Passover Plagues

The story of Passover is of great historical significance to the entire Jewish community. On the 15th of the first Hebrew month of Nisan, the Egyptians freed the Jews from their enslavement. Hence, this occasion is celebrated with great zeal and vigor across the globe. The Hebrew Lord stated that the power of one spiritual God was far greater than any of the multiple Gods of the Egyptians. He had asked the Pharaoh to release the enslaved Hebrews, but Pharaoh refused to agree to any of the instructions. To demonstrate his power, the Lord let loose ten plagues to the land of Pharaoh and his people to teach them a lesson. These ten plagues are mentioned in the Exodus 7:14 to 12:42 and is told as a legend during Seder. This Passover story has found importance among youths in today's contemporary world with a lot of modern plagues that afflict us. Read on further to know more about the ten plagues of Egypt.

Ten Plagues Of Pesach

First Plague (Blood)
The first plague delivered on the ancient land of Egypt was blood. The entire water of River Nile was transformed into blood, which resulted into the death of the fish. The river was considered to be the idol of the Egyptians, as it nourished the land and determined the welfare of the people. The other water sources used by the Egyptians also turned into blood. With the water turning into blood, the Egyptians were left thirsty with undrinkable water.

Second Plague (Frogs)
God created a swamp of frogs that crossed the River Nile and spread all across Egypt. All Egyptian houses were infested by hordes of frogs who covered beds, ovens and people as well.

Third Plague (Lice)
The third plague that hit Egypt was lice, also translated into kinim, gnats or fleas. A handful of dust was targeted, which turned into a plague of lice. This swarmed in the air, thereby crawling on and irritating the Egyptians and their animals. Most people were killed by this plague as the lice covered their bodies at various places.

Fourth Plague (Dog Flies)
The fourth plague came in the form of dog flies and was capable of harming people and livestock. Swarms of dog flies poured into the Pharaoh's palace covering the houses of his officials, servants and the entire Egypt. They bit the locals and attached into their eyelids. However, the Hebrews were unaffected by these flies.

Fifth Plague (Murrain/ Livestock)
The fifth plague was a cattle plague where an epidemic disease attacked the complete Egyptian livestock, including horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep and goats. Most of the cattle eventually died but surprisingly, the Hebrew cattle was unaffected by this plague.

Sixth Plague (Boils)
The sixth plague was the breakout of a skin disease called Shkhin or boils. All Egyptians and their cattle were affected by this disease and experienced great difficulty in standing or walking making it very enduring.

Seventh Plague (Hail)
The seventh plague came in the form of the worst hailstorm to hit Egypt ever. It severely damaged Egyptian orchards and crops, not even sparing people or livestock. Consequently, the agricultural economy of Egypt was highly affected.

Eighth Plague (Locusts)
Anything left after the hailstorm settled was damaged by swarms of locusts. This marked the eighth plague in Egypt. They devoured upon all the plants left back and infested Egyptian homes. Furthermore, the swarms of locusts were so dense that they formed clouds darkening the entire sky.

Ninth Plague (Darkness)
The ninth plague sent the entire Egypt into darkness that lasted for three days. They found difficulty in viewing anything close by and hence, could not leave their houses during the entire three days. The Israelites, were however unaffected and their homes were lighted.

Tenth Plague (Death of the First Born)
After several attempts of God trying to convince the Pharaoh to release the Hebrews, he sent the last and final plague of Egypt. The firstborn son in every Egyptian family was killed. No one was spared, right from the lowest servant to Pharaoh's own first-born son to the first-born of livestock, everyone was killed. This plague created the greatest emotional outcry from the Egyptians, who convinced the Pharaoh to let the Hebrews leave Egypt.