A Mighty Death Would Strike the Flocks of Egypt

Midrash Aggadah Targum Pseudo-Jonathan on Exodus 9:3 View source

Curated by The Jewish Mythology Team · Published January 12, 2025

The fifth plague is livestock pestilence, and Targum Pseudo-Jonathan on Exodus 9:3 renders it with memorable Aramaic precision: the stroke of the Lord's hand shall be as it hath not been yet, upon thy cattle that are in the field, upon the horses, and upon the asses, upon the camels, oxen, and sheep, with a very mighty death.

Count the species: horses, donkeys, camels, oxen, sheep. That list is not random — it is the full inventory of Egypt's economy. Horses pulled the chariots of the army. Donkeys carried trade goods along every road. Camels moved caravans to the eastern deserts. Oxen plowed the fields that fed the empire. Sheep supplied the wool and the sacrifices the priests needed.

And every single category dies. Not some. Not many. All of the livestock in the field. The meturgeman's phrase mota takif lachda — a very mighty death — is superlative even for the Exodus narrative. Four plagues have disrupted Egypt's routines. This one breaks Egypt's supply chain.

Notice too that the plague is announced in advance. Pharaoh is told exactly what is coming, and which of his animals will die. There is still time to release the slaves. There is still time to walk back the policy. God does not spring the plague as a trap; He publishes it as a warning.

The takeaway: the scariest verse in Exodus is not the one that describes what God did. It is the one that describes what Pharaoh chose to ignore.

Themes

Divine justice Miracles Death

Biblical References

Exodus 9:3

Continue Reading

Ginzberg The Bitter Springs of Marah and Israel's Despair Real, desperate thirst in the desert. Then imagine spotting water! Relief washes over you, you rush to drink… and it’s b... Ginzberg Death of Joab He was laying siege to the Amalekite capital. For half a year, twelve thousand of Israel's finest soldiers had been camp... Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Thus said the Holy One Blessed be He — What reward will Thus said the Holy One Blessed be He: What reward will accrue to the sons of Benjamin, who went down first into the sea?... Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael "And the L–rd said to Moses — Write this as (Exodus 17:14) (Exodus 17:14) "And the L–rd said to Moses: Write this as a remembrance in the book and place it in the ears of Joshua":... Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Rebbi says — There is "death" at the hands of Heaven and Rebbi (Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi) drew a profound parallel between divine punishment and human punishment. "There is 'death' ... Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Rebbi says — There is "death" at the hands of heaven and - Mekhilta Tractate Nezikin 5 — 18 This passage, appearing in Mekhilta Tractate Nezikin 5:18, restates the teaching of Rebbi (Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi) that ap... Midrash Aggadah Rabbi Yochanan Whence we infer that—all were Furthermore, said R. Levi b. Chama, in the name of Resh Lakish : "What is meant by the passage (Ex. 24:12) And I will gi... Midrash Aggadah Resh Lakish When Aaron died, Sichon was still (1) ROSH HASHANAH (Fol. 2b) "When Aaron died, Sichon was still living (Fol. 3), as it is written (Num. 21, 1) And the Ca... Midrash Aggadah Passover - However, says Whence do we know that (4) R. Joshua, however, says: "Whence do we know that the Patriarchs were born in the month of Nissan? It is said (I Kin...