Joe Bekiranov

Ms akers

English 9

20 October 2017

BAIL Essay

Imagine your only source of water turning into blood because you didnt grant an

impossible demand. Imagine your daughter raising the child who overthrows your empire. The

pharaoh went through such endeavors whilst ruling egypt during the time of Exodus. The

pharaoh suffers in these ways and more and is significant because the Hebrews are liberated

from Egypt and survived the wilderness after, The Egyptians are taught humility through the

plagues, and both Hebrews and Egyptians alike are taught to fear god because of his awesome

power.

The Hebrews were freed and survived because of the Pharaohs suffering. The pharaoh

didnt willfully free them, instead he challenged them, and when they resisted, he pushed back as

well. This made the hebrews stronger and more resilient as a group and gave them what they

needed to survive on their own. The pharaoh resisting the challenge of moses by giving

instructions for Hebrew workers to taskmasters : You shall no longer give the people straw to

make bricks, as heretofore; let them go and gather straw for themselves. But the number of

bricks which they made heretofore you shall lay upon them, you shall no means lessen it; for

they are idle(116). The Pharaoh is afraid of rebellion and consequently increases the

workload in hopes that the dreams of freedom die out. The stress of the constant threat of
an uprising causes him to suffer, and thus he exacts it back upon the Hebrews. The Pharaoh

would suffer even more when the plagues came.

The 10 plagues, brought upon the people of Egypt by a god they didnt even believe in,

because of a choice Pharaoh made. This was the Pharaohs position. He then had to stand by his

decision, because otherwise he would have lost power--power that was conferred by the legend

that he was Horus reincarnated. The lord exacts the final plague on to Pharaoh and his people.

At midnight the Lord smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first born of the

Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the first-born of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the

first-born of the cattle.(120). This harsh punishment serves as a great reminder to the

Egyptian people to fear enslaving people, as they are instantly cut down a sizable amount

of their population. They are made humble, forcibly so, by god. Gods wrath was brought

upon by Pharaoh. The plagues not only taught the Egyptians humility, but also made them fear

a new god.

Pharaoh, the Egyptians, and the Hebrews alike all learned to fear god and respect him.

The plagues brought about by God demonstrated that not only was he real, but he had no mercy

for those who did not respect him and his wishes. The Egyptians feared him, because they had

lost all the first-born sons in Egypt, and suffered through the plagues. Pharaoh feared him for the

same reasons, but also for the fact that Gods existence might mean the end of his rule. The

Hebrews feared him because they had now witnessed his power firsthand, and if they were to

break their covenant, a similar wrath might ensue. The Egyptians talk amongst themselves as

they send themselves out of the land in fear: And the Egyptians were urgent with the people, to

send them out of the land in haste,; for they said We are all dead men(120). This exemplifies
the dread felt by the Egyptians towards God, they were in fear for all of their lives. They

were leaving their homes because a God their people had never known about was smiting

their children. Pharaoh caused the movement of fear in all people of God, by refusing Moses

and the Hebrews freedom.

Pharaoh struggled with the thought of being overthrown, so he enslaved the Hebrews.

When asked for freedom, he declined and dreaded a slave uprising. When God brought upon the

plagues, Pharaoh and his people suffered. He also could have struggled with a loss in power and

control, and endured the loss of his son. The Egyptians lost their workers and their first-born

sons. They gained humility and respect because they had to pick up slack and do the labor

themselves. The Hebrews are freed and because of the hardship the Pharaoh put on them, they

were stronger and could make it through the 40 nights after being liberated. All witnessed the

strength and power of God through his plagues, and his determination and mercilessness.