In Exodus 8, God commands Moses to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go so they may worship Him, threatening a plague of frogs if he refuses. This command is a direct challenge to Pharaoh's authority, emphasizing God's power through the plague of frogs that infiltrate homes and disrupt daily life in Egypt. The overwhelming presence of frogs serves to humiliate Pharaoh and confront the Egyptians' reliance on their deities associated with fertility and procreation, highlighting the futility of their superstitions.

1. EXODUS 8 COMME TARY
EDITED BY GLE PEASE
1 [a]Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh
and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: Let
my people go, so that they may worship me.
CLARKE, "Let my people go - God, in great mercy to Pharaoh and the Egyptians,
gives them notice of the evils he intended to bring upon them if they continued in their
obstinacy. Having had therefore such warning, the evil might have been prevented by a
timely humiliation and return to God.
GILL, "And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... Either whilst the plague upon the
waters continued, or immediately upon the removal of it:
go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, thus saith the Lord, let my people go,
that they may serve me; mentioning neither time nor place, where, when, and how
long they should serve him, for which their dismission was required, but insist on it in
general.
HE RY 1-6, "Pharaoh is here first threatened and then plagued with frogs, as
afterwards, in this chapter, with lice and flies, little despicable inconsiderable animals,
and yet by their vast numbers rendered sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have
plagued them with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with vultures or other birds of prey; but
he chose to do it by these contemptible instruments. 1. That he might magnify his own
power. He is Lord of the hosts of the whole creation, has them all at his beck, and makes
what use he pleases of them. Some have thought that the power of God is shown as
much in the making of an ant as in the making of an elephant; so is his providence in
serving his own purposes by the least creatures as effectually as by the strongest, that the
excellency of the power, in judgment as well as mercy, may be of God, and not of the
creature. See what reason we have to stand in awe of this God, who, when he pleases, can
arm the smallest parts of the creation against us. If God be our enemy, all the creatures
are at war with us. 2. That he might humble Pharaoh's pride, and chastise his insolence.
What a mortification must it needs be to this haughty monarch to see himself brought to
his knees, and forced to submit, by such despicable means! Every child is, ordinarily,
able to deal with those invaders, and can triumph over them; yet now so numerous were
their troops, and so vigorous their assaults, that Pharaoh, with all his chariots and
horsemen, could make no head against them. Thus he poureth contempt upon princes

2. that offer contempt to him and his sovereignty, and makes those who will not own him
above them to know that, when he pleases, he can make the meanest creature to insult
them and trample upon them. As to the plague of frogs we may observe,
I. How it was threatened. Moses, no doubt, attended the divine Majesty daily for fresh
instructions, and (perhaps while the river was yet blood) he is here directed to give
notice to Pharaoh of another judgment coming upon him, in case he continue obstinate:
If thou refuse to let them go, it is at thy peril, Exo_8:1, Exo_8:2. Note, God does not
punish men for sin unless they persist in it. If he turn not, he will whet his sword (Psa_
7:12), which implies favour if he turn. So here, If thou refuse, I will smite thy borders,
intimating that if Pharaoh complied the controversy should immediately be dropped.
The plague threatened, in case of refusal, was formidably extensive. Frogs were to make
such an inroad upon them as should make them uneasy in their houses, in their beds,
and at their tables; they should not be able to eat, nor drink, nor sleep in quietness, but,
wherever they were, should be infested by them, Exo_8:3, Exo_8:4. Note, 1. God's curse
upon a man will pursue him wherever he goes, and lie heavily upon him whatever he
does. See Deu_28:16, etc. 2. There is no avoiding divine judgments when they invade
with commission.
II. How it was inflicted. Pharaoh not regarding the alarm, nor being at all inclined to
yield to the summons, Aaron is ordered to draw out the forces, and with his outstretched
arm and rod to give the signal of battle. Dictum factum - No sooner said then done; the
host is mustered, and, under the direction and command of an invisible power, shoals of
frogs invade the land, and the Egyptians, with all their art and all their might, cannot
check their progress, nor so much as give them a diversion. Compare this with that
prophecy of an army of locusts and caterpillars, Joe_2:2, etc.; and see Isa_34:16, Isa_
34:17. Frogs came up, at the divine call, and covered the land. Note, God has many ways
of disquieting those that live at ease.
JAMISO , "Exo_8:1-15. Plague of frogs.
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.
K&D 1-6, "The plague of Frogs, or the second plague, also proceeded from the Nile,
and had its natural origin in the putridity of the slimy Nile water, whereby the marsh
waters especially became filled with thousands of frogs. ַ‫ע‬ ֵ ְ‫ר‬ ַ‫פ‬ ְ‫צ‬ is the small Nile frog, the
Dofda of the Egyptians, called rana Mosaica or Nilotica by Seetzen, which appears in
large numbers as soon as the waters recede. These frogs ( ַ‫ע‬ ֵ ְ‫ר‬ ַ‫פ‬ ְ ַ‫ה‬ in Exo_8:6, used
collectively) became a penal miracle from the fact that they came out of the water in
unparalleled numbers, in consequence of the stretching out of Aaron's staff over the
waters of the Nile, as had been foretold to the king, and that they not only penetrated
into the houses and inner rooms (“bed-chamber”), and crept into the domestic utensils,
the beds (‫ה‬ ָ ִ‫,)מ‬ the ovens, and the kneading-troughs (not the “dough” as Luther renders

3. it), but even got upon the men themselves.
CALVI , "1.And the Lord spake. Again, as if the matter were only now begun, God
demands of Pharaoh His own peculiar right, viz., that His people should serve Him,
but out of the land of Egypt, that His worship might be separate and pure from all
defilement, for He desired (as was before said) by this separation of His people to
condemn the superstitions of the Egyptians. Meanwhile there was no excuse for the
tyrant, when, with sacrilegious boldness, he presumed to deprive God of His just
honor. Therefore, in refusing to let them go, he was declared not only to be cruel,
but also a despiser of God. Threatening is also added, that at least he may, however
unwillingly, be driven to obey; for thus must the stubborn be dealt with, who never
are brought to duty except when forced by fear or punishment. Indeed, God
sometimes also threatens His own servants, in order to stimulate their laziness; but
especially is He more severe towards the perverse and disobedient. Thus is it said,
(Psalms 18:26,)
“With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew
thyself froward.”
This is the reason why He sanctions His command with threats (92) when He
addresses Pharaoh. In this second plague there are, besides, two things to be
remarked by us; for, first, God shews that the Egyptians had hitherto held their
lives by a precarious tenure, as it were, because He had protected them from the
incursion of frogs by His special mercy. We know that Egypt, on account of its many
marshes, and the sluggish and almost stagnant ile, was full of frogs and venomous
animals; now, when great multitudes of them come forth suddenly, cover the surface
of the fields, penetrate even to the houses and bed-chambers, and finally ascend
even into the royal palace, it plainly appears that they were before only restrained
by God’s hand, and thus that the God of the Hebrews was the guardian and keeper
of that kingdom. Secondly, God chose not only to inflict a punishment upon the
Egyptians, but to expose them to mockery by its ignominious nature; nor can we
doubt but that their pain must have been much embittered by this contumely, when
they saw that they were thus evil-entreated not by some victorious army, but by
filthy reptiles; and besides this, that their calamity had its origin in the ile, which
enriched their country with so many advantages. But let us learn from this history
that there are many deaths mixed up with our life, and that it is not otherwise
lengthened out to us, except as God restrains the dangers which everywhere beset
us; and again, although He may not openly strike us with lightning from heaven,
nor arm his angels for the destruction of men, still, at His slightest nod, all creatures
are ready to execute this judgments; and, therefore, we must ascribe it to His
kindness and long-suffering, if the wicked do not perish at each moment. Finally, if
we areever galled by ignominy or disgrace, let us remember that this happens
designedly, that the shame itself may mortify our pride.
COFFMA , "Verse 1
"And Jehovah spake unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith

4. Jehovah, Let my people go, that they may serve me."
Bishop Usher who developed the well-known chronology dated all of the Ten
Plagues within the space of a month, and, although that appears to be inaccurate,
nevertheless, the impression prevails that they did occur in quick succession. "With
Pharaoh scorning the first demonstration, Moses and Aaron bring, in swift
succession, a series of disasters upon Egypt."[1] The contest in these overwhelming
demonstrations was clearly a war between the true God Jehovah and Pharaoh
himself a pagan deity and acknowledged head of the complex paganism of ancient
Egypt. God's people had been serving Pharaoh, but now God demanded that His
people serve Jehovah! "Let my people go, that they may serve me."
COKE, "Exodus 8:1. The Lord spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh— To render
Pharaoh wholly inexcusable, sufficient warning was always given him of every
approaching punishment. This plague of frogs, as well as the former, was excellently
adapted to subvert the superstitions of Egypt, and to demonstrate the over-ruling
power of Jehovah; for as the bank of the river ile was the grand scene of the
magical operations of the Egyptians, in which blood and frogs made a principal part
of the apparatus; so, by commanding that river to produce such an infinite
multitude of these creatures to annoy them, Jehovah, with wonderful propriety,
suited their chastisement to the nature of their crimes: for frogs were not only the
instruments of their abominations, but likewise the emblems of those impure
demons, whom they invoked by their incantations. Revelation 16:13-14. See Owen
on the Old Testament Miracles.
CO STABLE, "Frogs (the second plague) 8:1-15
Before the second plague, Moses gave Pharaoh a warning, for the first time, and for
the first time the plague touched Pharaoh"s person.
"The god Hapi controlled the alluvial deposits and the waters that made the land
fertile and guaranteed the harvest of the coming season. These associations caused
the Egyptians to deify the frog and make the theophany of the goddess Heqt a frog.
Heqt was the wife of the great god Khnum. She was the symbol of resurrection and
the emblem of fertility. It was also believed that Heqt assisted women in childbirth.
... The frog was one of a number of sacred animals that might not be intentionally
killed, and even their involuntary slaughter was often punished with death." [ ote:
Davis, p100.]
The goddess Heqt ". . . who is depicted in the form of a woman with a frog"s head,
was held to blow the breath of life into the nostrils of the bodies that her husband
fashioned on the potter"s wheel from the dust of the earth ...." [ ote: Cassuto,
p101.]
"This second plague was not completely unrelated to the first, for the ile and the
appearance of the frogs were very much associated. The presence of the frogs
normally would have been something pleasant and desirable, but on this occasion

