Plagues of Egypt
The ten biblical plagues or plagues (Hebrew מַכּוֹת Makot ) describe a series of disasters that plagued BC the land of Egypt according to the Biblical narrative around the 13th century. Historically, the tradition of the Bible has not been established, although this has been attempted over the dating of volcanic eruptions, which are assumed to be original trigger for the plagues of several scientists.
In the second book of Moses in the Old Testament is reported: After Moses had an encounter with his God, YHVH, he and Aaron were returned from this to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of slavery. However, the Pharaoh did not want to let them go. After each refusal YHWH sends another plague. Then the children of Israel went through the Red Sea.
List of the Ten Plagues
Interpretation
The authors describe and dramatize with the plagues of natural processes and experiences to tell the story of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt, in front of a spectacular backdrop. The reader should be taught so that God moves heaven and earth to allow the exodus to the Promised Land.
Presumptions of scientists
Whether the authors describe many individual experiences a nightmare scenario compressed or the Old Testament a single serious air disaster, which triggered an ecological chain reaction, about opinions differ. Some researchers assume, however in the first nine plagues of real events:
Another possibility would be that on the then preserved in jars food a fungus could have formed by the o a dark ( dark volcanic ash) and moisture (hail precipitation), especially at the surface. As always the first-born ( the strongest ) were both in humans and in animals with food intake as the first in the series, they took with the fungal spores also (most) formed toxins. In contrast, those who ate after them ( to no ) taken less poisoned food and are thereby escaped with their lives.
Another possible cause, which includes all the plagues is the eruption of the Thera volcano on Santorini island at a similar time. At that time, a cloud with pumice and other ejecta in the eastern Mediterranean was distributed.
Representation in art
Théophile Gautier described in 1858 in his book The novel of the discovery of a mummy mummy carrying a roll with hieroglyphs in his hand. These hieroglyphs telling the life story of the mummy, the life of a very pretty woman who was embalmed alive to the end of a mummy. As a young woman she had lived through the biblical ten plagues.
Jakob Steinhardt created in 1921 in a limited edition of ten woodcuts on Japanese paper entitled " The Ten Plagues ".
In the movie The Mummy does it mean when Imhotep is resurrected, he would bring the ten plagues upon the land. His revival of the mummy finally brings the following plagues with them:
- Locusts ( here: after the mummy was awakened )
- Water, which becomes blood ( here: the drinks in a bar and the water of a fountain room )
- Biting flies
- Ulcers ( here: the "army" of the mummy )
- Hail (in this case probably a Kometen-/Feuer-Hagel )
- Darkness ( here: a solar eclipse )
In the film The Abominable Dr. Phibes with Vincent Price is The summit takes revenge with the plagues to the doctors, who he blames for the death of his wife.
The song " Creeping Death " of the metal band Metallica focuses on the exodus from Egypt and the associated 10 plagues. Be mentioned Literally the first, seventh, ninth and the tenth plague.
The film Magnolia ends with a shower of frogs.
The British label 4AD in 2006 published a compilation of ten songs that deal with the plagues, with artists such as Scott Walker, Imogen Heap or Rufus Wainwright.
The film The Reaping includes ten plagues as the main theme. The small town of Haven is haunted by all the plagues and the blame is given to a little girl. The film provides a good visualization of the plagues, although these do not occur at the correct order.
Georg Friedrich Händel processes the ten plagues in the second part of his oratorio Israel in Egypt.