swarmed throughout the land from the flood-waters; the gnats and flies which multiplied from their dead bodies; the spread of disease on animal and human. The remaining plagues of hail, locusts and darkness ‘that could be felt’ (eclipse(?)/sirocco(?)) are equally stereotyped as divine visitations. The secondary association of Firstlings with the exodus has thus had a dynamic effect on the presentation of the narrative. As the basis for the introduction of the tenth plague, its influence extends back