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Save "Bo ~ 4 ways of understanding the 10 plagues"
Bo ~ 4 ways of understanding the 10 plagues

אֵלּוּ עֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת שֶׁהֵבִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל־הַמִּצְרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם, וְאֵלוּ הֵן:

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דָּם

צְפַרְדֵּעַ

כִּנִּים

עָרוֹב

דֶּבֶר

שְׁחִין

בָּרָד

אַרְבֶּה

חשֶׁךְ

מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת

These are [the] ten plagues that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought on the Egyptians in Egypt and they are:

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Blood

Frogs

Lice

[The] Mixture [of Wild Animals]

Pestilence

Boils

Hail

Locusts

Darkness

Slaying of [the] Firstborn

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה הָיָה נוֹתֵן בָּהֶם סִמָּנִים:

דְּצַ"ךְ

עַדַ"שׁ

בְּאַחַ"ב.

Rabbi Yehuda was accustomed to giving [the plagues] mnemonics: Detsakh [the Hebrew initials of the first three plagues], Adash [the Hebrew initials of the second three plagues], Beachav [the Hebrew initials of the last four plagues].

~ What is strange about the practice of Rabbi Yehuda?

(ה) וְגַ֣ם ׀ אֲנִ֣י שָׁמַ֗עְתִּי אֶֽת־נַאֲקַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר מִצְרַ֖יִם מַעֲבִדִ֣ים אֹתָ֑ם וָאֶזְכֹּ֖ר אֶת־בְּרִיתִֽי׃ (ו) לָכֵ֞ן אֱמֹ֥ר לִבְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֮ אֲנִ֣י ה' וְהוֹצֵאתִ֣י אֶתְכֶ֗ם מִתַּ֙חַת֙ סִבְלֹ֣ת מִצְרַ֔יִם וְהִצַּלְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מֵעֲבֹדָתָ֑ם וְגָאַלְתִּ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ בִּזְר֣וֹעַ נְטוּיָ֔ה וּבִשְׁפָטִ֖ים גְּדֹלִֽים׃ (ז) וְלָקַחְתִּ֨י אֶתְכֶ֥ם לִי֙ לְעָ֔ם וְהָיִ֥יתִי לָכֶ֖ם לֵֽאלֹקִ֑ים וִֽידַעְתֶּ֗ם כִּ֣י אֲנִ֤י ה' אֱלֹ֣קֵיכֶ֔ם הַמּוֹצִ֣יא אֶתְכֶ֔ם מִתַּ֖חַת סִבְל֥וֹת מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(5) I have now heard the moaning of the Israelites because the Egyptians are holding them in bondage, and I have remembered My covenant. (6) Say, therefore, to the Israelite people: I am the LORD. I will free you from the labors of the Egyptians and deliver you from their bondage. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and through extraordinary chastisements. (7) And I will take you to be My people, and I will be your God. And you shall know that I, the LORD, am your God who freed you from the labors of the Egyptians.
(ד) וְלֹֽא־יִשְׁמַ֤ע אֲלֵכֶם֙ פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְנָתַתִּ֥י אֶת־יָדִ֖י בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם וְהוֹצֵאתִ֨י אֶת־צִבְאֹתַ֜י אֶת־עַמִּ֤י בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בִּשְׁפָטִ֖ים גְּדֹלִֽים׃ (ה) וְיָדְע֤וּ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ כִּֽי־אֲנִ֣י ה' בִּנְטֹתִ֥י אֶת־יָדִ֖י עַל־מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהוֹצֵאתִ֥י אֶת־בְּנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִתּוֹכָֽם׃
(4) When Pharaoh does not heed you, I will lay My hand upon Egypt and deliver My ranks, My people the Israelites, from the land of Egypt with extraordinary chastisements. (5) And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand over Egypt and bring out the Israelites from their midst.”

~ What seems to be the reason for the plagues, in these texts?

~ Do you think it worked?

Blood
(יז) כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר ה' בְּזֹ֣את תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֖י אֲנִ֣י ה' הִנֵּ֨ה אָנֹכִ֜י מַכֶּ֣ה ׀ בַּמַּטֶּ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָדִ֗י עַל־הַמַּ֛יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּיְאֹ֖ר וְנֶהֶפְכ֥וּ לְדָֽם׃ (יח) וְהַדָּגָ֧ה אֲשֶׁר־בַּיְאֹ֛ר תָּמ֖וּת וּבָאַ֣שׁ הַיְאֹ֑ר וְנִלְא֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִשְׁתּ֥וֹת מַ֖יִם מִן־הַיְאֹֽר׃ {ס}
(17) Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD.” See, I shall strike the water in the Nile with the rod that is in my hand, and it will be turned into blood; (18) and the fish in the Nile will die. The Nile will stink so that the Egyptians will find it impossible to drink the water of the Nile.’”
Arov [mixture of animals or insects]
(יח) וְהִפְלֵיתִי֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ גֹּ֗שֶׁן אֲשֶׁ֤ר עַמִּי֙ עֹמֵ֣ד עָלֶ֔יהָ לְבִלְתִּ֥י הֱיֽוֹת־שָׁ֖ם עָרֹ֑ב לְמַ֣עַן תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י ה' בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָאָֽרֶץ׃

(18) But on that day I will set apart the region of Goshen, where My people dwell, so that no mixture [of insects] shall be there, that you may know that I the LORD am in the midst of the land.

Hail
(יד) כִּ֣י ׀ בַּפַּ֣עַם הַזֹּ֗את אֲנִ֨י שֹׁלֵ֜חַ אֶת־כׇּל־מַגֵּפֹתַי֙ אֶֽל־לִבְּךָ֔ וּבַעֲבָדֶ֖יךָ וּבְעַמֶּ֑ךָ בַּעֲב֣וּר תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֛י אֵ֥ין כָּמֹ֖נִי בְּכׇל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (טו) כִּ֤י עַתָּה֙ שָׁלַ֣חְתִּי אֶת־יָדִ֔י וָאַ֥ךְ אוֹתְךָ֛ וְאֶֽת־עַמְּךָ֖ בַּדָּ֑בֶר וַתִּכָּחֵ֖ד מִן־הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (טז) וְאוּלָ֗ם בַּעֲב֥וּר זֹאת֙ הֶעֱמַדְתִּ֔יךָ בַּעֲב֖וּר הַרְאֹתְךָ֣ אֶת־כֹּחִ֑י וּלְמַ֛עַן סַפֵּ֥ר שְׁמִ֖י בְּכׇל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
(14) For this time I will send all My plagues upon your person, and your courtiers, and your people, in order that you may know that there is none like Me in all the world. (15) I could have stretched forth My hand and stricken you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been effaced from the earth. (16) Nevertheless I have spared you for this purpose: in order to show you My power, and in order that My fame may resound throughout the world.
Locusts
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה כִּֽי־אֲנִ֞י הִכְבַּ֤דְתִּי אֶת־לִבּוֹ֙ וְאֶת־לֵ֣ב עֲבָדָ֔יו לְמַ֗עַן שִׁתִ֛י אֹתֹתַ֥י אֵ֖לֶּה בְּקִרְבּֽוֹ׃ (ב) וּלְמַ֡עַן תְּסַפֵּר֩ בְּאׇזְנֵ֨י בִנְךָ֜ וּבֶן־בִּנְךָ֗ אֵ֣ת אֲשֶׁ֤ר הִתְעַלַּ֙לְתִּי֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וְאֶת־אֹתֹתַ֖י אֲשֶׁר־שַׂ֣מְתִּי בָ֑ם וִֽידַעְתֶּ֖ם כִּי־אֲנִ֥י ה'׃
(1) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh. For I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his courtiers, in order that I may display these My signs among them, (2) and that you may recount in the hearing of your child and of your child’s child how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I displayed My signs among them—in order that you may know that I am the LORD.”

~ What are the purposes of the plagues in these texts?

~ What makes sense about how Rabbi Yehuda divided the plagues, looking at the first three texts?

(י) וּפַרְעֹ֖ה הִקְרִ֑יב וַיִּשְׂאוּ֩ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֨ל אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶ֜ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה מִצְרַ֣יִם ׀ נֹסֵ֣עַ אַחֲרֵיהֶ֗ם וַיִּֽירְאוּ֙ מְאֹ֔ד וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֶל־ה'׃ (יא) וַיֹּאמְרוּ֮ אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֒ הֲֽמִבְּלִ֤י אֵין־קְבָרִים֙ בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם לְקַחְתָּ֖נוּ לָמ֣וּת בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר מַה־זֹּאת֙ עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔נוּ לְהוֹצִיאָ֖נוּ מִמִּצְרָֽיִם׃ (יב) הֲלֹא־זֶ֣ה הַדָּבָ֗ר אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבַּ֨רְנוּ אֵלֶ֤יךָ בְמִצְרַ֙יִם֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר חֲדַ֥ל מִמֶּ֖נּוּ וְנַֽעַבְדָ֣ה אֶת־מִצְרָ֑יִם כִּ֣י ט֥וֹב לָ֙נוּ֙ עֲבֹ֣ד אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם מִמֻּתֵ֖נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃
(10) As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites caught sight of the Egyptians advancing upon them. Greatly frightened, the Israelites cried out to the LORD. (11) And they said to Moses, “Was it for want of graves in Egypt that you brought us to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, taking us out of Egypt? (12) Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us be, and we will serve the Egyptians, for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness’?”
(כה) וַיָּ֗סַר אֵ֚ת אֹפַ֣ן מַרְכְּבֹתָ֔יו וַֽיְנַהֲגֵ֖הוּ בִּכְבֵדֻ֑ת וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מִצְרַ֗יִם אָנ֙וּסָה֙ מִפְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּ֣י ה' נִלְחָ֥ם לָהֶ֖ם בְּמִצְרָֽיִם׃ {פ}
(כו) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה נְטֵ֥ה אֶת־יָדְךָ֖ עַל־הַיָּ֑ם וְיָשֻׁ֤בוּ הַמַּ֙יִם֙ עַל־מִצְרַ֔יִם עַל־רִכְבּ֖וֹ וְעַל־פָּרָשָֽׁיו׃ (כז) וַיֵּט֩ מֹשֶׁ֨ה אֶת־יָד֜וֹ עַל־הַיָּ֗ם וַיָּ֨שׇׁב הַיָּ֜ם לִפְנ֥וֹת בֹּ֙קֶר֙ לְאֵ֣יתָנ֔וֹ וּמִצְרַ֖יִם נָסִ֣ים לִקְרָאת֑וֹ וַיְנַעֵ֧ר ה' אֶת־מִצְרַ֖יִם בְּת֥וֹךְ הַיָּֽם׃
(25) He locked the wheels of their chariots so that they moved forward with difficulty. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from the Israelites, for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.” (26) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Hold out your arm over the sea, that the waters may come back upon the Egyptians and upon their chariots and upon their horsemen.” (27) Moses held out his arm over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal state, and the Egyptians fled at its approach. But the LORD hurled the Egyptians into the sea.
(ל) וַיּ֨וֹשַׁע ה' בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֛וּא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל מִיַּ֣ד מִצְרָ֑יִם וַיַּ֤רְא יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶת־מִצְרַ֔יִם מֵ֖ת עַל־שְׂפַ֥ת הַיָּֽם׃ (לא) וַיַּ֨רְא יִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל אֶת־הַיָּ֣ד הַגְּדֹלָ֗ה אֲשֶׁ֨ר עָשָׂ֤ה ה' בְּמִצְרַ֔יִם וַיִּֽירְא֥וּ הָעָ֖ם אֶת־ה' וַיַּֽאֲמִ֙ינוּ֙ בַּֽה' וּבְמֹשֶׁ֖ה עַבְדּֽוֹ׃ {פ}
(30) Thus the LORD delivered Israel that day from the Egyptians. Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the shore of the sea. (31) And when Israel saw the wondrous power which the LORD had wielded against the Egyptians, the people feared the LORD; they had faith in the LORD and His servant Moses.

