As the ashes were sprinkled toward heaven, the fine particles spread over all the land of Egypt, and wherever they settled, produced boils "breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast." The priests and magicians had hitherto encouraged Pharaoh in his stubbornness, but now a judgment had come that reached even them. Smitten with a loathsome and painful disease, their vaunted power only making them contemptible, they were no longer able to contend against the God of Israel. The whole nation was made to see the folly of trusting in the magicians, when they were not able to protect even their own persons.

Da asken var kastet i vejret, spredtes det fine støv over hele Ægyptens land, og overalt, hvor det faldt, blev det til betændelse, der brød ud i bylder på mennesker og kvæg. Præsterne og troldmændene havde hidtil støttet Farao i hans stædighed; men nu var der kommet en straffedom, der også gik ud over dem. De blev ramt af en frygtelig og smertefuld sygdom, og deres påståede magt gjorde dem kun mere foragtelige. De var ikke længere i stand til at kæmpe mod Israels Gud. Hele folket fik at se, hvor tåbeligt det var at stole på troldmændene, når de ikke engang kunne beskytte deres eget legeme.