Whenever the sendings became unendurable he had but to yield to gain a
respite, and then he forgot the experience in a day. Meanwhile he ate,
slept and walked in the same luxury he had known in happier years.
Therefore, Meneptah neither realized his peril nor was personally much
aggrieved by the troublous times.
It did not occur to him that all the people of his realm were not
sheltered against the plagues by wealth and many servants. He could
not understand why Egypt should be restive under the same afflictions
that he had borne with fortitude. Summoning all evidence from his
point of view, he was able to present to himself a case of personal
persecution and ill-use. The Hebrews belonged to him, and because he
held them their God afflicted Egypt. Egypt complained and would have
him sacrifice his private property, his slaves, for its sake. To the
peevish king the demand was unreasonable. Yet he was not extraordinary
in his behavior. Unselfishness was not an attribute of ancient kings.
Meneptah was a man that wished to be swayed. He craved approbation and
was helpless without an abettor. His puny ideas had to be championed
by another before they became fixed convictions. After the plague of
locusts, the Hebrew question reached serious proportions.
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