20130920 Friday, September 20 2013
Exodus 09: The Plagues Upon Crops And Livestock

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"Let My people go"

The LORD (Who was and is Jesus Christ; see Genesis 1: In The Beginning Was The Word and The Kingdom Of The LORD God) began the plagues upon the obstinate Pharaoh with troubles in the great Nile River, a source of life and bounty for millions of people (that had also saved Israel when they first sought refuge there; see Genesis 47: Jacob's Israel In The Land Of Goshen), but which had become a theater for the idolatrous "Nile gods" of Egypt. It was also used as a place of murder, wherein the Pharaoh ordered all newborn male Israelite infants to be cast into the waters (see Exodus 2: The Drawing Of Moses) where they would drown or be eaten by the many Nile crocodiles that infested the waters (see also The Dragons Of The Bible).

The plagues then moved inland, not yet upon the cities, but upon the resources that fed them. Notice that the plagues were precisely targeted, "And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children's of Israel."

"9:1 Then the LORD said unto Moses [see also The Meeting Of Moses And Aaron and Moses And Zipporah], Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 9:2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still, 9:3 Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain. 9:4 And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children's of Israel." (Exodus 9:1-4 KJV)

The Pharaoh was a hard man, upon himself. The wrath and destruction were in his power to stop at any time, but "the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go."

"9:5 And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land. 9:6 And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one. 9:7 And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go." (Exodus 9:5-7 KJV)

Then came "a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast." The sorcerers (see also What Is Sorcery?) had by then stopped adding to the destruction by imitating the true miracles done by Moses and Aaron, but they remained in their places of offense. So "the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians."

"9:8 And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. 9:9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.

9:10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast. 9:11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. 9:12 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses." (Exodus 9:8-12 KJV)

Notice how the plagues upon Egypt were following a pattern that will be repeated to an end-time Emperor who will be even more obstinate; the "four horsemen of the apocalypse" that will bring famine and pestilence in the same way, for the same reason (see The Horsemen Of The Apocalypse and The Battle Of The End-Time Prophets).

"9:13 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 9:14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth. 9:15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth. 9:16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. 9:17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? 9:18 Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. 9:19 Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die." (Exodus 9:13-19 KJV)

The wrath was not indiscriminate. Anyone who repented and heeded the Word of God was spared the troubles.

"9:20 He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: 9:21 And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field." (Exodus 9:20-21 KJV)

The main agricultural crops were then targeted (see also Ipuwer's Exodus for an Egyptian historical account, identical to the Biblical account).

"9:22 And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.

9:23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

9:24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. 9:25 And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.

9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail." (Exodus 9:22-26 KJV)

The crop destruction is also a testimony to the accuracy of the Scriptures. The events of the Exodus occurred in early spring, the time in Egypt when "the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled" but "the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up."

"9:27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. 9:28 Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.

9:29 And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD'S. 9:30 But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.

9:31 And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled.

9:32 But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up.

9:33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.

9:34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. 9:35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses." (Exodus 9:27-35 KJV)

Fact Finder: Egyptian flax is stated in the Scriptures above. What was flax used for?
See Linen In History And Prophecy