Plagues
The plagues on Egypt are traditionally thought to be ten, but they map the 13 tribes when we share the wind/locust plague with two tribes and add the plundering of Egypt of gold and silver and the drowning of the Egyptian army in the Red Sea. The following table explores.
| Tribe | Sign |
|---|---|
| Judah | Blood |
14Then the LORD said to Moses, "Pharaoh's heart is unyielding; he refuses to let the people go.
15Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he goes out to the water. Wait on the bank of the Nile to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was changed into a snake.
16Then say to him, `The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the desert. But until now you have not listened.
17This is what the LORD says: By this you will know that I am the LORD: With the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water of the Nile, and it will be changed into blood.
18The fish in the Nile will die, and the river will stink; the Egyptians will not be able to drink its water.'"
19The LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, `Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt -- over the streams and canals, over the ponds and all the reservoirs' -- and they will turn to blood. Blood will be everywhere in Egypt, even in the wooden buckets and stone jars."
20Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD had commanded. He raised his staff in the presence of Pharaoh and his officials and struck the water of the Nile, and all the water was changed into blood.
21The fish in the Nile died, and the river smelled so bad that the Egyptians could not drink its water. Blood was everywhere in Egypt.
22But the Egyptian magicians did the same things by their secret arts, and Pharaoh's heart became hard; he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said.
23Instead, he turned and went into his palace, and did not take even this to heart.
24And all the Egyptians dug along the Nile to get drinking water, because they could not drink the water of the river. (Exodus 7:14-24 NIV) | |
| Reuben | Frogs |
1Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, `This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.
2If you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs.
3The Nile will teem with frogs. They will come up into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed, into the houses of your officials and on your people, and into your ovens and kneading troughs.
4The frogs will go up on you and your people and all your officials.'"
5Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, `Stretch out your hand with your staff over the streams and canals and ponds, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.'"
6So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the land.
7But the magicians did the same things by their secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.
8Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD."
9Moses said to Pharaoh, "I leave to you the honor of setting the time for me to pray for you and your officials and your people that you and your houses may be rid of the frogs, except for those that remain in the Nile."
10"Tomorrow," Pharaoh said. Moses replied, "It will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the LORD our God.
11The frogs will leave you and your houses, your officials and your people; they will remain only in the Nile."
12After Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the LORD about the frogs he had brought on Pharaoh.
13And the LORD did what Moses asked. The frogs died in the houses, in the courtyards and in the fields.
14They were piled into heaps, and the land reeked of them.
15But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said. (Exodus 8:1-15 NIV) | |
| Gad | Gnats |
16Then the LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, `Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the ground,' and throughout the land of Egypt the dust will become gnats."
17They did this, and when Aaron stretched out his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the ground, gnats came upon men and animals. All the dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats.
18But when the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not. And the gnats were on men and animals.
19The magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God." But Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not listen, just as the LORD had said. (Exodus 8:16-19 NIV) | |
| Asher | Arabs (Flies) |
20Then the LORD said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to the water and say to him, `This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.
21If you do not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your people and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of flies, and even the ground where they are.
22"`But on that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the LORD, am in this land.
23I will make a distinction between my people and your people. This miraculous sign will occur tomorrow.'"
24And the LORD did this. Dense swarms of flies poured into Pharaoh's palace and into the houses of his officials, and throughout Egypt the land was ruined by the flies.
25Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land."
26But Moses said, "That would not be right. The sacrifices we offer the LORD our God would be detestable to the Egyptians. And if we offer sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will they not stone us?
27We must take a three-day journey into the desert to offer sacrifices to the LORD our God, as he commands us."
28Pharaoh said, "I will let you go to offer sacrifices to the LORD your God in the desert, but you must not go very far. Now pray for me."
29Moses answered, "As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the LORD, and tomorrow the flies will leave Pharaoh and his officials and his people. Only be sure that Pharaoh does not act deceitfully again by not letting the people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD."
30Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD,
31and the LORD did what Moses asked: The flies left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a fly remained.
32But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go. (Exodus 8:20-32 NIV) | |
| Naphtali | Livestock |
1Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, `This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, so that they may worship me."
2If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back,
3the hand of the LORD will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field -- on your horses and donkeys and camels and on your cattle and sheep and goats.
4But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.'"
5The LORD set a time and said, "Tomorrow the LORD will do this in the land."
6And the next day the LORD did it: All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died.
