10 Plagues of Egypt Can Be Scientifically Proven
The ten plagues of Egypt were like ecological dominoes. Each plague disrupted the environment and triggered the next plague. In this remarkable story we find science agrees with the Bible.
The Pharaoh of Egypt had enslaved the Israelites for over 100 years. However, God promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, He would bring their posterity out of Egypt.
To understand why the Israelites became slaves check out: Israelites Enslaved in Egypt (5 Reasons Why)
Let’s See How God created the ten plagues of Egypt scientifically
Pharaoh Said No to Moses
In Exodus we find the story of Moses asking Pharaoh to allow the Israelites to go into the desert to worship their God. When Pharaoh refused, Jehovah sent ten plagues. Only after the 10th plague did Pharaoh concede and allow the Israelites to leave Egypt.
The Pharaoh was reluctant to let thousands of slaves leave, even if only for a brief time. The Israelites slaves had been compelled to build the spectacular city of Pi-Rameses and other magnificent monuments which still stand today. Each masterpiece added to Pharaoh’s reputation and glory. To let his slaves leave meant risking they would not return.
Pharoah needed his slaves to build his extravagant visions of grandeur, establishing his legacy to the world.
In addition, Pharaoh considered himself a God. He refused to admit another God possessed more power than he did.
The First Miracle Moses Performed Exodus 10-12
God instructed Moses to ask Pharaoh to allow the Israelites to go into the desert to worship their God. As a sign, He told Moses to toss his staff down and it would become a snake. This would be a sign to show Pharaoh the message came from the Israelite’s God.
After Moses performed this miracle, the priests of Pharaoh responded by laying their staffs on the ground, and their staffs also became snakes.
Archaeologist excavating Egyptian pyramids, have found a rod assumed to be a magician’s staff. When the staff is laid on the ground and the end manipulated, it wiggles. The staff gives the illusion of becoming a snake.
Even though Moses’ snake swallowed the staffs of the magicians, because Pharaoh’s priests were able to create a similar miracle, Pharaoh refused to acknowledge the God of Israel.
#1 The First Plague of Egypt Turned Water into Blood
Exodus 7: 19-21
Archaeologist believe the plagues of Egypt occurred in the city of Pi-Rameses, around 1650BC.
Moses unleashed the first plague of Egypt by striking the river with his staff, in Pharaoh’s presence. turning the river Nile into blood.
This plague may be the key to the scientific explanation of the next series of events.
Scientists believe Egypt was undergoing a drought during the Ramses dynasty. The extended dry period may have caused an algae bloom in the Nile River. There is a common algae known as Red Tide or Burgundy Blood. When this algae dies it turns the water red.
When Red Tide algae grows out of control and uses up all the oxygen. It also produces a powerful toxin which causes the fish to die. The water has a putrid stench, making the sacred Nile River, famous for its delicious taste, impossible to drink.
This Miracle did not impress the Pharaoh enough to let the Israelites leave.
Red Tide in Our Day
When I was young, I visited my grandfather in Tampa Florida. At the time they were experiencing a Red Tide that killed tons of fish. Each wave threw more fish carcasses onto the beach. The stench from the dead fish and also the water itself was disgusting.
The water was an odd color of red. All these years later, I still remember the scene. Hordes of maggots wiggled along the shore, making the dead fish appear alive. When I first read the account in the Bible, I felt certain the Egyptians experienced a similar scene.
#2 The Second Plague of Egypt -Frogs Exodus 8: 3-8
The natural explanation for the second plague of Egypt, an enormous number of frogs may be attributed to the Red Tide. The algae bloom might have speeded up the development of tadpoles into frogs.
Fish devour frog eggs. Because the fish died, the frogs could breed unchecked. Normally it takes about two weeks for tadpole to become frogs.
The Bible does not give us any indication of how much time elapsed between plagues.
We know frogs can’t live in polluted water, and the toxic algae would have driven them from the river.
The spectacle of “raining frogs” has been reported throughout history. In May 2010 thousands of frogs appeared from a lake in northern Greece. CBS news reported the frogs disrupted traffic for days.
The slimy frogs were everywhere. Their constant croaking creating an incessant racket.
Even thousands of frogs did not convince the Pharaoh to release his slaves.
#3 The Third Plague of Egypt – Flies Exodus 8: 14-19
The translation of the Hebrew word kemin, found in Exodus 8 can be lice, flees, or gnats. All are bothersome insects.
