Exodus 9:3-6 and 14:9 raise the question of where Pharaoh obtained horses to pursue the Israelites if all livestock had been killed in a previous plague.

> And the next day the LORD did it: All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. (Exodus 9:6)

> The Egyptians--all Pharaoh's horses and chariots, horsemen and troops--pursued the Israelites and overtook them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon. (Exodus 14:9)

A standard solution cites Exodus 9:3 as specifying that the plague was on animals in the field—meaning animals not in the field (i.e., in stables, like Pharaoh's horses) were not affected. Some point out that verse 19 says all the livestock died. This might be understood in terms of a universalizing hyperbole typical of ancient literature (meaning "a large amount"). Alternatively, "in the field" contextualizes the latter statement, so those in stables remained alive.

A better solution recognizes the misconception that the Ten Plagues happened right on the heels of one another. The plague of frogs probably took place in December (since frogs would mate during the flood season which lasted until October, and grow to sufficient size by December). The plague of hail occurred in January, because the barley was ripe and the flax was in blossom (Ex. 9:31). By the time of the Exodus, it was April.

That timeline gave at least two to three months for Pharaoh to replenish his stables. This would not be a problem for a world power like Egypt, which could restock via trade, conquest, or confiscation from foreigners. It is unreasonable to suggest that Egypt would not have the means to do this, as tens of thousands of animals were traded at any given time.

Regarding the cleanup of dead animals, the wide availability of manual labor would account for that.

Some suggest the Egyptians stole from the Israelites, who are later said to have flocks and herds. This does not negate the point that some portion could have been taken from them.

This proposed timeline does not require an exceptional length of time or stretching of the biblical chronology. The plagues take place over a mere six months, involving no significant delay. The textual space exists between the conclusion of one plague and the start of another, with context (seasons and agriculture) providing time markers for the reader. That the locusts ate what the hail did not destroy hardly indicates that the hail followed on the heels of the locusts, since any regrowth of vegetation would not be counted as new plants.