The Bible Book

70

T

he ten plagues of Egypt

occur at a time when

the Israelites have been

enslaved in Egypt for around 400

years. With their trust in God

wavering, the plagues act as a

sign from God that reaffirms the

Israelites as His chosen people

and shows His superior power

over the many gods worshipped

by the Egyptians.

On the instructions of God,

Moses and Aaron confront Pharaoh

and ask him to free the Israelites.

Although Moses is respected

by Pharaoh’s advisers, God hardens

Pharaoh’s heart and he refuses

Moses’s request.

The identity of this Pharaoh is

a matter of conjecture among

scholars, since Exodus does not

name him and there is no firm

agreement about the date of the

Israelites’ eventual escape from

IN BRIEF

PA S SAGE

Exodus 7–10

THEME

Divine intervention

SETTING

14th–13th century bce

Egypt.

KEY FIGURES

The Israelites Followers of

the patriarch Jacob, who are

enslaved in Egypt.

Moses A future prophet,

chosen by God to lead the

Israelites out of captivity into

the Promised Land.

Aaron Moses’s older brother,

a Levite and skilled orator.

Pharaoh Egyptian leader and

enslaver of the Israelites.

The Fifth Plague of Egypt by J.M.W.

Turner actually depicts the hailstorm

of the seventh plague. The mistitled

painting was Turner’s first major work

to be shown at the Royal Academy.

ALL THE WATER

WAS CHANGED

INTO BLOOD

EXODUS 7:20, THE TEN PLAGUES

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