The first three plagues punished the Egyptian gods, only from the fourth plague and on were the Egyptians themselves being punished. Therefore only from the fourth plague on was the difference between the Jews and the Egyptians very noticeable.

Continued. The Midrash sees all the מכות beginning with the very first as a series of steps to exhaust Egypt, accordingly ערוב wasn’t about killing Egypt but to confuse them, thus the name: ערוב.

Three levels of understanding the (need for) the Makkos: 1) To get Yidden out of Egypt. That would not happen until Egypt got to know Hashem, this is the reason Hashem needed to punish Egypt. 2) To educate Egypt about Hashem for Egypt’s sake. 3) To give Yidden a deeper understanding of Hashem, as (after…

The Makkos were needed to get Yidden out of Egypt but they had deeper purposes as well.

Three levels of understanding the (need for) the Makkos: 1) To get Yidden out of Egypt. That would not happen until Egypt got to know Hashem, this is the reason Hashem needed to punish Egypt. 2) To educate Egypt about Hashem for Egypt’s sake. 3) To give Yidden a deeper understanding of Hashem, as (after…

The Makkos were needed to get Yidden out of Egypt but they had deeper purposes as well.

The first three plagues punished the Egyptian gods, only from the fourth plague and on were the Egyptians themselves being punished. Therefore only from the fourth plague on was the difference between the Jews and the Egyptians very noticeable.