The Egyptians had gathered the dead frogs into heaps. The frogs decaying bodies would almost certainly have attracted thousands of insects. The lack of both frogs and fish would allow the insect population to explode unhindered, thus initiating the third plague of Egypt.
Along with the the insects there would be a sickening stench from rotting frogs and dead fish.
The escalating insect population may have set the stage for the next plagues of Egypt.
Moses told the Pharaoh the flies would come and later when Pharaoh asked Moses to make them go away, Moses did. Still, the Pharaoh was not convinced the power of Israel’s God was greater than his.
# 4 The Forth Plague of Egypt – Stinging Insects Exodus 8: 21-24
Next plague of Egypt was swarms of stinging insects. Scientists believe this stinging insect may have been the stable fly (horse fly). The stable fly has a nasty sting and bites both people and animals.
The flies would have laid eggs in the decaying bodies of the fish and frogs. Both frogs and fish are natural predators of insects. Without those predators the insect population would flourish.
Flies are known to carry disease, bacteria, and parasites. The prolific insect population may be the catalyst for the next two plagues of Egypt.
Yet, the Pharaoh still refused to liberate his slaves.
#5 The Fifth Paague of Egypt – Livestock Die Exodus 9: 3-4
The fifth plague of Egypt was a mysterious and highly contagious disease that quickly killed the Egyptian livestock. The Egyptians were proud of their stately horses. They considered cows and sheep sacred animals, often used for sacrifices. When Moses declared these hoofed animals would die of a lethal disease, it only made Pharaoh angry.
The increased number of insects could be responsible for this plague of Egypt. Dr. John Mar investigated diseases that affected hoofed animals that might have been caused by insects. He found two sicknesses that matched the disease described in the Bible.
The first disease is bluetongue. It affects horses, sheep, and cattle. Insects spread this disease. This deadly disease is characterized by fever and widespread hemorrhaging. The blue tongue that gives this disease its name is accompanied by swelling of the mouth and jaw.
The second disease Dr. Mar found which matches the biblical description is African Horse sickness. This highly infectious and deadly disease is caused by a virus spread by insects.
Even losing Egypt’s prized horses and sacred cows did not soften the Pharaoh’s heart. Therefore, God continued to unleash plagues on Egypt.
#6 The Sixth Plague of Egypt – Boils Exodus 9: 8-11
Egyptians were a very clean culture. To be covered with boils oozing pus would be disgusting. The excruciating blisters covered their bodies, and they only had polluted water to clean themselves. This plague of Egypt would be particularly annoying.
The boils could have been caused by insect bites which became infected leaving behind painful blisters. Using polluted water to bath might also cause infections and boils.
Another possibility for the boils is smallpox. Smallpox is highly contagious and would result in a large number of people simultaneously being infected. Scientists believe smallpox affected Egyptian communities at least three thousand years ago.
Archaeologists have found scars from skin lesions on mummies which date back to 2000 BC.
Even though Moses had been able to predict six plagues the Pharaoh persisted; he would not let the Israelites leave.
Plausible Explanation For the Next Three Plagues of Egypt
About 1650BC, during the reign of Rameses II, one of history’s largest volcanos erupted. The volcano on the island of Santorini in the Aegean Sea is about five hundred miles northwest of Egypt. The explosion, estimated to be equivalent of forty atomic bombs and approximately 100 times more powerful than the volcano at Pompeii.
Even though there are no volcanoes in Egypt, scientist have discovered pumice (cooled lava) in Egypt. Geologist have been able to verify the pumice came from Santorini. They found traces of the eruption in layers of ash deposits in the Nile River.
Because God knew about the volcanic eruption in the Aegean Sea, he could easily predict the next three plagues of Egypt. God certainly would recognize the scientific principles of cause and effect.
Tons of Lava and ash still cover the submerged remains of the Minoan civilization which inhabited the island of Santorini. I have always been fascinated by the Minoan civilization, but never realized the connection between the volcano that destroyed the Minoan culture and how it might have affected the Exodus and the 10 plagues of Egypt.
#7 The Seventh Plague of Egypt – Fiery Hail Exodus 9: 18-25
Scientists believe the Santorini volcano spewed ash and lava as much as 25 miles into the upper atmosphere. At high altitudes water freezes and falls as hail. The fiery hail may have been caused as volcanic debris mixed with a thunderstorm over Egypt.