5. quite the opposite was true. The frogs came out of the rivers in great abundance and
moved across the land into the houses, the bedchambers, the beds, and even moved
upon the people themselves ( Exodus 8:3). One can only imagine the frustration
brought by such a multiplication of these creatures. They were probably everywhere
underfoot bringing distress to the housewives who attempted to clear the house of
them only to find that they made their way into the kneading troughs and even into
the beds. It must have been a unique experience indeed to come home from a long
day"s work, slip into bed only to find that it has already been occupied by slimy,
cold frogs! Whatever popularity the goddess Heqt must have enjoyed prior to this
time would have been greatly diminished with the multiplication of these creatures
who at this point must have tormented her devotees to no end." [ ote: Davis, pp100-
101.]
"Since the frog or toad was deified as the Egyptian goddess Heqt, who was believed
to assist women in childbirth, there may be a touch of irony in the statement that
large numbers of frogs would invade the Pharaoh"s bedroom and even jump on his
bed ( Exodus 8:3)." [ ote: Youngblood, p54.]
The Egyptian magicians were able to bring up frogs, too ( Exodus 8:7), but they
seem to have lacked the ability to make them go away since Pharaoh asked Moses to
get rid of them ( Exodus 8:8). Satanic power does not generally work for the welfare
of humanity but is basically destructive.
To impress upon Pharaoh that a personal God was performing these miracles (
Exodus 8:10) Moses asked the king to set the time when the frogs should depart (
Exodus 8:9). Yahweh was in charge of the very territory over which Pharaoh
regarded himself as sovereign.
ELLICOTT, "THE SECO D PLAGUE.
(1-4) It is generally allowed that the second plague was one of frogs. All the ancient
versions agree in the interpretation; and the only rival rendering—“crocodiles”—is
too absurd to be argued against. We may take it, therefore, as certain that the
second infliction upon Egypt was an innumerable multitude of frogs, which came up
out of the river, and infested the cities, the houses, the sleeping apartments, the beds,
the ovens, and the kneading troughs. There was no escaping them. They entered the
royal palace no less than the peasant’s cottage; they penetrated to the inner
chambers; they leaped upon the couches and beds; they polluted the baking utensils,
and defiled the water and the food. Here, again, the infliction was double. (1) Frogs
were sacred animals to the Egyptians, who regarded them as symbols of procreative
power, and associated them especially with the goddess Heka (a wife of Kneph, or
up), whom they represented as frog-headed. Sacred animals might not be
intentionally killed; and even their involuntary slaughter was not unfrequently
punished with death. To be plagued with a multitude of reptiles which might not be
put to death, yet on which it was scarcely possible not to tread, and which, whenever
a door was opened were crushed, was a severe trial to the religious feelings of the
people, and tended to bring the religion itself into contempt. (2) The visitation was

6. horrible to the senses—nauseous, disgusting. The frogs were hideous to the eye,
grating to the ear, repulsive to the touch. Their constant presence everywhere
rendered them a continual torment. If other later plagues were more injurious, the
plague of frogs was perhaps of all the most loathsome. We read without surprise in
Eustathius (Comment. in Hom. II., p. 35) that the people of Pseonia and Dardania
on one occasion, were so plagued by a multitude of frogs, which filled the houses
and the streets, infected the water, invaded the cooking utensils, and made all the
food uneatable, that after a time, being unable to bear the pest any longer, they “fled
from that region altogether.”
(1) Let my people go.—The usual demand, which it was determined to reiterate until
Pharaoh yielded. (See Exodus 5:1; Exodus 7:16; Exodus 8:20; Exodus 9:1-13;
Exodus 10:3.)
(2) With frogs.—The particular species intended is thought to be the modern dofka
(Rana Mosaica), which i is a large kind, resembling our toad, which crawls more;
than it leaps, and croaks perpetually.
(3) The river shall bring forth frogs.—The frogs do not now come up directly out of
the river, but rather out of the ponds and marshes which are left by the inundation.
(See Exodus 8:5.) These, however, may be viewed as detached portions of the river.
Frogs in Egypt are, even at the present day, an occasional annoyance and
inconvenience.
Thy bedchamber . . . thy bed.— o nation of antiquity set such a value on cleanliness
as the Egyptians. Priests were required to dress entirely in linen, and to wash their
entire bodies in cold water twice every day and twice every night (Herod. ii. 37).
With other classes ablutions were frequent, and the utmost care was taken to avoid
contact with whatever was uncleanly. It is difficult to conceive a greater annoyance
to an Egyptian than frogs in the bedchamber and on the bed.
Ovens.—Or, balking-pans—earthenware vessels commonly heated by having a fire
lighted inside them, and the dough attached by pressure after the fire had been
withdrawn.
Kneading troughs.—Comp. below, Exodus 12:34, which fixes the sense; and for
representations of both kneading-troughs and ovens, see Rosellini, Monumenti
Civili, pls. 84, 85.
EXPOSITOR'S DICTIO ARY, "Exodus 8:1
And so the world went its way, controlled by no dread of retribution; and on the
tomb frescoes you can see legions of slaves under the lash dragging from the
quarries the blocks of granite which were to form the eternal monuments of the
Pharaoh"s tyranny; and you read in the earliest authentic history that when there
was a fear that the slave-races should multiply so fast as to be dangerous their
babies were flung to the crocodiles.

7. One of these slave-races rose at last in revolt. oticeably it did not rise against
oppression as such, or directly in consequence of oppression. We hear of no
massacre of slave-drivers, no burning of towns or villages, none of the usual
accompaniments of peasant insurrections. If Egypt was plagued, it was not by
mutinous mobs or incendiaries. Half a million men simply rose up and declared that
they could endure no longer the mendacity, the hypocrisy, the vile and incredible
rubbish which was offered to them in the sacred name of religion. "Let us go," they
said, "into the wilderness, go out of these soft water-meadows and cornfields,
forsake our leeks and our flesh-pots, and take in exchange a life of hardship and
wandering, that we may worship the God of our fathers." Their leader had been
trained in the wisdom of the Egyptians, and among the rocks of Sinai had learnt
that it was wind and vanity. The half-obscured traditions of his ancestors awoke to
life again, and were rekindled by him in his people. They would bear with lies no
longer. They shook the dust of Egypt from their feet, and the prate and falsehood of
it from their souls, and they withdrew with all belonging to them, into the Arabian
desert, that they might no longer serve cats and dogs and bulls and beetles, but the
Eternal Spirit Who had been pleased to make His existence known to them. They
sung no paeans of liberty. They were delivered from the house of bondage, but it
was the bondage of mendacity, and they left it only to assume another service. The
Eternal had taken pity on them. In revealing His true nature to them, He had taken
them for His children. They were not their own, but His, and they laid their lives
under commandments which were as close a copy as, with the knowledge which they
possessed, they could make, to the moral laws of the Maker of the Universe.
—Froude, Short Studies, vol11.
EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE COMME TARY, "THE SECO D PLAGUE.
Exodus 8:1-15.
Although Pharaoh had warning of the first plague, no appeal was made to him to
avert it by submission. But before the plague of frogs he was distinctly commanded,
"Let My people go." It is an advancing lesson. He has felt the power of Jehovah:
now he is to connect, even more closely, his suffering with his disobedience; and
when this is accomplished, the third plague will break upon him unannounced--a
loud challenge to his conscience to become itself his judge.
The plague of frogs was far greater than our experience helps us to imagine. At least
two cases are on record of a people being driven to abandon their settlements
because they had become intolerable; "as even the vessels were full of them, the
water infested and the food uneatable, as they could scarcely set their feet on the
ground without treading on heaps of them, and as they were vexed by the smell of
the great multitude that died, they fled from that region."
The Egyptian species known to science as the Rana Mosaica, and still called by the
uncommon epithet here employed, is peculiarly repulsive, and peculiarly noisy too.

