mand, again required him to let the children of Israel go out of his land. Pharaoh, as foretold, demanded of them a miracle in proof of their commission. Aaron accepted the challenge; he cast down his rod, and it became a serpent before Pharaoh, Exod. vii. 1-10.

This gave occasion to, perhaps, the most extraordinary contest on record. The king called upon his wise men and magicians, to know if they could do as much by the power of their gods, and "they also did in like manner with their enchantments. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods," ver. 11, 12. This feat, however, is particularly easy of explanation. The ancient Egyptians were, as the modern Egyptians now are, very famous in the art of charming serpents. They can perform operations upon them, which will strike the ignorant with amazement. At their command, they will sleep, and become torpid, and lie as if dead: they will come at the call of the charmer, and lie in the folds of their garments, or twine around their necks without hurting them. The Egyptians also have always been, and are now, skilful jugglers, and able with great address to substitute one object for another. Hence, these men might have brought live serpents and adroitly substituted them for their staves; and although Aaron's serpent swallowed up the other serpents, thereby showing the superiority of the true miracle over the false, it might, as Dr. Hales observes, only lead the king to conclude, that Moses and Aaron were more expert jugglers than Jannes and Jambres who opposed them, 2 Tim. iii. 8, who, as St. Paul informs us, from Jewish traditions, were the chief of their opponents.

This miracle was therefore abortive with regard to its effect upon the king. It seems, indeed, not to have been understood by the Hebrews themselves; on which the same writer remarks: "The incredulity of Pharaoh on this occasion only resembled the incredulity of the Israelites themselves, when the same miracle was wrought before them; and it was not considered as decisive, even by THE LORD, when he supposed they might not be convinced till the third miraculous sign, as was actually the case; Exod. vi. 8, 9, compared with iv. 30, 31. In both cases, therefore, the reality of the transformation might have been doubted-by Pharaoh, as well as by the Israelites, on the supposition that it might have been the effect of legerdemain."

But the monarch was soon undeceived; for

THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT

followed in its train. The design of these visitations, growing more awful and tremendous in their progress, was to make Pharaoh know and confess that the God of the Hebrews was THE SUPREME LORD; and to exhibit his power and his justice in the strongest light to all nations of the earth, Exod. ix. 16; Sam. iv. 8, etc. to execute judgment upon the Egyptians, and upon all their gods, inanimate and bestial, for their cruelty to the Israelites, and for their grovelling polytheism and idolatry, Exod. vii. 14—17; xii. 12.

As it may be of some importance to understand the time of the year in which these plagues occurred, we introduce the following satisfactory statement, from the pen of Dr. Hales:

"Neither the season of the year, nor the time at which the plagues commenced, is any where specified; but both may be collected from the history. The exode of the Hebrews, after the tenth plague, was about the vernal equinox, or beginning of April, on the fifteenth day of the first month, Abib, Exod. xii. 6; but by the seventh plague, that of hail, the barley was smitten, but not the wheat and rye, those plants being of later growth. Now Egmont, Hayman, and Hasselquist, all concur in stating that the barley harvest in Egypt is reaped in March and April; and Le Brun states that he found the whole to be over at Cairo upon the nineteenth of April. This coincides with the sacred historian's account, that 'the barley was in the ear,' though not yet fit for reaping; but the wheat and the rye were not grown up,' Exod. ix. 31, 32. This judgment, therefore, must have cccurred about a month before the exode, or in the beginning of March, before the barley harvest, so as to leave space for the three succeeding plagues. If we count backwards two months, upon the same principles, for the first six plagues, it will bring the first about the beginning of January, when the winter season commences, at which time the river Nile was lowest, and its waters clearest."

THE FIRST PLAGUE.

The river Nile was the principal divinity of the Egyptians, and, as such, it was honoured with feasts and sacrifices, and rites of ceremonial worship. One morning, as the king went forth towards its banks, probably to render it an act of worship, he was there met by Moses and Aaron, who repeated their

demand. Being again refused, they announced, in the name of JEHOVAH, an act which they intended to perform upon the river, and the object for which they would perform it, that Pharaoh might know that it was THE LORD that wrought by their hands. Then, in the presence of the king and his servants, the prophet lifted up his rod, and smote the river, and its pure waters were forthwith changed into blood. The change even operated upon all the rivers of Egypt, the numerous canals and reservoirs which were fed by the Nile, and upon that water which had been preserved in vessels of wood and stone for domestic use. This calamity continued

for seven days, during which all the fish that were in the river died; many of which were worshipped by the Egyptians, and most of which formed a large and principal article of diet among them. This, therefore, was a complicated, and must have been a grievous calamity to them. They loathed, indeed, to drink of these streams they once adored, and which were held more pleasant and salutary than any other which the earth could offer; and they began to dig the ground for pure water. This they found, and the magicians operating upon it, probably by chemical means, so as to give it a blood-like appearance, Pharaoh's heart was hardened a second time, and he would not let the Hebrews go, as was demanded, Exod. vii. 14-25.

