Poetry · Chapter
V explained
Pharaoh's council advises increasing the Israelites' burdens after Moses and Aaron's request.
What happens
Pharaoh's council advises increasing the Israelites' burdens after Moses and Aaron's request. Pharaoh decrees they must gather their own straw without reducing their brick quota. The people suffer and blame Moses. Moses performs signs before Pharaoh, including turning his rod into a serpent, which consumes the magicians' serpents. God then sends ten plagues upon Egypt: water turned to blood, frogs, vermin, flies, livestock disease, hail, locusts, boils, darkness, and finally the death of the firstborn. This last plague forces Pharaoh to release the Israelites, who depart in haste.
Themes in this chapter
Slavery and Oppression
Pharaoh's decree to increase the Israelites' burdens exemplifies systemic oppression, as the people are forced to gather their own straw while maintaining the same brick quota.
Freedom and Liberation
The plagues culminate in the liberation of Israel, as the death of the firstborn breaks the chains of bondage and forces Pharaoh to release the people.
Faith and Divine Justice
God's power is demonstrated through the plagues, showing divine justice against Pharaoh's defiance and the oppression of Israel.
Characters to notice
- Pharaoh
Pharaoh convenes a council, heeds the advice of Amorphel and Rhadma to increase the Israelites' burdens, and later defies Moses' request for a sign, only to relent after the tenth plague.
- Moses
Moses delivers God's message, performs the sign of the rod turning into a serpent, and endures the people's blame as God's anointed one.
- Amorphel
Amorphel, a crafty courtier, advises Pharaoh to increase the Israelites' tasks to prevent sedition.
- Rhadma
Rhadma, an aged lord, recounts Moses' past and warns Pharaoh of his intentions, supporting the decree to make the Israelites gather their own straw.
- The People
The Israelites suffer under the increased burdens, faint, and reproach Moses and Aaron for their plight.
- Israel
Israel is freed from bondage after the plagues, leaving Egypt in haste.
Key passages
“Increase, I pray thee, their tasks and add unto Their burdens; if they faint beneath their added Tasks, they will have less time to plot sedition And revolt.”
Amorphel suggests that making the Israelites work harder will exhaust them and prevent rebellion.
This advice leads to Pharaoh's harsh decree.
“Then Moses threw his rod upon the floor, And it trembled with a sign of life; The dark wood glowed, then changed into a thing Of glistening scales and golden rings, and green, And brown and purple stripes; a hissing, hateful Thing, that glared its fiery eye, and darting forth From Moses’ side, lay coiled and panting At the monarch’s feet.”
Moses casts down his rod, which transforms into a living serpent as a sign of God's power.
This miracle demonstrates divine authority over Pharaoh's magicians.
“Then came The last dread plague—the death of the first born. ’Twas midnight, And a startling shriek rose from each palace, Home and hut of Egypt, save the blood-besprinkled homes Of Goshen;”
At midnight, the final plague strikes, killing every firstborn in Egypt except in the homes of the Israelites marked with blood.
This plague forces Pharaoh to release the Israelites.