Young Writers Society

This is an English essay I wrote

The Egyptians had as many as 2000 gods and goddesses. Often gods and goddesses were represented as part human and part animal. Among all the gods the Nile river was the heart of Egypt. The ancient Egyptians called it the “River of Life€ it provided water, wildlife, irrigation, as well as being the center for trade and commerce. Because of these reasons explains why the Egyptians worshiped it. The Nile also had its own gods such as Hapi god of the Nile, and Khnum the guardian of the Nile and many more which acted as bringers of protection and prosperity. Heqt, the wife of the creator of the world and the goddess of birth and resurrection was always shown with the head and body of a frog. Frogs were so sacred in Egypt that even the involuntary slaughter of one was often punished with death. Often amulets bearing a frog were worn to assist women in child birth. Geb, the great god of the earth, as the God of the earth, Geb was one of the most important of ancient Egypt's gods. Egyptians gave offerings to Geb for the bounty of the soil. Hathor along with Apis, were the cow goddess and the old bull god of Memphis. One bull was chosen from marks on its body and theologically he was considered to have been born by a virgin cow impregnated by the local creator god Ptah. The animal was well fed and all measures were taken for its well-being. When Apis was well the live- stock of the country was thought to be the same. After 25 years of care it was ritually slaughtered by drowning and the search for a new one began. Parts of the bull were then eaten in a sacramental meal and the rest of the body was embalmed. Worshiping bulls is known since cattle breeding began in around 7000 B.C. and was with time spread over the whole east Mediterranean region. Ra was the first and greatest of all the Egyptian Gods. He ruled the sun and the early Egyptians believed that he created the world, and the rising sun was, for them, the symbol of creation. The daily cycle, as the sun rose, then set only to rise again the next morning, symbolized renewal and so Ra was seen as the paramount force of creation and master of life. These are only some of the many many gods the Egyptian worshiped.

1. (Exodus 7:14-25) rivers and other water sources turned to blood

2. (Exodus 7:26-8:11) reptiles (commonly believed to be frogs)

3. (Exodus 8:12-15) lice

4. (Exodus 8:16-28) Either flies, or beetles

5. (Exodus 9:1-7) disease on livestock

6. (Exodus 9:8-12) unhealable boils

7. (Exodus 9:13-35) hail mixed with fire

8. (Exodus 10:1-20) locusts

9. (Exodus 10:21-29) darkness

10. (Exodus 11:1-12:36) death of the firstborn

Because of the refusal of Pharaohs€™s ability t let the Israelites go God sent ten plagues to take out not only Pharaoh but all the gods of Egypt.

Plague number one strung out the heart of all of Egypt The Nile being the center of Egypt€™s prosperity and life. God turned it into to blood killing all the fish and wildlife in the river. This plague was an affront to many of the greatest gods of Egypt. Taking out Hapi and Khnum two of the many gods of the Nile which were supposed to protect the Nile and bring prosperity to Egypt. One of the greatest gods of Egypt was Osiris, the god of the underworld; the Egyptians believed the Nile was his bloodstream. During this first plague, the Egyptians would wonder what happened to Tauret, the hippopotamus goddess of the river. Where was Nu, the god of life in the Nile?

After taking out the center of the gods and of Egypt, God overwhelms Egypt with frogs, which climb into Pharaohs€™s and his servant€™s bed chambers. Then he strikes at the goddess Heqt. Heqt as it was explained was the frog goddess in charge of birth and resurrection. One might wonder what went wrong when frogs, so sacred in Egypt that even the involuntary slaughter of one was often punished with death, were gathered in heaps of dead carcasses.

On top of all water being turned to blood and dead carcasses of from and fish alike God sends his next plague which in some respects is right on with the fourth. The word "lice" is rendered as "sand flies" or "fleas" in some translations meaning "to dig"; it is probable that the insect in question would dig under the skin and making your flesh peel with an itchy sting. This plague would have been an embarrassment to Geb, the great god of the earth. Egyptians gave offerings to Geb for the bounty of the soil and yet it was from "the dust of the soil" that this plague originated. This plague would have been especially dreadful to the priests of Egypt, for they were required to shave their hair off every day, and wear a single tunic, that no lice would be permitted on their bodies. The daily rituals of the priests were not possible because of physical impurity. So notice what happened during this plague: the land was infected with "lice," yet the priest of Egypt could not even enter their temples to beseech their gods due to their own impurity of the flesh!

