Bible Discussion Thread

This chapter continues with the plagues YHWH brings upon Egypt miraculously. The magicians of Pharoah are able to conjure up frogs, but not lice, nor flies. So, they admitted that this was the work of the finger of God. It is with the plague of flies that God spares the Israelites and their animals in the area of Goshen. Moses entreated YHWH each time to have the plague cease. The magicians could not make the plagues go away. The Israelites suffered under the plagues of water turned to blood, frogs, and lice. YHWH needed to teach the Israelites who He was and what He could do. They needed to be taught fear of the LORD. Then God showed His power in sparing them from the flies. They needed to learn about His mercy.

The Egyptian dust-god was named Geb, a god of fertility. YHWH making the dust into lice made what the Egyptians considered divine (dust) and most helpful into lice, something despised, unclean, and harmful. The Egyptian frog-goddess was named Heket. The frogs were normally confined to the water, so controlled by the water gods. But here, YHWH showed that these water gods really did not have any control as He was stronger. The Egyptian fly-god was Khepri (having the head of a fly) and was attributed to creation, the sun's movement, and rebirth. YHWH demonstrated power of this idol. YHWH not only could make the created substances that the Egyptians worshipped become pestilence, He could also make the plagues stop.

Again, YHWH tells Moses and Aaron to go meet Pharaoh on his way to the river. He most likely was going there early in the morning to worship. With the plague of flies, Pharaoh says he will let the Israelites go just a short ways from their homes to offer sacrifice. Moses had asked for a three-day journey to worship. Moses says that the Egyptians will be offended if they are close enough to the area to offer their sacrifice of bulls and rams. The Egyptians would be appalled because they worshipped bulls, calves, and other livestock.