Benjamin Yap

Creative Exegesis
Exodus – Pharaoh’s Firstborn
Diary entries of Amenemhat, son of Thutmose III
Pharaoh of Egypt

We were visited by two Hebrew strangers today. They were not from our slaves for
they claim to hail from Midian. One seemed to be a prophet and the other was rather
quiet. They both were very old; they must be in their 80s if not more. It seems they
have come to ask for the Hebrew slaves to be released. Utter nonsense! Of course
father refused. Who else would make bricks for all our projects? Father said the
Hebrew slaves are lazy, that’s why they are making up such stories to go away.
Filthy slaves! They should be punished for their laziness. If not because of our
benevolence, they would have all been killed long ago. It seems father has ordered
for them to continue making bricks but without straw. Serve them right. They should
all worship Amun-Ra and stop whining about wanting to go and worship their god on
a mountain.

It’s been some time since they last came, but the Hebrew strangers came again
today. Father asked them for a miracle, to test them, so one of them laid down his
staff and it became a serpent. When father called upon our sorcerers they conjured a
similar serpent but our serpent was swallowed by theirs! What does this mean?
Surely Amun-Ra and Apophis is more powerful than a Hebrew god? This is a bad
omen… Father is very upset.

There’s blood everywhere. The Nile has turn to blood. Even water in containers have
become blood! How are we supposed to survive without water? And there is that
horrible stench along the Nile. Dead fishes are floating all along the Nile. Months’
worth of fishes, all drowned in the blood. This was the doing of those Hebrew
strangers! Why have they come to inflict such calamity on us? Who are they?! Who
is this Hebrew god? Well, it is of little consequence, even our sorcerers were able to
turn water into blood. But what about turning it back to water? It seems that our
sorcerers are unable to. I wonder how long will this last. It seems father has ordered
wells to be dug along the riverbank. We will be alright. The Hebrew slaves will not be
given access to these wells, they can suffer since this is their fault.

It has been three days since we last saw the strangers. The Nile is still flowing blood.
How long more will this last? The cattle are suffering too, and we have not been able
to irrigate the fields. If this goes on for longer, we shall all starve eventually. Oh God
of the Nile, Sobek, how long more will you allow these slave people to tarnish your
name?

Frogs! Disgusting frogs! This time, the Hebrew strangers came and brought a plague
of frogs with them. Frogs everywhere and in everything! They are in the Nile, the
palace, our bedrooms, even the ovens and kneading bowls! This is worse than when
the Nile turned to blood. At least then we had some respite from digging the wells.
These frogs just won’t go away. Why is father still holding on to these people? Our
own people can produce the bricks we need. These slaves have only brought us
calamities since their prophets showed up over a week ago. But father is strong
willed…

I heard father has yielded his will and summoned the Hebrew prophets today. I
wonder if the frogs will go away soon… I’m sick of them leaping on my bed at night.

The frogs died! It must be because father spoke to the Hebrew prophets yesterday.
Does that mean that he will let the Hebrew slaves go? Knowing how stubborn father
is, he may turn back on his word. It’s been a whole day of cleaning up, even here in
the palace. The heaps of frogs are going to create a stench.

It’s been two days since the frogs died, we should have burnt all of the frog
carcasses. Now it is leaving a terrible stench across the land. We are the great
empire of Egypt, how can our land be filled with such a stench! We must have
become the laughing stock of our enemies across the lands. The slaves are still
around. I suppose father changed his mind about letting them go. After all, he is
Thutmose III, pharaoh of Egypt; he can do what he wants.

The frogs are finally disposed completely. The cattle are slowly regaining strength
since the plague of blood. We finally had a meal together as a family today.

They are back. This time with gnats. One of them struck the ground with his staff and
the dust became gnats and swarmed everywhere. But this time round, our sorcerers
were not able to do what they did. They said that it was the ‘finger of God’ who did it.
Who is this God they were referring to?

Father met them again. They threatened us again and brought flies upon us. The
whole land was in chaos as there were flies in everything! Apparently the land of
Goshen where the slaves are at was spared. It seems that this “Lord” that they talk
about is very powerful as even our sorcerers are not able to reproduce these flies.
Apparently the Hebrew slaves are wanting to offer sacrifices to their God.

Father again summoned for the prophets today. He has agreed to let the slaves
sacrifice to their God in the land as the flies are driving us crazy! But the prophets
didn’t want the Hebrew people to sacrifice to their god here. They were requesting to
go away for 3 days to sacrifice in a wilderness and warned father against turning
back on his words. Father agreed.
Moses and Aaron are their names; they are back again. Father has turned back on
his words again. They have declared that all our livestock – horses, donkeys,
camels, cattle, sheep and goats will be struck with a deadly plague tomorrow. Oh
how I wish that I am pharaoh! I would have instructed for them to be released
immediately. Why is father still holding on to these slaves? How much more death
shall we see before he is willing to let them go? As Overseer of the Cattle of Amun,
my flock is at stake! Shall I speak with father? Dare I? He has not been himself since
the prophets showed up.

They are all dead. All my livestock are dead, but the Hebrews still have theirs! Not
even a single animal was lost! How can this be? What would be next? I wonder how
long more can we go on without livestock. With only grains to live on, if anything
were to happen to it, we will surely perish. There is much to be done if we are to
survive this. There isn’t time for writing anymore.

Since I last wrote, we have been devastated even further by the God of Israel, the
Hebrew people. We have had boils broke out on people across the land. Even I was
not spared. My hands were so sore I could not write. Then hail rained down upon the
land and destroyed much of the grains and livestock that remained from the plague.
We are in ruins – people, animals and even trees were destroyed. Then the locusts
descended upon us and ate all there is to eat; not a single leaf is left. This is the
worst locust plague in our history. My father’s stubbornness has brought ruins to
Egypt. Only Goshen remained untouched. Day by day, it seems clearer that the God
of Israel is more powerful.

Darkness descended upon our land. It’s already been two days. We have not been
able to go outside as it is pitch darkness; we could not see where we were going.
Rumour has it that the Hebrews are doing well and their part of the land is not in
darkness. Surely father has gone mad! He was bargaining with Moses and Aaron,
asking them to leave their livestock behind while they go and worship their god. Who
is this god they worship that he can block out the sun for two days? Surely there is
none other like him? At this rate, we shall all die within a few more week…

It is bright again. Work has resumed across the land to rebuild what was damaged
since the locusts. There is not one family across Egypt that is not affected by this.
Yet my father is stubborn. We are running short of supplies. We shall need to
purchase from our neighbours while rebuilding. I shall speak to father on that
tomorrow.

The Hebrews were acting peculiarly today. It seems that every family slaughtered a
young goat or lamb today but I do not remember any festivals during this time. I
suppose they are celebrating their release. My father must have proclaimed their
release to their prophets. Though what is strange is what they did with the blood of
the slaughtered lamb; they brushed it on to their door posts. It is such an eerie sight.
It is getting close to midnight, I shall rest tonight and ask father tomorrow, he may
know what is going on.

It’s been a few months since the prophets, Moses and Aaron first visited.
God of Israel, I wonder who you are..