What were the ten plagues of Egypt?

from the old testament

• Joseph’s father, Israel, and his brothers moved to Egypt when there was a great famine (Genesis 46:6). They remained there, and the number of Israelites grew (Exodus 1:7) such that a later Pharaoh feared them and thus enslaved them (Exodus 1:11). They were in the state of slavery for 430 years (Exodus 12:40) when God called Moses to rescue them (Exodus 3:10).
• Before He sent Moses, He warned that Pharaoh would not let the people go willingly (Exodus 3:19) and that God would send plagues until he relented. In total, there were ten plagues. They not only showed the Egyptians that the Israelite God was supreme, but also the Egyptian gods' worthlessness (Numbers 33:4).
• The ten plagues and the associated Egyptian gods are as follows: 1) Water to Blood (Exodus 7:14–25), against Hapi, the god of the Nile. 2) Frogs (Exodus 8:1–15), against Heqet, the frog goddess. 3) Gnats (Exodus 8:16–19), against Geb, god of the earth. 4) Flies (Exodus 8:20–32), against Khepri, the god of insects. 5) Livestock (Exodus 9:1–7), against Hathor and Apis, the cow goddess and bull god. 6) Boils (Exodus 9:8–12), against Sekhmet and Thoth, goddess and god of medicine. 7) Hail (Exodus 9:13–35), against Nut and Set, goddess of the sky and god of storms. 8) Locusts (Exodus 10:1–20), against Osiris, crop god. 9) Darkness (Exodus 10:21–29), against Ra, the sun god. 10) Life of the firstborn (Exodus 12:29–32), against Pharaoh as a god.
• As God said, Pharaoh hardened his heart (Exodus 8:15; 9:12), and it wasn’t until his own son was killed that he let the people go (Exodus 12:31–32). That final plague also introduced the Passover. Before sending it in, God offered a way to escape His wrath: the death of a perfect lamb and the blood on the doorway (Exodus 12:7, 13). That act of a substitute death and God passing over those with the lamb’s blood foreshadowed Jesus as God’s Lamb (cf. John 1:29), who died as a blood sacrifice to escape God’s wrath (cf. Romans 5:9).

from the new testament

• Although the New Testament does not mention the ten plagues, theologians have long noted that many of the plagues that will fall on the earth in Revelation resemble those that fell on Egypt (Revelation 8:6–12, 16:1–21). They will demonstrate God’s greatness to the world (Revelation 16:9) and His people (Revelation 15:3–4).

implications for today

The Israelites had spent generations in slavery, so they needed more than a promise that God would rescue them—they needed to see that their God was greater than Pharaoh and every Egyptian god. We need the same reminder. When life feels out of control—when a relationship falls apart, a diagnosis comes, finances get tight, or the future looks uncertain—it’s easy to wonder whether God is really in control. The plagues remind us that nothing is outside of God's authority. He rules over creation, nations, rulers, and even the forces that seem most powerful to us.

That doesn’t mean God will always prevent suffering or give us the outcome we want. It means that whatever happens, God is never powerless, surprised, or defeated. Pharaoh could resist God for a time, but he could not stop God’s plan. The same God who brought Israel out of Egypt is still sovereign today, and one day every earthly ruler will give way to Christ’s perfect rule (Revelation 11:15; 19:15–16).

So when fear makes you question whether God is in control, don’t let your circumstances become your theology. Remember the Exodus. Read again how God acted, how He protected His people, and how He accomplished exactly what He promised. The God who was mighty enough to deliver Israel is mighty enough to hold you today—and faithful enough to finish what He has promised.