The ten plagues of Egypt

The ten plagues in order

1. Water turned to blood

   Aaron's rod struck the river and all its water became blood. The fish died and the Egyptians could not drink it.

   And Moses and Aaron did so, as the LORD commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood.

   Exodus 7:20

2. Frogs

   Frogs came up out of the waters and covered the land, even into Pharaoh's house. The magicians copied this one with their enchantments.

   And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.

   Exodus 8:6

3. Lice

   Aaron struck the dust and it became lice on man and beast. The magicians could not copy it and told Pharaoh, This is the finger of God.

   And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.

   Exodus 8:17

4. Flies

   A grievous swarm of flies filled the houses of Egypt. For the first time the text says the land of Goshen, where Israel lived, was spared.

   And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.

   Exodus 8:24

5. Death of the cattle (murrain)

   A disease called murrain struck the livestock in the field. All the cattle of Egypt died, but not one of Israel's.

   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.

   Exodus 9:6

6. Boils

   Moses threw ashes of the furnace toward heaven and they became boils on man and beast. The magicians could not even stand before Moses because of them.

   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.

   Exodus 9:10

7. Hail

   Thunder, hail and fire fell together. The flax and barley were struck, but the wheat and rie were not yet grown, and there was no hail in Goshen.

   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.

   Exodus 9:23

8. Locusts

   An east wind brought locusts that ate every green thing the hail had left. The text says there had never been such locusts before, nor would be after.

   And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day, and all that night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

   Exodus 10:13

9. Darkness

   A thick darkness that could be felt covered Egypt for three days. The children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

   And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days:

   Exodus 10:22

10. Death of the firstborn

    At midnight the LORD struck the firstborn of Egypt, from Pharaoh's son to the captive in the dungeon. Houses marked with the lamb's blood were passed over.

    And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.

    Exodus 12:29

Why ten plagues?

The text ties the plagues to two purposes: to bring Israel out of Egypt, and so that Egypt would know the LORD. Exodus 12:12 adds that the last plague was a judgment "against all the gods of Egypt".

Christians and Jews have long read the plagues as a contest between the God of Israel and the powers Egypt trusted, such as the river and the sun. The text itself names only the gods of Egypt in general, not specific ones.

Pharaoh's hard heart

Again and again the text says Pharaoh's heart was hardened. Sometimes Pharaoh hardens his own heart (Exodus 8:15), and sometimes the text says the LORD hardened it (Exodus 9:12), as God had said He would in Exodus 7:3. Readers have discussed how these fit together for centuries.

The plagues and the Passover

The tenth plague is the reason for the Passover. Each household of Israel killed a lamb and put its blood on the doorposts. God said, "when I see the blood, I will pass over you" (Exodus 12:13). Jewish families still keep the Passover, and Christians connect it to Christ, whom Paul calls "our passover" (1 Corinthians 5:7).

And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt, and bring out the children of Israel from among them.

Exodus 7:5 · KJV