The next plague, the fourth plague, was of flies and beetles which goes hand in hand with the last plague. Not only did the land stink, the carcasses of the frogs and fish were being swarmed with flies and beetle eating away the maggoty putrid bodies. The root word says with little discretion that it was exactly flies. The bible says swarms which could easily refer to the scarab, with mandibles that could saw through wood, was destructive and worse than termites!

The fifth plague proves what the Bible says the land “stank€ which is the only way to put it. For now dead cattle were strewn all across the land being eaten with the frogs and fish. This was a blatant attack on the many gods of cattle particularly Hathor the cow goddess and Apis the bull god. As has been discussed the bull was a very sacred animal. One bull was chosen from marks on its body and theologically he was considered to have been born by a virgin cow impregnated by the local creator god Ptah. The animal was well fed and all measures were taken for its well-being. When Apis was well the live- stock of the country was thought to be the same. After 25 years of care it was ritually slaughtered by drowning and the search for a new one began. If the Apis bull died premature to its ceremony the land of Egypt mourned for him as they would for the loss of the monarch himself. After death, his body would be embalmed, and after the funeral rites were performed, the body would be placed in a granite sarcophagus.

The sixth plague of boils was most likely equal to skin anthrax, a black abscess that develops into a boil that affects the knees, legs, and soles of the feet. This explains why Pharaoh's "magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians which also made them impure to consult with there gods. This medical calamity was an insult to the medicine god Imhotep. Egyptians worshiped him as a god of knowledge, author of their sciences and their arts. This would have also been an affront to Serapis, the deity in charge of healing, and to Thoth, the ibis-headed god of intelligence and medical learning.

This next plague is a direct demonstration of Gods great and mighty power by raining down on all of Egypt, which only gets less than four inches of rain per year, hail and fire destroying almost all the crops. Isis and Seth supposedly protected the crops, but the burned fields testified of their absence. Also the god Geb who was said to make the earth shake due to his laugh and to be lord of all the earth, yet nothing could stop Gods almighty expression of power. The next plague was another attack on the “Earth€ gods for all the remaining plants and vegetation was devoured from the surface of the land, taking away Egypt vast reputation of fertile soil and land. Also the trade of good s would had diminished do to the lack of fish fruits and goods.

The ninth plague was a direct detonation of Ra. One of the most worshiped god in Egypt. Ra was the first and greatest of all the Egyptian Gods. He ruled the sun and the early Egyptians believed that he created the world, and the rising sun was, for them, the symbol of creation. The daily cycle, as the sun rose, then set only to rise again the next morning, symbolized renewal and so Ra was seen as the paramount force of creation and master of life. What was one to think when all of Egypt, except for the Israelites encampment, experiences a three day blackout where you couldn't€™t see your hand in front of you. Where was Ra? What happened to the great symbolism of renewal and paramount force of creation and master of life? It is obvious what an impact this would have had on Egypt. Although, still stiff necked after all this, Pharaoh still stubbornly refuses and the most devastating of all of these plagues come to pass.

The final plague resulted in the death of the firstborn of every man and animal. The firstborn was not only an heir of a double portion of his father's inheritance, but represented special qualities of life. The law of primogeniture decreed that the major portion of a family estate would be inherited by the firstborn son when the father died. The death of the firstborn son would cripple a family legally and emotionally. Not only did this plague cripple Egypt it finished off the gods. Where was Meskhenet, the goddess who presided at the birth of children? Where was Hathor, one of the seven deities who attended the birth of children? Where was Min, the god of reproduction? Where was Isis, the goddess of fertility? Where was Selket, the guardian of life? Where was Renenutet, the cobra-goddess and guardian of Pharaoh? Where was Heqt the goddess of resurrection and childbirth? These gods were all silenced and with one final blow God wiped out Egypt and its gods.

In the book of Exodus we see this demonstration of God's€™s omniscient control and love for his people. The Israelites had been slaves in Egypt for over four hundred years. But God was with them and not only did he set them free he dismantled all of Egypt by taking out each god one by one and brought them into the promise land. You Don't€™t mess with God's€™s children. He will take out not only the physical bondage but also every principality of darkness that tries to bring you down. This shows us God's€™s care and concern for our every need not only does he love us and take care of our problems he takes out everything that hinders us and through trust in him we can enter the promise land.