Wikipedia's first sentence called it “manifestations of god's great power which he had caused to be declared among the nations”. Today it says “ten disasters that yahweh inflicted on the egyptians to convince the pharaoh to emancipate the enslaved israeli”.
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The opening as it read in 2005
The book of Exodus (שמות), chapters 7:14 - 12:42, recounts the story of ten plagues ( Eser Ha-Makot עשר המכות in Hebrew): 10 disasters, executed against Egypt by God , in order to convince Pharaoh to let the Hebrews go. According to the Torah, the plagues were manifestations of God's great power which he had caused to be declared among the nations (Ex 9:14, 16), and which other peoples would discuss for generations afterward (Jos 2:9-11; 9:9; Isa 4:8; 6:6). In this view, the plagues were proof that the gods of Egypt were powerless (Ex 12:12; Nu 33:4). Aside from the biblical account, there is archaeological material that some archaeologists, such as William F. Albright , have considered historical evidence of the Ten Plagues. One artifact, now sitting in the Archeological Museum of Leiden , the Netherlands, describes an ancient Egyptian account of plagues that closely resembles the account found in the Book of Exodus . Another artifact, an ancient water-trough found in El Arish bears hieroglyphic markings detailing a plague of darkness. Albright has stated that evidence such as the above, as well as careful study of the areas ostensibly travelled by the Israelites after the Exodus, make discounting the biblical account untenable.1
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The opening as it stood in 2010 8 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
The Ten Plagues of Egypt , also referred to as Ten Plagues ( Name 1 ), the Plagues of Egypt ( Name 1 ), or the Biblical Plagues , are the ten calamities imposed upon Egypt by Yahweh as recounted in the Book of Exodus , Chapters 7–12, to convince Pharaoh to let the poorly treated Israelite slaves go.Pharaoh did not permit this until after the tenth plague.The plagues were applied in a way to portray clearly the reality of Israel’s God, and by contrast the impotence of Egypt’s gods.Some commentators have associated several of the plagues with judgment on specific gods associated with the Nile , fertility and natural phenomena.According to the book of Exodus, God claims that all the gods of Egypt will be judged through the tenth and final plague: On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn - both men and animals - and I will bring judgement on all the gods of Egypt.I am the LORD — Exodus 12:12 ( New International Version ) The Plagues of Egypt are recognized as history by many Jews , Christians , and Muslims .Plagues of Egypt, in New Bible Dictionary, second edition. 1987.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 370755830.
The opening as it stood in 2015 4 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Sarajevo Haggadah , from Barcelona , c. 1350 The Plagues of Egypt ( Name 1 ), also called the ten plagues ( Name 1 ) or the biblical plagues , were ten calamities that, according to the biblical Book of Exodus , the God of Israel inflicted upon Egypt to persuade the Pharaoh to release the ill-treated Israelites from slavery .Pharaoh capitulated after the tenth plague, triggering the Exodus of the Hebrew people.The plagues served to contrast the power of the God of Israel with the Egyptian gods, invalidating them. Some commentators have associated several of the plagues with judgment on specific gods associated with the Nile , fertility and natural phenomena. According to Exodus 12:12 , all the gods of Egypt would be judged through the tenth and final plague: "On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt.I am the L ORD ." Plagues of Egypt, in New Bible Dictionary, second edition. 1987.
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 667885669.
The opening as it stood in 2020 6 passages from the previous snapshot no longer appear
Ten calamities inflicted on Egypt by Yahweh in the story of the Exodus Scenes from Exodus, the death of the first-born including Pharaoh's son; the Israelites leaving Egypt. 14th-century illustration The Plagues of Egypt ( Name 1 ), in the story of the book of Exodus , are ten disasters inflicted on Egypt by the God of Israel in order to force the Pharaoh to allow the Israelites to depart from slavery; they serve as "signs and marvels" given by God to answer Pharaoh's taunt that he does not know Yahweh: "The Egyptians shall know that I am the L ORD ".
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 964070709.
The opening as it stood on October 6, 2023
Ten calamities inflicted on Egypt by Yahweh in the story of the Exodus Scenes from the book of Exodus : The death of the firstborns (including the Pharaoh 's son), and the Israelites leaving Egypt ( Haggadah shel Pesaḥ , 1325–1374 CE, Barcelona via British Library ) The Plagues of Egypt , in the account of the book of Exodus , are ten disasters inflicted on Biblical Egypt by the God of Israel in order to convince the Pharaoh to emancipate the enslaved Israelites , each of them confronting Pharaoh and one of his Egyptian gods ; they serve as "signs and marvels" given by God to answer Pharaoh's taunt that he does not know Yahweh: "The Egyptians shall know that I am the L ORD ".
Red text was written in or rewritten since the previous snapshot. Their copy is revision 1175986793.
The opening as it stood in 2025
Ten disasters inflicted by God on Egypt in the story of the Exodus Scenes from the Book of Exodus : The death of the firstborns (including the Pharaoh 's son), and the Israelites leaving Egypt ( Haggadah shel Pesaḥ , 1325–1374 CE, Barcelona via British Library ) In the Book of Exodus , the Plagues of Egypt ( Hebrew : מכות מצרים ) are ten disasters that the Hebrew God inflicts on the Egyptians to convince the Pharaoh to emancipate the enslaved Israelites , each of them confronting the Pharaoh and one of his Egyptian gods ; they serve as "signs and marvels" given by Yahweh in response to the Pharaoh's taunt that he does not know Yahweh: "The Egyptians shall know that I am the L ORD ".These Plagues are recited by Jews during the Passover Seder .The consensus of modern scholars is that the Pentateuch does not give an accurate account of the origins of the Israelites .Similarly, attempts to find natural explanations for the plagues (e.g., a volcanic eruption to explain the "darkness" plague) have been dismissed by biblical scholars on the grounds that their pattern, timing, rapid succession, and above all, control by Moses mark them as supernatural .In Berlin, Adele; Brettler, Marc Zvi (eds.).The Jewish Study Bible .The Meaning of the Ten Plagues – Peninei Halakha" .Biblical History and Israel's Past .
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Today
Wikipedia's first sentence called it “manifestations of god's great power which he had caused to be declared among the nations”. Today it says “ten disasters that yahweh inflicted on the egyptians to convince the pharaoh to emancipate the enslaved israeli”. Read the current article and compare.
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What Wikipedia says this is
Every article opens by defining its subject. This one was redefined since 2005, and today's defining sentence is their current revision.
Then
manifestations of god's great power which he had caused to be declared among the nations
Now
ten disasters that yahweh inflicted on the egyptians to convince the pharaoh to emancipate the enslaved israeli
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