I.          THE PURPOSE OF THE PLAGUES

A.       To Bring Judgment on Pharaoh and the Egyptians (Ex.3:9-10, 20; 7:3-4)

B.       To Deliver the Israelites out of Egypt (Ex.3:20; 4:21-23; 6:1-8)

C.       To Reveal the True God to the Egyptians (Ex.7:3-4; 9:14; even the magicians recognized that it was “the finger of God” (8:19)

D.       To Reveal the Israelites as the People of God (Ex.8:21-23; 9:4; 11:7)

E.       To Show God to be above all gods (Ex.9:15-16; 18:10-11)

F.       To Demonstrate the Power of the Word of God (Ex.9:20-21)

G.      To Give the Israelites Confidence in their God (Ex.10:1-2)

H.       To Bring Judgments on the gods of the Egyptians (Ex.12:12; Num.33:4) 

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1.    Nile turned to Blood 7:14-25 Hapi (also called Apis), the bull god, god of the Nile; Isis, goddess of the Nile; Khnum,

       ram god, guardian of the Nile; and others.

2.    Frogs 8:1-15 Heqet, goddess of birth, with a frog head

3.    Lice & Gnats 8:16-19 Set, god of the desert

4.    Flies 8:20-32 Ra, a sun god; or the god Uatchit, possibly represented by the fly

5.    Plague on Livestock 9:1-7 Hathor, goddess with a cow head; Apis (also called Hapi), the bull god, symbol of fertility

6.    Boils 9:8-12 Sekhmet, goddess with power over disease; Sunu, the pestilence god; Isis, goddess of healing

7.    Hail 9:13-35 Nuit, the sky goddess; Osiris, god of crops and fertility; Set, god of storms

8.    Locusts 10:1-20 Nuit, the sky goddess; Osiris, god of crops and fertility

9.    Darkness 10:21-29 Ra, the sun god; Horus, son of the sun god; Nuit, a sky goddess; Hathor, a sky goddess

10.  Slaying of the Firstborn 11:1-12:30 Min, god of reproduction; Heqet, goddess who attended women at childbirth;

       Isis,goddess who protected children; Pharaoh's firstborn son, a god.

Note: In ancient Egyptian religion, some gods and goddesses had more than one function or area of responsibility. In addition many of the gods and goddesses being worshipped in one city or location at any particular period of time may have been assimilated from the gods and goddesses of other areas and other time periods. Their religion was thus often complex and at times even contradictory.

Source: John F. Walvoord & Roy B. Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures by Dallas Seminary Faculty: Old Testament (Illinois: Victor Books, a division of SP Publications, Inc., 1985)

II.          A SUMMARY OF THE PLAGUES

         NOTE: Although there were ten plagues, there were twelve miracles—the first two (rod to serpent and hand made leprous) not

                       being plagues on the land or people but simply demonstrations of the power of God.  God increases the power and

                       destruction of His acts as Pharaoh continues to harden his heart.

                    The plagues themselves have an obvious pattern to them.  The first nine plagues can be divided into three groups of three

                       plagues each.  The last plague is a category unto itself.  Please consider these three groups.

            1.            First group of plagues: water to blood, frogs, lice

                        a.    First one begins in the morning (Ex.7:15)

                        b.    First one takes the message to all the Egyptians

                        c.    Second one starts with a warning to Pharaoh

                        d.    All three are initiated by Aaron’s rod

                        e.    They disrupt the comfort of man

                         f.    Third one begins with no warning at all

     g.    In the last one (lice), the magicians must acknowledge the finger of God (Ex.8:19)

            2.            Second group of plagues:  flies, murrain, boils

                        a.     First one begins in the morning (Ex.8:20)

     b.     First one initiates the separation between the Israelites and the Egyptians (Ex.8:22-23)

     c.     Second one starts with a warning to Pharaoh

     d.     The rod is not mentioned at all in these three

     e.     They attack the staff of life

      f.     Third one begins with no warning at all

     g.     In the last one (boils), the magicians cannot stand before Pharaoh (Ex.9:11)

            3.            Third group of plagues:  hail, locusts, darkness

                        a.      First one begins in the morning

                        b.      First one (hail) finds even the Egyptians who fear the word of the Lord benefiting (Ex.9:20-21)

                        c.      Second one starts with s warning to Pharaoh

                        d.      All three initiated by Moses’ rod and/or hand

                        e.      They bring death and destruction

                         f.      Third one begins with no warning at all

                        g.      In the last one (darkness), Pharaoh declares that he never wants to see Moses again (Ex.10:28)

III.         THE PLAGUES OF EXODUS 8

            A.            The Plague of the Frogs (8:1-15)

                        1.      The warning given to Pharaoh (v.1-4)

                        2.      The frogs covered the land (v.5-6)

                        3.      The magicians do the same (v.7)

                        4.      Pharaoh calls for Moses and Aaron (v.8-11)

                            a.            Pharaoh promises to let the people go (v.8)

                            b.            He asks Moses to get rid of the frogs (v.8)

                            c.            Moses glories in the seeming victory (v.9)

                            d.            Moses inquires as to when to get rid of the frogs (v.9)

                            e.           Pharaoh says, tomorrow (v.10)

                             f.            Moses promises to do as he said (v.10-11)

                        5.            The frogs die throughout the land (v.12-14)

                        6.            Pharaoh hardens his heart and refuses to let the people go (v.15)

            B.            The Plague of the Lice (8:16-19)

                        1.      By Aaron’s rod, the dust of the land becomes lice (v.16-17)

                        2.      The magicians were unable to do the same (v.18)

                        3.      The magicians recognize the finger of God (v.19)

            C.            The Plague of the Flies (8:20-32)

                        1.      The warning given to Pharaoh (v.20-21)

                        2.      The promise to make a division between the Israelites and the Egyptians (v.22-23)

                        3.      The land corrupted by the flies (v.24)

                        4.      Pharaoh’s offer of a compromise: in the land (v.25-27)

                        5.      Pharaoh’s second offer of a compromise: not very far (v.28)

                        6.      The Lord removed the swarms of flies (v.29-31)

                        7.      Pharaoh hardens his heart and refuses to let the people go (v.32)