8. The superstition which adored a frog as the "Queen of the two Worlds," and placed
it upon the sacred lotus-leaf, would make it impossible for an Egyptian to adopt
even such forlorn measures of self-defence as might suggest themselves. It was an
unclean pest against which he was entirely helpless, and it extended the power of his
enemy from the river to the land. The range of the grievance is dwelt upon in the
warning: "they shall come up and enter into thine house, and into thy bedchamber,
and upon thy bed ... and into thine ovens, and into thy kneading-troughs" (Exodus
8:3). The most sequestered and the dryest spots alike would swarm with them,
thrust forward into the most unsuitable places by the multitude behind.
Thus Pharaoh himself had to share, far more than in the first plague, the misery of
his humblest subjects; and, although again his magicians imitated Aaron upon some
small prepared plot, and amid circumstances which made it easier to exhibit frogs
than to exclude them, yet there was no comfort in such puerile emulation, and they
offered no hope of relieving him. From the gods that were only vanities, he turned to
Jehovah, and abased himself to ask the intercession of Moses: "Intreat Jehovah that
He take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go."
The assurance would have been a hopeful one, if only the sense of inconvenience
were the same as the sense of sin. But when we wonder at the relapses of men who
were penitent upon sick-beds or in adversity, as soon as their trouble is at an end,
we are blind to this distinction. Pain is sometimes obviously due to ourselves, and it
is natural to blame the conduct which led to it. But if we blame it only for being
disastrous, we cannot hope that the fruits of the Spirit will result from a sensation of
the flesh. It was so with Pharaoh, as doubtless Moses expected, since God had not
yet exhausted His predicted works of retribution. This anticipated fraud is much the
simplest explanation of the difficult phrase, "Have thou this glory over me."
It is sometimes explained as an expression of courtesy--"I obey thee as a superior";
which does not occur elsewhere, because it is not Hebrew but Egyptian. But this
suavity is quite alien to the spirit of the narrative, in which Moses, however
courteous, represents an offended God. It is more natural to take it as an open
declaration that he was being imposed upon, yet would grant to the king whatever
advantage the fraud implied. And to make the coming relief more clearly the action
of the Lord, to shut out every possibility that magician or priest should claim the
honour, he bade the king name an hour at which the plague should cease.
If the frogs passed away at once, the relief might chance to be a natural one; and
Pharaoh doubtless conceived that elaborate and long protracted intercessions were
necessary for his deliverance. Accordingly he fixed a future period, yet as near as he
perhaps thought possible; and Moses, without any express authority, promised him
that it should be so. Therefore he "cried unto the Lord," and the frogs did not
retreat into the river, but suddenly died where they were, and filled the unhappy
land with a new horror in their decay.
But "when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he made his heart heavy and
hearkened not unto them." It is a graphic sentence: it implies rather than affirms

9. their indignant remonstrances, and the sullen, dull, spiritless obstinacy with which
he held his base and unkingly purpose.
ISBET, "LET MY PEOPLE GO!
‘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.’
Exodus 8:1
I. Perfect freedom is not the thing demanded of Pharaoh, nor is this the prize of
their high calling held out before the eyes of the Israelites. To serve God is the
perfect freedom held out: to change masters, to be rid of him who had no claim to
their allegiance, and to be permitted without hindrance to serve Him who was
indeed their Lord and their God. This was the boon offered to the children of Israel,
and demanded on their account by Moses as the ambassador of God.
II. This feature in the deliverance of the Israelites is worthy of special notice, when
we regard it as typical of the deliverance from sin and the bondage of the devil,
which our heavenly Father is willing to effect for each one of us. ‘Let My people
go,’—not that they may be free from a master, but that they may serve; let them go,
because they have been redeemed by Christ, and are not their own, but His. The
deliverance from sin which God works for His people is, in fact, a change from one
service to another: a change from service to sin, which is perfect bondage, to service
to God, which is perfect freedom.
III. The blessedness of the service of God is not estimated as it ought to be; men in
these days are too like the children of Israel, who seemed to think that they had
conferred a favour on Moses by following his guidance, and that the least reverse
would be a sufficient excuse to justify them in going back again to Egypt. There is
nothing in their conduct more strange or more blameable than in the conduct of
men calling themselves Christians, who do not perceive that in the earnest discharge
of God’s service is their highest happiness as well as their principal duty and most
blessed privilege.
—Bishop Harvey Goodwin.
Illustration
(1) ‘Once more did the object of worship prove their curse. Is there not a great law
here? Our idols ever tend to grow into tyrants and cruel despots. We have only to
give to the creature, no matter how fair and good, that trust, and service, and love
that belong to God, and it will become a bane, perhaps the bane of life.’
(2) ‘This plague of frogs was a natural and ordinary occurrence intensified. Every
year high ile brings them in vast numbers. “The supernaturalness lay in their
extraordinary number and troublesomeness, and in their appearance and
disappearance at the bidding of Moses.” This reminds us that God deals with us,
teaching and correcting, guiding and protecting, as far as possible through the
natural. He hides Himself in the natural; to see Him we need purged eyes. (“Glory
over me,” etc. is equal to “Thine be the honour to appoint the time when I shall

10. entreat for thee and thy servants.”)’
PETT, "Introduction
Yahweh’s Battle With Pharaoh - The Ten Plagues (Exodus 7:14 to Exodus 12:51)
In the first seven chapters we have seen how God raised up Moses to deliver His
people, and how when he approached Pharaoh with a simple request that they
might go into the wilderness and worship Him because He had revealed Himself in a
theophany there, Pharaoh had reacted savagely and had increased Israel’s burdens.
Then Yahweh had promised to Moses that He would reveal His name in mighty
action and deliver them, but had initially provided Pharaoh with a further
opportunity to consider by three signs which Pharaoh had rejected. ow He would
begin in earnest.
The first nine plagues that follow were the intensification of natural occurrences
that struck Egypt from time to time. Yet they came in such a way and with such
effect and were so intense that they could not be described as ‘natural’, for they
came when called on, ceased when Yahweh commanded, and affected only what
Yahweh wanted affecting. They were thus supernaturally controlled natural
phenomenon.
Because these plagues were common to natural occurrences that took place in Egypt
they were connected with the gods of Egypt, for the Egyptians had gods which were
connected with every part of life. Thus the very plagues meant that Yahweh was, in
Egyptian eyes, in conflict with the gods of Egypt. However, it is important to
recognise that the writer only mentions the gods of Egypt once (Exodus 12:12), and
there only in relation to the slaying of the firstborn because at least one of the
firstborn who would die would be connected with a god (Pharaoh). Thus he is
drawing attention to Yahweh’s dealings with Pharaoh and the Egyptians rather
than with their gods. This indicates that while the gods may have had the Egyptians
as their servants, they did not have any control of the land or of nature. The writer
is clearly monotheistic. To him the gods of Egypt are an irrelevance.
The Overall Pattern of the arrative.
The first nine plagues can be divided into three sets of three as follows;
· The first three - water turned to blood (Exodus 7:14-25), plague of frogs
(Exodus 8:1-15), plague of ticks and similar insects (Exodus 8:16-19).
· The second three - plague of swarms of flying insects (Exodus 8:20-32), cattle
disease (Exodus 9:1-7), boils (Exodus 9:8-12).
· The third three - great hail (Exodus 9:13-35), plague of locusts (Exodus 10:1-
20), thick darkness (Exodus 10:21-27).
As we have seen in Part 1 the previous section of Exodus has been mainly based on a
series of chiastic and similar patterns which demonstrate the unity of the narrative.
Here the overall pattern changes to a more complicated one in view of the combined

11. subject matter, but the underlying pattern is the same nevertheless.
For we should note that there is a definite pattern in these series of threes. The first
and second of each of the judgments in each series is announced to the Pharaoh
before it takes place, while in each case the third is unannounced. The first incident
of each series of three is to take place early in the morning, and in the first and
second of these ‘first incidents of three’ the place where Moses meets Pharaoh is by
the ile, in the third it is before Pharaoh. The second judgment in each series is
announced in the king's palace. The third judgment in each series comes without the
Pharaoh or the Egyptians being warned. As these judgments from God continue,
their severity increases until the last three bring the Egyptian people to a place
where life itself becomes almost impossible, and their economy is almost totally
destroyed. The huge hailstones kept them in their homes and wrecked their
environment, the locusts ate up what the hail had left and made life unbearable, and
the thick darkness kept them in solitude even from each other. They must have
wondered what was coming next.
Furthermore in the first two judgments the magicians pit themselves against Moses
as they imitate the judgments of blood and frogs, but in the third judgment of the
first series, that of ticks, they are forced to yield and acknowledge, "This is the
finger of God" (Exodus 8:19) and from then on they withdraw from the contest. In
the sixth they cannot even stand before Moses, presumably because of the effect of
the boils which they could do nothing about.
It is noteworthy in this regard that while blood and frogs can easily be manipulated
by conjurors, ticks are a different proposition, for they cannot be so easily
controlled.
In the second series an important distinction is drawn between the Israelites and the
Egyptians, for from then on only the Egyptians are affected, and not the whole land
of Egypt as previously. Several times the specific protection of Israel is mentioned.
As the intensity of the plagues increases, so does the intensity of the Pharaoh's desire
to secure the intervention of Moses and Aaron for deliverance from the plague
(consider Exodus 8:8; Exodus 8:25; Exodus 8:28; Exodus 9:27-28; Exodus 10:16-17;
Exodus 10:24), and Moses becomes more outspoken.
In the first series of three judgments the staff of Aaron is used, in the second series
of three no staff is mentioned and in the third series either the hand or staff of
Moses is prominent. ote also that in two cases in the second series neither Moses
nor Aaron do anything. Thus an instrument is used seven times. These overall
patterns clearly demonstrate the unity of the narrative.
Another division can be made in that the first four plagues are personal in effect
producing annoyance and distress while the next four inflict serious damage on
property and person, the ninth is the extreme of the first four and the tenth the
extreme of the second four. This further confirms the impression of unity.

