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Allen S. Maller

Qur’an wisely states only NINE Plagues for all Egypt

The Hebrew Bible does not number the plagues of Egypt, but the number ten has been canonized in Jewish and Christian tradition, and a list of the ten plagues appears in the Jewish Passover Haggadah (Prayerbook for Passover). The lists of plagues in the two chapters of Psalms (78 and 105) that retell the story in poetry are not identical to the list in Exodus or to each other; they seem to describe a smaller number of plagues, perhaps seven.

The earliest two sources that mention the number ten are: the 2nd century B.C.E. Jubilees 48:7 “And everything happened according to your word, ten great and cruel judgments came on the land of Egypt so that you might execute vengeance upon it for (enslaving) Israel.) and Philo (20 B.C.E–ca. 50 C.E.) who makes a passing reference in his book ‘On the Life of Moses’ (1.16): “ten punishments were inflicted on the land.”

Psalm 78: 44-51 lists NINE signs/plagues in a somewhat different order from Exodus.  Psalm 105:23-36 also lists NINE miracle plagues. And these NINE plagues are also not listed in the same order as in Exodus.

The Quran twice refers to NINE signs as signs of God’s will and greatness for monotheistic believers; which are often plagues for Pharaoh type people.

The Qur’an states: “To Moses We did give NINE Clear Signs: ask the Children of Israel: when he (Moses) came to them, Pharaoh said to him: “O Moses! I consider you to have been worked upon by sorcery.” (Qur’an 17:101)

And “Now put your hand into your bosom and it will come forth white without stain: (one) among the NINE signs (you take) to Pharaoh and his (Nobility) people: for they (the rulers of Egypt) are a people rebellious in transgression.” (Qur’an 27:12)

The Qur’an refers to Nine Signs according to one Muslim commentator, to teach us that the death of the first born males in Egypt (Exodus 11:5) occurred after the Children of Israel had already left Egypt, and were on their way to return to the Land of Israel. Thus the tenth plague did not fall on every Egyptian first born male. It was limited only to Pharaoh and his (nobility) charioteers who pursued the escaping Jews, and then drowned in the Sea of Reeds. (Exodus 15:28)

As the Qur’an states three times: “So We seized him (Pharaoh) and his hosts (charioteers), and flung them into the sea. Now behold what was the end of those who did wrong.” (Qur’ân 28:40)

“So he (Pharaoh) resolved to remove them (kill all the Jews) from the face of the earth: but We drowned him and all (the charioteers) who were with him.” (Qur’ân 17:103)

“When at length they (Pharaoh and his charioteers) provoked Us, We exacted retribution from them, and We drowned them all. (Qur’ân 43:55)

The Qur’an understood this way, offers us a very profound understanding of the tenth plague, which the Qur’an does not consider to be a sign/plague at all; because it is a deserved punishment only of those who were guilty. This greatly limits the amount of first born who died in the last plague to just a small and directly responsible number of (Nobles and charioteers) and Pharaoh himself; and excludes all the other first born male Egyptians.

Mass Death (Toofan) is not among the TEN signs/miracles because it pertained only to the drowning of Pharaoh and his nobility charioteers at the crossing of the Sea of Reeds.

This Qur’anic teaching about the Biblical tenth plague should be discussed by Jews during the Passover Seder (April 22 evening to sunset on April 30, 2024) at the time when we recount the ten plagues. In Jewish tradition, while we rejoice at our deliverance from slavery, we should also express our regret that our freedom came at the cost of the Egyptians’ suffering, for we are all human beings.

So each person at the Seder (the ritual meal of Passover celebration) pours out some drops of wine from his or her wine cup as we recite the ten plagues, to signify having less sweetness in our celebration because some innocent Egyptians suffered due to their ruler’s sins.

As the Talmud says: “In that hour (when Pharaoh and his charioteers drowned) the angels wished to sing a song (of praise) before the Holy One, but He rebuked them, saying: ‘My handiwork is drowning in the sea, and you sing a song?’ (Sanhedrin 39b)

And the Qur’an says: “And We took the Children of Israel across the sea, and Pharaoh and his soldiers pursued them in tyranny and enmity until, when drowning overtook him (Pharaoh), he said, “I believe that there is no deity except that in whom the Children of Israel believe, and I am of the Muslims.” (Qur’an 10:90)

And the rabbinic Midrash Pirke D’Rabbi Eliezer 43 says; “Rabbi Nechunia, son of Haḳanah, said: Know the power of repentance from Pharaoh who rebelled against God saying, “Who is the Lord, that I should hearken unto his voice?” (Exodus. 5:2). The same tongue with which he sinned, he used to repent saying “Who is like thee, O Lord, among the mighty?” (Exodus 15:11).

Thus the teaching of mercy in the Qur’an’s reduction of the number of Egyptians killed at the end of the signs; and the rabbis desire to reduce the Seder’s celebration joy about the Egyptian defeat support one another. Qur’an and Torah are not contradictory; they are co-operating revelations from the one and only God because as a well known Hadith says: “Prophets are paternal brothers (sons of one father by co-wives). Their mothers (mother tongue, motherland etc.) are different but their religion (from one God) is one.” (Bukhari Vol. 4: Book 55 #651 and Muslim Book 30: #5834-6).

Finally, Jews should read and discuss this passage from the Qur’an at the end of the Seder: “And We certainty settled the Children of Israel in an agreeable settlement [Israel] and provided them with good things. And they did not differ until [after] knowledge had come to them. Indeed, your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection concerning that over [that] which they used to differ. So if you [O Muhammad] are in doubt, about that which We have revealed to you, then ask those who have been reading the Scripture before you. The truth has certainly come to you from your Lord, so never be among the doubters. (Qur’an 10:93-4)

About the Author
Rabbi Allen S. Maller has published over 850 articles on Jewish values in over a dozen Christian, Jewish, and Muslim magazines and web sites. Rabbi Maller is the author of "Tikunay Nefashot," a spiritually meaningful High Holy Day Machzor, two books of children's short stories, and a popular account of Jewish Mysticism entitled, "God, Sex and Kabbalah." His most recent books are "Judaism and Islam as Synergistic Monotheisms' and "Which Religion Is Right For You?: A 21st Century Kuzari" both available on Amazon.
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