The Sixth Plague

Exodus 9:8-12

“8 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw it in the air in the sight of Pharaoh. 9 It shall become dust all over the land of Egypt and shall cause festering boils on humans and animals throughout the whole land of Egypt.” 10 So they took soot from the kiln and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses threw it in the air, and it caused festering boils on humans and animals. 11 The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils afflicted the magicians as well as all the Egyptians. 12 But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he would not listen to them, just as the Lord had spoken to Moses.”

Moses and Aaron took handfuls of soot from the kiln and threw it into the air, in front of the Pharaoh, himself, to show him that the one true God caused the plague and not themselves.

God caused the dust from the kiln to become boils on people and beasts throughout the land of Egypt (The Hebrew word for “boils” can also be translated “inflamed spot, and was used to describe Job’s disease (2:7-8) and Hezekiah’s illness (Isaiah 38:21)).

The kiln from which Moses and Aaron took the dust was the same kiln in which the Israelites were forced to make bricks, and was a symbol of their oppression. 

God used the source of suffering for the Israelites as the source of suffering of the Egyptians.

“There is no peace for the wicked,” says the Lord.” (Isaiah 48:22)

May the love of Christ be with you,

Rev. Eric Lanier (Retired)