What was the result of the ten plagues?

Answer 1

According to The Bible, the ten plagues of Egypt were:

1. The water in the Nile River and all the streams of Egypt turned to blood
2. A plague of frogs
3. A plague of lice
4. A plague of flies
5. The death of all the Egyptian cattle and livestock, with the Israelite livestock spared
6. A plague of boils
7. Thunder and hail
8. A plague of locusts
9. Darkness over the land for three whole days
10. Death of the Egyptian firstborn.

The Bible says that God brought down ten terrible plagues on the nation of Egypt during the time of Moses and just before the Exodus from Egypt. The first of these plagues were portrayed as being intended to force the pharaoh to release the Israelites and allow them to leave Egypt. But when the pharaoh showed signs of relenting, the Bible says that God hardened his heart, so that more plagues were justified. This change of heart sounds too mythical, too much as if intended to help the readers enjoy a good story of the prolonged suffering of the supposed enemies of the Hebrew people. Nevertheless, the Bible says that the pharaoh finally allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt.

We can expect other results from so many deadly plagues. There would undoubtedly have been considerable economic and social impact of these plagues, so dramatic that a good deal of evidence would be found in the Egyptian archaeological record. However, nothing has been found, either in the written records or in artefacts from the period, and the Egyptian economy continued on as if nothing had happened, not only through the fifteenth century but for centuries to come. The plagues had no apparent impact on life in Egypt, and the only rational conclusion seems to be that the ten biblical plagues never really happened. It was simply a legend that developed in the kingdoms of Israel and Judah centuries after the supposed events.

Answer 2

The Israelites were able to leave.Egypt was devastated, as described by the Ipuwer papyrus, which mentions a number of the Plagues ("Pestilence is throughout the land....the river is blood, death is not scarce...there is no food...neither fruit nor herbs can be found...barley has perished...all is ruin...the statues are burned") (Professor John van Seters, Journal of Egyptian Archaeology no. 50).

Answer 3

In the Exodus, Moses brought the Israelites out of the Egyptian slavery under the guidance of God, after God brought plagues upon the Egyptians (Exodus ch.1-12).

After the Israelites left, Egypt was in turmoil for decades. Though Israel was later harassed (Judges ch.3,6 and 10) by its smaller neighbors (Ammon, Moab, Midian), not a peep was heard from Egypt for four hundred years.

Egypt's turmoil is also borne out by the Ipuwer papyrus, which mentions a number of the Plagues ("Pestilence is throughout the land....the river is blood, death is not scarce...there is no food...neither fruit nor herbs can be found...barley has perished...all is ruin...the statues are burned") (Professor John van Seters, Journal of Egyptian Archaeology no. 50). The plagues were also described by ancient historians, including Herodotus and Diodorus. The Exodus is mentioned by Strabo, Berosus, Artapanus, Numenius, Justin, and Tacitus.

See also:

Archaeology and the Hebrew Bible