1 And the LORD H3068 spake H559 unto Moses, H4872 Go H935 unto Pharaoh, H6547 and say H559 unto him, Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Let my people H5971 go, H7971 that they may serve H5647 me.
2 And if thou refuse H3986 to let them go, H7971 behold, I will smite H5062 all thy borders H1366 with frogs: H6854
3 And the river H2975 shall bring forth H8317 frogs H6854 abundantly, H8317 which shall go up H5927 and come H935 into thine house, H1004 and into thy bedchamber, H2315 H4904 and upon thy bed, H4296 and into the house H1004 of thy servants, H5650 and upon thy people, H5971 and into thine ovens, H8574 and into thy kneadingtroughs: H4863
4 And the frogs H6854 shall come up H5927 both on thee, and upon thy people, H5971 and upon all thy servants. H5650
5 And the LORD H3068 spake H559 unto Moses, H4872 Say H559 unto Aaron, H175 Stretch forth H5186 thine hand H3027 with thy rod H4294 over the streams, H5104 over the rivers, H2975 and over the ponds, H98 and cause frogs H6854 to come up H5927 upon the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
6 And Aaron H175 stretched out H5186 his hand H3027 over the waters H4325 of Egypt; H4714 and the frogs H6854 came up, H5927 and covered H3680 the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
7 And the magicians H2748 did H6213 so with their enchantments, H3909 and brought up H5927 frogs H6854 upon the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
8 Then Pharaoh H6547 called H7121 for Moses H4872 and Aaron, H175 and said, H559 Intreat H6279 the LORD, H3068 that he may take away H5493 the frogs H6854 from me, and from my people; H5971 and I will let the people H5971 go, H7971 that they may do sacrifice H2076 unto the LORD. H3068
9 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto Pharaoh, H6547 Glory H6286 over me: when H4970 shall I intreat H6279 for thee, and for thy servants, H5650 and for thy people, H5971 to destroy H3772 the frogs H6854 from thee and thy houses, H1004 that they may remain H7604 in the river H2975 only?
10 And he said, H559 To morrow. H4279 And he said, H559 Be it according to thy word: H1697 that thou mayest know H3045 that there is none like unto the LORD H3068 our God. H430
11 And the frogs H6854 shall depart H5493 from thee, and from thy houses, H1004 and from thy servants, H5650 and from thy people; H5971 they shall remain H7604 in the river H2975 only.
12 And Moses H4872 and Aaron H175 went out H3318 from Pharaoh: H6547 and Moses H4872 cried H6817 unto the LORD H3068 because of H1697 the frogs H6854 which he had brought H7760 against Pharaoh. H6547
13 And the LORD H3068 did H6213 according to the word H1697 of Moses; H4872 and the frogs H6854 died H4191 out of the houses, H1004 out of the villages, H2691 and out of the fields. H7704
14 And they gathered them together H6651 upon heaps: H2563 and the land H776 stank. H887
15 But when Pharaoh H6547 saw H7200 that there was respite, H7309 he hardened H3513 his heart, H3820 and hearkened H8085 not unto them; as the LORD H3068 had said. H1696
16 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Say H559 unto Aaron, H175 Stretch out H5186 thy rod, H4294 and smite H5221 the dust H6083 of the land, H776 that it may become lice H3654 throughout all the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
17 And they did H6213 so; for Aaron H175 stretched out H5186 his hand H3027 with his rod, H4294 and smote H5221 the dust H6083 of the earth, H776 and it became lice H3654 in man, H120 and in beast; H929 all the dust H6083 of the land H776 became lice H3654 throughout all the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
18 And the magicians H2748 did H6213 so with their enchantments H3909 to bring forth H3318 lice, H3654 but they could H3201 not: so there were lice H3654 upon man, H120 and upon beast. H929
19 Then the magicians H2748 said H559 unto Pharaoh, H6547 This is the finger H676 of God: H430 and Pharaoh's H6547 heart H3820 was hardened, H2388 and he hearkened H8085 not unto them; as the LORD H3068 had said. H1696
20 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Rise up early H7925 in the morning, H1242 and stand H3320 before H6440 Pharaoh; H6547 lo, he cometh forth H3318 to the water; H4325 and say H559 unto him, Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Let my people H5971 go, H7971 that they may serve H5647 me.
