How many plagues were sent upon Egypt?

The number of plagues sent upon Egypt was ten. In the Book of Exodus, the disasters culminate in the death of the firstborn, after which Pharaoh allows the Israelites to leave.

The traditional sequence begins with the Nile turning to blood, followed by frogs, gnats, flies or harmful creatures, livestock disease, boils, hail, locusts, darkness, and the death of the firstborn. The plagues function in the narrative as signs demonstrating the power of Israel’s God and pressing Pharaoh to release the enslaved Israelites.

The number ten is the standard answer, but the Hebrew Bible does not present a single numbered list titled “the ten plagues.” Psalm 78 and Psalm 105 recall the events with different selections and ordering. Jewish tradition nevertheless firmly established ten, and the plagues are recited during the Passover seder.

The final plague also explains the name Passover: Israelite households marked their doors so the destroying force would pass over them. The story then moves directly into the Exodus from Egypt.