12. The same is true of the wording and ideas used throughout. We have noted above
the three sets of three plagues, and that in the first plague of each set Moses goes to
Pharaoh in the early morning, either to the river or ‘before Pharaoh’, while in the
second in each set Moses goes to the palace, and in the third plague in each set the
plague occurs without warning. ow we should note the intricate pattern of phrases
and ideas which are regularly repeated.
We should, for example, note that God says ‘let my people go’ seven times, the
divinely perfect number (although only six times before specific plagues - Exodus
5:1; Exodus 7:16; Exodus 8:1; Exodus 8:20; Exodus 9:1; Exodus 9:13; Exodus 10:3).
This is significant in the light of what follows below.
We should also note that there is a central core around which each plague is
described, although the details vary. This central core is:
· A description in detail of what will happen (Plague one - Exodus 7:17-18;
plague two - Exodus 8:2-4; plague three - no separate description; plague four -
Exodus 8:21; plague five - Exodus 9:3-4; plague six - Exodus 9:9; plague seven -
Exodus 9:15; plague eight - Exodus 10:4-6; plague nine - no separate description).
· The call to Moses either to instruct Aaron (three times - Exodus 7:19; Exodus
8:5; Exodus 8:16) or to act himself (three times - Exodus 9:22; Exodus 10:12;
Exodus 10:21) or for them both to act (once - Exodus 9:8).
· The action taken (Exodus 7:20; Exodus 8:6; Exodus 8:17; no action; no
action; Exodus 9:10; Exodus 9:23; Exodus 10:13; Exodus 10:22).
· And an inevitable description of the consequences, which parallels the
previous description where given (Exodus 7:21; Exodus 8:6; Exodus 8:17; Exodus
8:24; Exodus 9:6-7; Exodus 9:10-11; Exodus 9:23-26; Exodus 10:13-15; Exodus
10:22-23).
It may be argued that this core was largely inevitable, and to a certain extent that is
true, but we should note that while there are nine plagues, there are only seven
separate prior descriptions, and as previously noted seven calls to act followed by
that action, but the sevens are not in each case for the same plagues. Thus the
narrative is carefully built around sevens. This can be exemplified further.
For example, Pharaoh’s initial response to their approach is mentioned three times,
in that Pharaoh reacts against the people (Exodus 5:5-6); calls for his magicians
(Exodus 7:11); and makes a compromise offer and then drives Moses and Aaron
from his presence (Exodus 10:11). It indicates his complete action but denies to him
the number seven. That is retained for Yahweh and His actions as we shall see, or
for Pharaoh’s negativity overall caused by Yahweh.
One significant feature is that Pharaoh’s final response grows in intensity.
1). Yahweh hardened his heart so that he did not listen to them as Yahweh had said
(Exodus 7:13) (Yahweh hardening him, and that he would not let the people go had
been forecast in Exodus 4:21). This was prior to the plagues.

13. 2). His heart was hardened and he did not listen to them as Yahweh had said, and
he turned and went into his house, ‘nor did he set his heart to this also’ (Exodus
7:22-23).
3). He entreated Yahweh to take away the plague and said that he would let the
people go to worship Yahweh (Exodus 8:8), and later hardened his heart and did
not listen to them as Yahweh had said (8:15).
4). Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he did not listen to them as Yahweh had said
(Exodus 8:19).
5). He told Moses and Aaron that they may sacrifice in the land (Exodus 8:25), and
then, on Moses’ refusing his offer, said that they may sacrifice in the wilderness but
not go far away (8:28) which Moses accepts, but later Pharaoh hardened his heart
and would not let the people go (Exodus 8:32).
6). He sent to find out what had happened and then his heart was hardened and he
would not let the people go (Exodus 9:7).
7). Yahweh hardened his heart and he did not listen to them as Yahweh had spoken
to Moses (Exodus 9:12).
8). Pharaoh admitted that he had sinned, asked them to entreat for him, and said ‘I
will let you go and you will stay no longer’ (Exodus 9:27-28). Then he sinned yet
more and hardened his heart, he and his servants (9:34), and his heart was
hardened nor would he let the children of Israel go as Yahweh had spoken to Moses
(Exodus 9:35).
9). Pharaoh admitted that he had sinned, and asked them to entreat Yahweh for him
(Exodus 10:17), but later Yahweh hardened his heart so that he would not let the
children of Israel go (Exodus 10:20).
10). Pharaoh said that they might go apart from their cattle (Exodus 10:24), and on
Moses refusing ‘Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart and he would not let them go’
(Exodus 10:27), and he commanded that they leave his presence and not return on
pain of death (Exodus 10:28).
11). In the summary ‘Yahweh hardened Pharaoh’s heart so that he would not let the
children of Israel go out of his land’ (Exodus 11:10).
We note from the above that ‘Pharaoh will not listen to you’ occurs twice (Exodus
7:4; Exodus 11:9), ‘did not listen to them as Yahweh had said’ occurs four times
(Exodus 7:13; Exodus 7:22; Exodus 8:15; Exodus 19); and ‘did not listen to them as
Yahweh had spoken to Moses’ occurs once (Exodus 9:12), thus his not being willing
to listen occurs seven times in all (the phrase ‘as Yahweh had spoken to Moses’
occurs twice (Exodus 9:12; Exodus 9:35), but not as connected with not listening).
In contrast he entreats that Yahweh will show mercy four times (Exodus 8:8;
Exodus 8:28; Exodus 9:27; Exodus 10:17), and parleys with Moses three times (8:8;
8:25;10:24), making seven in all. Yahweh hardened his heart five times (Exodus
7:13; Exodus 9:12; Exodus 10:20; Exodus 10:27; Exodus 11:10), which with Exodus
4:21 and Exodus 10:1 makes seven times. (Yahweh also hardened his heart in
Exodus 14:8, but that was over the matter of pursuing the fleeing people. See also
Exodus 14:4; Exodus 14:17. He said that He would do it in Exodus 7:3).
His heart was hardened (by himself?) four times (Exodus 7:22; Exodus 8:19;
Exodus 9:7; Exodus 9:35), and he hardened his own heart three times (Exodus 8:15;

14. Exodus 8:32; Exodus 9:34), again making seven times. It is said that he would not let
the people go five times (Exodus 8:32; Exodus 9:7; Exodus 9:35; Exodus 10:20;
Exodus 11:10). With Exodus 4:21; Exodus 7:14 that makes not letting the people go
seven times. Yahweh told Pharaoh to let His people go seven times (Exodus 5:1;
Exodus 7:16; Exodus 8:1; Exodus 8:20; Exodus 9:1; Exodus 9:13; Exodus 10:3).
Thus the writer would clearly seem to have been deliberately aiming at sevenfold
repetition, and this sevenfoldness is spread throughout the narrative in different
ways, stressing the total unity of the passage. One or two sevens might be seen as
accidental but not so many.
Taking with this the fact that each narrative forms a definite pattern any suggestion
of fragmented sources of any size that can be identified is clearly not permissible.
Thus apart from an occasional added comment, and in view of the way that
covenants were always recorded in writing, there seems little reason to doubt that
Exodus was written under the supervision of Moses or from material received from
him as was constantly believed thereafter. Other Old Testament books certainly
assert the essential Mosaic authorship of the Pentateuch (‘the Law’) demonstrating
the strong tradition supporting the claim (see 1 Kings 2:3; 1 Kings 8:53; 2 Kings
14:6; 2 Kings 18:6; 2 Kings 18:12). More importantly Jesus Christ Himself saw the
Pentateuch as the writings of Moses (John 5:46-47), and as without error (Matthew
5:17-18), and indicated Moses’ connection with Deuteronomy (Matthew 19:7-8;
Mark 10:3-5). See also Peter (Acts 3:22), Stephen (Acts 7:37-38), Paul (Romans
10:19; 1 Corinthians 9:9), and the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews (Hebrews
10:28).
One fact that brings out Pharaoh’s total selfishness and disregard for his people is
that he only asks Moses to entreat Yahweh to remove a plague four times, in the
case of the frogs, the flying insects, the hail and the locusts. These were the ones that
would personally affect him the most. The narrative is totally consistent.
The Plagues In The Light Of atural Phenomena.
We will now try to see the plagues in the light of natural phenomena, recognising
that God used natural phenomena, enhancing it where necessary, to accomplish His
purpose. While the land waited totally unaware of the forces that were gathering He
knew exactly what was coming and what He would do with it and directed Moses
accordingly.
The first nine plagues form a logical and connected sequence if we work on the basis
that in that year there was an abnormally high inundation of the ile occurring in
July and August. In Egypt too high an inundation of the ile could be as bad as too
low an inundation, and this was clearly beyond anything known. This would be
caused by abnormal weather conditions in lands to the south of Egypt of a kind
rarely experienced which may well have also caused the effects not produced
directly by the inundation.
The higher the ile-flood was, the more earth it carried within it, especially of the