7Pharaoh sent men to investigate and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Yet his heart was unyielding and he would not let the people go. (Exodus 9:1-7 NIV) | |
| Manasseh | Boils |
8Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Take handfuls of soot from a furnace and have Moses toss it into the air in the presence of Pharaoh.
9It will become fine dust over the whole land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on men and animals throughout the land."
10So they took soot from a furnace and stood before Pharaoh. Moses tossed it into the air, and festering boils broke out on men and animals.
11The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians.
12But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart and he would not listen to Moses and Aaron, just as the LORD had said to Moses. (Exodus 9:8-12 NIV) | |
| Simeon | Hail |
13Then the LORD said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning, confront Pharaoh and say to him, `This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me,
14or this time I will send the full force of my plagues against you and against your officials and your people, so you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth.
15For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with a plague that would have wiped you off the earth.
16But I have raised you up for this very purpose, that I might show you my power and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.
17You still set yourself against my people and will not let them go.
18Therefore, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever fallen on Egypt, from the day it was founded till now.
19Give an order now to bring your livestock and everything you have in the field to a place of shelter, because the hail will fall on every man and animal that has not been brought in and is still out in the field, and they will die.'"
20Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD hurried to bring their slaves and their livestock inside.
21But those who ignored the word of the LORD left their slaves and livestock in the field.
22Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that hail will fall all over Egypt -- on men and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt."
23When Moses stretched out his staff toward the sky, the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning flashed down to the ground. So the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt;
24hail fell and lightning flashed back and forth. It was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation.
25Throughout Egypt hail struck everything in the fields -- both men and animals; it beat down everything growing in the fields and stripped every tree.
26The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were.
27Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron. "This time I have sinned," he said to them. "The LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong.
28Pray to the LORD, for we have had enough thunder and hail. I will let you go; you don't have to stay any longer."
29Moses replied, "When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD's.
30But I know that you and your officials still do not fear the LORD God."
31(The flax and barley were destroyed, since the barley had headed and the flax was in bloom.
32The wheat and spelt, however, were not destroyed, because they ripen later.)
33Then Moses left Pharaoh and went out of the city. He spread out his hands toward the LORD; the thunder and hail stopped, and the rain no longer poured down on the land.
34When Pharaoh saw that the rain and hail and thunder had stopped, he sinned again: He and his officials hardened their hearts.
35So Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the LORD had said through Moses. (Exodus 9:13-35 NIV) | |
| Levi | Wind |
1Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may perform these miraculous signs of mine among them
2that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I dealt harshly with the Egyptians and how I performed my signs among them, and that you may know that I am the LORD."
3So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, "This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: `How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me.
4If you refuse to let them go, I will bring locusts into your country tomorrow.
5They will cover the face of the ground so that it cannot be seen. They will devour what little you have left after the hail, including every tree that is growing in your fields.
6They will fill your houses and those of all your officials and all the Egyptians -- something neither your fathers nor your forefathers have ever seen from the day they settled in this land till now.'" Then Moses turned and left Pharaoh.
7Pharaoh's officials said to him, "How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the LORD their God. Do you not yet realize that Egypt is ruined?"
8Then Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh. "Go, worship the LORD your God," he said. "But just who will be going?"
9Moses answered, "We will go with our young and old, with our sons and daughters, and with our flocks and herds, because we are to celebrate a festival to the LORD."
10Pharaoh said, "The LORD be with you -- if I let you go, along with your women and children! Clearly you are bent on evil.
11No! Have only the men go; and worship the LORD, since that's what you have been asking for." Then Moses and Aaron were driven out of Pharaoh's presence.
12And the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over Egypt so that locusts will swarm over the land and devour everything growing in the fields, everything left by the hail."
13So Moses stretched out his staff over Egypt, and the LORD made an east wind blow across the land all that day and all that night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts; (Exodus 10:1-13 NIV) | |
| Issachar | Locusts |
13So Moses stretched out his staff over Egypt, and the LORD made an east wind blow across the land all that day and all that night. By morning the wind had brought the locusts;
14they invaded all Egypt and settled down in every area of the country in great numbers. Never before had there been such a plague of locusts, nor will there ever be again.
15They covered all the ground until it was black. They devoured all that was left after the hail -- everything growing in the fields and the fruit on the trees. Nothing green remained on tree or plant in all the land of Egypt.
16Pharaoh quickly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "I have sinned against the LORD your God and against you.
17Now forgive my sin once more and pray to the LORD your God to take this deadly plague away from me."
