Blackout

Exodus 10:21-23 - Then the LORD said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness will spread over Egypt—darkness that can be felt." So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days. No one could see anyone else or leave his place for three days. Yet all the Israelites had light in the places where they lived.

The blackness was more than just the sun being covered by the moon as in an eclipse. It was a substance, that entered almost all of Egypt, because it could be felt. I wonder what the substance was. Was it just extremely dense fog?

If you had been in Goshen where there was light, could you see the line of demarcation between the light and the darkness? Or was there a sort of twilight zone between the two? Could you stand at the edge of the light in Goshen, reach your hand into the blackness (not that anyone would want to), and watch it disappear from view?

Did any of the Egyptians near the edge of the blackness bordering on Goshen dare to venture in that direction to see if the Israelites were spared? After all, they had been exempted from some of the other plagues.

I wonder how much money was lost due to lack of commerce for 3 days. I wonder what foreigners -- traders, businessmen, tourists, etc. (if there were any left in the country) -- thought about the darkness...or any of the other plagues, for that matter. Perhaps they all left after the Nile turned to blood.

I wonder how anyone knew whether it was day or night for those 3 days. Maybe they didn't really care.

The next time the power goes out for a few hours where you live, think twice before complaining too much. It could be a lot worse.

I'm curious. Could you please tell me what brought you to this page by mentioning it in a comment? I won't publish the comment, if you ask me not to.