15. red earth from the basins of the Blue ile and Atbara. And the more earth it carried
the redder it became. The flood would further bring down with it flood microcosms
known as flagellates and associated bacteria. These would heighten the blood-red
colour of the water and create conditions in which the fish would die in large
numbers (Exodus 7:21). Their decomposition would then foul the water further and
cause a stench (Exodus 7:21). The water would be undrinkable and the only hope of
obtaining fresh water would be to dig for it (Exodus 7:24). The whole of Egypt
would of course be affected. This is the background to the first plague.
The result of these conditions would be that the decomposing fish would be washed
along the banks and backwaters of the ile polluting the haunts of the frogs, who
would thus swarm out in huge numbers seeking refuge elsewhere (Exodus 8:3).
Their sudden death would suggest internal anthrax which would explain their rapid
putrefaction (Exodus 8:13-14). This is the background to the second plague.
The high level of the ile-flood would provide especially favourable conditions for
mosquitoes, which may partly explain either the ‘ken’ (ticks/lice/fleas) (Exodus 8:16)
or the ‘arob (swarms) (Exodus 8:21), while the rotting carcasses of the fish and frogs
would encourage other forms of insect life to develop, as would excessive deposits of
the red earth which may have brought insect eggs with them. Insects would
proliferate throughout the land (Exodus 8:16). These might include lice and also the
tick, an eight-legged arthropod and blood-sucking parasite and carrier of disease, as
well as fleas. This is the background to the third plague.
As well as mosquitoes from the ile flood, flies would also develop among the
rotting fish, the dead frogs and the decaying vegetation, including the carrier-fly,
the stomoxys calcitrans (which might well be responsible for the later boils), and
become carriers of disease from these sources. The ‘swarms’ may well have included
both (Exodus 8:21). This is the background to the fourth plague.
The dying frogs might well have passed on anthrax, and the proliferating insects
would pass on other diseases, to the cattle and flocks who were out in the open
(Exodus 9:3) and therefore more vulnerable. This is the background to the fifth
plague.
The dead cattle would add to the sources of disease carried by these insects, and the
insect bites, combined with the bites of the other insects, may well have caused the
boils (Exodus 9:9). This would occur around December/January. It may well be the
background to the sixth plague.
Thus the first six plagues in a sense follow naturally from one another given the
right conditions, but it is their timing, extremeness and Moses’ knowledge of them
that prove the hand of God at work.
The excessively heavy hail (Exodus 9:22), with thunder, lightning and rain, may well
have resulted from the previously mentioned extreme weather conditions, but it
went beyond anything known and was exceptional, resulting in death and

16. destruction, and the ruination of the barley and flax, but not the wheat and spelt
which was not yet grown (Exodus 8:31-32). (This indicates a good knowledge of
Egyptian agriculture). This would probably be in early February.
The excessively heavy rains in Ethiopia and the Sudan which led to the
extraordinarily high ile would cause the conditions favourable to an unusually
large plague of locusts (Exodus 10:4; Exodus 10:13), which would eventually be
blown down into orthern Egypt and then along the ile valley by the east wind
(Exodus 10:13).
The thick darkness (Exodus 10:21) that could be felt was probably an unusually
heavy khamsin dust storm resulting from the large amounts of red earth which the
ile had deposited which would have dried out as a fine dust, together with the
usual sand of the desert. The khamsin wind would stir all this up making the air
unusually thick and dark, blotting out the light of the sun. Three days is the known
length of a khamsin (Exodus 10:23). This, coming on top of all that had come before,
and seeming to affect the sun god himself, would have a devastating effect.
These unusual and freak events demonstrate an extremely good knowledge of
Egyptian weather conditions with their particular accompanying problems, which
could only have been written in the right order by someone with a good knowledge
of the peculiar conditions in Egypt which could produce such catastrophes,
confirming the Egyptian provenance of the record and the unity of the account.
In all this the gods of Egypt would be prominent to the Egyptians as the people were
made aware that the God of the Hebrews was doing this, and that their gods could
seemingly do nothing about it. Prominent among these would be Ha‘pi, the ile god
of inundation, Heqit the goddess of fruitfulness, whose symbol was the frog, Hathor
the goddess of love, often symbolised by the cow, along with Apis the bull god, Osiris
for whom the ile was his life-blood, now out of control, the goddess Hatmehyt
whose symbol was a fish, and of whom models were worn as charms, ut the sky
goddess, Reshpu and Ketesh who were supposed to control all the elements of
nature except light, and Re the sun god. All these would be seen to be unable to
prevent Yahweh doing His work and thus to have been at least temporarily
defeated.
But it should be noted that that is the Egyptian viewpoint. Moses only mentions the
gods of Egypt once, and that is probably sarcastically (Exodus 12:12). As far as he is
concerned they are nothing. They are irrelevant.
Verses 1-15
The Second Plague - The Plague of Frogs (Exodus 8:1-15).
This can be analysed as follows:
a Yahweh tells Moses to say, ‘let my people go and serve me’ or there will be a
plague of frogs (Exodus 8:1-2).

17. b Full description of the plague of frogs that will come (Exodus 8:3-4).
c Aaron to be commanded to stretch out his staff over the waters of Egypt to
cause the frogs to come up (Exodus 8:5).
d Aaron does so and the plague of frogs come out and spread over Egypt
(Exodus 8:6).
e The magicians imitate the plague and bring up frogs on the land of Egypt
(Exodus 8:7)
e Pharaoh entreats that the frogs might be taken away and he will let the
people go (Exodus 8:8).
d Moses says that the plague will be dealt with whenever Pharaoh wants, and
Pharaoh says tomorrow (Exodus 8:9).
c Moses promises that the disappearance of the frogs will happen and that
frogs will be in their usual place only (Exodus 8:10-11).
b At Moses’ intercession the frogs die out and are gathered in heaps (Exodus
8:12-14).
a Pharaoh saw that there was respite and hardened his heart and did not listen
to them, just as Yahweh had said (Exodus 8:15).
ote the parallels. In ‘a’ Moses is to say, ‘let my people go’, in the parallel Pharaoh
hardened his heart and did not listen to them. In ‘b’ a description is given of the
coming of the frogs, in the parallel the frogs die out and are gathered into heaps. In
‘c’ Aaron is commanded to stretch out his staff and the frogs come, in the parallel
Moses promises that the frogs will go. In ‘d’ Aaron is obedient and the frogs come,
and in the parallel Moses says that he will remove the frogs whenever Pharaoh
wishes. It will be noted that all these are the actions of the terrible two. In ‘d’ we
have Egypt’s reaction. The magicians manage to turn some water deep red, and
Pharaoh entreats that the frogs might be taken away and he will then let the people
go.
Exodus 8:1-4
‘And Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says
Yahweh, Let my people go that they may serve me, and if you refuse to let them go,
behold I will smite all your borders with frogs. And the ile will swarm with frogs
which will go up 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
kneadingtroughs. And the frogs will come up both on you, and on your people, and
on all your servants.’ ”
The next approach was in Pharaoh’s palace. (Moses ‘goes in’ to him). The request
was still to be able to worship Yahweh in the wilderness. The threat that follows is a
plague of frogs. The ile and its offshoots and the pools around were no longer
habitable, even for frogs. And the microcosms, and dead and decaying fish added to
the problem. So the frogs would seek other refuges, as Yahweh well knew. They had
proliferated beyond the norm and now at Yahweh’s word they would invade the
land of Egypt, getting everywhere, into bedrooms, beds, ovens, kitchens and
domestic appliances. Even Pharaoh in his palace would not be able to hide from
these.

