Read Exodus 10 and 11 at Bible Gateway.
The Hebrew paragraph divisions:
Exo 10:1-11 {s} Warning re: plague of locusts
Exo 10:12-20 {p} plague of locusts
Exo 10:21-29 {p} The plague of darkness
Exo 11:1-3 {s} One final plague + favor in the sight of the Egyptians
Exo 11:4-8 {s} One final plague + distinction between Israel
Exo 11:9-10 {s} Pharaoh will/ did not heed + wonders multiplied in Egypt
The cycle of plagues in Exodus forms a chiastic structure:
1a) Exo 7:8-13 {s} YHVH’s initial warning sign to Pharaoh: Aaron’s rod becomes a serpent;
1b) Exo 7:14-8:19 {s+p+s+s} Opening three warning plagues (blood, frogs, lice) when Moses stretched forth the rod;
1c) Exo 8:20-32 {p} 4th plague of flies/ no flies in Goshen
central axis) Exo 9:1-7 {p} 5th plague of pestilence on cattle/ no pestilence in Goshen (first warning that YHVH can both take life and preserve life);
2c) Exo 9:8-12 {s} 6th plague of boils, restricted to Egypt (warning that YHVH can bring pestilence on humans also);
2b) Exo 9:13-10:29 {p+p+s+p+p} Final three warning plagues (hail, locusts, darkness) when Moses stretched forth the rod (warning that YHVH can cut off both food and light;
2a) Exo 11:1-10 {sx3} YHVH’s final warning declaration to Pharaoh: let Israel My firstborn go, else death of the firstborn of Egypt.
The cycle of plagues reveals that YHVH has been incrementally step by step, schooling Pharaoh and the Egyptians on what “I am YHVH” means. It means, He is God, and there is no other, for everything the Egyptians revered as gods, from the first plague against the Nile god, to the last plague against the sun god, He overruled and judged. It means, He is merciful and just, for He only increased the severity of the plagues incrementally, giving Pharaoh every opportunity to repent, and giving the Egyptian people the option to spare their lives. It means, He is the Redeemer and Deliverer of His people, and the greatest nation on the face of the earth does not have the power or ability to negate His redemption. Thank You Father!
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