THE SECOND PLAGUE.

Moses and Aaron again delivered a message to Pharaoh: "Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me." But they were again unheeded; and Aaron, directed by Moses, smote the river again; when lo! (together with another of the Egyptian gods, the frog, which was consecrated to the sun, and considered as an emblem of divine inspiration in its inflations) it was once more made the instrument of their punishment. The frogs came up from the river, and covered the land of Egypt, penetrating every where, and polluting and defiling every thing they touched; their beds, ovens, and kneading-troughs, not being exempt. This the Egyptian priests contrived, also, to imitate on some small scale; but, as they could do nothing for the removal of the plague, Pharaoh began to be troubled. He sent for Moses and Aaron, and entreated them to pray to Jehovah to remove the frogs, and then he would let the Hebrews go to render him sacrifice. The frogs were removed "the morrow," but when Pharaoh saw there

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was a respite, his heart was hardened a third time, and he forewent his promise, Exod. viii. 1—15.

THE THIRD PLAGUE.

The next plague, which was that of lice, was produced without any previous intimation to Pharaoh. "Aaron," it is said, "stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt." This must have been peculiarly offensive to a people so superstitiously nice and cleanly as the Egyptians, and above all to their priests; who, as Herodotus informs us, used to shave their whole bodies every third day, that no vermin might be found upon them while they were employed in serving their gods. Plutarch says, also, that they never wore woollen garments, but linen only, because linen is least apt to produce vermin. The magicians themselves were, moreover, disgraced by this miracle. They tried to imitate it, but failed on account of the minuteness of the objects; and they were forced to confess, that this was no human feat of legerdemain, but wrought by "the finger of God," or, as they meant, by some supernatural agency. Thus was their folly made manifest unto all men. But, notwithstanding this declaration, the heart of Pharaoh was hardened a fourth time, and he hearkened not unto Moses and Aaron, Exod. viii. 16—19.

THE FOURTH PLAGUE.

This plague, since the word Arob, by which it is described, denotes a mixture, is of doubtful interpretation. Some have concluded that it consisted of an immense number of beasts of

prey; but it is more probable that every kind of annoying insect is intended; and this is the sense in which the words are considered by the English translators of the Bible. Amongst these insects may be enumerated the gadfly, or hornet, and the Egyptian beetle, both of which insects, brought forth in great numbers, would have been a fearful Scourge. If these were a part of this plague, then the Egyptians, in this event, also, were punished through the medium of their idols; for both occupied a place among their sacred creatures. It is not said whether the magicians imitated this plague, but it is described as being so severe, that it extorted Pharaoh's partial consent: "Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land;" and when Moses and Aaron represented the

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offence they would give to the Egyptians, who would stone them for sacrificing animal sacrifices, he reluctantly consented that they should go beyond its borders; "only," he added, "ye shall not go very far away." He further desired them to entreat" for him that the plague might be removed. Moses expressed his readiness to intercede with Jehovah for the removal of the plague, at the same time venturing to add this caution, "Let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord." But no sooner had this calamity passed away, than the pledge of this king was again broken; he "hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go," Exod. viii. 20—32. This new breach of promise, however, drew down on the land of Egypt still more severe visitations.

THE FIFTH PLAGUE.

This plague was of a more deadly description than any of the preceding. This was the plague of murrain, under the effects of which, great numbers of the cattle of Egypt died, while those of the Hebrews remained unharmed. This dis tinction, which had not hitherto been made, was notified to Pharaoh in the threatening of the plague by Moses, and he sent to assure himself whether it had taken place; but he still remained obdurate, and he would not yet give them permission to go as desired, Exod. ix. 1—7.

THE SIXTH PLAGUE.

The monarch of Egypt had so often abused the respites and warnings vouchsafed to him and his servants, that now a sorer set of plagues, affecting themselves, began to be inflicted. By the Divine command, Moses, in the presence of Pharaoh, sprinkled ashes of the furnace toward heaven, and an ulcerous inflammation of the most painful and violent description broke forth; not only upon man, but on such of the cattle as had hitherto been spared. It affected even the priestly magicians themselves, which so shamed them, that they retired from the presence of Moses, thus relinquishing all rivalry and opposition.

This, says Dr. Hales, was a very significant plague; "the furnace" from which the ashes were taken, aptly represented "the iron furnace" of Egyptian bondage, Deut. iv. 20; and the scattering of the ashes in the air, might have referred to