18. The Egyptians, who had a particular regard for cleanliness, would be horrified.
Even their food was being contaminated.
“Go in to Pharaoh.” Moses now had ready access, and probably privileged access, to
Pharaoh as a prophet, or more than a prophet. This may have had to do with his
princely status but was more likely simply due to the fact that Pharaoh recognised
his status as ‘a god’ under Yahweh, and knew that he could not afford not to see
him. He viewed Moses with a superstitious awe that gave Moses extreme authority
and conflicted with his own view of himself as a god.
“Your servants -- your people.” The distinction is constantly made between the
king’s high officials (his servants) and his people.
“Ovens.” Probably portable earthenware stoves.
“Kneading troughs.” Containers where the dough was kneaded, probably shallow
wooden bowls (see Exodus 12:34).
PULPIT, "THE SECO D PLAGUE. After an interval which there are no means of
estimating, the second plague followed the first. Again, while the main purpose of
the plague was to punish the nation by which Israel had been so long oppressed, the
secondary object of throwing contempt upon their, religion was main-rained. Frogs
were among the Egyptian sacred animals. One of their deities, Heka, was a frog-
headed goddess; and they seem to have regarded the frog as a sacred emblem of
creative power. The great multiplication of frogs, whereby they became an
annoyance and a curse, was a trial and strain to the entire Egyptian religious
system. The Egyptians might not kill them; yet they destroyed all their comfort, all
their happiness. Their animal-worship was thus proved absurd and ridiculous. They
were obliged to respect the creatures which they hated—to preserve the animals
they would fain have swept from the face of the earth. It is perhaps somewhat
difficult for modern Europeans to imagine the plague that frogs might be. The
peculiar kind, which has the scientific name of Rana Mosaica, resembles our toad,
and is a disgusting object, which crawls rather than leaps, and croaks perpetually.
To have the whole country filled with these disgusting reptiles, to be unable to walk
in the streets without treading on them, to find them not only occupying one's
doorstep but in possession of one's house, in one's bed-chamber, and upon one's
bed, to hear their dismal croak perpetually, to see nothing but their loathsome forms
whithersoever one looked, to be in perpetual contact with them and feel the
repulsion of their cold, rough, clammy skin, would be perhaps as severe a
punishment as can well be conceived. ations are known to have deserted their
homes, and fled to a foreign land to escape from it. "In Paeonia and Dardania,"says
Phoenias, a disciple of Aristotle, "there appeared once suddenly such a number of
frogs, that they filled the houses and the streets. Therefore—as killing them, or
shutting the doors, was of no avail; as even the vessels were full of them, the water
infected, and all food uneatable; as they could scarcely set their foot upon the
ground without treading on heaps of them, and as they were vexed by the smell of
the great numbers which died—they fled from that region altogether". In Egypt, the

19. young frogs come out of the waters in the month of September, when the inundation
is beginning to subside. Even now they sometimes amount to a severe visitation.
Exodus 8:1
Go unto Pharaoh. The second plague is given simply as a plague, not as a sign. It is
first threatened (Exodus 8:2), and then accomplished (Exodus 8:6), an interval being
allowed, that Pharaoh might change his mind, and escape the plague, if he chose.
2 If you refuse to let them go, I will send a plague
of frogs on your whole country.
BAR ES, "With frogs - Some months appear to have elapsed between this and the
former plague, if the frogs made their appearance at the usual time, that is in September.
The special species mentioned here is of Egyptian origin. This plague was, like the
preceding, in general accordance with natural phenomena, but marvelous both for its
extent and intensity, and for its direct connection with the words and acts of God’s
messengers. It had also apparently, like the other plagues, a direct bearing upon
Egyptian superstitions. There was a female deity with a frog’s head, and the frog was
connected with the most ancient forms of nature-worship in Egypt.
CLARKE, "If thou refuse - Nothing can be plainer than that Pharaoh had it still in
his power to have dismissed the people, and that his refusal was the mere effect of his
own wilful obstinacy.
With frogs - ‫צפרדעים‬ tsepardeim. This word is of doubtful etymology: almost all
interpreters, both ancient and modern, agree to render it as we do, though some
mentioned by Aben Ezra think the crocodile is meant; but these can never weigh against
the conjoint testimony of the ancient versions. Parkhurst derives the word from ‫צפר‬
tsaphar, denoting the brisk action, or motion of the light, and ‫ידע‬ yada, to feel, as they
seem to feel or rejoice in the light, croaking all the summer months, yet hiding
themselves in the winter. The Arabic name for this animal is very nearly the same with
the Hebrew zafda, where the letters are the same, the ‫ר‬ resch being omitted. It is used as
a quadriliteral root in the Arabic language, to signify froggy, or containing frogs: see
Golius. But the true etymology seems to be given by Bochart, who says the word is

20. compounded of zifa, a bank, and rada, mud, because the frog delights in muddy or
marshy places; and that from these two words the noun zafda is formed, the re being
dropped. In the Batrocho myomachia of Homer, the frog has many of its epithets from
this very circumstance. Hence Λιµνοχαρις, delighting in the lake; Βορβοροκοιτης, lying or
engendering in the mud; Πηλευς, and Πηλβατης, belonging to the mud, walking in the
mud, etc., etc.
A frog is in itself a very harmless animal; but to most people who use it not as an
article of food, exceedingly loathsome. God, with equal ease, could have brought
crocodiles, bears, lions, or tigers to have punished these people and their impious king,
instead of frogs, lice, flies, etc. But had he used any of those formidable animals, the
effect would have appeared so commensurate to the cause, that the hand of God might
have been forgotten in the punishment; and the people would have been exasperated
without being humbled. In the present instance he shows the greatness of his power by
making an animal, devoid of every evil quality, the means of a terrible affliction to his
enemies. How easy is it, both to the justice and mercy of God, to destroy or save by
means of the most despicable and insignificant of instruments! Though he is the Lord of
hosts he has no need of powerful armies, the ministry of angels, or the thunderbolts of
justice, to punish a sinner or a sinful nation; the frog or the fly in his hands is a sufficient
instrument of vengeance.
GILL, "And if thou refuse to let them go,.... Will not obey the orders:
I will smite all thy borders with frogs; he gives him warning of the blow before he
strikes, which shows his clemency and goodness, his patience and longsuffering; and
this he did, not only that he might have time and space for repentance, and thereby
avoid the blow; but that when it came, he might be sensible it was not by chance, or
owing to second causes, but was from the Lord himself.
I will smite all thy borders with frogs: fill the whole land of Egypt with them, to the
utmost borders thereof on every side. Some (q) say the word signifies a large Egyptian
fish, which in the Arabic tongue is called Altamsach, that is, a crocodile, with which the
Nile abounded; but such a creature could not invade and attack them in the manner as is
after related.
JAMISO , "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.
BE SO , "Exodus 8:2-3. All thy borders — All the land that is within thy borders.
And the river — ile, under which are comprehended all other rivers, streams, and
ponds, as appears from Exodus 8:5. But the ile is particularly mentioned, because
God would make that an instrument of their punishment and misery, in which they
most gloried, (Ezekiel 29:3,) to which they gave divine honours, and which was the
instrument of their cruelty against the Israelites, Exodus 1:22. Frogs shall go into

21. thy bed-chamber — This plague was worse than the former, because it was more
constant and more general: for the former in the waters did only molest them when
they went to drink or use the water; but this troubled them in all places, and at all
times, and annoyed all their senses with their filthy substance, shape, and noise,
mingling themselves with their meats and drinks, and crawling into their beds, so
that they could rest or be free from them nowhere. Into thine ovens — They shall
come up in such swarms as even to enter the driest places, which they naturally
shun.
COFFMA , "Verses 2-7
PLAGUE II
"And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:
and the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and come into thy 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 kneading-troughs: and the frogs
shall come up both upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants. And
Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thy hand with thy rod over
the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up upon the
land of Egypt. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the
frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. And the magicians did in like manner
with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt."
"Frogs shall go up ... shall come up ... cause frogs to come up ... and brought up
frogs ..." These expressions indicate that it was not the mere existence of frogs which
constituted the wonder here, but it was what the frogs did. Their numbers also
exceeded anything that might have been referred to natural causes. Also, this
judgment followed immediately upon its being threatened and the stretching out of
the rod of God.
"Let my people go ...!" This is the second occurrence in a sequence of these
dramatic demands. See under Exodus 7:16.
"Frogs ..." Why frogs? As many of the older commentators discerned, "How easy is
it, both to the justice and mercy of God, to destroy or to save by the most despicable
and insignificant of instruments."[2] God did not call forth lions, tigers, deadly
serpents, or any of the creatures that men fear. He did not even need a quaternion of
soldiers! He did it with frogs, common, harmless, despicable frogs! Furthermore, the
frog was the symbol of the goddess of fertility in Egypt; "She was called Hekt,"[3]
represented in statues as "a female deity with a frog's head,"[4] and supposed to
symbolize, "the renewal of life."[5] That such a respected element of Egyptian
paganism should suddenly become a curse instead of a blessing was evidently
incorporated into the basic design of this miracle. We must agree with Fields that,
"The popularity of the goddess Hekt must have dropped to near zero after this
plague!"[6] ot only was the frog a symbol of the goddess, but, "The frog itself was
often worshipped as a symbol of Hekt, a form of the goddess Hathor."[7]

22. "And the Egyptians did in like manner ..." Of what earthly help was this action of
Pharaoh's servants? The last thing they needed was more frogs! It shows that even
the efforts of God's enemies aid God's purpose. If those magicians had been able to
remove the frogs, that would have helped. Their enchantments to produce more
frogs was a self-defeating act. It also raises a question of how they did it. One cannot
resist the conclusion that their act was nothing but a pretense, for it certainly would
have been no miracle to produce a few frogs anywhere from the abundance of frogs
everywhere! "The king would never have applied to Moses and Aaron for help if his
charmers could have charmed the plague away."[8]
3 The ile will teem with frogs. They will come up
into your palace and your bedroom and onto your
bed, into the houses of your officials and on your
people, and into your ovens and kneading
troughs.
BAR ES, "Into thine house - This appears to have been special to the plague, as
such. It was especially the visitation which would be felt by the scrupulously-clean
Egyptians.
Kneadingtroughs - Not dough, as in the margin. See Exo_12:34.
CLARKE, "The river shall bring forth frogs abundantly - The river Nile,
which was an object of their adoration, was here one of the instruments of their
punishment. The expression, bring forth abundantly, not only shows the vast numbers
of those animals, which should now infest the land, but it seems also to imply that all the
spawn or ova of those animals which were already in the river and marshes, should be
brought miraculously to a state of perfection. We may suppose that the animals were
already in an embryo existence, but multitudes of them would not have come to a state
of perfection had it not been for this miraculous interference. This supposition will
appear the more natural when it is considered that the Nile was remarkable for breeding
frogs, and such other animals as are principally engendered in such marshy places as
must be left in the vicinity of the Nile after its annual inundations.