~ Who actually learned the lesson?

The structure of the plagues narrative:

Plague

By whom

With what

Warning

Explanation

Preparation

Blood / Dam

Aharon

Staff

Yes

Yes

“station yourself… morning”

Frogs / Tzfardea

Aharon

Staff

Yes

No

Go to Pharaoh

Lice / Kinim

Aharon

Staff

No

No

Mixture/Arov

God

Yes

Yes

“station yourself… morning”

Disease / Dever

God

Yes

No

Go to Pharaoh

Boils / Shechin

Moshe

Soot

No

No

Hail / Barad

Moshe

Hand

Yes

Yes

“station yourself… morning”

Locusts / Arbeh

Moshe

Hand

Yes

Yes

Go to Pharaoh

Darkness/Hoshech

Moshe

Hand

No

No

Firstborn/Makat Bechorot

God

Yes

No

The structures, pointed out by different sages throughout Jewish history, indicate that the possibility that there was a kernel of reality that got embellished through time.

The Plagues in Psalms
(א) מַשְׂכִּ֗יל לְאָ֫סָ֥ף הַאֲזִ֣ינָה עַ֭מִּי תּוֹרָתִ֑י הַטּ֥וּ אׇ֝זְנְכֶ֗ם לְאִמְרֵי־פִֽי׃ (ב) אֶפְתְּחָ֣ה בְמָשָׁ֣ל פִּ֑י אַבִּ֥יעָה חִ֝יד֗וֹת מִנִּי־קֶֽדֶם׃ (ג) אֲשֶׁ֣ר שָׁ֭מַעְנוּ וַנֵּדָעֵ֑ם וַ֝אֲבוֹתֵ֗ינוּ סִפְּרוּ־לָֽנוּ׃ (ד) לֹ֤א נְכַחֵ֨ד ׀ מִבְּנֵיהֶ֗ם לְד֥וֹר אַחֲר֗וֹן מְֽ֭סַפְּרִים תְּהִלּ֣וֹת ה' וֶעֱזוּז֥וֹ וְ֝נִפְלְאֹתָ֗יו אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָֽׂה׃ (ה) וַיָּ֤קֶם עֵד֨וּת ׀ בְּֽיַעֲקֹ֗ב וְתוֹרָה֮ שָׂ֤ם בְּיִשְׂרָ֫אֵ֥ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִ֭וָּה אֶת־אֲבוֹתֵ֑ינוּ לְ֝הוֹדִיעָ֗ם לִבְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (ו) לְמַ֤עַן יֵדְע֨וּ ׀ דּ֣וֹר אַ֭חֲרוֹן בָּנִ֣ים יִוָּלֵ֑דוּ יָ֝קֻ֗מוּ וִיסַפְּר֥וּ לִבְנֵיהֶֽם׃ (ז) וְיָשִׂ֥ימוּ בֵאלֹקִ֗ים כִּ֫סְלָ֥ם וְלֹ֣א יִ֭שְׁכְּחוּ מַ֥עַלְלֵי־אֵ֑ל וּמִצְוֺתָ֥יו יִנְצֹֽרוּ׃ (ח) וְלֹ֤א יִהְי֨וּ ׀ כַּאֲבוֹתָ֗ם דּוֹר֮ סוֹרֵ֢ר וּמֹ֫רֶ֥ה דּ֭וֹר לֹא־הֵכִ֣ין לִבּ֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־נֶאֶמְנָ֖ה אֶת־אֵ֣ל רוּחֽוֹ׃ (ט) בְּֽנֵי־אֶפְרַ֗יִם נוֹשְׁקֵ֥י רֽוֹמֵי־קָ֑שֶׁת הָ֝פְכ֗וּ בְּי֣וֹם קְרָֽב׃ (י) לֹ֣א שָׁ֭מְרוּ בְּרִ֣ית אֱלֹקִ֑ים וּ֝בְתוֹרָת֗וֹ מֵאֲנ֥וּ לָלֶֽכֶת׃ (יא) וַיִּשְׁכְּח֥וּ עֲלִילוֹתָ֑יו וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו אֲשֶׁ֣ר הֶרְאָֽם׃ (יב) נֶ֣גֶד אֲ֭בוֹתָם עָ֣שָׂה פֶ֑לֶא בְּאֶ֖רֶץ מִצְרַ֣יִם שְׂדֵה־צֹֽעַן׃ (יג) בָּ֣קַע יָ֭ם וַיַּעֲבִירֵ֑ם וַֽיַּצֶּב־מַ֥יִם כְּמוֹ־נֵֽד׃ (יד) וַיַּנְחֵ֣ם בֶּעָנָ֣ן יוֹמָ֑ם וְכׇל־הַ֝לַּ֗יְלָה בְּא֣וֹר אֵֽשׁ׃ (טו) יְבַקַּ֣ע צֻ֭רִים בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַ֝יַּ֗שְׁקְ כִּתְהֹמ֥וֹת רַבָּֽה׃ (טז) וַיּוֹצִ֣א נוֹזְלִ֣ים מִסָּ֑לַע וַיּ֖וֹרֶד כַּנְּהָר֣וֹת מָֽיִם׃ (יז) וַיּוֹסִ֣יפוּ ע֭וֹד לַחֲטֹא־ל֑וֹ לַֽמְר֥וֹת עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן בַּצִּיָּֽה׃ (יח) וַיְנַסּוּ־אֵ֥ל בִּלְבָבָ֑ם לִֽשְׁאׇל־אֹ֥כֶל לְנַפְשָֽׁם׃ (יט) וַֽיְדַבְּר֗וּ בֵּאלֹ֫קִ֥ים אָ֭מְרוּ הֲי֣וּכַל אֵ֑ל לַעֲרֹ֥ךְ שֻׁ֝לְחָ֗ן בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ (כ) הֵ֤ן הִכָּה־צ֨וּר ׀ וַיָּז֣וּבוּ מַיִם֮ וּנְחָלִ֢ים יִ֫שְׁטֹ֥פוּ הֲגַם־לֶ֭חֶם י֣וּכַל תֵּ֑ת אִם־יָכִ֖ין שְׁאֵ֣ר לְעַמּֽוֹ׃ (כא) לָכֵ֤ן ׀ שָׁמַ֥ע ה' וַֽיִּתְעַ֫בָּ֥ר וְ֭אֵשׁ נִשְּׂקָ֣ה בְיַעֲקֹ֑ב וְגַם־אַ֝֗ף עָלָ֥ה בְיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (כב) כִּ֤י לֹ֣א הֶ֭אֱמִינוּ בֵּאלֹקִ֑ים וְלֹ֥א בָ֝טְח֗וּ בִּישֽׁוּעָתֽוֹ׃ (כג) וַיְצַ֣ו שְׁחָקִ֣ים מִמָּ֑עַל וְדַלְתֵ֖י שָׁמַ֣יִם פָּתָֽח׃ (כד) וַיַּמְטֵ֬ר עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם מָ֣ן לֶאֱכֹ֑ל וּדְגַן־שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם נָ֣תַן לָֽמוֹ׃ (כה) לֶ֣חֶם אַ֭בִּירִים אָ֣כַל אִ֑ישׁ צֵידָ֬ה שָׁלַ֖ח לָהֶ֣ם לָשֹֽׂבַע׃ (כו) יַסַּ֣ע קָ֭דִים בַּשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַיְנַהֵ֖ג בְּעֻזּ֣וֹ תֵימָֽן׃ (כז) וַיַּמְטֵ֬ר עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם כֶּעָפָ֣ר שְׁאֵ֑ר וּֽכְח֥וֹל יַ֝מִּ֗ים ע֣וֹף כָּנָֽף׃ (כח) וַ֭יַּפֵּל בְּקֶ֣רֶב מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ סָ֝בִ֗יב לְמִשְׁכְּנֹתָֽיו׃ (כט) וַיֹּאכְל֣וּ וַיִּשְׂבְּע֣וּ מְאֹ֑ד וְ֝תַאֲוָתָ֗ם יָבִ֥א לָהֶֽם׃ (ל) לֹא־זָ֥רוּ מִתַּאֲוָתָ֑ם ע֝֗וֹד אׇכְלָ֥ם בְּפִיהֶֽם׃ (לא) וְאַ֤ף אֱלֹקִ֨ים ׀ עָ֘לָ֤ה בָהֶ֗ם וַֽ֭יַּהֲרֹג בְּמִשְׁמַנֵּיהֶ֑ם וּבַחוּרֵ֖י יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל הִכְרִֽיעַ׃ (לב) בְּכׇל־זֹ֭את חָֽטְאוּ־ע֑וֹד וְלֹֽא־הֶ֝אֱמִ֗ינוּ בְּנִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו׃ (לג) וַיְכַל־בַּהֶ֥בֶל יְמֵיהֶ֑ם וּ֝שְׁנוֹתָ֗ם בַּבֶּהָלָֽה׃ (לד) אִם־הֲרָגָ֥ם וּדְרָשׁ֑וּהוּ וְ֝שָׁ֗בוּ וְשִֽׁחֲרוּ־אֵֽל׃ (לה) וַֽ֭יִּזְכְּרוּ כִּֽי־אֱלֹקִ֣ים צוּרָ֑ם וְאֵ֥ל עֶ֝לְי֗וֹן גֹּאֲלָֽם׃ (לו) וַיְפַתּ֥וּהוּ בְּפִיהֶ֑ם וּ֝בִלְשׁוֹנָ֗ם יְכַזְּבוּ־לֽוֹ׃ (לז) וְ֭לִבָּם לֹא־נָכ֣וֹן עִמּ֑וֹ וְלֹ֥א נֶ֝אֶמְנ֗וּ בִּבְרִיתֽוֹ׃ (לח) וְה֤וּא רַח֨וּם ׀ יְכַפֵּ֥ר עָוֺן֮ וְֽלֹא־יַֽ֫שְׁחִ֥ית וְ֭הִרְבָּה לְהָשִׁ֣יב אַפּ֑וֹ וְלֹא־יָ֝עִ֗יר כׇּל־חֲמָתֽוֹ׃ (לט) וַ֭יִּזְכֹּר כִּֽי־בָשָׂ֣ר הֵ֑מָּה ר֥וּחַ ה֝וֹלֵ֗ךְ וְלֹ֣א יָשֽׁוּב׃ (מ) כַּ֭מָּה יַמְר֣וּהוּ בַמִּדְבָּ֑ר יַ֝עֲצִיב֗וּהוּ בִּישִׁימֽוֹן׃ (מא) וַיָּשׁ֣וּבוּ וַיְנַסּ֣וּ אֵ֑ל וּקְד֖וֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל הִתְוֽוּ׃ (מב) לֹא־זָכְר֥וּ אֶת־יָד֑וֹ י֝֗וֹם אֲֽשֶׁר־פָּדָ֥ם מִנִּי־צָֽר׃ (מג) אֲשֶׁר־שָׂ֣ם בְּ֭מִצְרַיִם אֹתוֹתָ֑יו וּ֝מוֹפְתָ֗יו בִּשְׂדֵה־צֹֽעַן׃ (מד) וַיַּהֲפֹ֣ךְ לְ֭דָם יְאֹרֵיהֶ֑ם וְ֝נֹזְלֵיהֶ֗ם בַּל־יִשְׁתָּיֽוּן׃ (מה) יְשַׁלַּ֬ח בָּהֶ֣ם עָ֭רֹב וַיֹּאכְלֵ֑ם וּ֝צְפַרְדֵּ֗עַ וַתַּשְׁחִיתֵֽם׃ (מו) וַיִּתֵּ֣ן לֶחָסִ֣יל יְבוּלָ֑ם וִ֝יגִיעָ֗ם לָאַרְבֶּֽה׃ (מז) יַהֲרֹ֣ג בַּבָּרָ֣ד גַּפְנָ֑ם וְ֝שִׁקְמוֹתָ֗ם בַּחֲנָמַֽל׃ (מח) וַיַּסְגֵּ֣ר לַבָּרָ֣ד בְּעִירָ֑ם וּ֝מִקְנֵיהֶ֗ם לָרְשָׁפִֽים׃ (מט) יְשַׁלַּח־בָּ֨ם ׀ חֲר֬וֹן אַפּ֗וֹ עֶבְרָ֣ה וָזַ֣עַם וְצָרָ֑ה מִ֝שְׁלַ֗חַת מַלְאֲכֵ֥י רָעִֽים׃ (נ) יְפַלֵּ֥ס נָתִ֗יב לְאַ֫פּ֥וֹ לֹא־חָשַׂ֣ךְ מִמָּ֣וֶת נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְ֝חַיָּתָ֗ם לַדֶּ֥בֶר הִסְגִּֽיר׃ (נא) וַיַּ֣ךְ כׇּל־בְּכ֣וֹר בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם רֵאשִׁ֥ית א֝וֹנִ֗ים בְּאׇהֳלֵי־חָֽם׃ (נב) וַיַּסַּ֣ע כַּצֹּ֣אן עַמּ֑וֹ וַֽיְנַהֲגֵ֥ם כַּ֝עֵ֗דֶר בַּמִּדְבָּֽר׃ (נג) וַיַּנְחֵ֣ם לָ֭בֶטַח וְלֹ֣א פָחָ֑דוּ וְאֶת־א֝וֹיְבֵיהֶ֗ם כִּסָּ֥ה הַיָּֽם׃ (נד) וַ֭יְבִיאֵם אֶל־גְּב֣וּל קׇדְשׁ֑וֹ הַר־זֶ֝֗ה קָנְתָ֥ה יְמִינֽוֹ׃ (נה) וַיְגָ֤רֶשׁ מִפְּנֵיהֶ֨ם ׀ גּוֹיִ֗ם וַֽ֭יַּפִּילֵם בְּחֶ֣בֶל נַחֲלָ֑ה וַיַּשְׁכֵּ֥ן בְּ֝אׇהֳלֵיהֶ֗ם שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (נו) וַיְנַסּ֣וּ וַ֭יַּמְרוּ אֶת־אֱלֹקִ֣ים עֶלְי֑וֹן וְ֝עֵדוֹתָ֗יו לֹ֣א שָׁמָֽרוּ׃ (נז) וַיִּסֹּ֣גוּ וַֽ֭יִּבְגְּדוּ כַּאֲבוֹתָ֑ם נֶ֝הְפְּכ֗וּ כְּקֶ֣שֶׁת רְמִיָּֽה׃ (נח) וַיַּכְעִיס֥וּהוּ בְּבָמוֹתָ֑ם וּ֝בִפְסִילֵיהֶ֗ם יַקְנִיאֽוּהוּ׃ (נט) שָׁמַ֣ע אֱ֭לֹקִים וַֽיִּתְעַבָּ֑ר וַיִּמְאַ֥ס מְ֝אֹ֗ד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (ס) וַ֭יִּטֹּשׁ מִשְׁכַּ֣ן שִׁל֑וֹ אֹ֝֗הֶל שִׁכֵּ֥ן בָּֽאָדָֽם׃ (סא) וַיִּתֵּ֣ן לַשְּׁבִ֣י עֻזּ֑וֹ וְֽתִפְאַרְתּ֥וֹ בְיַד־צָֽר׃ (סב) וַיַּסְגֵּ֣ר לַחֶ֣רֶב עַמּ֑וֹ וּ֝בְנַחֲלָת֗וֹ הִתְעַבָּֽר׃ (סג) בַּחוּרָ֥יו אָכְלָה־אֵ֑שׁ וּ֝בְתוּלֹתָ֗יו לֹ֣א הוּלָּֽלוּ׃ (סד) כֹּ֭הֲנָיו בַּחֶ֣רֶב נָפָ֑לוּ וְ֝אַלְמְנֹתָ֗יו לֹ֣א תִבְכֶּֽינָה׃ (סה) וַיִּקַ֖ץ כְּיָשֵׁ֥ן ׀ אדושם כְּ֝גִבּ֗וֹר מִתְרוֹנֵ֥ן מִיָּֽיִן׃ (סו) וַיַּךְ־צָרָ֥יו אָח֑וֹר חֶרְפַּ֥ת ע֝וֹלָ֗ם נָ֣תַן לָֽמוֹ׃ (סז) וַ֭יִּמְאַס בְּאֹ֣הֶל יוֹסֵ֑ף וּֽבְשֵׁ֥בֶט אֶ֝פְרַ֗יִם לֹ֣א בָחָֽר׃ (סח) וַ֭יִּבְחַר אֶת־שֵׁ֣בֶט יְהוּדָ֑ה אֶֽת־הַ֥ר צִ֝יּ֗וֹן אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָהֵֽב׃ (סט) וַיִּ֣בֶן כְּמוֹ־רָ֭מִים מִקְדָּשׁ֑וֹ כְּ֝אֶ֗רֶץ יְסָדָ֥הּ לְעוֹלָֽם׃ (ע) וַ֭יִּבְחַר בְּדָוִ֣ד עַבְדּ֑וֹ וַ֝יִּקָּחֵ֗הוּ מִֽמִּכְלְאֹ֥ת צֹֽאן׃ (עא) מֵאַחַ֥ר עָל֗וֹת הֱ֫בִיא֥וֹ לִ֭רְעוֹת בְּיַֽעֲקֹ֣ב עַמּ֑וֹ וּ֝בְיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל נַחֲלָתֽוֹ׃ (עב) וַ֭יִּרְעֵם כְּתֹ֣ם לְבָב֑וֹ וּבִתְבוּנ֖וֹת כַּפָּ֣יו יַנְחֵֽם׃ {פ}