18Moses then left Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD.
19And the LORD changed the wind to a very strong west wind, which caught up the locusts and carried them into the Red Sea. Not a locust was left anywhere in Egypt.
20But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let the Israelites go. (Exodus 10:13-20 NIV) | |
| Zebulun | Darkness |
21Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness will spread over Egypt -- darkness that can be felt."
22So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days.
23No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.
24Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and said, "Go, worship the LORD. Even your women and children may go with you; only leave your flocks and herds behind."
25But Moses said, "You must allow us to have sacrifices and burnt offerings to present to the LORD our God.
26Our livestock too must go with us; not a hoof is to be left behind. We have to use some of them in worshiping the LORD our God, and until we get there we will not know what we are to use to worship the LORD."
27But the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he was not willing to let them go.
28Pharaoh said to Moses, "Get out of my sight! Make sure you do not appear before me again! The day you see my face you will die."
29"Just as you say," Moses replied, "I will never appear before you again." (Exodus 10:21-29 NIV) | |
| Joseph | Firstborn |
29At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well.
30Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead. (Exodus 12:29-30 NIV) | |
| Benjamin | Plunder |
31During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD as you have requested.
32Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me."
33The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. "For otherwise," they said, "we will all die!"
34So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing.
35The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing.
36The LORD had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians. (Exodus 12:31-36 NIV) | |
| Dan | Sea |
24During the last watch of the night the LORD looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.
25He made the wheels of their chariots come off so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, "Let's get away from the Israelites! The LORD is fighting for them against Egypt."
26Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen."
27Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place. The Egyptians were fleeing toward it, and the LORD swept them into the sea.
28The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen -- the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea. Not one of them survived. (Exodus 14:24-28 NIV) | |
Notes
Judah as the plague of blood is still a little muddy to me.
Reuben fits nicely with the plague of frogs in that the plague includes the detail that the frogs went into pharaoh's bed. Reuben is known for defiling the bed also.
Gad as the plague of gnats is unclear to me.
Asher as the plague of "Arabs" (aka flies) maps to Asher and his modern nation of Austria, the headquarters of OPEC. Remember Asher's feet were to be bathed in oil. All the Arab oil is traded at OPEC. In Hebrew the word "flies" does not exist but "swarm" is spelled Ayin, Reysh, Bet and sometimes translated Arabia. Quite literally this scripture is saying Egypt was plagued with a great Arab, but apparently it was not any more politically correct to say such things in 1611 than it is now.
Naphtali as the plague on livestock is wonderful because it's actually the "decree" or "word" on livestock (debar in Hebrew). Naphtali would have "beautiful words" according to Jacob in Genesis 49, so this is a nice match.
Manasseh as the plague of boils from soot from a furnace is good. Elsewhere in scripture Manasseh is the altar of burnt offering, which has plenty of ashes. One of his books is Job, who throws ashes on his head as Moses and Aaron did to Egypt.
Simeon as the plague of hail is a good match because the uniqueness of the plague fits Simeon. Only the plague of hail comes with counsel ahead of time, which some Egyptians hear, but many do not. They are told to shelter their servants and animals because it is going to hail. Simeon is the one who did not listen to his father's counsel in Genesis.
Levi takes the first part of the plague of locusts, which is a wind that eventually drives the locusts from the sea into the land of Egypt. Not exactly sure why this would be Levi, but the plagues around this match the tribes well so this match is more or less right even if unclear at this time.
Issachar then takes the second half of the plague of locusts, the part where the locusts actually show up en mass and consume everything in Egypt that was not destroyed by the hail. Issachar's holiday is Tabernacles, which is actually a trade fair, a time when everyone descends on Jerusalem, sets up their booths, and buys, sells and trades anything and everything for a week. By the end of Tabernacles everything is consumed like when the locusts where done with Egypt.
Zebulun as the plague of darkness needs more thought. I don't get this one yet.
Joseph holds the firstborn promise for his generation, so he's a natural fit with the plague on firstborn.
Benjamin was the one who plunders in Genesis 49 and here he maps to the "plundering" of Egypt's gold and silver. When the list of apostles are mapped to the tribes Judas goes with Benjamin. Judas, of course, had his hand in the money bag.
Dan goes nicely with the drowning of the Egyptian army in the Red Sea. Later in time Dan would settle "by the sea" when Israel took Canaan. The modern day Danites, Netherlanders, have also pushed back the sea with an extensive system of dikes.