enervate the people or were the men kept away from their wives? The narrative is not bothered by lack of rigorous logic. Nevertheless the first plan of Pharaoh failed in its purpose. Indeed, it backfired because the multiplication accelerated in proportion to the oppression. What is more, a revulsion fell on the Egyptians which they had not experienced up to then. [1:15–22] The writer moves abruptly to the second stage of oppression without pausing to assess Pharaoh’s reflection over his failure.