With an outstretched arm - This refers to the sword… Commenting on the verse in I Chronicles 21, the Zohar says that we should understand it in an allegorical fashion. God does not have a “Sword…drawn in His outstretched arm.” Rather, this means that the forces of retribution are given ‘permission’ to act against those who commit evil acts. This is the intention of the Maggid as well. We can conclude from the similar use of language, “With an outstretched arm,” that the verse in Deuteronomy also implies that God has given reign to the forces of retribution. The sword here is a reference to the last five plagues. During the first five plagues Pharaoh was given the opportunity to repent and to stop the plagues. During the second set of five plagues Pharaoh lost his ability. Retribution was inevitable. We see then that the two expressions in this verse, “With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,” make up all ten plagues. With a mighty hand refers to the first five plagues and “with an outstretched arm” refers to the second series of five plagues. The nature of these two series of plagues was different from one another.