Of course, the big question here is whether there really were such plagues, and, if so, were they natural or miraculous. Some suggest the Nile turning to blood may refer to red sediment in the late summer which comes down from Ethiopia. When that happens on occasion, frogs abandon the river and bacterial algae pollute the river. Then, when the frogs died, the area ended up with all sorts of gnats, which bred in flooded fields in late autumn.

Flies multiplied like the gnats, carried anthrax to cattle, and people were afflicted with boils from the anthrax. Then hail could be expected in January or February. Often Egypt was hit with locusts in March or April. Another plague, darkness, could have been the result of  blinding sand storms blowing in spring.

So, you can imagine Egypt suffering through disaster after disaster through one terrible year. I’m not trying to suggest there were no miracles involved, but it’s interesting to think about the natural disasters which could have hit one area over the span of a year.

There’s a papyrus called the Ipuwer text that mentions disasters like those reported in Exodus. Take a look at it when you have a chance.