Counternarratives in the Exodus Plague Cycle

Priestly Revision of the Yahwistic Plague Tradition

By (author) Lenin Prado

Book cover: Counternarratives in the Exodus Plague Cycle

Extent: 220 pages

Publisher: Mohr Siebeck

Subjects: Biblical Studies, Jewish Studies

Series: Forschungen zum Alten Testament 2.Reihe

Language: English

Paperback (Forthcoming)

(February 2027)

ISBN: 9783161637995

6.1 x 9.13 inches

Price: $120.00

In this study, Lenin Prado explores how the Priestly version of the plagues in Egypt revises the Yahwistic account. He shows how the Priestly narrative uses literary techniques to create a counternarrative that aims to replace the Yahwistic version, revealing key differences and tensions between the two stories.


In this work, Lenin Prado examines the relationship between the Priestly (P) and Yahwistic (J) narratives in the Pentateuch, focusing on the plagues of Egypt (Exod 7-11) and Moses’ call (Exod 3-4). He argues that the Priestly document is dependent on and revises its Yahwistic counterpart. Through various literary techniques, P reshapes J’s plague cycle to align with its own theological and ideological agenda. The author demonstrates that P’s revisions were not merely supplementary but aimed to establish P as an independent source with a distinct narrative trajectory. He also explores the motivations behind this textual interaction, showing how P sought to rewrite the history of Israel’s exodus to support its own theological concerns and to solidify its version of Israel’s sacred history in contrast to J’s portrayal, reflecting the Priestly community’s concerns.

Chapter 1: Introduction
Chapter 2: The J Plague Accounts
Chapter 3: The Priestly Account's Dependence on J
Chapter 4: The Call(s) of Moses
Chapter 5: Supplementary Plagues
Chapter 6: Conclusion
Appendix I: Source Texts
Appendix II: Charts of Narrative Patterns

  • By (author) Lenin Prado