(1) A maskil of Asaph.

Give ear, my people, to my teaching,
turn your ear to what I say.
(2) I will expound a theme,
hold forth on the lessons of the past,
(3) things we have heard and known,
that our fathers have told us.
(4) We will not withhold them from their children,
telling the coming generation
the praises of the LORD and His might,
and the wonders He performed.
(5) He established a decree in Jacob,
ordained a teaching in Israel,
charging our fathers
to make them known to their children,
(6) that a future generation might know
—children yet to be born—
and in turn tell their children
(7) that they might put their confidence in God,
and not forget God’s great deeds,
but observe His commandments,
(8) and not be like their fathers,
a wayward and defiant generation,
a generation whose heart was inconstant,
whose spirit was not true to God.

(9) Like the Ephraimite bowmen
who played false in the day of battle,
(10) they did not keep God’s covenant,
they refused to follow His instruction;
(11) they forgot His deeds
and the wonders that He showed them.
(12) He performed marvels in the sight of their fathers,
in the land of Egypt, the plain of Zoan.
(13) He split the sea and took them through it;
He made the waters stand like a wall.
(14) He led them with a cloud by day,
and throughout the night by the light of fire.
(15) He split rocks in the wilderness
and gave them drink as if from the great deep.
(16) He brought forth streams from a rock
and made them flow down like a river.

(17) But they went on sinning against Him,
defying the Most High in the parched land.
(18) To test God was in their mind
when they demanded food for themselves.
(19) They spoke against God, saying,
“Can God spread a feast in the wilderness?
(20) True, He struck the rock and waters flowed,
streams gushed forth;
but can He provide bread?
Can He supply His people with meat?”
(21) The LORD heard and He raged;
fire broke out against Jacob,
anger flared up at Israel,
(22) because they did not put their trust in God,
did not rely on His deliverance.
(23) So He commanded the skies above,
He opened the doors of heaven
(24) and rained manna upon them for food,
giving them heavenly grain.
(25) Each man ate a hero’s meal;
He sent them provision in plenty.
(26) He set the east wind moving in heaven,
and drove the south wind by His might.
(27) He rained meat on them like dust,
winged birds like the sands of the sea,
(28) making them come down inside His camp,
around His dwelling-place.
(29) They ate till they were sated;
He gave them what they craved.
(30) They had not yet wearied of what they craved,
the food was still in their mouths
(31) when God’s anger flared up at them.
He slew their sturdiest,
struck down the youth of Israel.
(32) Nonetheless, they went on sinning
and had no faith in His wonders.
(33) He made their days end in futility,
their years in sudden death.
(34) When He struck them, they turned to Him
and sought God once again.
(35) They remembered that God was their rock,
God Most High, their Redeemer.
(36) Yet they deceived Him with their speech,
lied to Him with their words;
(37) their hearts were inconstant toward Him;
they were untrue to His covenant.
(38) But He, being merciful, forgave iniquity
and would not destroy;
He restrained His wrath time and again
and did not give full vent to His fury;
(39) for He remembered that they were but flesh,
a passing breath that does not return.

