So, were the Israelites affected by the first three plagues? But now God kept this and the remaining plagues away from Goshen, where His people lived. It also tells us that God's people were in the land of Goshen which was located in the eastern part of the Nile Delta and certainly some distance away from where Pharaoh and his household lived. The fourth plague was a swarm of flies, what is distinct about this plague is that the Most High made the flies avoid the Israelite’s in Goshen (which is a part of Egypt). The Egyptian Magicians did the same. You can also provide a link from the web. Historians have placed Goshen in the Eastern part of Modern Egypt. The Israelites lived in the land of Goshen, which was spared from all the plagues, except for the very last one. (Ex 8: 22). Although Pharaoh confesses his sin to Moses and said he would release the Israelites, his repentance proves insincere. Because the Egyptians worshiped them as gods. The remaining plagues did not affect the land of Goshen, which was inhabited mainly by Israelites. The most remarkable thing about Goshen was that all the plagues and diseases that were unleashed upon Egypt did not affect Goshen’s inhabitants. The plagues had a double nature: punishment and salvation. The eighth event (locusts) is a severe plague and no mention is made of Goshen being off limits. • No more plagues will come upon the Israelites. The plagues were judgements of God upon the gods of Egypt, proving to the Egyptians and the Israelites that the Egyptian gods were not gods. From the fourth to the final plague, Goshen was unaffected by all the plagues. The swarm of flies was unbearable, and this time Pharaoh agreed to allow the people to go into the desert, with restrictions, to make sacrifices to God. The fourth plague to harass the Egyptians consisted of hordes of wild animals roving all over the country, and destroying everything in their path. By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy, 2021 Stack Exchange, Inc. user contributions under cc by-sa, I don’t think the passage you are using is the best for this question. Why did God choose the plagues he did? The Israelites did not listen to Moses when he proclaimed God’s promise of delivery (before the first plague) God separates and protects Israel from the plagues (fourth plague and on–the tenth plague would not affect them if they obeyed the commands Moses and Aaron relayed) Cristy. This miracle of God was not done overnight and required Moses with Aaron to deliver the warnings and the plagues to the house of Egypt. Events that punish God’s enemies may at the same time benefit those who trust the Lord. The Nile was worshiped, and so were frogs and lice. 3. The Plagues of Egypt (Hebrew: מכות מצרים, Makot Mitzrayim), in the story of the book of Exodus, are ten disasters inflicted on Egypt by the God of Israel in order to force the Pharaoh to allow the Israelites to depart from slavery; they serve as "signs and marvels" given by God to answer Pharaoh's taunt that he does not know Yahweh: "The Egyptians shall know that I am the L ORD ". It also tells us that God's people were in the land of Goshen which was located in the eastern part of the Nile Delta and certainly some distance away from where Pharaoh and his household lived. The first three plagues affected both Israelites and Egyptians. The Bible does not say whether His people suffered the consequences of the first, second and third plagues, only that God saw fit to protect His people from that point on. 01 Apr 2020. The fifth of ten plagues God brought upon Pharaoh and Egypt was a destructive pestilence among the cattle (Exodus 9:1 - 7). Goshen experienced the first three Plagues of Egypt during the time of Moses "negotiations" with the Pharaoh. Exodus 8:22,23 And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end you may know that I am the LORD in the middle of the earth. God protected Israel's territory to show that he was the mighty LORDof all Creation. God protected his people from the fourth and the fifth plagues. The frogs, gnats and flies (as well as beetles, etc.) The Egyptians were renowned for recording every event, whether temporal or religious in nature, but there are few references to plagues in ancient Egyptian literature. Exodus 8:22-23 shows that God chose to protect his people from the plague of flies. Yes, it does imply that the earlier plagues covered all of Egypt, including Goshen. The other plagues affected parts neighbouring on, but not including, the land of Goshen. This was to make a distinction between His people and the people of Egypt. you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the land." Click here to upload your image Reply. But will God's people suffer these plagues? God separated Goshen from all the other parts of Egypt. The land of Goshen was again spared the punishment. Answer: The story of Pharaoh’s magicians can be found in Exodus 7–8, when Moses and Aaron confront the Pharaoh in Egypt, demanding that he free God’s people, the Israelites, from slavery. Exodus 8:21-23 Tomorrow this sign shall be" (Exodus 8:22-23).. The natural aspect of these visitations was becoming more and more overshadowed by signs of direct Divine intervention. In a twist of ironic (and somewhat humorous) fate, their own false gods were made to turn against and attack them!. Plague of Locusts – Exodus 10:1-20. Flies. Concerning the fourth plague, for example, the Lord said, “On that day I will deal differently with the land of Goshen, where my people live; no swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know that I, the LORD, am in this land” (Exodus 8:22; cf. During the plagues, God differentiated between Goshen and Egypt. just not what i wanted! • Affect s property . It was from this part of Egypt that Israelites were to launch their escape. • Occurs in Goshen where Israelites lived. The statements that plagues 1, 2, 3 and 8 affected "all the land of Egypt" should be interpreted as: all of the Nile delta including the land of Goshen. Starting with the fourth plague, only the Egyptians were affected by the plagues. 