Old Testament Survey

The fifth plague: Disease on livestock.

1. (Exo 9:1-4) God tells Moses to warn Pharaoh.

a. Go in to Pharaoh and tell him: In mercy, God told Moses to give another warning, so that Pharaoh would have opportunity to repent.

b. Let My people go, that they may serve Me: In this appeal two things were clear. First, the people of Israel belonged to God, not to Pharaoh. Second, it was clear that God wanted Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go for the sake of the Lord Himself, not even so much for the sake of the children of Israel.

c. A very severe pestilence…nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel: Pharaoh was warned that another plague was on the way, one that would severely damage the livestock of Egypt – but not the livestock owned by the people of Israel.

2. (Exo 9:5-7) The disease and death of the livestock.

a. All the livestock of Egypt died: This plague was directed against the Egyptian god Hathor who was thought to be a mother goddess was in the form of a cow. In addition, Egyptian religion considered cattle sacred and the cow was often a symbol of fertility. God shows Pharaoh and all of Egypt that He was mightier than this imagined pagan god.

b. The Pharaoh sent, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead: Moses told Pharaoh that the Israelites would be spared, and Pharaoh believed it enough to confirm this. Nevertheless, he did not change his heart when it was proven that Moses and his God were exactly right.