Biblegems
# 285
Question: Is there historical evidence for
the ten plagues associated with the Exodus of the Hebrew slaves from Egypt?
First, it
should be stated that the biblical account itself should be regarded as the
premier source of historical evidence for the Exodus and related events.
Archaeological
research in the Near East and Middle East (secular or faith-based) is dependent
far more upon the Bible for locating ancient, long buried sites than any other
source. On the other side of that coin, scientists and researchers often
express great surprise when archaeological discoveries conflict with modern
theories and confirm the biblical record.
A classic
example of this is the discovery in 1887 of the famous Armana Tablets from the time of Moses and the conquest of Canaan
under Joshua (approx. 1400 B.C.) These tablets (nearly 300 of them!) are letters in stone from the Canaanite king
Abdi-Heba to the Pharaoh of Egypt begging for protection from the Hebrew invaders.
Likewise,
the Ebla Tablets, unearthed in Syria
in 1975, provide extra-biblical confirmation dating back to approximately 2300
B.C. (Abraham’s day) of the existence of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 13-18), and
of a priest-king (Melchizedeck?) who ruled over Salem—the region that would
later become Jerusalem (Gen. 14:18).
Another,
very recent, example the Bible’s historical accuracy is the earliest known reference
to Jerusalem outside of the Bible found in Hebrew script on a 7th
century B.C. papyrus that authorities rescued from looters.[i] That
places this document in the time period of Solomon’s Temple.
With
regard to the ten plagues associated with the Exodus, another ancient papyrus
surfaced in the 1970s known as the Ipewur Papyrus. This is a poetic account of
historical events taking place in ancient Egypt that corresponds to the time of
the Exodus (1400’s B.C.). This account parallels 6 of the 10 plagues recorded
in the book of Exodus, chapters 7-12, followed by the release of the Hebrew
slaves, as seen below:
Plague
1. Water
contaminated with Blood (Ex.
7:14-25; Ipewur 2:3, 9)
2. Frogs
(Ex. 7:25-8:11)
3. Lice (Ex. 8:16-19)
4. Flies (Ex. 8:20-32)
5.
Livestock epidemic (Ex. 9:1-7; Ipewur 5:5)
6. Boils
on skin (Ex. 9:8-1)
7.
Devastating hail & fire (Ex. 9:22-26;
Ipewur 9:23; 2:10)
8.
Locusts (Ex. 10:1-20; Ipewur 4:14; 6:1)
9.
Darkness (Ex. 10:21-29; Ipewur 9:11)
10. Death of Egypt’s firstborn sons (Ex.
11 & 12; Ipewur 2:13; 3:14; 4:3;
6:12)
Slaves Freed with Egypt’s wealth (Ex.
12:31-36; Ipewur 1; 2; 3; 5; 10)
While
historians disagree over the dating of the Ipewur Papyrus (some think it’s too old!), and whether it should be
understood simply as poetry or history, the description of the events read like
an anguished eyewitness account of the biblical plagues. The parallels are too
striking to be ignored.
Moses and
the Exodus from Egypt following the ten plagues are treated throughout the Old
and New Testaments as factual history, and they are thoroughly attested to in the
archaeological record as well. As Jesus said would happen, “the very stones cry out!” (Lk. 19:40).
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