(40) How often did they defy Him in the wilderness,
did they grieve Him in the wasteland!
(41) Again and again they tested God,
vexed the Holy One of Israel.
(42) They did not remember His strength,
or the day He redeemed them from the foe;
(43) how He displayed His signs in Egypt,
His wonders in the plain of Zoan.
(44) He turned their rivers into blood;
He made their waters undrinkable.
(45) He inflicted upon them mixture [of insects] to devour them,
frogs to destroy them.
(46) He gave their crops over to grubs,
their produce to locusts.
(47) He killed their vines with hail,
their sycamores with frost.-c
(48) He gave their beasts over to hail,
their cattle to lightning bolts.
(49) He inflicted His burning anger upon them,
wrath, indignation, trouble,
a band of deadly messengers.
(50) He cleared a path for His anger;
He did not stop short of slaying them,
but gave them over to pestilence.
(51) He struck every first-born in Egypt,
the first fruits of their vigor in the tents of Ham.
(52) He set His people moving like sheep,
drove them like a flock in the wilderness.
(53) He led them in safety; they were unafraid;
as for their enemies, the sea covered them.
(54) He brought them to His holy realm,
the mountain His right hand had acquired.
(55) He expelled nations before them,
settled the tribes of Israel in their tents,
allotting them their portion by the line.-e

(56) Yet they defiantly tested God Most High,
and did not observe His decrees.
(57) They fell away, disloyal like their fathers;
they played false like a treacherous bow.
(58) They vexed Him with their high places;
they incensed Him with their idols.
(59) God heard it and was enraged;
He utterly rejected Israel.
(60) He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
the tent He had set among men.
(61) He let His might go into captivity,
His glory into the hands of the foe.
(62) He gave His people over to the sword;
He was enraged at His very own.
(63) Fire consumed their young men,
and their maidens remained unwed.-g
(64) Their priests fell by the sword,
and their widows could not weep.

(65) The Lord awoke as from sleep,
like a warrior shaking off-c wine.
(66) He beat back His foes,
dealing them lasting disgrace.
(67) He rejected the clan of Joseph;
He did not choose the tribe of Ephraim.
(68) He did choose the tribe of Judah,
Mount Zion, which He loved.
(69) He built His Sanctuary like the heavens,
like the earth that He established forever.
(70) He chose David, His servant,
and took him from the sheepfolds.
(71) He brought him from minding the nursing ewes
to tend His people Jacob, Israel, His very own.
(72) He tended them with blameless heart;
with skillful hands he led them.

(א) הוֹד֣וּ לַ֭ה' קִרְא֣וּ בִשְׁמ֑וֹ הוֹדִ֥יעוּ בָ֝עַמִּ֗ים עֲלִילוֹתָֽיו׃ (ב) שִֽׁירוּ־ל֭וֹ זַמְּרוּ־ל֑וֹ שִׂ֝֗יחוּ בְּכׇל־נִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו׃ (ג) הִֽ֭תְהַלְלוּ בְּשֵׁ֣ם קׇדְשׁ֑וֹ יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח לֵ֤ב ׀ מְבַקְשֵׁ֬י ה'׃ (ד) דִּרְשׁ֣וּ ה' וְעֻזּ֑וֹ בַּקְּשׁ֖וּ פָנָ֣יו תָּמִֽיד׃ (ה) זִכְר֗וּ נִפְלְאוֹתָ֥יו אֲשֶׁר־עָשָׂ֑ה מֹ֝פְתָ֗יו וּמִשְׁפְּטֵי־פִֽיו׃ (ו) זֶ֭רַע אַבְרָהָ֣ם עַבְדּ֑וֹ בְּנֵ֖י יַעֲקֹ֣ב בְּחִירָֽיו׃ (ז) ה֭וּא ה' אֱלֹקֵ֑ינוּ בְּכׇל־הָ֝אָ֗רֶץ מִשְׁפָּטָֽיו׃ (ח) זָכַ֣ר לְעוֹלָ֣ם בְּרִית֑וֹ דָּבָ֥ר צִ֝וָּ֗ה לְאֶ֣לֶף דּֽוֹר׃ (ט) אֲשֶׁ֣ר כָּ֭רַת אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וּשְׁב֖וּעָת֣וֹ לְיִשְׂחָֽק׃ (י) וַיַּעֲמִידֶ֣הָ לְיַעֲקֹ֣ב לְחֹ֑ק לְ֝יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל בְּרִ֣ית עוֹלָֽם׃ (יא) לֵאמֹ֗ר לְךָ֗ אֶתֵּ֥ן אֶת־אֶֽרֶץ־כְּנָ֑עַן חֶ֝֗בֶל נַחֲלַתְכֶֽם׃ (יב) בִּֽ֭הְיוֹתָם מְתֵ֣י מִסְפָּ֑ר כִּ֝מְעַ֗ט וְגָרִ֥ים בָּֽהּ׃ (יג) וַ֭יִּֽתְהַלְּכוּ מִגּ֣וֹי אֶל־גּ֑וֹי מִ֝מַּמְלָכָ֗ה אֶל־עַ֥ם אַחֵֽר׃ (יד) לֹא־הִנִּ֣יחַ אָדָ֣ם לְעׇשְׁקָ֑ם וַיּ֖וֹכַח עֲלֵיהֶ֣ם מְלָכִֽים׃ (טו) אַֽל־תִּגְּע֥וּ בִמְשִׁיחָ֑י וְ֝לִנְבִיאַ֗י אַל־תָּרֵֽעוּ׃ (טז) וַיִּקְרָ֣א רָ֭עָב עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ כׇּֽל־מַטֵּה־לֶ֥חֶם שָׁבָֽר׃ (יז) שָׁלַ֣ח לִפְנֵיהֶ֣ם אִ֑ישׁ לְ֝עֶ֗בֶד נִמְכַּ֥ר יוֹסֵֽף׃ (יח) עִנּ֣וּ בַכֶּ֣בֶל (רגליו) [רַגְל֑וֹ] בַּ֝רְזֶ֗ל בָּ֣אָה נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ (יט) עַד־עֵ֥ת בֹּא־דְבָר֑וֹ אִמְרַ֖ת ה' צְרָפָֽתְהוּ׃ (כ) שָׁ֣לַח מֶ֭לֶךְ וַיַתִּירֵ֑הוּ מֹשֵׁ֥ל עַ֝מִּ֗ים וַֽיְפַתְּחֵֽהוּ׃ (כא) שָׂמ֣וֹ אָד֣וֹן לְבֵית֑וֹ וּ֝מֹשֵׁ֗ל בְּכׇל־קִנְיָנֽוֹ׃ (כב) לֶאְסֹ֣ר שָׂרָ֣יו בְּנַפְשׁ֑וֹ וּזְקֵנָ֥יו יְחַכֵּֽם׃ (כג) וַיָּבֹ֣א יִשְׂרָאֵ֣ל מִצְרָ֑יִם וְ֝יַעֲקֹ֗ב גָּ֣ר בְּאֶֽרֶץ־חָֽם׃ (כד) וַיֶּ֣פֶר אֶת־עַמּ֣וֹ מְאֹ֑ד וַ֝יַּעֲצִמֵ֗הוּ מִצָּרָֽיו׃ (כה) הָפַ֣ךְ לִ֭בָּם לִשְׂנֹ֣א עַמּ֑וֹ לְ֝הִתְנַכֵּ֗ל בַּעֲבָדָֽיו׃ (כו) שָׁ֭לַח מֹשֶׁ֣ה עַבְדּ֑וֹ אַ֝הֲרֹ֗ן אֲשֶׁ֣ר בָּחַר־בּֽוֹ׃ (כז) שָֽׂמוּ־בָ֭ם דִּבְרֵ֣י אֹתוֹתָ֑יו וּ֝מֹפְתִ֗ים בְּאֶ֣רֶץ חָֽם׃ (כח) שָׁ֣לַֽח חֹ֭שֶׁךְ וַיַּחְשִׁ֑ךְ וְלֹֽא־מָ֝ר֗וּ אֶת־[דְּבָרֽוֹ] (דבריו)׃ (כט) הָפַ֣ךְ אֶת־מֵימֵיהֶ֣ם לְדָ֑ם וַ֝יָּ֗מֶת אֶת־דְּגָתָֽם׃ (ל) שָׁרַ֣ץ אַרְצָ֣ם צְפַרְדְּעִ֑ים בְּ֝חַדְרֵ֗י מַלְכֵיהֶֽם׃ (לא) אָ֭מַר וַיָּבֹ֣א עָרֹ֑ב כִּ֝נִּ֗ים בְּכׇל־גְּבוּלָֽם׃ (לב) נָתַ֣ן גִּשְׁמֵיהֶ֣ם בָּרָ֑ד אֵ֖שׁ לֶהָב֣וֹת בְּאַרְצָֽם׃ (לג) וַיַּ֣ךְ גַּ֭פְנָם וּתְאֵנָתָ֑ם וַ֝יְשַׁבֵּ֗ר עֵ֣ץ גְּבוּלָֽם׃ (לד) אָ֭מַר וַיָּבֹ֣א אַרְבֶּ֑ה וְ֝יֶ֗לֶק וְאֵ֣ין מִסְפָּֽר׃ (לה) וַיֹּ֣אכַל כׇּל־עֵ֣שֶׂב בְּאַרְצָ֑ם וַ֝יֹּ֗אכַל פְּרִ֣י אַדְמָתָֽם׃ (לו) וַיַּ֣ךְ כׇּל־בְּכ֣וֹר בְּאַרְצָ֑ם רֵ֝אשִׁ֗ית לְכׇל־אוֹנָֽם׃ (לז) וַֽ֭יּוֹצִיאֵם בְּכֶ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב וְאֵ֖ין בִּשְׁבָטָ֣יו כּוֹשֵֽׁל׃ (לח) שָׂמַ֣ח מִצְרַ֣יִם בְּצֵאתָ֑ם כִּֽי־נָפַ֖ל פַּחְדָּ֣ם עֲלֵיהֶֽם׃ (לט) פָּרַ֣שׂ עָנָ֣ן לְמָסָ֑ךְ וְ֝אֵ֗שׁ לְהָאִ֥יר לָֽיְלָה׃ (מ) שָׁ֭אַל וַיָּבֵ֣א שְׂלָ֑ו וְלֶ֥חֶם שָׁ֝מַ֗יִם יַשְׂבִּיעֵֽם׃ (מא) פָּ֣תַח צ֭וּר וַיָּז֣וּבוּ מָ֑יִם הָ֝לְכ֗וּ בַּצִּיּ֥וֹת נָהָֽר׃ (מב) כִּֽי־זָ֭כַר אֶת־דְּבַ֣ר קׇדְשׁ֑וֹ אֶֽת־אַבְרָהָ֥ם עַבְדּֽוֹ׃ (מג) וַיּוֹצִ֣א עַמּ֣וֹ בְשָׂשׂ֑וֹן בְּ֝רִנָּ֗ה אֶת־בְּחִירָֽיו׃ (מד) וַיִּתֵּ֣ן לָ֭הֶם אַרְצ֣וֹת גּוֹיִ֑ם וַעֲמַ֖ל לְאֻמִּ֣ים יִירָֽשׁוּ׃ (מה) בַּעֲב֤וּר ׀ יִשְׁמְר֣וּ חֻ֭קָּיו וְתוֹרֹתָ֥יו יִנְצֹ֗רוּ הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃ {פ}

(1) Praise the LORD;
call on His name;
proclaim His deeds among the peoples.
(2) Sing praises to Him;
speak of all His wondrous acts.
(3) Exult in His holy name;
let all who seek the LORD rejoice.
(4) Turn to the LORD, to His might;
seek His presence constantly.
(5) Remember the wonders He has done,
His portents and the judgments He has pronounced,
(6) O offspring of Abraham, His servant,
O descendants of Jacob, His chosen ones.
(7) He is the LORD our God;
His judgments are throughout the earth.
(8) He is ever mindful of His covenant,
the promise He gave for a thousand generations,
(9) that He made with Abraham,
swore to Isaac,
(10) and confirmed in a decree for Jacob,
for Israel, as an eternal covenant,
(11) saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan
as your allotted heritage.”

