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(6.) The sixth plague, of “boils and blains,” like the third, was sent without warning (Ex.9:8-12). It is called (Deuteronomy 28:27) “the botch of Egypt,” A.V.; but in R.V., “the boil of Egypt.” “The magicians could not stand before Moses” because of it.
(7.) The plague of hail, with fire and thunder (Exodus 9:13-33). Warning was given of its coming. (Comp. Psalm 18:13; 105:32, 33).
(8.) The plague of locusts, which covered the whole face of the earth, so that the land was darkened with them (Exodus 10:12-15). The Hebrew name of this insect, arbeh, points to the “multitudinous” character of this visitation. Warning was given before this plague came.
(9.) After a short interval the plague of darkness succeeded that of the locusts; and it came without any special warning (Exodus 10:21-29). The darkness covered “all the land of Egypt” to such an extent that “they saw not one another.” It did not, however, extend to the land of Goshen.
(10.) The last and most fearful of these plagues was the death of the first-born of man and of beast (Exodus 11:4, 5; 12:29,30). The exact time of the visitation was announced, “about midnight”, which would add to the horror of the infliction. Its extent also is specified, from the first-born of the king to the first-born of the humblest slave, and all the first-born of beasts. But from this plague the Hebrews were completely exempted. The Lord “put a difference” between them and the Egyptians. (See PASSOVER.)
•PLAIN (1.) Hebrews ‘abel (Judges 11:33), a “grassy plain” or “meadow.” Instead of “plains of the vineyards,” as in the Authorized Version, the
Revised Version has “Abel-cheramim” (q.v.), comp. Judges 11:22; 2 Chronicles 16:4.
(2.) Hebrews ‘elon (Genesis 12:6; 13:18; 14:13; 18:1; Deuteronomy 11:30; Judges 9:6), more correctly “oak,” as in the Revised Version; margin, “terebinth.”
(3.) Hebrews bik’ah (Genesis 11:2; Nehemiah 6:2; Ezekiel 3:23; Daniel 3:1), properly a valley, as rendered in Isaiah 40:4, a broad plain between mountains. In Amos 1:5 the margin of Authorized Version has “Bikathaven.”
(4.) Hebrews kikar, “the circle,” used only of the Ghor, or the low ground along the Jordan (Genesis 13:10-12; 19:17, 25, 28, 29; Deuteronomy 34:3;
2 Samuel 18:23; 1 Kings 7:46; 2 Chronicles 4:17; Nehemiah 3:22; 12:28), the floor of the valley through which it flows. This name is applied to the Jordan valley as far north as Succoth.
(5.) Hebrews mishor, “level ground,” smooth, grassy table-land (Deuteronomy 3:10; 4:43; Joshua 13:9, 16, 17, 21; 20:8; Jeremiah 48:21), an expanse of rolling downs without rock or stone. In these passages, with the article prefixed, it denotes the plain in the tribe of Reuben. In 2 Chronicles 26:10 the plain of Judah is meant. Jerusalem is called “the rock of the plain” in Jeremiah 21:13, because the hills on which it is built rise high above the plain.
(6.) Hebrews ‘arabah, the valley from the Sea of Galilee southward to the Dead Sea (the “sea of the plain,” 2 Kings 14:25; Deuteronomy 1:1; 2:8), a distance of about 70 miles. It is called by the modern Arabs the Ghor. This Hebrew name is found in Authorized Version (Joshua 18:18), and is uniformly used in the Revised Version. Down through the centre of this plain is a ravine, from 200 to 300 yards wide, and from 50 to 100 feet deep, through which the Jordan flows in a winding course. This ravine is called the “lower plain.”
The name Arabah is also applied to the whole Jordan valley from Mount Hermon to the eastern branch of the Red Sea, a distance of about 200 miles, as well as to that portion of the valley which stretches from the Sea of Galilee to the same branch of the Red Sea, i.e., to the Gulf of Akabah about 100 miles in all.