Exodus
Study Section 11: The First Nine Plagues - Exodus 7:13-10:29
Initial observation
1. Recite the 10 plagues (from the Passover hagaddah).
2. Underline or highlight frequently used words (or refer to
your homework).
3. What words, phrases, or ideas make an impression on you?
In-depth Observation
4. Read and discuss the questions that the group wrote for
homework.
5. What is Pharaoh’s
response to each plague? The other
Egyptians’ response?
6. Some of the
plagues seem to deal with representations of Egyptian gods (water, frogs,
cattle, sun). What do these chapters of
Exodus tell us about the power of the Egyptian gods?
7. One commentary
says, “The plagues can be viewed as being “measure for measure” against
Egypt. For example, the river is
polluted because the Israelites were ordered to toss their newborn males into
the water. What other examples can you
identify?
8. Write down the theme or topic of this section.
Interpretation and Application:
A. What do you learn about the nature of God from this
passage?
B. What do you learn
about the other characters from this passage?
C. What can we learn
from this passage that applies to our own lives?
Vocabulary and notes
In the Egyptian belief system, certain animals were
associated with several different gods.
Some examples:
- Cattle:
The cow: linked to the goddess Nut, goddess of the sky. Also female fertility; mother of the pharaoh.
The bull: linked to Osiris, mummified god of creation,
masculinity and the pharaoh.
- Frogs: the goddess Heqet had the form of a woman
with a frog’s head, and was linked to fertility, childbirth, and resurrection.
- Water: depicted
as a crocodile.
- Sun: the Sun god Ra (of whom Pharaoh was a
representation) was responsible for providing sunlight, warmth, productivity,
creation and renewal.
* * * * * *
The Ten Plagues
From the Passover Haggadah
Blood
Frogs
Lice
Beasts
Cattle Disease
Boils
Hail
Locusts
Darkness
Plague of the Firstborn
* * * * * *
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