23. Into thine ovens - In various parts of the east, instead of what we call ovens they dig
a hole in the ground, in which they insert a kind of earthen pot, which having sufficiently
heated, they stick their cakes to the inside, and when baked remove them and supply
their places with others, and so on. To find such places full of frogs when they came to
heat them, in order to make their bread, must be both disgusting and distressing in the
extreme.
GILL, "And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly,.... The river Nile; and
though water, and watery places, naturally produce these creatures, yet not in such vast
quantities as to cover a whole country, and so large an one as Egypt, and this done at
once, immediately; for they were all produced instantaneously, and in one day were
spread all over the nation, and removed the next: and besides what follows is equally
miraculous:
which shall go up and come into thine house; which though they may come up
out of rivers, and be upon the banks and the meadows adjacent, yet are never known to
come into houses, and especially into bedchambers and other places after mentioned,
being not a bold but timorous creature, and shuns the sight and company of men; but
these came even into the royal palace, nor could his guards keep them out:
and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed; and by their leaping upon him, and
croaking in his ears, disturb his rest:
and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people both nobles and
common people, and not only get into their houses, but upon their persons, on their
hands when about their business, on their laps, and into their bosoms, as they sat; which
must be very offensive and troublesome to them, what with their ugly shape, croaking
noise and filthy smell, and the disagreeable touch of them, leaping on them, and even
upon their food, and all vessels used for the same, which must make it very nauseous
and distasteful to them:
and into thy ovens; where they baked their bread, and would be now hindered from
the use of them:
and into thy kneadingtroughs; where they kneaded their dough, and made it into
loaves, and prepared it for the oven; or the "dough" (r) itself, which they leaped upon
and licked, and made it loathsome for use.
JAMISO , "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!
COKE,"Exodus 8:3. And the river shall bring forth— That is, the river ile, with
all its streams, ponds, lakes, and, in a word, the whole body of waters which
proceeded from, and were formed by it alone in Egypt. The ile was remarkably

24. fruitful of frogs; but a quantity so immense as was produced instantaneously on this
occasion, undoubtedly indicated a miraculous power. The expressions, into thy
house, thy bed, thine ovens, &c. declare, that the swarm should be so great as to
throng, contrary to the nature of the reptile, into the most frequented and the dryest
places. And the fourth verse, limiting this plague to Pharoah and his people, shews
again how graciously God preserved the Israelites from it. A distinction which, one
would have thought, should have caused the blindest to see, and the hardest to feel.
PARKER, ""If thou refuse... I will smite."— Exodus 8:3.
Thus the parts of life are linked together.—Disobedience is not a self-contained
act—Man must not imagine that he has no correspondence in heaven.—what man
does is important as bearing moral consequences.—Man has undoubtedly the
liberty to refuse, but he has no liberty in the region of law. Law follows in its own
consequences whatever man may do.—This is not to be regarded as an arbitrary
infliction. The law tells equally in both ways: obedience is blessed as certainly as
disobedience is punished.—Man must not therefore excuse himself on account of the
supposed arbitrariness of the Divine law. It is not arbitrary: it is rational in its
foundations and equal in its operations.—This is no mere threatening: it is simply
the announcement of a settled ordinance of nature. It belongs as much to the
physical world in degree as to the spiritual world.—If a man refuse to sow seed he
will reap no harvest; if a man refuse to open his windows he will receive no sunlight
into his house; if a man refuse to take proper food and exercise his health will be
smitten.—All this is not severe: it is really the active and protective side of
beneficence.
PULPIT, "The river shall bring forth frogs. The frogs do not often come directly out
of the river. They are bred in the pools and marshes which the ile leaves as it is
retiring. These, however, may be viewed as detached fragments of the river. Thine
house … thy bed-chamber … thy bed. The extreme cleanliness of the Egyptians
(Herod. 2:37) rendered this visitation peculiarly disagreeable to them. The frogs
under ordinary circumstances do not think of entering houses. Ovens in Egypt were
probably baking-pans. These were heated from within by a fire of wood, which was
withdrawn after a time and the dough attached by pressure to the interior of the
vessels. Kneading-troughs were vessels in which the dough was prepared. Both these
and ovens are represented in the Egyptian tombs. (See Rosellini,' Mon. Civ.' pl: 84,
85.)
4 The frogs will come up on you and your people
and all your officials.’”

25. GILL, "And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and
upon thy servants. No doubt by the interposition of divine power and providence, and
it may be by the ministry of angels; so that let them use what care, caution, and diligence
they would, there was no keeping them out; but they came upon all the people of the
land, high and low, rich and poor, and upon the king's ministers, courtiers, and nobles,
and the king himself not excepted; though by this particular enumeration of him, his
people, and servants, the children of Israel may be thought to be exempted from this
plague, as R. Japhez observes; though Aben Ezra dislikes his remark, but it seems to be
just.
BE SO , "Exodus 8:4. The frogs shall come up on thee — They did not only
invade their houses, but their persons, armed as they were with a divine commission
and power. And upon thy people — ot upon the Israelites, whom God here
exempts from the number of Pharaoh’s people and subjects, and owns for his
peculiar people.
5 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron,
‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the
streams and canals and ponds, and make frogs
come up on the land of Egypt.’”
CLARKE, "Stretch forth thine hand - over the streams, over the rivers -
The streams and rivers here may refer to the grand divisions of the Nile in the Lower
Egypt, which were at least seven, and to the canals by which these were connected; as
there were no other streams, etc., but what proceeded from this great river.
GILL, "And the Lord spake unto Moses,.... By a secret impulse upon his mind, for
he was now in the presence of Pharaoh, who had refused to let Israel go:
say unto Aaron, stretch forth thy hand with thy rod; for Aaron carried the rod,
and he was the minister of Moses, who was appointed a god to him; and be was to speak

26. and to do whatever he ordered him from the Lord:
over the streams, over the rivers and over the ponds; the seven streams of the
river of Nile, and over the canals cut out of it, and over all places where there was a
collection of water for any use for man or beast:
and cause frogs to come up upon
JAMISO , "Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, etc.
The miracle consisted in the reptiles leaving their marshes at the very time he
commanded them.
K&D, "
CALVI , "5.And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron. It is questionable
whether God thus enjoined Moses in a continuous address, or whether He waited
until Pharaoh contumaciously despised His command. It is probable, indeed, that
after Pharaoh had paid no attention to the threats, the execution of the punishment
was commanded. Meantime, we must recollect what I before said, that Moses moved
not even a finger; but, as he had been commanded, transferred the active measures
to his inferior minister, that thus Pharaoh might be treated more contemptuously. It
was thus that he overwhelmed the whole land, as it were, by a breath. But although
in this way God cast down the fierce tyrant in his swelling pride to be trampled
beneath their feet, still the wickedness of the magicians did not rest. Thus was it
requisite that the servants of God should be exercised by constant contests one after
another.
PETT, "Exodus 8:5-6
‘And Yahweh said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, stretch out your hand with your staff
over the rivers, over the canals, and over the pools and cause frogs to come up on
the land of Egypt.” And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt and
the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.’
The assumption is now that Pharaoh has again refused to listen. So the word goes
out that the next stage is to follow. Aaron stretches out his hand containing the staff
of God as Yahweh had commanded, and the frogs pour out of the waters to infest
the land. There is nowhere in Egypt where the waters of the ile do not reach, for
where the ile with its offshoots does not go there is no life. So the frogs were
everywhere.
“Stretch out your hand with your staff.” Aaron is again to act on behalf of Yahweh
and Moses. This is the second time that he stretches out his staff.

27. 6 So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters
of Egypt, and the frogs came up and covered the
land.
CLARKE, "The frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt - In some
ancient writers we have examples of a similar plague. The Abderites, according to
Orosius, and the inhabitants of Paeonia and Dardania, according to Athenaeus, were
obliged to abandon their country on account of the great numbers of frogs by which their
land was infested.
GILL, "And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt,.... That is,
towards the waters of the Nile, and towards all places where any water was; for it was
not possible he could stretch out his hand over all the waters that were in every place:
and the frogs came and covered the land of Egypt: they came up at once, and in
such multitudes everywhere, that the whole land was full of them; this was done on the
twenty fifth of Adar, or February, the same day the former plague ceased; so Artapanus
(s), the Heathen historian says, that Moses by his rod produced frogs, locusts, and lice.
And the story which Heraclides Lembus (t) tells seems to be hammered out of this
account of Moses, that in Paeonia and Dardania such a number of frogs fell from heaven,
as filled the public roads and private houses; at first the inhabitants killed them, and
keeping their houses shut, bore it patiently some time; but when it signified nothing, and
their household goods were covered with them, and they found them boiled and roasted
with their food, and lay in such heaps that they could not tread for them, and were so
distressed with the smell of the dead ones, they forsook their country.
7 But the magicians did the same things by their
secret arts; they also made frogs come up on the
land of Egypt.

