flax and the barley were struck: for the barley was ripe, and the flax high. And the wheat and spelt were not struck, for they were late. And Moses will go forth from Pharaoh out of the city, and he will spread forth his hands to Jehovah, and the voices will cease; and the hail and the rain was not poured upon the earth.
And Jehovah will say to Moses, Stretch forth thy hand upon the land of Egypt, with the locust, and it will come up upon the land of Egypt; and it shall eat every green herb of the land, all which the hail left And Moses will stretch forth his rod upon the land of Egypt, and Jehovah drove an east wind upon the earth, all that day and all the night: it was,morning, and the east wind raised up the locust read more. And the locust will come up upon all the land of Egypt, and it will rest in all the bounds of Egypt exceeding many: before it was there no locust thus like it, and after it, it shall not be thus. And it will cover the eye of all the earth, and the land will be dark; and it will eat every green herb of the land, and all the fruit of the tree which the hail left: and not a green thing was left in the tree, and in the green herb of the field, in all the land of Egypt
And Jehovah will say to Moses, Stretch forth thy hand towards the heavens, and darkness shall be upon the land of Egypt, and the darkness shall be felt And Moses will stretch forth his hand toward the heavens, and there shall be thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days. read more. They saw not a man his brother, and they rose not up each from his lower part, three days: and to all the sons of Israel there was light in their dwellings. And Pharaoh will call to Moses, and will say, Go ye, serve Jehovah: only your sheep and your oxen shall be left; also your little ones shall go with you. And Moses will say, Thou also shalt give into our hand sacrifices and burnt-offerings, and we sacrificed to Jehovah our God. And also our cattle shall go with us; a hoof shall not be left; for from us we shall take to serve Jehovah our God; and we shall not know what we shall serve Jehovah till we come there. And Jehovah will bind fast the heart of Pharaoh, and he not being willing to send them forth. And Pharaoh will say to him, Go from me, watch to thyself; thou shalt not add to see my face, for in the day of thy seeing my face thou shalt die. And Moses will say, Thou spakest well: I will no more add to see thy face.
And Moses will say, Thus said Jehovah, About the middle of the night I will go forth into the midst of Egypt And every first-born in the land of Egypt shall die, from the first-born of Pharaoh sitting upon his throne, even to the first-born of the maid which is behind the two mill-stones; and every first-born of quadruped.
And it will be in the middle of the night, and Jehovah struck every firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh sitting upon his throne, to the first-born of the captive which is in the house of the pit; and every first-born of the cattle. And Pharaoh will rise up in the night, he and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there will be a great cry in Egypt: for not a house where there was not the dead there.
And the priest saw the stroke in the skin of the flesh: and the hair in the stroke turned white, and the sight of the stroke deep from the skin of his flesh, it is the stroke of leprosy: and the priest saw him and defiled him.
And the priest saw him in the seventh day: and behold, the stroke stood; in his eyes, the stroke spread not in the skin, and the priest shut him up the second seven days.
And the priest saw the stroke, and behold, its sight deep from the skin, and in it thin, yellow hair; and the priest defiled him: it a scall, it a leprosy of the head, or of the beard.
And the flesh yet between their teeth, before it shall be withdrawn and the anger of Jehovah was kindled against the people, and Jehovah will smite upon them an exceeding great blow.
And the men bringing forth evil slander of the land shall die by the blow before Jehovah.
And Moses will say to Aaron, Take a censer and give upon it fire from off the altar, and put incense, and go quickly to the assembly, and expiate for them: for anger went forth from before Jehovah; for it began smiting. And Aaron will take as Moses spake, and he will run into the midst of the assembly; and behold, it began smiting among the people: and he will give incense and will expiate for the people. read more. And he will stand between the dead and between the living; and the smiting will be withheld. And they dying in the smiting will be fourteen thousand and seven hundred, besides they dying for the words of Korah.
Jehovah shall strike thee with the burning sore of Egypt, and with tumors, and with scratching, and with the itch of which thou shalt not be able to be healed.
And Jehovah will thunder in the heavens, and the Most High will give his voice; hail and coals of fire.
