We all know the highlights – the Nile turning to blood, the frogs, the darkness. But some sources really dial up the intensity, giving us a truly nightmarish vision of divine retribution. Let's dive into one of those sources: a retelling of the Ten Plagues from the Book of Jasher.
Now, the Book of Jasher isn't part of the standard biblical canon, but it's an ancient Hebrew text referenced in the Bible itself (Joshua 10:13; 2 Samuel 1:18). Think of it as a kind of ancient midrash, expanding on biblical narratives. It paints a vivid, sometimes shocking, picture.
So, where does Jasher take us? After two years of Moses’ initial failure, God sends Moses back to Pharaoh. Naturally, Pharaoh refuses to listen. And then, the plagues begin.
We start with the familiar – water turning to blood. But Jasher adds a gruesome detail: it wasn't just the Nile. Every cup, every pitcher, even the water used for kneading dough turned to blood. Imagine the sheer horror and revulsion.
Then come the frogs. And these weren't just hopping around. According to Jasher, "when the Egyptians drank, their bellies were filled with frogs and they danced in their bellies as they dance when in the river." Seriously, can you imagine?
But it doesn’t stop there. Next up: lice. Not just a few, but "to the height of two cubits upon the earth." A cubit, roughly the length from your elbow to your fingertips, means these lice were piled high – everywhere. And they afflicted everyone, even the king and queen.
Then comes a plague of wild animals. Not just any animals, but "fiery serpents, scorpions, mice, weasels, toads, together with others creeping in dust. Flies, hornets, fleas, bugs and gnats." A veritable Noah's Ark of unpleasantness unleashed upon Egypt.
But here’s where it gets truly wild. According to Jasher, when the Egyptians locked themselves in their homes to escape the animals, God commanded the Sulanuth, a creature from the sea, to break in. This Sulanuth had arms ten cubits long – that's like fifteen feet! It would reach onto the roofs, tear them apart, and unlock the doors, letting the swarm of animals inside.
After that, the livestock die from pestilence, then the Egyptians themselves are covered in burning boils that make their flesh rot. Hail destroys their crops, followed by locusts that devour what's left.
The Egyptians, perhaps understandably, rejoice at the locusts because they think they can at least eat them. However, God sends a mighty wind that sweeps every last locust into the Red Sea, even the ones they had salted for food. Seriously, the cruelty of this plague is mind-boggling.
Then comes the darkness, so thick that people couldn't see their own hands. Jasher adds a chilling detail: during these three days of darkness, many Israelites who had doubted God died, and their deaths were hidden from the Egyptians.
Finally, the plague of the firstborn. The despair is palpable. Pharaoh's daughter, Bathia, confronts Moses, asking if this is the reward for her kindness in raising him. Moses assures her she will be spared, but she laments the suffering of her family and people. Jasher even says that the likenesses of the firstborn carved into the walls of Egyptian houses crumbled and fell.
Pharaoh, desperate, begs Moses to leave with his people, offering them riches and pleading for them to pray for him. The Israelites, no longer slaves, "stripped the Egyptians" of their wealth. And Moses, in a powerful act, retrieves the coffin of Joseph from the Nile, fulfilling a long-ago promise.
What are we to make of all this? The Book of Jasher offers a truly extreme version of the Exodus story. It's a reminder of the power of storytelling to amplify and intensify sacred narratives. It also raises questions about the nature of divine justice and the suffering of innocents. Was this literal? Symbolic? Perhaps the point isn’t the historicity, but the sheer, overwhelming power of the story to convey a message about freedom, justice, and the consequences of oppression.
However you interpret it, the Book of Jasher’s version of the Ten Plagues is a powerful, unforgettable, and frankly terrifying glimpse into the heart of a foundational story. It makes you wonder: what other stories are out there, waiting to be rediscovered and retold?