Exodus - 8:1-32



      1 Yahweh spoke to Moses, Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, "This is what Yahweh says, 'Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2 If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your borders with frogs: 3 and the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and come into your house, and into your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the house of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs: 4 and the frogs shall come up both on you, and on your people, and on all your servants.'" 5 Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Stretch forth your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.'" 6 Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. 7 The magicians did the same thing with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt. 8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, "Entreat Yahweh, that he take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Yahweh." 9 Moses said to Pharaoh, "I give you the honor of setting the time that I should pray for you, and for your servants, and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, and remain in the river only." 10 He said, "Tomorrow." He said, "Be it according to your word, that you may know that there is none like Yahweh our God. 11 The frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only." 12 Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to Yahweh concerning the frogs which he had brought on Pharaoh. 13 Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields. 14 They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn't listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken. 16 Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.'" 17 They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were lice on man, and on animal; all the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 18 The magicians tried with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they couldn't. There were lice on man, and on animal. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God:" and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he didn't listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken. 20 Yahweh said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; behold, he comes forth to the water; and tell him, 'This is what Yahweh says, "Let my people go, that they may serve me. 21 Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, and on your servants, and on your people, and into your houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are. 22 I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end you may know that I am Yahweh in the midst of the earth. 23 I will put a division between my people and your people: by tomorrow shall this sign be."'" 24 Yahweh did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses: and in all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies. 25 Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, "Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!" 26 Moses said, "It isn't appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Yahweh our God. Behold, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and won't they stone us? 27 We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh our God, as he shall command us." 28 Pharaoh said, "I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to Yahweh your God in the wilderness, only you shall not go very far away. Pray for me." 29 Moses said, "Behold, I go out from you, and I will pray to Yahweh that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only don't let Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to Yahweh." 30 Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh. 31 Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. There remained not one. 32 Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn't let the people go.


Chapter In-Depth

Explanation and meaning of Exodus 8.

Historical Commentaries

Scholarly Analysis and Interpretation.

The plague of frogs threatened, Exodus 8:1, Exodus 8:2. The extent of this plague, Exodus 8:3, Exodus 8:4. Aaron commanded to stretch out his hand, with the rod, over the river and waters of Egypt, in consequence of which the frogs came, Exodus 8:5, Exodus 8:6. The magicians imitate this miracle, Exodus 8:7. Pharaoh entreats Moses to remove the frogs, and promises to let the people go, Exodus 8:8. Moses promises that they shall be removed from every part of Egypt, the river excepted, Exodus 8:9-11. Moses prays to God, and the frogs die throughout the land of Egypt, Exodus 8:12-14. Pharaoh, finding himself respited, hardens his heart, Exodus 8:15. The plague of lice on man and beast, Exodus 8:16, Exodus 8:17. The magicians attempt to imitate this miracle, but in vain, Exodus 8:18. They confess it to be the finger of God, and yet Pharaoh continues obstinate, Exodus 8:19. Moses is sent again to him to command him to let the people go, and in case of disobedience he is threatened with swarms of flies, Exodus 8:20, Exodus 8:21. A promise made that the land of Goshen, where the Israelites dwelt, should be exempted front this plague, Exodus 8:22, Exodus 8:23. The flies are sent, Exodus 8:24. Pharaoh sends for Moses and Aaron, and offers to permit them to sacrifice in the land, Exodus 8:25. They refuse, and desire to go three days' journey into the wilderness, Exodus 8:26, Exodus 8:27. Pharaoh consents to let them go a little way, provided they would entreat the Lord to remove the flies, Exodus 8:28. Moses consents, prays to God, and the flies are removed, Exodus 8:29-31. After which Pharaoh yet hardened his heart, and refused to let the people go, Exodus 8:32.

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 8
In this chapter Pharaoh is threatened with the plague of frogs, in case he refused to let Israel go, which accordingly was brought upon him, Exodus 8:1 and though the magicians did something similar to it, yet these were so troublesome to Pharaoh, that he promised to let the people go, and sacrifice to God, if they removed; and a time being fixed for the removal of them, it was accordingly done at the entreaty of Moses and Aaron, Exodus 8:7 but there being a respite, Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and the plague of lice is ordered, and which was executed; and though this the magicians essayed to do, and could not, but owned it to be the finger of God, yet Pharaoh's heart was hardened, Exodus 8:15 wherefore he is threatened with a swarm of flies, which should not infest Goshen, only the places where the Egyptians dwelt, and it was so, Exodus 8:20 upon which Pharaoh called for Moses, and declared himself willing the people would sacrifice in the land; but this not being satisfactory, he agreed they should go into the wilderness, but not so far; and on the account of the entreaty of Moses, the plague was removed; but still Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not let the people go, Exodus 8:25.

(Exodus 8:1-15) The plague of frogs.
(Exodus 8:16-19) The plague of lice.
(Exodus 8:20-32) The plague of flies.

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