Page 22 - Advanced Biblical Backgrounds Revised

other elements of nature as personal forces. If one could go back in time and visit Egypt, one would
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see that there were temples everywhere in Egypt to a wide variety of gods. There were daily rituals to
the gods which the priests performed as well as other religious festivals which involved the common
people. Vos suggests that each of the ten plagues in Scripture showed the superiority of Yahweh over
the Egyptian gods. Exodus 12:12 tells us that God was judging the gods of Egypt through the plagues.
39

Egyptian Deity Plague Yahweh’s victory
Hapi: The Nile God Water was turned to blood Hapi was shown to be unable to
undo the work of Yahweh in the
waters.
Heket: Goddess of Fertility (who is Frogs were in everything. Pharaoh had priests who could
pictured as having the head of a summon more frogs. The problem
frog) was they couldn’t make them leave.
Yahweh was shown to be the true
ruler of fertility as represented in the
frogs.

Geb: God who ruled over the dust Lice came from the dust and The Egyptian priests failed to copy or
of the earth afflicted the Egyptians. to overcome the plague. This proved
Yahweh was the true Lord of the
earth.
Khepri: God of creation and rebirth Swarms of flies The flies are a pestilence that only
(who had the head of a fly) affect the Egyptians. Yahweh’s
people are not affected. Again, the
flies cannot be removed by the
Egyptian priests. This proves Yahweh
is the true Lord of creation not
Khepri.
Hathor: Goddess of protection and The Egyptian cattle and Hathor could not protect the
love. (Had the head of a cow). livestock die. Egyptian food supply, and this
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proved Yahweh was the true power
over their life or death.

Isis: Goddess of health and wellness Boils and Sores affect the Isis could not prevent or remove the
Sekhmet: Goddess of pestilence and Egyptians but not the Jews. sores, thus proving she was could not
healing. best the power of Yahweh.
Nut: Goddess of the firmament Fire filled hail rained down from Nut could not control the sky as
the sky. Yahweh proved he alone was Lord of
the sky.

38 Ibid., 55.
39 Ibid., 55-57.

40 Friedman, Ira. ""And Upon All the Gods of Egypt I Will Execute Judgment": The Egyptian Deity in the Ten
Plagues." Tradition: A Journal of Orthodox Jewish Thought 48, no. 1 (2015): 8-18. Accessed July 14, 2020.
www.jstor.org/stable/44821255.

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