第十災：長子之死

第八日落後，逾越節（Passover）已經結束囉。

今天，恰巧是復活節，祝大家復活節快樂。

逾越節是慶祝上帝救贖他的子民離開埃及為奴的境況。根據聖經的記載，逾越節是期間要吃無酵餅七日（出十二15-18），從尼散月十四號日落開始，算到第七天就是尼散月廿一號，而在以色列以外地區會持續八天。但以色列地放假也會放足八天，應該說，連同尼散月十號要預備，以色列前前後後會放假兩週。

終於，來到最後一災了。

第十災：長子之死

這段影片的配樂是2012年The Duke of Uke and His Novelty Orchestra的《Spider Suite》，套用了歌曲的第二段「THE WEB」和第三段「MELT AWAY」：

「THE WEB」：

The falling stars you wished upon
are cinders now and now they're gone.
Their residue festoons my fetid field.
Revealing husks of lovers past,
their shells are all that ever last--
I've taken everything that they've concealed.
Whoever told you life was fair?
Look around you everywhere, the cruelty of Nature is displayed.
Why the scorn? Why the surprise?
Everything that's born must die and it isn't I who made the world that way.
What wicked little twist of fate placed you here upon my plate?
Here where no one hears your cries?
Where was your God to steer you through?
Perhaps your God's forsaken you?
Otherwise, why lead you here to die?

「MELT AWAY」：

I know the way how, I'll melt away now.
I know the way.
I'm feeling bliss now, dissolved to mist, how strangely I go away.
Now I finally know...
It's merely moments now,
moments now until your feeble flesh bends to my will--
and it will, so rest your weary head.
There'll be no pain, no pain at all,
as everything you are dissolves.
Your fate resolved upon my silky threads.
I know the way how, I'll melt away now,
I know the way.
I'm feeling bliss now, dissolved to mist, how strangely I go away.
Now I finally know...

動畫是基於《出埃及記》十二章21至30節創作的，先是滅命者唱「The Web」，再來是喪命的頭生唱「Melt Away」。

這一回摩西去預告的時候，經文的確有明講他很氣忿忿地離開法老面前。大家或許會有點好奇，不是才講了不再見面嗎？確實是很有可能當下法老和摩西吵架時，上帝就要摩西預告最後一災了，災與災之間的時間非常緊湊。

這一回在夜間，所有埃及地的長子及一切頭生的動物皆死亡，在埃及地充滿哀號，無一家不死一個的，以色列人因為遵守血記號的約定就被越過了，法老召了摩西、亞倫來，他同意了他們的要求讓他們離開，並要他們為他祝福，埃及人也催促以色列人趕快離開。

#Israel #Hebrew

順便來點希伯來文：נֶגַע（ne-ga' — 災病；擊打；問題、負面現象；醫學定義：痛苦、損傷、傷疤）、בְּכוֹר（be-khor — 頭生）、דָּם（dam — 血）、מַצָּה（mats-tsah — 無酵物 Matza，在聖經裡指無酵的餅或麵團 - 單數）、מַצּוֹת（mats-tsot — 無酵物 Matzo - 複數）