Exiting Egypt Chapter 9 P2

Exiting Egypt

“The Fifth Plague – Death of Livestock”

Exodus 9:1-7

By Dennis Lee: Chapter 9 P2

But Pharaoh didn’t listen and so the Lord sent a plague against the livestock of Egypt that was in the field.

The word God uses here is Pestilence. The English word is “Murrain,” which comes from either the French word, “to die,” or from the Greek meaning, “to grow lean and waste away.” This is a very contagious disease among cattle. The symptoms include the swelling of the head, gum in the eyes, a rattling in the throat, difficulty in breathing, palpitation of the hearts, staggering, hot breath, and a shining tongue.

Now, the nearest English word to the Hebrew would be the word, “mortality.”

Most commentators feel that the disease was some form of anthrax, which is an infectious disease among warm-blooded animals.

Now, this was a particular nasty plague, not only because it attacked the Egyptian livestock, but it also attacked and would have wrecked havoc on the Egyptian economy. It would have greatly affected the day-to-day life of the Egyptians, as their livestock, horses, donkeys, and camels were used for transportation and work, while the oxen, cattle, and sheep were used for clothing and food.

Now, God used this plague, as in the plagues of the past, to rebuke and ridicule the Egyptian’s false worship of animals.

A large number of bulls and cows were considered sacred in Egypt. Often they would choose as their emblems various types of bulls and cows. In an ancient record, the Egyptians lost a battle because their enemy put a herd of cattle in front of their advancing troops; and the Egyptians would not shoot at the opposing army for fear of accidentally killing these sacred animals.

The Apis bull was the sacred bull of the god Ptah, who was the Egyptian god who is said to have called the world into being, later to become the king of the underworld. The Apis bull was thus worshiped as deity and was entitled, “the renewal of the life.” This animal was linked to Pharaoh because it symbolized the king’s courageous heart, virility, and fighting spirit.

To bad it couldn’t protect it’s own, and could not renew the life of it’s kin as God’s plague was taking away the life of Egypt’s cattle.