21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people H5971 go, H7971 behold, I will send H7971 swarms H6157 of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, H5650 and upon thy people, H5971 and into thy houses: H1004 and the houses H1004 of the Egyptians H4714 shall be full H4390 of swarms H6157 of flies, and also the ground H127 whereon they are.
22 And I will sever H6395 in that day H3117 the land H776 of Goshen, H1657 in which my people H5971 dwell, H5975 that no H1115 swarms H6157 of flies shall be H1961 there; to the end H4616 thou mayest know H3045 that I am the LORD H3068 in the midst H7130 of the earth. H776
23 And I will put H7760 a division H6304 between my people H5971 and thy people: H5971 to morrow H4279 shall this sign H226 be.
24 And the LORD H3068 did H6213 so; and there came H935 a grievous H3515 swarm H6157 of flies into the house H1004 of Pharaoh, H6547 and into his servants' H5650 houses, H1004 and into all the land H776 of Egypt: H4714 the land H776 was corrupted H7843 by reason H6440 of the swarm H6157 of flies.
25 And Pharaoh H6547 called H7121 for H413 Moses H4872 and for Aaron, H175 and said, H559 Go H3212 ye, sacrifice H2076 to your God H430 in the land. H776
26 And Moses H4872 said, H559 It is not meet H3559 so to do; H6213 for H2005 we shall sacrifice H2076 the abomination H8441 of the Egyptians H4714 to the LORD H3068 our God: H430 lo, shall we sacrifice H2076 the abomination H8441 of the Egyptians H4714 before their eyes, H5869 and will they not stone H5619 us?
27 We will go H3212 three H7969 days' H3117 journey H1870 into the wilderness, H4057 and sacrifice H2076 to the LORD H3068 our God, H430 as he shall command H559 us.
28 And Pharaoh H6547 said, H559 I will let you go, H7971 that ye may sacrifice H2076 to the LORD H3068 your God H430 in the wilderness; H4057 only ye shall not go H3212 very H7368 far away: H7368 intreat H6279 for me. H1157
29 And Moses H4872 said, H559 Behold, I go out H3318 from thee, and I will intreat H6279 the LORD H3068 that the swarms H6157 of flies may depart H5493 from Pharaoh, H6547 from his servants, H5650 and from his people, H5971 to morrow: H4279 but H7535 let not Pharaoh H6547 deal deceitfully H2048 any more H3254 in not H1115 letting the people H5971 go H7971 to sacrifice H2076 to the LORD. H3068
30 And Moses H4872 went out H3318 from Pharaoh, H6547 and intreated H6279 the LORD. H3068
31 And the LORD H3068 did H6213 according to the word H1697 of Moses; H4872 and he removed H5493 the swarms H6157 of flies from Pharaoh, H6547 from his servants, H5650 and from his people; H5971 there remained H7604 not one. H259
32 And Pharaoh H6547 hardened H3513 his heart H3820 at this time H6471 also, neither would he let the people H5971 go. H7971
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 8
Commentary on Exodus 8 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 8
Ex 8:1-15. Plague of Frogs.
1. the Lord spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh—The duration of the first plague for a whole week must have satisfied all that it was produced not by any accidental causes, but by the agency of omnipotent power. As a judgment of God, however, it produced no good effect, and Moses was commanded to wait on the king and threaten him, in the event of his continued obstinacy, with the infliction of a new and different plague. As Pharaoh's answer is not given, it may be inferred to have been unfavorable, for the rod was again raised.
