Blain

A blain is an inflammatory abscess. The single passage filed under this headword is the sixth Egyptian plague — the eruption of boils on man and beast — which UPDV renders as "a boil breaking forth with sores."

The Sixth Plague

Yahweh's instruction to Moses and Aaron sets the sign in motion: "Take to yourselves handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. And it will become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and will be a boil breaking forth with sores on man and on beast, throughout all the land of Egypt" (Ex 9:8-9). The ashes are taken up and dispersed: "And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with sores on man and on beast" (Ex 9:10). The eruption falls on Egyptian and animal alike, including the court personnel. "And the sacred scholars could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boils were on the sacred scholars, and on all the Egyptians" (Ex 9:11). Pharaoh's response keeps the cycle going: "And Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he didn't listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken to Moses" (Ex 9:12). UPDV uses the words "boil" and "sores" rather than "blain," but the inflammatory eruption named in the headword is the same plague.