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| General |
Slavery in Egypt |
In the Wilderness |
Linking Language |
| The conflict between YHWH and the gods of Egypt |
Aaron’s rod swallows (Ex. 7.12) the snake rods of the Egyptian Wise Men |
The Egyptian army is swallowed by the waters of the Red Sea: Thou didst stretch out thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. (Ex. 15.12) |
swallow |
| Foul water, fresh water |
Aaron strikes (Exodus 7.17) the Nile water which becomes foul |
Moses strikes the rock at Horeb and fresh water poured out for the people to drink. |
striking (this miracle takes place ironically after an over-abundance of water both saves the Israelites and drowns the Egyptians |
| Foul water, fresh water |
The first plague contains the words: ” …they could not drink the water” (Ex. 7.24). |
Immediately upon going into the wilderness the people “they could not drink the water.” (Ex 15.27) |
25Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink…27Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water. |
| The raining of blessings/plagues which “covered” the land |
In the seventh plague God “rained” hail upon Egypt, destroying the food sources (see 9:18, 23), |
God “rains” bread from the heavens. (Exodus 16.4) |
rained, “covered” |
| The raining of blessings/plagues which “covered” the land |
In the eighth plague, locusts “came up” (‘lh) and “covered” (ksh) the land (10:14-15), destroying the food. |
Quails “came up” and “covered” the camp, providing food.(Exodus 16.13) In the Numbers parallel to this story (11:31), the wind brings quail rather than locusts (Exod 10:13). |
“rained,” “covered” |
| Gnats from the dust |
Then 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.” |
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19By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” Elsewhere in the Bible dust is associated with human origins and mortality. (Gen. 3:19; Eccl. 3:20; Job 4:19; 10:9; Ps. 104:29). |
