My colleague Toby Sumpter suggests that the plunder Israel takes from Egypt is a “bride price” as well as the proper gift for a manumitted slave. The “bride price” idea works. Pharaoh has, like the Pharaoh of Abram’s day, claimed a bride for himself, . . . . Continue Reading »
A reader, Daniel Hoffman, comments on my post about the dogs of Egypt: “A while back I saw it pointed out somewhere (I am pretty sure it was John Currid in his book ‘Ancient Egypt and the Old Testament’, but I don’t have it on hand to check) that the Egyptian god of the dead . . . . Continue Reading »
On the first Passover night, Yahweh promises that “against any of the sons of Israel a dog shall not sharpen his tongue, whether against man or beast” (Exodus 11:7). By implication, dogs will be sharpening their tongues against the Egyptians. Dogs are urban scavengers in the . . . . Continue Reading »
In today’s sermon text, Yahweh tells Moses that He performs signs so that Israel can recount His works in the ears of “sons and sons of sons.” A few verses later, Yahweh says that He brings more locusts than “your fathers and the fathers of your fathers have . . . . Continue Reading »
Exodus 10:4-5: Tomorrow I will bring locusts into your territory. And they shall cover the face of the earth, so that no one will be able to see the earth; and they shall eat the residue of what is left, which remains to you from the hail, and they shall eat every tree which grows up for you . . . . Continue Reading »
Cassuto suggests that there may be a reference to Ra the Egyptian sun god in Exodus 10:10. Pharaoh dismisses Moses and Aaron with “look, for evil is before you,” but the word for evil is ra’a . Cassuto suggests that Pharaoh means, “know that the power of my god . . . . Continue Reading »
Throughout the early chapters of Exodus, Yahweh is hardening Pharaoh’s heart. By the end, there is a heart of stone in the heart of Egypt. To say that Israel has a heart of stone that needs to be turned to hearts of flesh is to say that Israel is an Egypt that needs to be re-Israelized . . . . Continue Reading »
Exodus 10 contains the first biblical references to locusts, and in that chapter the word is used 7 times. It’s enough to make one suspicious – suspicious that there’s a creation motif here, suspicious that the seven references might obliquely hint at the days of . . . . Continue Reading »
Yahweh’s opening speech in Exodus 10 is arranged as a parallel structure: A. Go; I have hardened Pharaoh’s heart B. That I may perform signs C. that you may tell to sons and sons of sons A’. I made a mockery of Egypt B’. I performed signs C’. that you may know I am Yahweh A . . . . Continue Reading »
For the Egyptians, frogs are symbols of fertility. Heqet, the Egyptian goddess of childbirth, has a frog’s head. When frogs start breeding in the Nile, it’s a sign that the divine Nile’s generosity. But there can be too much of a good thing. Fecundity is good . . . . Continue Reading »
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