Page 40 - Pentateuch

firstborn and only son offered as a sacrifice. We cannot help but see God teaching Israel more about their
eternal deliverance through the Messiah.

Moses makes it back to Egypt, meeting with Aaron on the way and discussing all that had happened (4:27-
38). They inform the elders of Israel of God’s intention to intervene (4:29-31).
They then have an interview with Pharaoh requesting time to hold a festival to
YHWH in the wilderness. Pharaoh refuses with the mocking words, “Who is
the LORD that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD and
will not let Israel go” (5:2). Pharaoh decides to make their slave labor even
harder by requiring them to gather materials to make bricks. (5:6-19). The
increased workload causes the Israelite overseers to complain bitterly to
Moses and Aaron, “May the LORD look on you and judge you (5:21)!” Fig. 24: Brick making

Moses returns to God and questions him, “Why, LORD, why have you brought trouble on this people
(5:22).” God responds by reaffirming his intention to rescue Israel. He also reveals his plan to judge Egypt in
the process and show Israel more of himself (6:1-8). God’s renewed promise is reported to the nation, but
they are not interested due to their increased workload (6:9). Again, God speaks to Moses in command
form, “Bring the Israelites out of Egypt by their divisions (6:26). Again, Moses protests, “Why would
Pharaoh listen to me (6:30).

Israel has been living in Egypt for some time. They have not yet received the law or any other revelation
from God. All they might know are the stories handed down to them, from one generation to the next,
about God’s interventions in the lives of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. Otherwise, they know only
about the gods of Egypt. They have lived among the Egyptians, although in their own assigned area, and
have observed Egyptian worship practices. So the exodus experience is for them and for the Egyptians.

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Much has been written about ancient Egyptian gods. Like all the nations of that time, Egyptians
worshipped many gods, with one or another popular at a given time. While a one-to-one correspondence
between the plagues and the Egyptian gods is difficult to prove, YHWH’s targeting of idolatry is clear. “I will
bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD (12:12).” Note how the Israelites are spared many of
the plagues.

1. 7:14-25: water into blood – Hapi, the god of the Nile
2. 8:1-15: frogs – Hek, the frog-headed goddess of
fruitfulness
3. 8:16-19: gnats
4. 8:20-23: flies (8:22) – Kheper, a beetle?
5. 9:1-7: pestilence on cattle (9:4, 6) -- many gods half-
human and half-animal
6. 9:8-12: boils
7. 9:13-35: hail, thunder, and lightning (9:26) – Nut, the sky
goddess
8. 10:1-20: locusts – Serapia protector from locusts Fig. 25: Hathor
9. 10:21-29: three days of darkness – Re the personification of the
sun, king of the gods
10. 11:1-12:36 death of the firstborn (12:7, 13) – Taurt, goddess of maternity

47 A very good volume on this topic is Moses and the God’s of Egypt by John J. Davis (Baker: Grand Rapids, 1985).
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