Read Exodus 6:2-9:35 at Bible Gateway.
(Please review the teaching tools of scripture, especially the Hebrew paragraph divisions. The paragraphs marked by an “s” at their close are weak paragraphs, which indicate a change of facet but not a change of theme or topic. The paragraphs marked by a “p” at their close are strong paragraphs, which indicate the completion of a theme or topic.)
These are the Hebrew paragraph divisions:
Exo 6:2-9 {p} God confirms Abraham’s covenant with Israel
Exo 6:10-12 {p} Speak to Pharaoh + How shall he heed me? (Moses’ question)
Exo 6:13 {s} YHVH commanded Israel and Pharaoh, through Moses and Aaron
Exo 6:14-28 {s} Moses and Aaron the seed of Levi
Exo 6:29-30 {p} I am YHVH (YHVH’s answer)
Exo 7:1-7 {p} Moses to tell the word of the LORD to Pharaoh + Pharaoh will not heed
Exo 7:8-13 {s} Aaron’s rod becomes a serpent + magicians’ rods become serpents
Exo 7:14-18 {s} Warning re: the river will become blood
Exo 7:19-25 {p} The river becomes blood + magicians did also
Exo 8:1-15 {s} The plague of frogs + magicians did also
Exo 8:16-19 {s} The plague of lice + magicians could not do also
Exo 8:20-32 {p} The plague of flies + no flies in Goshen
Exo 9:1-7 {p} The plague of pestilence on the cattle
Exo 9:8-12 {s} The plague of boils
Exo 9:13-21 {p} Warning re: the plague of hail
Exo 9:22-35 {p} The plague of hail
According to the Hebrew paragraph divisions, this parashah (Torah portion) is divided into these strong themes:
Exo 6:2-9 {p} God confirms Abraham’s covenant with Israel
Exo 6:10-12 {p} Speak to Pharaoh + How shall he heed me? (Moses’ question)
Exo 6:13-30 {s+s+p} I have commanded you; I am YHVH (YHVH’s answer)
Exo 7:1-7 {p} Summary of what is coming: Moses will proclaim the word of YHVH + Pharaoh will not heed
“And the Egyptians shall know that I am YHVH, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” Exo 7:5
(the purpose of the plagues: to reveal to those who do not know Him, what “I am YHVH” means)
Exo 7:8-25 {s+s+p} The sign of the serpent + the warning + the water becomes blood
The first paragraph is the sign of the serpent. God spoke His command to Pharaoh, and confirmed that it was His word by the sign following. He made His will known to those who did not know Him, and confirmed that it was His will by the sign. He gave an opportunity to repent and obey. Nothing bad happened to the land of Egypt as yet.
The second paragraph is the warning of the coming plague, that the river would become blood. The supernatural sign is greater in scope and magnitude (“I will multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt,” Exo 7:3). The fact that the weak paragraph ends after the warning, and before anything else happens, reveals that God gave an opportunity to repent and obey. Nothing bad happened to the land of Egypt as yet.
The third paragraph is the accomplishment of the plague. He instructs those who do not know Him, that YHVH keeps His word. God is being so careful with those who do not know Him. The Egyptians could still get water by digging – just the water of the Nile was turned to blood. So the judgment increased their inconvenience, but it was not life- threatening. Pharaoh could at any time end the inconvenience to his people, by repenting and obeying. The encompassing theme of the first sign and first plague, is that YHVH is beginning to reveal who He is to those who do not know Him: He is great and mighty, performing wonders, the God whose word is truth, the faithful God who performs His word, and also the just and merciful God, who proceeds without anger and with fairness to accomplish His purpose.
Exo 8:1-32 {s+s+p} The plague of frogs + lice + flies
The first paragraph is the plague of frogs. This plague the magicians are able to duplicate.
The second paragraph is the plague of lice. This plague the magicians are not able to duplicate, and add their testimony to that of Moses, that this is the finger of God (Exo 8:19). Glory increases to YHVH’s name as He multiplies His signs and wonders in Egypt.
The third paragraph is the plague of flies. In this plague, God makes a distinction between His people and the Egyptians, for no flies are to be found in Goshen. Glory increases to YHVH’s name, as through the use of occult arts, a plague might be unleashed, but only YHVH is able to restrain a plague and preserve a people.
The encompassing theme of these three plagues, is that although these plagues were a horrible inconvenience to Egypt, no harm to the life of crops, herds, flocks, or persons resulted, while God was patiently teaching Egypt what “I am YHVH” means, and increasing the glory of His name.
Exo 9:1-7 {p} The plague of pestilence on the cattle
This is the first plague where death occurs to soul- bearing creatures. But because of YHVH’s compassion and regard for life, no humans are harmed.
Exo 9:8-21 {s+p} The plague of boils + the warning of the plague of hail
This makes no sense to human logic. Why end the weak paragraph with the completion of a plague, but then end the strong paragraph with only the warning of the next plague and not the accomplishment of it! It turns out the warning is precisely the point. Notice what YHVH says:
“For at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth. Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth. But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” Exo 9:14-16
The plague on livestock was a pestilence plague. Death of livestock resulted. God was patiently teaching those who did not know Him, as He was multiplying His signs and wonders in the land. The plague of boils was a pestilence plague, but this time on humans (death not resulting). By the plague of boils, He is saying, “I am able to bring pestilence upon humans also, therefore repent and heed My word!” The plague of boils is a warning, just as the coming of the plague of hail is a warning, and that is why they are together in a single strong paragraph.
We find in the warning of the plague of hail, something that we do not find in any of the other plagues so far:
“He who feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses. But he who did not regard the word of the LORD left his servants and his livestock in the field.” Exo 9:20-21
God is teaching all who have ears to hear, to fear the word of the LORD, because He is gracious and compassionate, and exercises mercy even when He is judging the pride of Pharaoh and the idols of the Egyptians! He is extending the same protection to those who do not know Him, that He extended to Goshen for His own people, for those who will avail themselves of it!
Exo 9:22-35 {p} The plague of hail – the first plague with loss of human life (only those who did not regard the word of the Lord)
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