If the magicians also suffered from the boils (Exodus 9:11), why is there no extra-biblical account of widespread sudden disease?

1. Introduction

The question at hand arises from Exodus 9:11, which states: “The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils that were on them and on all the Egyptians.” This passage suggests that the plague of boils affected not only the common people and the higher classes of Egypt, but also Pharaoh’s magicians. Yet, no clear extra-biblical record of this specific widespread disease has been discovered. Below is a thorough exploration of why no Egyptian (or other ancient) writings appear to chronicle this dramatic event, and how this absence fits within the broader historical, textual, and theological contexts of the Scripture account.

2. Historical Setting of the Plague

According to Exodus 9, Moses was sent by Yahweh to warn Pharaoh of the coming plague if he continued to refuse releasing the Israelites. This plague manifested as painful boils on the skin of Egyptians and their animals, becoming so debilitating that even the most powerful of Pharaoh’s court—his magicians—could not stand to confront Moses (Exodus 9:10–11). Ancient Egyptian society was hierarchical and deeply religious, and Pharaoh’s magicians were considered powerful figures. Their inability to stand before Moses symbolized the severe impact of these boils and highlighted a divine judgment that undermined Egypt’s religious system.

3. Ancient Egyptian Record-Keeping and Selective Preservation

Ancient Egyptians did keep extensive records—building inscriptions, temple reliefs, administrative papyri. However, these were often propagandistic and carefully curated to glorify rulers and preserve the official narrative. Catastrophic defeats or humiliating occurrences were rarely, if ever, recorded in favorable terms. For example:

• Warfare Accounts: Pharaohs typically celebrated victory in temple carvings. Military failures or plagues were generally omitted.

• Royal Annals: Documents such as the Palermo Stone or the Karnak Temple inscriptions focus on triumphs, building projects, and religious observances rather than defeats.

The negative portrayal of Pharaoh or damaging episodes would likely be suppressed. Just as other defeat-like events (e.g., the destruction of the Egyptian army in the Red Sea) are not documented in Egyptian monuments, the plague of boils presents a humiliating scenario that Egyptian scribes would have diligently avoided preserving.

4. The Fragmentary Nature of Surviving Evidence

The absence of a widespread record can also be attributed to the incomplete nature of ancient sources. Papyri disintegrate over time, monuments crumble, and entire libraries vanish. While Egypt provides some of the best-preserved archaeological finds in the ancient world, we still have only fragments compared to the entirety of what once existed. Massive losses over millennia—through wars, earthquakes, floods, and simple decay—mean that the absence of certain historical references is not unusual.

Occasionally, scholars point to documents like the Ipuwer Papyrus (often dated to varying periods) that describe chaos and calamities in Egypt. Though debated in academic circles, some believe it may allude to widespread disruption similar to the biblical plagues—yet the references remain indirect and controversial. Even if the Ipuwer text does connect to the biblical plagues, it does not specifically mention boils afflicting magicians.

5. Why the Plague of Boils Is Not Separately Documented

1. Egyptian Propagandistic Bent: Pharaohs sought to depict themselves as godlike. Any text undermining the divine aura of Pharaoh or the purported supremacy of Egyptian gods would likely be censored or entirely omitted from official annals.

2. Diplomatic and Religious Concerns: Downplaying devastation or disease that could reflect poorly on Egypt’s ruling system would have been seen as essential to maintain order and keep morale.

3. Brevity of the Plague: Scripture implies that the boils were a swift, severe affliction rather than a long-term epidemic. This short duration might not have been considered worthy of official long-term record—especially if it was considered religiously or nationally embarrassing.

6. Consistency with the Scriptural Narrative

According to the broader biblical storyline of the Ten Plagues, each plague directly confronted Egyptian deities, challenging their claimed authority over natural, agricultural, or bodily domains. The plague of boils, in particular, revealed the powerlessness of the magicians who previously tried to replicate or counter Moses’ miracles (Exodus 8:18). Thus, from a scriptural standpoint, the account is consistent both with the escalating nature of the plagues and with an Egyptian unwillingness to enshrine calamities in their recorded history.

Scripture itself remains mutually reinforcing in its accounts of Yahweh’s intervention during the Exodus. Although extra-biblical documents can enhance or corroborate biblical narratives, their absence does not invalidate the biblical record, given the context of ancient historiography.

7. Lessons and Implications

• Selective Ancient History: Many ancient societies chose only to record positive events. Thus, an omission does not equate to a denial of occurrence.

• Scriptural Reliability: The Bible’s honesty in presenting events—positive or negative—contrasts with certain ancient records that almost entirely omit failures or defeats.

• Providential Judgment: The magicians’ suffering from the boils affirms the sovereignty of God and demonstrates how human power is no match for divine intervention.

8. Conclusion

The lack of an extra-biblical record of debilitating boils in Egypt at the time of the Exodus does not undermine the validity of Scripture. Ancient Egyptian records relied on self-glorification and selective preservation, making the omission of humiliating events such as the plagues entirely plausible. This aligns with the historical context, where negative accounts rarely found their way into official records.

As the magicians could not even stand because of the boils, the mystery centers primarily on the judgment’s severity and swiftness rather than on what has or has not emerged in the surviving Egyptian annals. The biblical narrative remains internally consistent and doctrinally cohesive, pointing to a demonstration of divine power that exalted the One who surpasses all earthly powers.