9:26). We note that God makes the change from gnats to flies, and that Pharaoh, who was obdurate before the gnats, is so far affected before the flies as to make an offer of submission; but it is obviously impossible for us to see why the flies should be more efficacious than the gnats. As I read Exodus 7-8, I noticed that in Exodus 8:22-23, God specifically said that He will make a distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites that the swarming of the flies will not take place in Goshen.� Since God made a point of saying that here, does that mean plagues 1-3, water turn into blood, frogs, and gnats also effected the land of Goshen and the Israelites before this fourth plague? The 4th plague was flies, and from here God distinguishes the Israelites living in the land of Goshen where these plagues do not affect them. JK. The mere change from one chastising agent to another is not a matter to be dwelt on in considering this plague. Only the province of Goshen where the children of Israel dwelt was immune from this as well as from the other plagues. The fourth plague of Egypt was the coming of flies in swarms, capable of harming people and livestock. Moses—knowing Pharaoh wasn’t about to let his people go—grants his request anyway as he prays that the storm would cease. Answer: "And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land.I will make a difference between My people and your people. I will make a difference between My people and your people. Most biblical scholars will tell you there is actually no evidence, and basically no likelihood that Moses existed. Question: "How were Pharaoh’s magicians able to perform miracles?" (max 2 MiB). The ten plagues are no exception, and over the years scientists have been curious about whether the story of the plagues may have been based on some event that can be proved to have happened. They did not have the power to revert the process of the plagues. people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that 09 Dec 2019. me neither but, whoever posted this congrats it was a good article. Separating Goshen not only spared the Israelites, but it also was another indication of God's power since there was no natural boundary between Goshen and the rest of Egypt. These are some of the questions that Dr. Gary E. Schnittjer, professor of the Old Testament at Cairn University, tackles in … ! The 10 Plagues of Egypt is a fascinating account of the freedom of the Israelites and triumph over the Egyptian Kings who enslaved them. This whole origin story must be understood, like many parts of scripture, as resonant with mythopoeic power. Tomorrow this sign shall be" (Exodus 8:22-23). And why did he harden Pharaoh’s heart, ensuring that Egypt would experience the entire series of plagues? of these miracles were all focused on what was worshipped by the Egyptians. So Pharaoh's heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭7:22‬ ‭“But the magicians did the same by their secret arts and made frogs come up.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭8:7‬ ‭“The magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭8:18‬, https://hermeneutics.stackexchange.com/questions/41876/were-the-israelites-affected-by-the-first-three-plagues-in-egypt/41889#41889. The plagues Were the Israelites affected by the first three plagues in Egypt. The fourth plague affected only the lands of Egypt and not those where the Hebrews lived in Goshen. “Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts.” ‭‭Exodus‬ ‭7:11‬ ‭“But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts. were able to reproduce the first two plagues (Ex 7:20-22; 8:6-7). "And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms (of flies) shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth." Yes, it does imply that the earlier plagues covered all of Egypt, including Goshen. “The only place it did not hail was the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were,” (vs. 26). Moses came to Pharaoh once again, but he refused to let the children of Israel free, not even at the request of his servants who were ready to be done with the plagues (Exodus 10:7). This, declared Moses, was an evidence of the power of God, making a distinction between Egypt and Israel. I believe the first 3 plagues affected everyone in Egypt — both Egyptians and Hebrew Slaves, while the following 5 plagues only affected the Egyptians. • Attributed to the “finger of God.” • God now makes a separation between the Egyptians and the Israelites. Why did the Lord let the first three plagues also happen in Goshen? Moses and Aaron performed miracles to confirm their message, and on three occasions Pharaoh’s magicians were able to … On the one hand, regarding the plagues of arov and hail, the text mentions a geographic distinction between Goshen and Egypt proper ("וְהִפְלֵיתִי בַיּוֹם הַהוּא אֶת אֶרֶץ גֹּשֶׁן"), suggesting that Israelites lived in one and Egyptians in the other. The fifth plague—disease on livestock The fifth plague, beginning in Exodus 9:1 Exodus 9:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus said the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. Reply. The Torah emphasizes that the arov (swarm or mixture) only came against the Egyptians, and that it did not affect the Land of Goshen (where the Israelites lived). In the fourth plague: the "swarms of flies", the Bible says: "And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My 4. Exodus 8:22. • Death of livestock. "And in that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, in which My people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there, in order that you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the land. What if the plagues, however, involved villages and the countryside around Goshen, these might not have been referred to the royal court for insertion in official chronicles.