(12) They were then few in number,
a mere handful, sojourning there,
(13) wandering from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
(14) He allowed no one to oppress them;
He reproved kings on their account,
(15) “Do not touch My anointed ones;
do not harm My prophets.”

(16) He called down a famine on the land,
destroyed every staff of bread.
(17) He sent ahead of them a man,
Joseph, sold into slavery.
(18) His feet were subjected to fetters;
an iron collar was put on his neck.
(19) Until his prediction came true
the decree of the LORD purged him.
(20) The king sent to have him freed;
the ruler of nations released him.
(21) He made him the lord of his household,
empowered him over all his possessions,
(22) to discipline his princes at will,
to teach his elders wisdom.
(23) Then Israel came to Egypt;
Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham.

(24) He made His people very fruitful,
more numerous than their foes.
(25) He changed their heart-b to hate His people,
to plot against His servants.
(26) He sent His servant Moses,
and Aaron, whom He had chosen.
(27) They performed His signs among them,
His wonders, against the land of Ham.
(28) He sent darkness; it was very dark;
did they not defy His word?-c
(29) He turned their waters into blood
and killed their fish.
(30) Their land teemed with frogs,
even the rooms of their king.
(31) He spoke, and Arov came; lice, throughout their country. (32) He gave them hail for rain,
and flaming fire in their land.
(33) He struck their vines and fig trees,
broke down the trees of their country.
(34) Locusts came at His command,
grasshoppers without number.
(35) They devoured every green thing in the land;
they consumed the produce of the soil.
(36) He struck down every first-born in the land,
the first fruit of their vigor.
(37) He led Israel out with silver and gold;
none among their tribes faltered.
(38) Egypt rejoiced when they left,
for dread of Israel had fallen upon them.

(39) He spread a cloud for a cover,
and fire to light up the night.
(40) They asked and He brought them quail,
and satisfied them with food from heaven.
(41) He opened a rock so that water gushed forth;
it flowed as a stream in the parched land.
(42) Mindful of His sacred promise
to His servant Abraham,
(43) He led His people out in gladness,
His chosen ones with joyous song.
(44) He gave them the lands of nations;
they inherited the wealth of peoples,
(45) that they might keep His laws
and observe His teachings.
Hallelujah.

Two different ways to break the Psalms

Psalm 78

(1) blood
(2) swarms of insects
(3) frogs
(4) locusts
(5) hail
(6) pestilence
(7) death of the firstborn

Psalm 105

(1) darkness
(2) blood
(3) frogs
(4) swarms of lice
(5) hail
(6) locusts
(7) death of the firstborn

Psalm 78

(1) blood
(2) mixture
(3) frogs
(4) locusts
(5) hail destroying vegetation

(6) hail destroying animals
(7) pestilence destroying humans
(8) death of the firstborn

Psalm 105

(1) darkness
(2) blood
(3) frogs
(4) mixture

(5) lice
(6) hail
(7) locusts
(8) death of the firstborn

~ Are those different traditions?

~ What other explanations can you think of?

~ Is it so important to know precisely what happened?

First answer: The order of plagues is specific due to natural consequences

Plagues 1-6

The naturalistic account is connected initially with the violent rainstorms that occur in the mountains of Ethiopia, to the south of Egypt.

1. The first plague, referred to as dam, blood, was caused when red clay swept down into the Nile from the Ethiopian highlands coloring the river and rendering its water undrinkable.

2. The mud affected the aeration of the water that lead to the death of fish. Bodies of dead fish clogged the swamps inhabited by frogs. The rotting fish crowded the frogs out from the swamps. They left the Nile and sought cool areas in people's houses: the second plague. But, the movement of frogs occurred only after they had become infected by some communicable disease such as anthrax.

3-4. Since the frogs were already infected with the disease, they died in their new habitats. As a consequence, lice, the third plague, and flies, the fourth plague, began to multiply, feeding off the dead frogs.

5. This gave rise to a pestilence that attacked animals, the fifth plague, because the cattle were feeding on grass that by then had also become infected.

6. In people, the symptom of the same disease was boils, the sixth plague.

Plagues 7-9

A second sequence of plagues, according to this explanation, is related to atmospheric and climatic conditions in Egypt.

7. Although not common, hailstorms do occur rarely in Upper Egypt and occasionally in Lower Egypt during late spring and early fall.

8. The hailstorm was followed by the eighth plague, locusts, a more common occurrence.

9. The ninth plague, darkness, was a Libyan dust storm.

Plague 10

10. The final plague, the death of the first-born, although not strictly commensurate with the other plagues, can be (poorly) explained in ecological terms as a reflection of the infant mortality rate in ancient Egypt.

(Zevit, Z. - https://www.thetorah.com/article/the-ten-plagues-and-egyptian-ecology, based on Greta Hort, “The Plagues of Egypt,” Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 69 (1957), pp. 84–103; 70 (1958), pp. 48–59; and on Pierre Montet, L’Egypte et la Bible (Neuchatel: Paris, 1959), pp. 97–98.)

~ Dr. Zevit does criticize this explanation. How do you imagine it falls short?

~ If this explanation is true, where is the miracle?

Second answer: undoing creation - the narrative makes sense if you look to the Jewish internal cultural referential

The first face-off
(י) וַיָּבֹ֨א מֹשֶׁ֤ה וְאַהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיַּ֣עֲשׂוּ כֵ֔ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֣ה ה' וַיַּשְׁלֵ֨ךְ אַהֲרֹ֜ן אֶת־מַטֵּ֗הוּ לִפְנֵ֥י פַרְעֹ֛ה וְלִפְנֵ֥י עֲבָדָ֖יו וַיְהִ֥י לְתַנִּֽין׃ (יא) וַיִּקְרָא֙ גַּם־פַּרְעֹ֔ה לַֽחֲכָמִ֖ים וְלַֽמְכַשְּׁפִ֑ים וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֨וּ גַם־הֵ֜ם חַרְטֻמֵּ֥י מִצְרַ֛יִם בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶ֖ם כֵּֽן׃ (יב) וַיַּשְׁלִ֙יכוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מַטֵּ֔הוּ וַיִּהְי֖וּ לְתַנִּינִ֑ם וַיִּבְלַ֥ע מַטֵּֽה־אַהֲרֹ֖ן אֶת־מַטֹּתָֽם׃
(10) So Moses and Aaron came before Pharaoh and did just as the LORD had commanded: Aaron cast down his rod in the presence of Pharaoh and his courtiers, and it turned into a serpent. (11) Then Pharaoh, for his part, summoned the wise men and the sorcerers; and the Egyptian magicians, in turn, did the same with their spells; (12) each cast down his rod, and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed their rods.

(כא) וַיִּבְרָ֣א אֱלֹקִ֔ים אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִ֖ם הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים וְאֵ֣ת כׇּל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַֽחַיָּ֣ה ׀ הָֽרֹמֶ֡שֶׂת אֲשֶׁר֩ שָׁרְצ֨וּ הַמַּ֜יִם לְמִֽינֵהֶ֗ם וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־ע֤וֹף כָּנָף֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹקִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃

(21) God created the great sea monsters, and all the living creatures of every kind that creep, which the waters brought forth in swarms, and all the winged birds of every kind. And God saw that this was good.
Blood
(יט) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה אֱמֹ֣ר אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֡ן קַ֣ח מַטְּךָ֣ וּנְטֵֽה־יָדְךָ֩ עַל־מֵימֵ֨י מִצְרַ֜יִם עַֽל־נַהֲרֹתָ֣ם ׀ עַל־יְאֹרֵיהֶ֣ם וְעַל־אַגְמֵיהֶ֗ם וְעַ֛ל כׇּל־מִקְוֵ֥ה מֵימֵיהֶ֖ם וְיִֽהְיוּ־דָ֑ם וְהָ֤יָה דָם֙ בְּכׇל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּבָעֵצִ֖ים וּבָאֲבָנִֽים׃ (כ) וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵן֩ מֹשֶׁ֨ה וְאַהֲרֹ֜ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ צִוָּ֣ה ה' וַיָּ֤רֶם בַּמַּטֶּה֙ וַיַּ֤ךְ אֶת־הַמַּ֙יִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּיְאֹ֔ר לְעֵינֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וּלְעֵינֵ֖י עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיֵּהָ֥פְכ֛וּ כׇּל־הַמַּ֥יִם אֲשֶׁר־בַּיְאֹ֖ר לְדָֽם׃
(19) And the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron: Take your rod and hold out your arm over the waters of Egypt—its rivers, its canals, its ponds, all its bodies of water—that they may turn to blood; there shall be blood throughout the land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone.” (20) Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD commanded: he lifted up the rod and struck the water in the Nile in the sight of Pharaoh and his courtiers, and all the water in the Nile was turned into blood
(י) וַיִּקְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ לַיַּבָּשָׁה֙ אֶ֔רֶץ וּלְמִקְוֵ֥ה הַמַּ֖יִם קָרָ֣א יַמִּ֑ים וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹקִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃
(10) God called the dry land Earth, and the gathering of waters He called Seas. And God saw that this was good.
Frogs

(כח) וְשָׁרַ֣ץ הַיְאֹר֮ צְפַרְדְּעִים֒ וְעָלוּ֙ וּבָ֣אוּ בְּבֵיתֶ֔ךָ וּבַחֲדַ֥ר מִשְׁכָּבְךָ֖ וְעַל־מִטָּתֶ֑ךָ וּבְבֵ֤ית עֲבָדֶ֙יךָ֙ וּבְעַמֶּ֔ךָ וּבְתַנּוּרֶ֖יךָ וּבְמִשְׁאֲרוֹתֶֽיךָ׃

