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| The last of the 10 plagues of Egypt. |
Description of Coloring Page: women wailing for lost sons, Pharaoh mourns his dead son, Egyptian palace floor
The reason for the plagues appears to be twofold: to answer Pharaoh's taunt, "Who [is] the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go?", and to indelibly impress the Israelites with God's power as an object lesson for all time, which was also meant to become known "throughout the world".
According to the Book of Exodus, God hardened Pharaoh's heart so he
would be strong enough to persist in his unwillingness to release the
people, so that God could manifest his great power and cause his power to be declared among the nations, so that other people would discuss it for generations afterward.
In this view, the plagues were punishment for the Egyptians' long abuse
of the Israelites, as well as proof that the gods of Egypt were false
and powerless. If God triumphed over the gods of Egypt, a world power
at that time, then the people of God would be strengthened in their
faith, although they were a small people, and would not be tempted to
follow the deities that God proved false. Exodus 9:15–16 (JPS Tanakh)
portrays Yahweh explaining why he did not accomplish the freedom of the
Israelites immediately: "I could have stretched forth My hand and
stricken you [Pharaoh] and your people with pestilence, and you would
have been effaced from the earth. Nevertheless I have spared you for
this purpose: in order to show you My power and in order that My fame
may resound throughout the world."
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