Ancient Egyptian and biblical thought both conceptualized the universe as a struggle between order and chaos. In Egyptian cosmology, Maat (mꜣꜥ.t) represents order, truth, and justice, while Isfet (ἰzf.t) symbolizes disorder, falsehood, and destruction. Chaos, often personified by the serpent Apophis (Apep), must be continually resisted. However, in the Hebrew Bible, YHWH is not engaged in an eternal struggle but exercises absolute mastery over chaos. This contrast is particularly evident in the ninth and tenth plagues—the plague of darkness (ḥošekh חֹשֶך) and the death of the firstborn (makkat bekhorot מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת)—which directly challenge Egyptian conceptions of divine order and royal legitimacy.
Exodus 12
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