(28) The Nile shall swarm with frogs, and they shall come up and enter your palace, your bedchamber and your bed, the houses of your courtiers and your people, and your ovens and your kneading bowls.
(כ) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֔ים יִשְׁרְצ֣וּ הַמַּ֔יִם שֶׁ֖רֶץ נֶ֣פֶשׁ חַיָּ֑ה וְעוֹף֙ יְעוֹפֵ֣ף עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ עַל־פְּנֵ֖י רְקִ֥יעַ הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
(20) God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and birds that fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky.”
Arov / mixture (wild animals or insects)
(יז) כִּ֣י אִם־אֵינְךָ֮ מְשַׁלֵּ֣חַ אֶת־עַמִּי֒ הִנְנִי֩ מַשְׁלִ֨יחַ בְּךָ֜ וּבַעֲבָדֶ֧יךָ וּֽבְעַמְּךָ֛ וּבְבָתֶּ֖יךָ אֶת־הֶעָרֹ֑ב וּמָ֨לְא֜וּ בָּתֵּ֤י מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ אֶת־הֶ֣עָרֹ֔ב וְגַ֥ם הָאֲדָמָ֖ה אֲשֶׁר־הֵ֥ם עָלֶֽיהָ׃ (יח) וְהִפְלֵיתִי֩ בַיּ֨וֹם הַה֜וּא אֶת־אֶ֣רֶץ גֹּ֗שֶׁן אֲשֶׁ֤ר עַמִּי֙ עֹמֵ֣ד עָלֶ֔יהָ לְבִלְתִּ֥י הֱיֽוֹת־שָׁ֖ם עָרֹ֑ב לְמַ֣עַן תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֛י אֲנִ֥י ה' בְּקֶ֥רֶב הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יט) וְשַׂמְתִּ֣י פְדֻ֔ת בֵּ֥ין עַמִּ֖י וּבֵ֣ין עַמֶּ֑ךָ לְמָחָ֥ר יִהְיֶ֖ה הָאֹ֥ת הַזֶּֽה׃ (כ) וַיַּ֤עַשׂ ה' כֵּ֔ן וַיָּבֹא֙ עָרֹ֣ב כָּבֵ֔ד בֵּ֥יתָה פַרְעֹ֖ה וּבֵ֣ית עֲבָדָ֑יו וּבְכׇל־אֶ֧רֶץ מִצְרַ֛יִם תִּשָּׁחֵ֥ת הָאָ֖רֶץ מִפְּנֵ֥י הֶעָרֹֽב׃

(17) For if you do not let My people go, I will let loose the mixture against you and your courtiers and your people and your houses; the houses of the Egyptians, and the very ground they stand on, shall be filled with the mixture. (18) But on that day I will set apart the region of Goshen, where My people dwell, so that no mixture shall be there, that you may know that I the LORD am in the midst of the land. (19) And I will make a distinction between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall come to pass.’” (20) And the LORD did so. Heavy mixture invaded Pharaoh’s palace and the houses of his courtiers; throughout the country of Egypt the land was ruined because of the mixture.