Huge chunks of hail mixed with fragments of lava would create fiery lances which would turn ancient trees into matchsticks. Dreadful lightning would rip the sky apart followed by roaring thunder.
Moses had warned: any people or livestock left in the fields, unsheltered would die. All who were exposed died on the spot. However, the Israelites in the nearby land of Goshen were spared. This Plague of Egypt only affected the Egyptians.
At this point, Pharaoh began to negotiate. Rameses offered a compromise that would force the men of Israel to return to Egypt and slavery. Now, it was Moses who refused. It was no longer enough to let the Israelites leave to worship for a short period. They would leave permanently.
#8 The Eighth Plague of Egypt – Locust Exodus 10: 12-15
Desert locust lay their eggs in dry sand. After a record hail storm the ground would be wet, allowing the locust to hatch.
An east wind brought swarms of hungry locusts to Egypt covering the land. The Locust ravaged whatever vegetation the hail had not destroyed.
A gigantic accumulation of billions of flying locust form an unstoppable writhing, buzzing black cloud. They move in mases the size of football fields. They devour everything in their path.
Moses prophesied the locust would come. Later at the Pharaoh’s request a great wind blew the locust into the sea. Each Plague of Egypt added to the devastation.
Yet, Pharaoh remained determined to find a way to keep his slaves. He feared he would not be able to fulfill his dreams of grandeur. It would be the end of his legacy. No more great monuments to add to Rameses’ glory.
#9 The Ninth Plague of Egypt – Darkness Exodus 10: 21-23
The ninth plague of Egypt plunged Egypt into total darkness. No fire could be kindled. The darkness so thick no one could see anyone else. The darkness lasted for three days.
The Santorini volcano spewed billions of tons of ash and lava into the atmosphere. Combined with the thick smoke from the fires kindled by the fiery hail, it is understandable that thick darkness would follow.
The eruption of the Krakatoa volcano in 1815 caused darkness more than six hundred miles away for many days.
Again Pharaoh attempted to bargain with Moses. Moses again said no. Moses then began to instruct the Israelites in preparations to leave Egypt. The Lord had told Moses this would be the last plague.
#10 The Tenth Plague – Death of the First Born Male Exodus Chapter 11
Moses informed Pharaoh, God would send one more plague after which Pharaoh would let the Israelites leave.
The final plague of Egypt once again, has a possible natural explanation.
The Egyptians were facing starvation. Their cattle lay dead in the fields. Their crops destroyed.
To Egyptians the firstborn son was the most valuable member of the family. The one who would lead the family after the father’s death. When food was scarce the firstborn son might be the only one to eat.
The Egyptians may have rushed to gather grain when it was still wet from the hail and before the locust ate it. Damp grain tends to mold quickly. Eating moldy food can be deadly. The top layer of grain can become moldy while deeper layers might not be affected.
So, if the firstborn son, being the first to eat, or the only one to eat, consumed the moldy grain he would be the one who died.
After ten devastating plagues the Pharaoh himself sought Moses in the land of Goshen and begged the Israelites to leave Egypt without delay.
The Really Spectacular Miracles Found in The Exodus Account
This story contains several miracles that can’t be explained scientifically.
Several plagues of Egypt did not affect Goshen where the Israelites lived. That kind of separation can only be explained as a miracle from God.
We can explain scientifically why the frogs left a polluted river. But it is not natural to have them die all at once. We can understand why the flies came. But to have them disappear into thin air can’t be explained as a natural occurrence. Even the locust being swept out to sea at Moses’ request is beyond logic.
It is logical that God understands science sufficiently to predict each plague. God knew about the volcano on Santorini therefore, He could easily predict the next few plagues of Egypt. However, ending the plagues in miraculous ways could only have been done by the power of God.
The Exodus Begins
The Hebrews had already prepared to leave as Moses had instructed. They left quickly. Bible says 6000,000 Israelites were in the exodus.
Later, when Pharaoh realized what he’d done, he changed his mind again and sought to bring the Israelites back into bondage, but that is a story for for another post.
To See why the Israelites were enslaved See:
Israelites Enslaved in Egypt (5 reasons why)
Watch this animated children’s video: Plagues of Egypt
Christian Searcher
[yikes-mailchimp form=”3″]
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Join the conversation