1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
2 And if thou refuse to let [them] go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:
3 And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs:
4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.
5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy 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, Intreat 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 unto the LORD.
9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, [that] they may remain in the river only?
10 And he said, To morrow. And he said, [Be it] according to thy word: that thou mayest know that [there is] none like unto the LORD our God.
11 And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only.
12 And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto 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 upon heaps: and the land stank.
15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
16 And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.
19 Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This [is] the finger of God: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
20 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
21 Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms [of flies] upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy 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 thou mayest know that I [am] the LORD in the midst of the earth.
23 And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be.
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 by reason of the swarm [of flies].
25 And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.
26 And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of 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, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.
28 And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me.
29 And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat the LORD that the swarms [of flies] may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: 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 intreated 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.
Overview of Exodus Chapter 8
Exodus Chapter 8 continues the narrative of the plagues that God inflicted upon Egypt as a means of compelling Pharaoh to release the Israelites from slavery. This chapter specifically details the second, third, and fourth plagues: the plague of frogs, the plague of gnats, and the plague of flies. Each plague serves as a demonstration of God’s power and a challenge to the Egyptian deities.
Plague of Frogs (Verses 1-15)
The first section of the chapter describes the second plague, which involves an overwhelming number of frogs.
- Divine Command: God commands Moses to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go, warning him of the impending plague of frogs.
- Execution of the Plague: Frogs emerge from the Nile and invade homes, bedrooms, and kitchens, creating a significant nuisance.
- Pharaoh’s Reaction: In distress, Pharaoh requests Moses to pray to God to remove the frogs, promising to let the Israelites go.
- God’s Response: Moses prays, and God removes the frogs, but Pharaoh hardens his heart and does not fulfill his promise.
Plague of Gnats (Verses 16-19)
The next plague is the gnats, which demonstrate God’s power over the natural world.
- Divine Instruction: God instructs Moses to strike the dust of the earth, which turns into gnats.
- Impact of the Plague: The gnats infest both people and animals, causing great discomfort.
- Magicians’ Limitations: The Egyptian magicians attempt to replicate the plague but fail, acknowledging it as the “finger of God.”
- Pharaoh’s Response: Despite the magicians’ admission, Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened, and he refuses to let the Israelites go.
Plague of Flies (Verses 20-32)
The chapter concludes with the fourth plague, which introduces swarms of flies.
- Divine Command: God instructs Moses to warn Pharaoh about the forthcoming plague of flies.
- Separation of Israel: God promises to protect the Israelites in Goshen, ensuring they will not suffer from this plague.
- Execution of the Plague: Swarms of flies invade the land of Egypt, causing chaos and distress.
- Pharaoh’s Negotiation: Pharaoh offers to let the Israelites go if they pray for the removal of the flies, but he later changes his mind.
- Conclusion of the Plague: After the flies are removed, Pharaoh again hardens his heart and does not let the people go.
Theological Themes
This chapter presents several key theological themes:
- God’s Sovereignty: The plagues illustrate God’s control over nature and His authority over the Egyptian gods.
- Hardness of Heart: Pharaoh’s repeated refusal to heed God’s commands serves as a warning about the dangers of stubbornness.
- Divine Judgment: The plagues are a form of judgment against Egypt for their oppression of the Israelites.
- God’s Mercy: Despite Pharaoh’s disobedience, God continues to offer chances for repentance and liberation.
Conclusion
Exodus Chapter 8 is a critical part of the narrative that emphasizes God’s power and the consequences of disobedience. The plagues serve as both a means of liberation for the Israelites and a demonstration of God’s might against the false gods of Egypt. The chapter sets the stage for the continued conflict between Moses and Pharaoh, highlighting the themes of divine authority and human resistance.