2. I will smite all thy borders with frogs—Those animals, though the natural spawn of the river, and therefore objects familiar to the people, were on this occasion miraculously multiplied to an amazing extent, and it is probable that the ova of the frogs, which had been previously deposited in the mire and marshes, were miraculously brought to perfection at once.
3. bedchamber … bed—mats strewed on the floor as well as more sumptuous divans of the rich.
ovens—holes made in the ground and the sides of which are plastered with mortar.
kneading-troughs—Those used in Egypt were bowls of wicker or rush work. What must have been the state of the people when they could find no means of escape from the cold, damp touch and unsightly presence of the frogs, as they alighted on every article and vessel of food!
5, 6. Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, &c. The miracle consisted in the reptiles leaving their marshes at the very time he commanded them.
7. the magicians did so with their enchantments—required no great art to make the offensive reptiles appear on any small spot of ground. What they undertook to do already existed in abundance all around. They would better have shown their power by removing the frogs.
8-15. Pharaoh called, … Intreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from me—The frog, which was now used as an instrument of affliction, whether from reverence or abhorrence, was an object of national superstition with the Egyptians, the god Ptha being represented with a frog's head. But the vast numbers, together with their stench, made them an intolerable nuisance so that the king was so far humbled as to promise that, if Moses would intercede for their removal, he would consent to the departure of Israel, and in compliance with this appeal, they were withdrawn at the very hour named by the monarch himself. But many, while suffering the consequences of their sins, make promises of amendment and obedience which they afterwards forget; and so Pharaoh, when he saw there was a respite, was again hardened [Ex 8:15].
Ex 8:16-19. Plague of Lice.
16. smite the dust of the land, &c.—Aaron's rod, by the direction of Moses, who was commanded by God, was again raised, and the land was filled with gnats, mosquitoes—that is the proper meaning of the original term. In ordinary circumstances they embitter life in Eastern countries, and therefore the terrible nature of this infliction on Egypt may be imagined when no precautions could preserve from their painful sting. The very smallness and insignificance of these fierce insects made them a dreadful scourge. The magicians never attempted any imitation, and what neither the blood of the river nor the nuisance of the frogs had done, the visitation of this tiny enemy constrained them to acknowledge "this is the finger of God"—properly "gods," for they spoke as heathens.
Ex 8:20-32. Plague of Flies.
20-24. Rise up early … Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water, &c.—Pharaoh still appearing obdurate, Moses was ordered to meet him while walking on the banks of the Nile and repeat his request for the liberation of Israel, threatening in case of continued refusal to cover every house from the palace to the cottage with swarms of flies—while, as a proof of the power that accomplished this judgment, the land of Goshen should be exempted from the calamity. The appeal was equally vain as before, and the predicted evil overtook the country in the form of what was not "flies," such as we are accustomed to, but divers sorts of flies (Ps 78:45), the gad fly, the cockroach, the Egyptian beetle, for all these are mentioned by different writers. They are very destructive, some of them inflicting severe bites on animals, others destroying clothes, books, plants, every thing. The worship of flies, particularly of the beetle, was a prominent part of the religion of the ancient Egyptians. The employment of these winged deities to chastise them must have been painful and humiliating to the Egyptians while it must at the same time have strengthened the faith of the Israelites in the God of their fathers as the only object of worship.
25-32. Pharaoh called for Moses, … Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land, &c.—Between impatient anxiety to be freed from this scourge and a reluctance on the part of the Hebrew bondsmen, the king followed the course of expediency; he proposed to let them free to engage in their religious rites within any part of the kingdom. But true to his instructions, Moses would accede to no such arrangement; he stated a most valid reason to show the danger of it, and the king having yielded so far as to allow them a brief holiday across the border, annexed to this concession a request that Moses would entreat with Jehovah for the removal of the plague. He promised to do so, and it was removed the following day. But no sooner was the pressure over than the spirit of Pharaoh, like a bent bow, sprang back to its wonted obduracy, and, regardless of his promise, he refused to let the people depart.