(כד) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים תּוֹצֵ֨א הָאָ֜רֶץ נֶ֤פֶשׁ חַיָּה֙ לְמִינָ֔הּ בְּהֵמָ֥ה וָרֶ֛מֶשׂ וְחַֽיְתוֹ־אֶ֖רֶץ לְמִינָ֑הּ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃
(24) God said, “Let the earth bring forth every kind of living creature: cattle, creeping things, and wild beasts of every kind.” And it was so.
Lice
(יב) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁה֒ אֱמֹר֙ אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן נְטֵ֣ה אֶֽת־מַטְּךָ֔ וְהַ֖ךְ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֑רֶץ וְהָיָ֥ה לְכִנִּ֖ם בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (יג) וַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֗ן וַיֵּט֩ אַהֲרֹ֨ן אֶת־יָד֤וֹ בְמַטֵּ֙הוּ֙ וַיַּךְ֙ אֶת־עֲפַ֣ר הָאָ֔רֶץ וַתְּהִי֙ הַכִּנָּ֔ם בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָ֑ה כׇּל־עֲפַ֥ר הָאָ֛רֶץ הָיָ֥ה כִנִּ֖ים בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (יד) וַיַּעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֨ן הַחַרְטֻמִּ֧ים בְּלָטֵיהֶ֛ם לְהוֹצִ֥יא אֶת־הַכִּנִּ֖ים וְלֹ֣א יָכֹ֑לוּ וַתְּהִי֙ הַכִּנָּ֔ם בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָֽה׃ (טו) וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ הַֽחַרְטֻמִּם֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה אֶצְבַּ֥ע אֱלֹקִ֖ים הִ֑וא וַיֶּחֱזַ֤ק לֵב־פַּרְעֹה֙ וְלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֣ע אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר ה'׃ {ס}
(12) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron: Hold out your rod and strike the dust of the earth, and it shall turn to lice throughout the land of Egypt.” (13) And they did so. Aaron held out his arm with the rod and struck the dust of the earth, and vermin came upon man and beast; all the dust of the earth turned to lice throughout the land of Egypt. (14) The magicians did the like with their spells to produce lice, but they could not. The vermin remained upon man and beast; (15) and the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God!” But Pharaoh’s heart stiffened and he would not heed them, as the LORD had spoken.
(כא) וַיִּבְרָ֣א אֱלֹקִ֔ים אֶת־הַתַּנִּינִ֖ם הַגְּדֹלִ֑ים וְאֵ֣ת כׇּל־נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַֽחַיָּ֣ה ׀ הָֽרֹמֶ֡שֶׂת אֲשֶׁר֩ שָׁרְצ֨וּ הַמַּ֜יִם לְמִֽינֵהֶ֗ם וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־ע֤וֹף כָּנָף֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹקִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃ (כב) וַיְבָ֧רֶךְ אֹתָ֛ם אֱלֹקִ֖ים לֵאמֹ֑ר פְּר֣וּ וּרְב֗וּ וּמִלְא֤וּ אֶת־הַמַּ֙יִם֙ בַּיַּמִּ֔ים וְהָע֖וֹף יִ֥רֶב בָּאָֽרֶץ׃
(21) God created the great sea monsters, and all the living creatures of every kind that creep, which the waters brought forth in swarms, and all the winged birds of every kind. And God saw that this was good. (22) God blessed them, saying, “Be fertile and increase, fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”
(כז) וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹקִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃ (כח) וַיְבָ֣רֶךְ אֹתָם֮ אֱלֹקִים֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר לָהֶ֜ם אֱלֹקִ֗ים פְּר֥וּ וּרְב֛וּ וּמִלְא֥וּ אֶת־הָאָ֖רֶץ וְכִבְשֻׁ֑הָ וּרְד֞וּ בִּדְגַ֤ת הַיָּם֙ וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּבְכׇל־חַיָּ֖ה הָֽרֹמֶ֥שֶׂת עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
(27) And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (28) God blessed them and God said to them, “Be fertile and increase, fill the earth and master it; and rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and all the living things that creep on earth.”
Pestilence / Cow disease
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְדִבַּרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר ה' אֱלֹקֵ֣י הָֽעִבְרִ֔ים שַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־עַמִּ֖י וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי׃ (ב) כִּ֛י אִם־מָאֵ֥ן אַתָּ֖ה לְשַׁלֵּ֑חַ וְעוֹדְךָ֖ מַחֲזִ֥יק בָּֽם׃ (ג) הִנֵּ֨ה יַד־ה' הוֹיָ֗ה בְּמִקְנְךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה בַּסּוּסִ֤ים בַּֽחֲמֹרִים֙ בַּגְּמַלִּ֔ים בַּבָּקָ֖ר וּבַצֹּ֑אן דֶּ֖בֶר כָּבֵ֥ד מְאֹֽד׃ (ד) וְהִפְלָ֣ה ה' בֵּ֚ין מִקְנֵ֣ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּבֵ֖ין מִקְנֵ֣ה מִצְרָ֑יִם וְלֹ֥א יָמ֛וּת מִכׇּל־לִבְנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל דָּבָֽר׃
(1) The LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let My people go to worship Me. (2) For if you refuse to let them go, and continue to hold them, (3) then the hand of the LORD will strike your livestock in the fields—the horses, the asses, the camels, the cattle, and the sheep—with a very severe pestilence. (4) But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of the Egyptians, so that nothing shall die of all that belongs to the Israelites.
(יח) וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ ה' אֱלֹקִ֔ים לֹא־ט֛וֹב הֱי֥וֹת הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְבַדּ֑וֹ אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לּ֥וֹ עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ׃ (יט) וַיִּ֩צֶר֩ ה' אֱלֹקִ֜ים מִן־הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה כׇּל־חַיַּ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ וְאֵת֙ כׇּל־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיָּבֵא֙ אֶל־הָ֣אָדָ֔ם לִרְא֖וֹת מַה־יִּקְרָא־ל֑וֹ וְכֹל֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר יִקְרָא־ל֧וֹ הָֽאָדָ֛ם נֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּ֖ה ה֥וּא שְׁמֽוֹ׃ (כ) וַיִּקְרָ֨א הָֽאָדָ֜ם שֵׁמ֗וֹת לְכׇל־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּלְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וּלְכֹ֖ל חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֑ה וּלְאָדָ֕ם לֹֽא־מָצָ֥א עֵ֖זֶר כְּנֶגְדּֽוֹ׃
(18) The LORD God said, “It is not good for man to be alone; I will make a fitting helper for him.” (19) And the LORD God formed out of the earth all the wild beasts and all the birds of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that would be its name. (20) And the man gave names to all the cattle and to the birds of the sky and to all the wild beasts; but for Adam no fitting helper was found.
Boils
(ח) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן֒ קְח֤וּ לָכֶם֙ מְלֹ֣א חׇפְנֵיכֶ֔ם פִּ֖יחַ כִּבְשָׁ֑ן וּזְרָק֥וֹ מֹשֶׁ֛ה הַשָּׁמַ֖יְמָה לְעֵינֵ֥י פַרְעֹֽה׃ (ט) וְהָיָ֣ה לְאָבָ֔ק עַ֖ל כׇּל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהָיָ֨ה עַל־הָאָדָ֜ם וְעַל־הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה לִשְׁחִ֥ין פֹּרֵ֛חַ אֲבַעְבֻּעֹ֖ת בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (י) וַיִּקְח֞וּ אֶת־פִּ֣יחַ הַכִּבְשָׁ֗ן וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיִּזְרֹ֥ק אֹת֛וֹ מֹשֶׁ֖ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וַיְהִ֗י שְׁחִין֙ אֲבַעְבֻּעֹ֔ת פֹּרֵ֕חַ בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָֽה׃ (יא) וְלֹֽא־יָכְל֣וּ הַֽחַרְטֻמִּ֗ים לַעֲמֹ֛ד לִפְנֵ֥י מֹשֶׁ֖ה מִפְּנֵ֣י הַשְּׁחִ֑ין כִּֽי־הָיָ֣ה הַשְּׁחִ֔ין בַּֽחַרְטֻמִּ֖ם וּבְכׇל־מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(8) Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Each of you take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh. (9) It shall become a fine dust all over the land of Egypt, and cause an inflammation breaking out in boils on man and beast throughout the land of Egypt.” (10) So they took soot of the kiln and appeared before Pharaoh; Moses threw it toward the sky, and it caused an inflammation breaking out in boils on man and beast. (11) The magicians were unable to confront Moses because of the inflammation, for the inflammation afflicted the magicians as well as all the other Egyptians.
(יח) וּבָשָׂ֕ר כִּֽי־יִהְיֶ֥ה בֽוֹ־בְעֹר֖וֹ שְׁחִ֑ין וְנִרְפָּֽא׃ (יט) וְהָיָ֞ה בִּמְק֤וֹם הַשְּׁחִין֙ שְׂאֵ֣ת לְבָנָ֔ה א֥וֹ בַהֶ֖רֶת לְבָנָ֣ה אֲדַמְדָּ֑מֶת וְנִרְאָ֖ה אֶל־הַכֹּהֵֽן׃ (כ) וְרָאָ֣ה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְהִנֵּ֤ה מַרְאֶ֙הָ֙ שָׁפָ֣ל מִן־הָע֔וֹר וּשְׂעָרָ֖הּ הָפַ֣ךְ לָבָ֑ן וְטִמְּא֧וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֛ן נֶֽגַע־צָרַ֥עַת הִ֖וא בַּשְּׁחִ֥ין פָּרָֽחָה׃ (כא) וְאִ֣ם ׀ יִרְאֶ֣נָּה הַכֹּהֵ֗ן וְהִנֵּ֤ה אֵֽין־בָּהּ֙ שֵׂעָ֣ר לָבָ֔ן וּשְׁפָלָ֥ה אֵינֶ֛נָּה מִן־הָע֖וֹר וְהִ֣יא כֵהָ֑ה וְהִסְגִּיר֥וֹ הַכֹּהֵ֖ן שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִֽים׃ (כב) וְאִם־פָּשֹׂ֥ה תִפְשֶׂ֖ה בָּע֑וֹר וְטִמֵּ֧א הַכֹּהֵ֛ן אֹת֖וֹ נֶ֥גַע הִֽוא׃
(18) When an inflammation appears on the skin of one’s body and it heals, (19) and a white swelling or a white discoloration streaked with red develops where the inflammation was, he shall present himself to the priest. (20) If the priest finds that it appears lower than the rest of the skin and that the hair in it has turned white, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a leprous affection that has broken out in the inflammation. (21) But if the priest finds that there is no white hair in it and it is not lower than the rest of the skin, and it is faded, the priest shall isolate him for seven days. (22) If it should spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an affection.
Hail and Locusts
(כד) וַיְהִ֣י בָרָ֔ד וְאֵ֕שׁ מִתְלַקַּ֖חַת בְּת֣וֹךְ הַבָּרָ֑ד כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד אֲ֠שֶׁ֠ר לֹֽא־הָיָ֤ה כָמֹ֙הוּ֙ בְּכׇל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מֵאָ֖ז הָיְתָ֥ה לְגֽוֹי׃ (כה) וַיַּ֨ךְ הַבָּרָ֜ד בְּכׇל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֗יִם אֵ֚ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה מֵאָדָ֖ם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה וְאֵ֨ת כׇּל־עֵ֤שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶה֙ הִכָּ֣ה הַבָּרָ֔ד וְאֶת־כׇּל־עֵ֥ץ הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה שִׁבֵּֽר׃
(24) The hail was very heavy—fire flashing in the midst of the hail—such as had not fallen on the land of Egypt since it had become a nation. (25) Throughout the land of Egypt the hail struck down all that were in the open, both man and beast; the hail also struck down all the grasses of the field and shattered all the trees of the field.
(יב) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה נְטֵ֨ה יָדְךָ֜ עַל־אֶ֤רֶץ מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ בָּֽאַרְבֶּ֔ה וְיַ֖עַל עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְיֹאכַל֙ אֶת־כׇּל־עֵ֣שֶׂב הָאָ֔רֶץ אֵ֛ת כׇּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִשְׁאִ֖יר הַבָּרָֽד׃ (יג) וַיֵּ֨ט מֹשֶׁ֣ה אֶת־מַטֵּ֘הוּ֮ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ וַֽה' נִהַ֤ג רֽוּחַ־קָדִים֙ בָּאָ֔רֶץ כׇּל־הַיּ֥וֹם הַה֖וּא וְכׇל־הַלָּ֑יְלָה הַבֹּ֣קֶר הָיָ֔ה וְר֙וּחַ֙ הַקָּדִ֔ים נָשָׂ֖א אֶת־הָאַרְבֶּֽה׃ (יד) וַיַּ֣עַל הָֽאַרְבֶּ֗ה עַ֚ל כׇּל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וַיָּ֕נַח בְּכֹ֖ל גְּב֣וּל מִצְרָ֑יִם כָּבֵ֣ד מְאֹ֔ד לְ֠פָנָ֠יו לֹא־הָ֨יָה כֵ֤ן אַרְבֶּה֙ כָּמֹ֔הוּ וְאַחֲרָ֖יו לֹ֥א יִֽהְיֶה־כֵּֽן׃ (טו) וַיְכַ֞ס אֶת־עֵ֣ין כׇּל־הָאָ֘רֶץ֮ וַתֶּחְשַׁ֣ךְ הָאָ֒רֶץ֒ וַיֹּ֜אכַל אֶת־כׇּל־עֵ֣שֶׂב הָאָ֗רֶץ וְאֵת֙ כׇּל־פְּרִ֣י הָעֵ֔ץ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הוֹתִ֖יר הַבָּרָ֑ד וְלֹא־נוֹתַ֨ר כׇּל־יֶ֧רֶק בָּעֵ֛ץ וּבְעֵ֥שֶׂב הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(12) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Hold out your arm over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come upon the land of Egypt and eat up all the grasses in the land, whatever the hail has left.” (13) So Moses held out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD drove an east wind over the land all that day and all night; and when morning came, the east wind had brought the locusts. (14) Locusts invaded all the land of Egypt and settled within all the territory of Egypt in a thick mass; never before had there been so many, nor will there ever be so many again. (15) They hid all the land from view, and the land was darkened; and they ate up all the grasses of the field and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left, so that nothing green was left, of tree or grass of the field, in all the land of Egypt.
(יא) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֗ים תַּֽדְשֵׁ֤א הָאָ֙רֶץ֙ דֶּ֗שֶׁא עֵ֚שֶׂב מַזְרִ֣יעַ זֶ֔רַע עֵ֣ץ פְּרִ֞י עֹ֤שֶׂה פְּרִי֙ לְמִינ֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַֽיְהִי־כֵֽן׃ (יב) וַתּוֹצֵ֨א הָאָ֜רֶץ דֶּ֠שֶׁא עֵ֣שֶׂב מַזְרִ֤יעַ זֶ֙רַע֙ לְמִינֵ֔הוּ וְעֵ֧ץ עֹֽשֶׂה־פְּרִ֛י אֲשֶׁ֥ר זַרְעוֹ־ב֖וֹ לְמִינֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹקִ֖ים כִּי־טֽוֹב׃
(11) And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation: seed-bearing plants, fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. (12) The earth brought forth vegetation: seed-bearing plants of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that this was good.
Darkness
(כא) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֗ה נְטֵ֤ה יָֽדְךָ֙ עַל־הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וִ֥יהִי חֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְיָמֵ֖שׁ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ (כב) וַיֵּ֥ט מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶת־יָד֖וֹ עַל־הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַיְהִ֧י חֹֽשֶׁךְ־אֲפֵלָ֛ה בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרַ֖יִם שְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת יָמִֽים׃ (כג) לֹֽא־רָא֞וּ אִ֣ישׁ אֶת־אָחִ֗יו וְלֹא־קָ֛מוּ אִ֥ישׁ מִתַּחְתָּ֖יו שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת יָמִ֑ים וּֽלְכׇל־בְּנֵ֧י יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל הָ֥יָה א֖וֹר בְּמוֹשְׁבֹתָֽם׃
(21) Then the LORD said to Moses, “Hold out your arm toward the sky that there may be darkness upon the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be touched.” (22) Moses held out his arm toward the sky and thick darkness descended upon all the land of Egypt for three days. (23) People could not see one another, and for three days no one could get up from where he was; but all the Israelites enjoyed light in their dwellings.
(א) בְּרֵאשִׁ֖ית בָּרָ֣א אֱלֹקִ֑ים אֵ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְאֵ֥ת הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ב) וְהָאָ֗רֶץ הָיְתָ֥ה תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י תְה֑וֹם וְר֣וּחַ אֱלֹקִ֔ים מְרַחֶ֖פֶת עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃ (ג) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹקִ֖ים יְהִ֣י א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר׃ (ד) וַיַּ֧רְא אֱלֹקִ֛ים אֶת־הָא֖וֹר כִּי־ט֑וֹב וַיַּבְדֵּ֣ל אֱלֹקִ֔ים בֵּ֥ין הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֥ין הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
(1) When God began to create heaven and earth— (2) the earth being unformed and void, with darkness over the surface of the deep and a wind from God sweeping over the water— (3) God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. (4) God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness.
Death of Firstborn
(כט) וַיְהִ֣י ׀ בַּחֲצִ֣י הַלַּ֗יְלָה וַֽה' הִכָּ֣ה כׇל־בְּכוֹר֮ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֒יִם֒ מִבְּכֹ֤ר פַּרְעֹה֙ הַיֹּשֵׁ֣ב עַל־כִּסְא֔וֹ עַ֚ד בְּכ֣וֹר הַשְּׁבִ֔י אֲשֶׁ֖ר בְּבֵ֣ית הַבּ֑וֹר וְכֹ֖ל בְּכ֥וֹר בְּהֵמָֽה׃ (ל) וַיָּ֨קׇם פַּרְעֹ֜ה לַ֗יְלָה ה֤וּא וְכׇל־עֲבָדָיו֙ וְכׇל־מִצְרַ֔יִם וַתְּהִ֛י צְעָקָ֥ה גְדֹלָ֖ה בְּמִצְרָ֑יִם כִּֽי־אֵ֣ין בַּ֔יִת אֲשֶׁ֥ר אֵֽין־שָׁ֖ם מֵֽת׃
(29) In the middle of the night the LORD struck down all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sat on the throne to the first-born of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the first-born of the cattle. (30) And Pharaoh arose in the night, with all his courtiers and all the Egyptians—because there was a loud cry in Egypt; for there was no house where there was not someone dead.
(כז) וַיִּבְרָ֨א אֱלֹקִ֤ים ׀ אֶת־הָֽאָדָם֙ בְּצַלְמ֔וֹ בְּצֶ֥לֶם אֱלֹקִ֖ים בָּרָ֣א אֹת֑וֹ זָכָ֥ר וּנְקֵבָ֖ה בָּרָ֥א אֹתָֽם׃
(27) And God created man in His image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

(א) בַּעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת נִבְרָא הָעוֹלָם. וּמַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר, וַהֲלֹא בְמַאֲמָר אֶחָד יָכוֹל לְהִבָּרְאוֹת, אֶלָּא לְהִפָּרַע מִן הָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁמְּאַבְּדִין אֶת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בַעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת, וְלִתֵּן שָׂכָר טוֹב לַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁמְּקַיְּמִין אֶת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁנִּבְרָא בַעֲשָׂרָה מַאֲמָרוֹת: ...

