The Sixth Plague: Boils
Exodus 9:8-12
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Exo.9.8 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ואל: CONJ+PREP
- אהרן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- קחו: VERB,qal,impv,2,pl
- לכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- מלא: ADJ,m,sg
- חפניכם: NOUN,m,pl,prsfx,2,m,pl
- פיח: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כבשן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וזרקו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- השמימה: NOUN,m,pl,def
- לעיני: PREP+NOUN,f,pl,cons
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
Parallels
- Exod.9.10 (verbal): Direct continuation — Aaron throws the furnace soot into the air as commanded and it produces boils on humans and animals (the immediate outcome of the action in 9:8).
- Exod.7.19-21 (structural): Another miraculous sign performed by Moses/Aaron before Pharaoh involving a material action (striking/using the staff to turn water into blood); parallels the pattern of a prophet/agent performing a visible act to bring a plague on Egypt.
- Job 2:7-8 (thematic): Job is afflicted with painful boils from head to foot; thematically parallels the plague of sores/boils inflicted on people in Exodus 9.
- Ezekiel 4:1-3 (structural): Prophetic symbolic action—Ezekiel is commanded to perform a visible, demonstrative sign (lying on his side, drawing a siege) against a nation; parallels the use of a staged sign-act (throwing soot) as prophetic judgment in Exodus 9:8.
Alternative generated candidates
- And YHWH said to Moses and to Aaron, 'Take for yourselves full handfuls of kiln soot, and Moses shall throw it heavenward before the eyes of Pharaoh.'
- And YHWH said to Moses and to Aaron, 'Take for yourselves full handfuls of furnace soot, and let Moses throw it heavenward before the eyes of Pharaoh.'
Exo.9.9 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- והיה: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- לאבק: VERB,qal,inf
- על: PREP
- כל: DET
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- והיה: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,m,sg
- על: PREP
- האדם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ועל: CONJ+PREP
- הבהמה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- לשחין: VERB,qal,inf
- פרח: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אבעבעת: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- בכל: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ארץ: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
Parallels
- Exod.9.8-11 (verbal): Immediate narrative context: these verses describe the same plague—Moses throws soot into the air and boils break out on humans and animals; v.9 is part of this sequence.
- Deut.28.27 (allusion): Covenantal curse language: Deuteronomy warns that the LORD will afflict with 'the boils of Egypt,' an explicit echo/allusion to the Egyptian plague imagery.
- Job.2.7 (thematic): Job is struck with painful 'boils' from head to foot—a similar motif of widespread, severe skin affliction as divine (or permitted) suffering.
- 1 Sam.5.6-12 (thematic): The Philistines suffer 'tumors' (emerods) and distress after the ark’s presence—parallels in bodily swellings and plague-like afflictions as divine judgment affecting a people.
Alternative generated candidates
- 'And it shall become dust over all the land of Egypt, and it shall be upon man and upon beast as boils erupting with blisters throughout all the land of Egypt.'
- 'And it shall become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and it shall be upon man and upon beast as boils erupting with blisters in all the land of Egypt.'
Exo.9.10 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויקחו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- את: PRT,acc
- פיח: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- הכבשן: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ויעמדו: CONJ+VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,pl
- לפני: PREP
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ויזרק: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אתו: PRON,3,m,sg,acc
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- השמימה: NOUN,m,pl,def
- ויהי: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- שחין: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- אבעבעת: VERB,qal,ptc,3,f,sg
- פרח: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- באדם: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ובבהמה: CONJ+PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exodus 9:8-11 (structural): Immediate context: the instructions to gather furnace soot and Moses’ action are explained in the surrounding verses — same event and wording (throwing soot toward heaven producing boils on man and beast).
- Deuteronomy 28:27-28 (allusion): Part of the covenant curses — God punishes disobedience with 'the boils' and other diseases, thematically linking Egypt’s judicial plagues to Israel’s covenant curses.
- Job 2:7 (thematic): Satan smites Job with painful boils; both passages use boils/skin affliction as divine/permitted means of intense suffering and testing.
- 1 Samuel 5:6 (thematic): When the Ark is in Ashdod the LORD strikes the people with 'tumors' (boils) — a plague of painful bodily sores inflicted on a population as divine judgment, paralleling Exodus’ plague imagery.
- Revelation 16:2 (verbal): The first bowl inflicts 'foul and loathsome sores' on those who bear the beast’s mark; verbal and thematic echo of sores/boils as apocalyptic divine punishment.
Alternative generated candidates
- And they took the kiln soot and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses threw it heavenward, and it became boils erupting with blisters on man and on beast.
- And they took the soot of the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses threw it heavenward, and it became boils with blisters erupting upon man and upon beast.
Exo.9.11 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ולא: CONJ
- יכלו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- החרטמים: NOUN,m,pl,def
- לעמד: VERB,qal,inf
- לפני: PREP
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מפני: PREP
- השחין: NOUN,m,pl,def
- כי: CONJ
- היה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- השחין: NOUN,m,pl,def
- בחרטמם: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,cons,3,m,pl
- ובכל: CONJ+PREP
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
Parallels
- Exod.8.18-19 (verbal): Magicians try and fail to reproduce the plague of gnats; like 9:11 this shows the limitation of Egyptian sorcery and their inability to stand against Moses’ signs.
- Exod.7.22 (thematic): Earlier the magicians successfully imitated a plague (frogs) with their enchantments—contrast with 9:11 where they are themselves afflicted, highlighting the progressive defeat of Egyptian magic.
- Exod.9.12 (structural): Immediate narrative follow-up explaining why the magicians (and Pharaoh) could not prevail: the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, framing the affliction and failure as part of divine purpose.
- Acts.13.8-11 (thematic): Paul blinds the sorcerer Elymas for opposing the gospel; thematically parallels divine judgment and the overthrow of a magician who opposes God’s messenger.
Alternative generated candidates
- And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were upon the magicians and upon all Egypt.
- And the magicians were not able to stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all Egypt.
Exo.9.12 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויחזק: CONJ+VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- לב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- פרעה: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ולא: CONJ
- שמע: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אלהם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- כאשר: CONJ
- דבר: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- אל: NEG
- משה: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exodus 4:21 (verbal): God tells Moses he will harden Pharaoh’s heart when Moses returns to Egypt — same formula and divine agency as Exod 9:12.
- Exodus 7:3 (verbal): Early statement that God will harden Pharaoh’s heart and multiply signs and wonders — repeats the hardening motif and purpose language.
- Exodus 9:34–35 (structural): Immediate narrative echo: Pharaoh ‘hardened his heart’ after a respite, and the text notes this accords with what the LORD had spoken to Moses, linking human and divine hardening.
- Exodus 14:4 (verbal): God again declares He will harden Pharaoh’s heart so Pharaoh will pursue Israel — same causative purpose (to display God’s glory) found throughout the hardening episodes.
- Romans 9:17–18 (allusion): Paul cites God’s dealings with Pharaoh (raising him up and hardening him) as a theological example of divine sovereignty — an explicit New Testament theological allusion to the Exodus hardening tradition.
Alternative generated candidates
- And YHWH hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as YHWH had spoken to Moses.
- And YHWH strengthened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, as YHWH had spoken to Moses.
And YHWH said to Moses and to Aaron, 'Take for yourselves full handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh.'
'And it shall become dust over all the land of Egypt, and it shall become, on humans and on animals, boils, erupting with blisters, throughout all the land of Egypt.' And they took the soot from the kiln and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses threw it toward the sky, and it became boils, erupting with blisters, on humans and on animals. And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all Egypt. And YHWH hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he did not listen to them, just as YHWH had spoken to Moses.