Q¹ i 1-4. Liberation demanded (warning).
k 5,6. Plague inflicted.
k 7. Plague imitated.
i 8-15. Liberation refused.
1491 B.C.Exodus 8)
1 And the Lord spoke to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord, 'Let My people go, that they may serve Me.'
2 And if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all your borders with frogs: (Worshiped as symbol of fecundity = fertility)
3 And (11 "ands" vv.3,4. #11= disorder, disorganization) the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into your house, and into your bedchamber (in Palestine beds were mats or couches, and could be moved, but in Egypt there were special bedchambers. These were later in Palestine, 2 Sam. 4:7), and upon your bed, and into the house of your servants, and upon your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading-troughs: (These were found in every home; none is complete without them.)
4 And the frogs shall come up both on you, and upon your people, and upon all your servants.' "
5 And the Lord spoke to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch forth your hand with your rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.' "
6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.
8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, "Entreat the Lord, that He may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the People go, that they may do sacrifice to the Lord."
9 And Moses said to Pharaoh, "Explain yourself to me: when shall I entreat for you, and for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they may remain in the river only?"
10 And he said, "Tomorrow." And he said, "Be it according to your word: that you may know that there is none like unto the Lord our God.
11 And 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." (Note the "ands" = the completeness of the removal)
12 And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried to the Lord because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh.
13 And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.
14 And they gathered them together in many great heaps: and the land stunk.
15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not to them; as the Lord had said. (cp. 4:21)
R¹ l 16. Yahaveh's command given (no warning).
m 17. Plague inflicted.
m 18,19-. Imitation abortive.
l -19. Yahaveh's prophecy fulfilled.16 And the Lord said to Moses, "Say to Aaron, 'Stretch out your rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice (= mosquito gnats) throughout all the land of Egypt.' " (Note that this 3rd plague, like the 6th and 9th, falls without warning.)
17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became mosquito gnats in mankind, and in beast; all the dust of the land became mosquito gnats throughout all the land of Egypt.
18 And the magicians attempted to do so with their enchantments to bring forth mosquito gnats, but they could not (not because a question of life, for the frogs had life. God suffered them to do so in the former case to show the limits of their power; and by contrast, to show that His power was unlimited): so there were mosquito gnats upon mankind, and upon beast.
19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is the finger of God" (notice the Egyptians say "god", not Yahaveh):
and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he listen not to them; as the Lord had said. (Cp. 4:11. Yehovah, because in connection with His Word)
P² n 20-23. Liberation demanded (warning).
o 24. Plague inflicted.
o 25-31. Plague removed.
n 32. Liberation refused.
20 And the Lord said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he comes forth to the water; and say to him, 'Thus saith the Lord, '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 upon you (Ellipsis supplied. But should not thus be limited. Heb. root shows that they were mixed: all sorts of insects), and upon your servants, and upon 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 And I will sever 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 the Lord in the midst of the earth.
23 And I will put a division between My people and your people: tomorrow shall this sign be.' " (See 6:6 and 13:13. This is it which makes the division between those who are the Lord's People and those who are not. It is the Fig. Metonymy [of subject] by which the redemption is put for the judgment which was the sign of it. Cp. Ps. 111:9; 130:7)
24 And the Lord did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted (= laid waste) by reason of the swarm of flies.
25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, "Go you all, sacrifice to your God in the land." (Pharaoh's objection to Yahaveh's second demand. Note Moses' reply, and the spiritual lesson as to our worship today. See 5:1)
26 And Moses said, "It is no proper place so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians (put for sacrificing cattle, which was abominated by the Egyptians) to the Lord our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?
27 We will go three days' journey into the wilderness (#3 = the number of Divine perfection. Yahaveh's 3rd demand. See 5:1), and sacrifice to the Lord our God, as he shall command us."
28 And Pharaoh said, "I will let you go, that you all may sacrifice to God your the Lord in the wilderness; only you all shall not go very far away: entreat for me." (Pharaoh's objection to Yahaveh's 3rd demand, v.25. Note the spiritual lesson as to our worship today, see 5:1)
29 And Moses said, "Behold, I go out from you, and I will entreat the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the People go to sacrifice to the Lord."
30 And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the Lord.
31 And the Lord 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 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the People go.