(ד) עֲשָׂרָה נִסִּים נַעֲשׂוּ לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ בְמִצְרַיִם וַעֲשָׂרָה עַל הַיָּם. עֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת הֵבִיא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל הַמִּצְרִיִּים בְּמִצְרַיִם וְעֶשֶׂר עַל הַיָּם. עֲשָׂרָה נִסְיוֹנוֹת נִסּוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ אֶת הַמָּקוֹם בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַמִּדְבָּר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יד) וַיְנַסּוּ אֹתִי זֶה עֶשֶׂר פְּעָמִים וְלֹא שָׁמְעוּ בְּקוֹלִי:

(1) With ten utterances the world was created. And what does this teach, for surely it could have been created with one utterance? But this was so in order to punish the wicked who destroy the world that was created with ten utterances, And to give a good reward to the righteous who maintain the world that was created with ten utterances.

...

(4) Ten miracles were wrought for our ancestors in Egypt, and ten at the sea. Ten plagues did the Holy one, blessed be He, bring upon the Egyptians in Egypt and ten at the sea. [With] ten trials did our ancestors try God, blessed be He, as it is said, “and they have tried Me these ten times and they have not listened to my voice” (Numbers 14:22).

~ How do you like this explanation?

~ Is it important whether the plagues happened exactly as told?

Third possibility: the plagues are attacks on the Egyptian pantheon, the narrative makes more sense if we understand its Egyptian cultural context

The first face-off
(י) וַיָּבֹ֨א מֹשֶׁ֤ה וְאַהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיַּ֣עֲשׂוּ כֵ֔ן כַּאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֣ה ה' וַיַּשְׁלֵ֨ךְ אַהֲרֹ֜ן אֶת־מַטֵּ֗הוּ לִפְנֵ֥י פַרְעֹ֛ה וְלִפְנֵ֥י עֲבָדָ֖יו וַיְהִ֥י לְתַנִּֽין׃ (יא) וַיִּקְרָא֙ גַּם־פַּרְעֹ֔ה לַֽחֲכָמִ֖ים וְלַֽמְכַשְּׁפִ֑ים וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֨וּ גַם־הֵ֜ם חַרְטֻמֵּ֥י מִצְרַ֛יִם בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶ֖ם כֵּֽן׃ (יב) וַיַּשְׁלִ֙יכוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מַטֵּ֔הוּ וַיִּהְי֖וּ לְתַנִּינִ֑ם וַיִּבְלַ֥ע מַטֵּֽה־אַהֲרֹ֖ן אֶת־מַטֹּתָֽם׃
(10) So Moses and Aaron came before Pharaoh and did just as the LORD had commanded: Aaron cast down his rod in the presence of Pharaoh and his courtiers, and it turned into a serpent. (11) Then Pharaoh, for his part, summoned the wise men and the sorcerers; and the Egyptian magicians, in turn, did the same with their spells; (12) each cast down his rod, and they turned into serpents. But Aaron’s rod swallowed their rods.

This act is not a random act of transformation, but rather one known from ancient Egyptian literature. It is best represented in “The Wax Crocodile” story (c. 1800 b.c.e.), in which the chief lector-priest Webaoner, by means of the proper magical spell, transforms a crocodile made of wax into a living crocodile, and then back again. This tale is but one of many such stories from ancient Egypt, which the consumers of this literature apparently enjoyed.

[Gary Rendsburg - “Reading the Plagues in their Ancient Egyptian Context.” https://www.thetorah.com/article/reading-the-plagues-in-their-ancient-egyptian-context]

(יב) וְעָבַרְתִּ֣י בְאֶֽרֶץ־מִצְרַ֘יִם֮ בַּלַּ֣יְלָה הַזֶּה֒ וְהִכֵּיתִ֤י כׇל־בְּכוֹר֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם מֵאָדָ֖ם וְעַד־בְּהֵמָ֑ה וּבְכׇל־אֱלֹקֵ֥י מִצְרַ֛יִם אֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה שְׁפָטִ֖ים אֲנִ֥י ה'׃
(12) For that night I will go through the land of Egypt and strike down every first-born in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and I will mete out punishments to all the gods of Egypt, I the LORD.
(ג) וַיִּסְע֤וּ מֵֽרַעְמְסֵס֙ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽרִאשׁ֔וֹן בַּחֲמִשָּׁ֥ה עָשָׂ֛ר י֖וֹם לַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָרִאשׁ֑וֹן מִֽמׇּחֳרַ֣ת הַפֶּ֗סַח יָצְא֤וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּיָ֣ד רָמָ֔ה לְעֵינֵ֖י כׇּל־מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (ד) וּמִצְרַ֣יִם מְקַבְּרִ֗ים אֵת֩ אֲשֶׁ֨ר הִכָּ֧ה ה' בָּהֶ֖ם כׇּל־בְּכ֑וֹר וּבֵאלֹ֣הֵיהֶ֔ם עָשָׂ֥ה ה' שְׁפָטִֽים׃
(3) They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month. It was on the morrow of the passover offering that the Israelites started out defiantly, in plain view of all the Egyptians. (4) The Egyptians meanwhile were burying those among them whom the LORD had struck down, every first-born—whereby the LORD executed judgment on their gods.

Plague

Egyptian god

Why

Blood / Dam

the god Khnum

creator of water and life

Hapi

the Nile god

Osiris

bloodstream was the Nile

Frogs / Tzfardea

Heket

a goddess of childbirth who was represented as a frog

Lice / Kinim

Mixture/Arov

Disease / Dever

Hathor

the mother and sky goddess, represented in the form of a cow

Apis

symbol of fertility represented as a bull

Boils / Shechin

Hail / Barad

Locusts / Arbeh

Seth

manifests himself in wind and storms

Isis

goddess of life, who grinds, spins flax and weaves cloth

Min

god of fertility and vegetation and as a protector of crops, had celebration at the beginning of the harvest of flax and barley and before wheat and spelt

Darkness/Hoshech

Amon-Re, Aten, Atum, Horus, Ra

All deities associated with the sun

Firstborn/Makat Bechorot

Osiris

Judge of the dead

There are more than 1,500 Egyptian deities. These were developed in the span of about 30 centuries from its unification around 3100 B.C.E. to its conquest by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. E.

One weakness in interpreting the plagues solely as a religious polemic against Egyptian gods, however, is that some of the plagues are unaccounted for; and not all of the plagues can be conveniently matched up with Egyptian gods or texts. Specifically, divine candidates are lacking for the third, fourth and sixth plagues—lice, flies and boils. Even if scratching through Egyptian sources might produce some minor candidates that could fill these lacunae, there is another difficulty with the religious polemic interpretation. The Egyptian material on which this interpretation rests comes from different times and different places. The extant data do not enable us to claim that the perception of the pantheon presented above was historically probable in the Western Delta during the 14th–12th centuries B.C.E. when and where Israelites became familiar with it. Nevertheless, despite these difficulties, the Egyptian material describing links between Egyptian deities and natural phenomena does provide us with some insights into the way the plagues were intended to be understood.

(Z. Zevit, Exodus in the Bible and the Egyptian Plagues, BAR, https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/exodus/exodus-in-the-bible-and-the-egyptian-plagues/)

(ח) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ה' אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֣ה וְאֶֽל־אַהֲרֹן֒ קְח֤וּ לָכֶם֙ מְלֹ֣א חׇפְנֵיכֶ֔ם פִּ֖יחַ כִּבְשָׁ֑ן וּזְרָק֥וֹ מֹשֶׁ֛ה הַשָּׁמַ֖יְמָה לְעֵינֵ֥י פַרְעֹֽה׃ (ט) וְהָיָ֣ה לְאָבָ֔ק עַ֖ל כׇּל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם וְהָיָ֨ה עַל־הָאָדָ֜ם וְעַל־הַבְּהֵמָ֗ה לִשְׁחִ֥ין פֹּרֵ֛חַ אֲבַעְבֻּעֹ֖ת בְּכׇל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃ (י) וַיִּקְח֞וּ אֶת־פִּ֣יחַ הַכִּבְשָׁ֗ן וַיַּֽעַמְדוּ֙ לִפְנֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וַיִּזְרֹ֥ק אֹת֛וֹ מֹשֶׁ֖ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יְמָה וַיְהִ֗י שְׁחִין֙ אֲבַעְבֻּעֹ֔ת פֹּרֵ֕חַ בָּאָדָ֖ם וּבַבְּהֵמָֽה׃ (יא) וְלֹֽא־יָכְל֣וּ הַֽחַרְטֻמִּ֗ים לַעֲמֹ֛ד לִפְנֵ֥י מֹשֶׁ֖ה מִפְּנֵ֣י הַשְּׁחִ֑ין כִּֽי־הָיָ֣ה הַשְּׁחִ֔ין בַּֽחַרְטֻמִּ֖ם וּבְכׇל־מִצְרָֽיִם׃
(8) Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Each of you take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh. (9) It shall become a fine dust all over the land of Egypt, and cause an inflammation breaking out in boils on man and beast throughout the land of Egypt.” (10) So they took soot of the kiln and appeared before Pharaoh; Moses threw it toward the sky, and it caused an inflammation breaking out in boils on man and beast. (11) The magicians were unable to confront Moses because of the inflammation, for the inflammation afflicted the magicians as well as all the other Egyptians.

The significance of this is heightened for the reader when he or she realizes that the Egyptian priests shaved their entire bodies every day, to ensure perfect and hence pure skin, or else they would be considered impure and disqualified from temple worship.[10] Priests with boils means no offerings in the temples; no offerings in the temples means distress for the gods; distress of the gods means chaos and collapse in Egypt – yes, all that from what appears at first blush to be an aside comment by the biblical author (Exod 9:11). [Gary Rendsburg - “Reading the Plagues in their Ancient Egyptian Context.” https://www.thetorah.com/article/reading-the-plagues-in-their-ancient-egyptian-context]

Did Pharaoh believe he was a god? Yes. And THAT is the problem.

There are two important bases for the Egyptian religion. First, there are two forces in the world: ma’at, the Egyptian concept and personification of truth, justice, social order and harmony, and isfet, (disorder, injustice, lie). Political success and natural fertility are dependent on Pharaoh and his permanent communication with the divine world. Pharaoh, himself a god, was regarded as the son of the supreme deity and given the name, “son of Ra,” and thus incorporated the link between heaven and earth.

According to one text (of canonical normativity), the sun and creator god, Ra:

has placed the king on earth
for ever and ever,
in order that he may judge mankind and satisfy the gods;
establish Ma’at and annihilate Isfet
giving offerings to the gods and funerary offerings to the dead.[2]

Pharaoh’s role, therefore, is to dispel isfet in order to give room to ma’at.

Second, the ancient Egyptians assumed that the world is permanently threatened by collapse and its continuance is dependent on ritual action. Thus, we read in another text:

If the loaves are few on their altars,
the same will happen in the whole land
and few will be the food for the living.

If the libations are discontinued,
the inundation will fail in its source
<…> and famine will reign in the country.

If the ceremonies for Osiris are neglected <…>
the country will be deprived of its laws.
<…> the foreign countries will rebel against Egypt

and civil war and revolution will rise in the whole country.

~ How does God talk to people in the Torah? How dependent are we in a figure to connect Jews with God?

~ What happens if we don't offer sacrifices or pray, in terms of the world?

According to Prof. Jan Assmann, that is the basic polemic of the story of the plagues.

https://www.thetorah.com/article/pharaohs-divine-role-in-maintaining-maat-order

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