‘Plague’ in Hos 13" is deber, usually tr. ‘pestilence.’ In 1 Co 1555 κέντρον, ‘sting,’ appears to be the rendering of Ὅτ; the LXX in Hosea uses κέντρον as the translation of 38, and δίκη as that of deber.
In NT the issue of blood is called a ‘plague’ in Mk 5”-*, where the Greek term is μάστιξ, literally a ‘scourge.’ This word is used of other diseases in general in Mk 3%, Lk 7. In RV the word πληγή is 12 times rendered ‘plague’ (AV wants it in 9'8), See, further, MEDICINE, p. 324.
A. MACALISTER.
PLAGUES OF EGYPT.—The judgments inflicted upon the Heypiens by God on account of their cppression of the Israelites and refusal to release them. They are detailed in Ex 78-12%, and given in epitome in Ps 78-5 1057-3, In the longer narrative ten successive plagues are enumerated : (1) the turning the river into blood, (2) frogs, (3) lice, (4) flies, (5) murrain, (6) boils, (7) hail, (8) locusts, (9) darkness, (10) the slaying of the first- born. In Ps 78 the list consists of 1, 3, 2, 8, 7, 5, 10; that im Pe 105 includes 9, 1, 2, 4, 3, 7, 8, 10. Philo gives them in the following order: 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 4, 5, 10, but that is to suit an obviously arti- ficial classification (V2t. Mos. i. 17). The Jewish teachers use as a mnemonic the words 3nx3 wry 4s, a initials of the plagues in the order given in the
xt.
Egyptian history is silent concerning these as well as the other incidents of the Exodus; but that is not surprising. There were, however, evidently several ancient versions of the story, which have been collated and combined by those to whom we owe the text in its present form. It is probable that the groundwork of the narrative (J) was a document giving an account of seven plagues, viz. 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8,10. The infliction of each of these is preceded by an interview of Moses with Pharaoh at which its onset is threatened ; and the sign is brought to Mae by Jahweh directly (see art. MOsEs, Ρ. 439°). With this is combined another version (E), whose record embraced οι, possibly sia
lagues, viz. l (Ex 715d. 110. 300). 7 (8%2- ), 8 (10!2-14), 9 (10”-%) ; there are also traces of its influence in the account of 10, and perhaps in that of 3. Moses in these is the thaumaturgist, and works by stretch- ing forth his hand or his rod (see art. Mosks, p. 441". The third component document (P) couples Aaron with Moses ; and, in general, attri- butes the carrying out of the miracle to him and his rod. The accounts of siz plagues US PRBS δ᾽ 8; 10 seem to be taken in whole or in part from this (see art. MosEs, p. 443°). It will be seen from
PLAGUES OF EGYPT
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this analysis that 3 and 6 are peculiar to P, 4 to J, and 9 to E. 1, and possibly 10 are found in all three, 2 and 5 in P and J, and 7 and 8 in J and E. This list suggests the possibility that the list set forth in the Massoretic text may contain redupli- cated narratives.
The district affected by the plagues is called in Ps 7813. ‘the Field of Zoan’ (jysmy). This may be either a limitation to the eastern part of Lower Egypt, or, more probably, a poetical synecdoche. J and P in several places refer the influence of these visitations to all the land of Egypt, meaning probably Lower Egypt. In 4, 5, 7, 9, 10 the immunity of the land of Goshen is specially men- tioned. The interval between the first plague and the Exodus is not stated. The actual duration of the Ist and 9th plagues is given, but not of the others. It has been supposed that the first was connected with the early stages of the Nile over- flow, possibly the end of June, and that the others occurred at intervals between that time and the following Passover, which was the definite ter- minus in point of time. The presumption in the narrative is that of a fairly regular and quick succession of stroke upon stroke.
The plagues have been variously classified. Philo divides them into four groups: Ist, those in which God asserts His power over the grosser elements, earth and water, intrusting the bringing of the plagues to Aaron (=1, 2, 3) ; 2nd, plagues of air anit: fire inflicted by Moses (=7, 8, 9); 3rd, one plague hurtful to mankind inflicted by both together (=5); 4th, those inflicted directly by the hand of God (=4, 6, 10). The first three were admonitory, characterized by uncleanness and discomfort; those following were more or less destructive to property and injurious to man, lead- ig up to the overwhelming catastrophe of 10.
he story of the plagues is preceded by the account of a series of signs which Moses was instructed to perform: these were twofold: (1) two were for the purpose of attesting the reality of his Divine mission to his own countrymen ; (2) the other was for the purpose of influencing Pharaoh. With the former pair, the conversion of his own rod into a serpent, and the leprous hand, we are not at present concerned. The last, the conversion of Aaron’s rod into a serpent, is a ere of the same group of signs as the plagues. This sign Moses caused to be performed in the presence of the advisers of Pharaoh, who are called nx3n hadkamim ‘learned men,’ o'sW29 mékashshéphim or ‘sorcerers,’ and ΘΟ hartwmmim or ‘sacred scribes.’ While the first two names are nndoubedly Semitic, the last may possibly be the name of an order of Egyptian priests, a derivative of the native name Ardot, but this is unlikely. In the Gr. these are called ἐπαοιδοί [in Dn 1° σοφισταί] ; see, further, in vol. ii. p. 779" note **. There is a tradition that two of these were chosen to confront the two wonder- working Israelites, namely, Jannes and Jambres (see vol. ii. p. 548). These eee two names occur in very many forms both in Jewish and Gen- tile literature. When these variants are compared, the constant elements are Ane or Ani and Mre or Mri, which are two of the commonest names found on the monuments of the 19th and of the immediately succeeding dynasties. In Lieblein’s list, Ant or some allied form of the name occurs 24 times, and Mri 23 times. The Gospel of Nicodemus calls them ἄνδρες θεράποντες. It is suggestive that Ambres was the name of an Egyptian medical book known to Numenius and Clement (see Hora- pollo, i. 38).