He will send forth among them the gad-fly, and they shall devour them; and frogs, and they shall destroy them.
He said, and the gad-fly will come, and gnats in all their bounds. He gave their rain hail, a fire of flames in their land. read more. And he will strike their vine and their fig trees, and he will break the tree of their bound.
And quickly the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she knew in the body that she is healed from the plague.
And in that same hour he cured many of diseases, and scourges, and evil spirits, and to many blind he conferred the favor to see.
Fausets
deber, "destruction." Any sudden, severe, and dangerous disease. Maweth," death," i.e. deadly disease; so "the black death" of the middle ages. Nega', "a stroke" from God, as leprosy (Leviticus 13). Mageephah, qeteb, "pestilence" (Ps 91:6), "that walketh in darkness," i.e. mysterious, sudden, severe, especially in the night, in the absence of the light and heat of the sun. Rosheph, "flame," i.e. burning fever; compare Hab 3:5 margin (See EGYPT and EXODUS on the ten plagues.)
A close connection exists between the ordinary physical visitations of Egypt and those whereby Pharaoh was constrained to let Israel go. It attests the sacred author's accurate acquaintance with the phenomena of the land which was the scene of his history. "The supernatural presents in Scripture generally no violent opposition to the natural, but rather unites in a friendly alliance with it" (Hengstenberg). A special reason why in this case the natural background of the miracles should appear was in order to show that Jehovah was God of Egypt as much as of Israel, and rules "in the midst of the earth" (Ex 8:22)
By exhibiting Jehovah through Moses at will bringing on with unusual intensity, and withdrawing in answer to intercession at once and completely, the well known Egyptian periodical scourges which their superstition attributed to false gods, Jehovah was proved more effectively to be supreme than He could have been by inflicting some new and strange visitation. The plagues were upon Egypt's idols, the Nile water, the air, the frog, the cow, the beetle, etc., as Jehovah saith (Ex 12:12), "against all the gods of Egypt will I execute judgment" (Ex 18:11; 15:11; Nu 33:4). Ten is significant of completeness, the full flood of God's wrath upon the God-opposed world power. The magicians initiate no plague; in producing the same plague by their enchantments (which seem real, as demoniacal powers have exerted themselves in each crisis of the kingdom of God) as Moses by God's word, they only increase the visitation upon themselves. The plagues as they progress prove:
(1) Jehovah's infinite power over Egypt's deified powers of nature. The first stroke affects the very source of the nation's life, the Nile; then the soil (the dust producing the plague); then the irrigating canals breeding flies.
(2) The difference marked between Israel and Egypt; the cattle, the crops, the furnaces (wherein Israel was worn with bondage) represent all the industrial resources of the nation. The stroke on the firstborn was the crowning one, altogether supernatural, whereas the others were intensifications of existing scourges. The firstborn, usually selected for worship, is now the object of the stroke. The difference marked all along from the third plague was most marked in that on the firstborn (Ex 11:7). The plague was national, the firstborn representing Egypt: Isa 43:3, "I gave Egypt for thy ransom."
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And I separated in that day the land of Goshen, which my people stood upon it, for no gad-fly to be there; that thou shalt know that I am Jehovah in the midst of the earth.
And against all the sons of Israel, a dog shall not sharpen his tongue, from man and even to cattle: so that ye shall know that Jehovah will separate between Egypt and between IsraeL
And I passed over in the land of Egypt in this night, and I struck every first-born in the land of Egypt from man even to quadruped: and against all the gods of Egypt I will do judgments: I Jehovah.
Who like thee among the gods, O Jehovah? who like thee magnified in in holiness, wonderful in praise, doing a wonder?
Now I knew that Jehovah is great above all gods; for in the word they acted proudly over them.
And the Egyptians burying whom Jehovah smote among them, all the first-born: and upon their gods Jehovah did judgments.
From the word that shall go in darkness: from the cutting off that shall lay waste the noon-day.
For I Jehovah thy God, the Holy One of Israel, saving thee: I gave Egypt expiating thee, Cush and Seba instead of thee.
Before his face shall go the word, and a flame will go forth at his feet.