28. BAR ES, "The magicians would seem to have been able to increase the plague, but
not to remove it; hence, Pharaoh’s application to Moses, the first symptoms of yielding.
CLARKE, "The magicians did so - A little juggling or dexterity of hand might
have been quite sufficient for the imitation of this miracle, because frogs in abundance
had already been produced; and some of these kept in readiness might have been
brought forward by the magicians, as proofs of their pretended power and equality in
influence to Moses and Aaron.
GILL, "And the magicians did so with their enchantments, &c. By their secret
wiles and juggling tricks:
and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt, that is, some few, as a proof of their
art and skill, and to show that Moses and Aaron did but what they could do; but what
they did either were only in appearance, deceiving the sight of Pharaoh and his people,
or real frogs were brought to them by the help of devils, but not in such numbers: and
besides, this was adding to the plague, and not diminishing it; had they done anything to
the purpose, they should have removed it at once, or destroyed the frogs; but that they
could not do, of which Pharaoh being sensible, he therefore entreated for the removal of
them by Moses and Aaron. To this plague
HE RY, " How the magicians were permitted to imitate it, Exo_8:7. They also
brought up frogs, but could not remove those that God sent. The unclean spirits which
came out of the mouth of the dragon are said to be like frogs, which go forth to the kings
of the earth, to deceive them (Rev_16:13), which probably alludes to these frogs, for it
follows the account of the turning of the waters into blood. The dragon, like the
magicians, intended by them to deceive, but God intended by them to destroy those that
would be deceived.
JAMISO , "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.
K&D 7-9, "This miracle was also imitated by the Egyptian augurs with their secret
arts, and frogs were brought upon the land by them. But if they were able to bring the
plague, they could not take it away. The latter is not expressly stated, it is true; but it is
evident from the fact that Pharaoh was obliged to send for Moses and Aaron to intercede
with Jehovah to take them away. The king would never have applied to Moses and Aaron
for help if his charmers could have charmed the plague away. Moreover the fact that
Pharaoh entreated them to intercede with Jehovah to take away the frogs, and promised
to let the people go, that they might sacrifice to Jehovah (Exo_8:8), was a sign that he

29. regarded the God of Israel as the author of the plague. To strengthen the impression
made upon the king by this plague with reference to the might of Jehovah, Moses said to
him (Exo_8:9), “Glorify thyself over me, when I shall entreat for thee,” i.e., take the
glory upon thyself of determining the time when I shall remove the plague through my
intercession. The expression is elliptical, and ‫ּר‬‫מ‬‫ע‬ ֵ‫ל‬ (saying) is to be supplied, as in Jdg_
7:2. To give Jehovah the glory, Moses placed himself below Pharaoh, and left him to fix
the time for the frogs to be removed through his intercession.
ELLICOTT, "(7) The magicians did so.—It cannot be concluded from this that the
magicians had the power of creating frogs. All that the writer means to express is,
that they seemed to Pharaoh and to the Court to do on a small scale what Moses and
Aaron had done on the largest possible scale. The means which they employed was
probably sleight-of-hand. It has been well observed that they would have shown
their own power and the power of their gods far more satisfactorily had they
succeeded in taking the frogs away.
PETT, "Exodus 8:7
‘And the magicians did the same with their enchantments and brought up frogs on
the land of Egypt.’
It was not difficult for the magicians to imitate this (although they did not really do
so. They did not produce a multitude of frogs throughout Egypt). In a land
saturated with frogs, it was easy for clever conjurers to give the impression that they
too could produce frogs at will. But as with the crimson ile the plague had already
taken place, and thus their efforts were simply marginal. What they could do was
lessen the idea that it was all miraculous and beyond the gods of Egypt. What they
could not do, however, was restore the ile and remove the frogs.
The plague of frogs would bring to every Egyptian’s mind Heqit, the goddess of
fruitfulness, whose symbol was a frog. Here she was clearly powerless to do
anything, or was even perhaps on Moses’ side!
8 Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said,
“Pray to the Lord to take the frogs away from me
and my people, and I will let your people go to
offer sacrifices to the Lord.”

30. GILL, "Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron,.... He sent for them:
and said, entreat the Lord, that he may take away the frogs from me and
from my people; he begins now to know the Lord, whom he knew not before, by the
judgments he executed on him, to acknowledge his hand in those judgments, and tacitly
to own that none else could remove them; and his proud heart was so far humbled, as to
beg the favour of Moses and Aaron to intercede with the Lord to cause this plague to
cease, which was intolerable: and it may be observed from other instances in history,
somewhat similar to this, that whole cities and countries have been deserted by their
inhabitants on a like occasion, as those of Paeonia and Dardania, in the account above
given; and Justin reports (u) of the Abderites, a people of Thrace, that because of the
multitude of frogs and mice, were obliged to leave their native country, and seek new
habitations; and Diodorus Siculus (w) and Aelianus (x) relate much the same of a people
called Autariatae; and Varro (y) affirms, that in a city in France, the inhabitants of it
were drove away by frogs; which instances, as they show how very distressing such a
calamity is, so they serve to illustrate and confirm the truth of the divine history, cavilled
at by infidels, when anything is related in it exceeding the common and ordinary course
of things:
and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the Lord; as had
been frequently required of him, Exo_5:1.
HE RY, "How Pharaoh relented under this plague: it was the first time he did so, Exo_
8:8. He begs of Moses to intercede for the removal of the frogs, and promises fair that he
will let the people go. He that a little while ago had spoken with the utmost disdain both
of God and Moses is now glad to be beholden to the mercy of God and the prayers of
Moses. Note, Those that bid defiance to God and prayer in a day of extremity will, first or
last, be made to see their need of both, and will cry, Lord, Lord, Mat_7:22. Those that
have bantered prayer have been brought to beg it, as the rich man that had scorned
Lazarus courted him for a drop of water.
JAMISO 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
[Exo_8:15].
CALVI , "8.Then Pharaoh called for Moses. Pharaoh at last appears to be

31. softened, and to lay aside some of his fierceness; but it will soon appear that he was
not really tamed. It may indeed have been that, seized with terror, he seriously took
refuge in cries for pardon; but that he lied to God, and to himself, is plain from his
very inconstancy; because, as soon as a reprieve was granted, he returned to his
natural disposition, nay, he effectively manifested that his malice was only repressed
by fear, since it presently began to vent itself again. Thus do hypocrites, when they
are beneath God’s afflicting hand, or tremble under the apprehension of His
chastenings, humbly and submissively implore His mercy; but when the evil has
been withdrawn for a little while, this short truce puffs up their hearts, as if they
had attained an eternal peace. The Prophet complains in the psalm, that thus also it
happened with the Jews,
“When he slew them, then they sought him; and they returned and inquired early
after God; and they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their
redeemer; nevertheless, they did but flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto
him with their tongues; for their heart was not right with him, neither were they
steadfast in his covenant.” (Psalms 78:34.)
In fine, this is a disease common to all hypocrites, that, having found by experience
their frowardness to be destructive to them, they feign penitence for the sake of
obtaining pardon, because they cannot escape the judgments of God; but, when they
fancy themselves escaped, they hasten back to the same pride, they kick against
God, and even wantonly insult him; in a word, it is only their trouble that humbles
them and that only for a short time. But although Pharaoh’s fear extorted this from
him, that he sought for Moses to entreat for him, and was anxious to appease God,
yet was it a token of his deceitful and double mind, that he made it, as it were, a
bargain, that the frogs should be taken away before he let the people go. His
impiety, therefore, lay concealed in his heart, so long as he thought that he could not
defy God with impunity; but, relying confidently on impunity, he manifested his
deceit and perfidy. Although it was not with any sincere feeling of repentance that
he now humbly speaks of Jehovah by name, yet it shews that the stoutness of his
spirit was broken, of which mention was made before, when he inquired in
mockery, “Who is the Lord?”
BE SO , "Exodus 8:8. Pharaoh said, Entreat the Lord — This is the man, who,
not long ago, proudly said, Who is the Lord? Who is Jehovah? He now begins to
know something of Jehovah’s power and justice at least, and is glad to procure
Moses and Aaron to become intercessors to Jehovah for him. It appears evident
from this, that Pharaoh’s magicians had no power to remove the frogs which Moses
had brought. So Aben Ezra observes: “He called for Moses, because he saw the
magicians had only added to the plague, but could not diminish it.”
COFFMA , "Verses 8-11
"Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Entreat Jehovah, that he may
take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that
they may sacrifice unto Jehovah. And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Have thou this

32. glory over me: against what time shall I entreat for thee, and for thy servants, and
for thy people, that the frogs be destroyed from thee and thy houses, and remain in
the river only? And he said, Against tomorrow. And he said, Be it according to thy
word; that thou mayest know that there is none like unto Jehovah our God. 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."
"Entreat Jehovah ..." This is the first sign of surrender on Pharaoh's part. He, by
his actions, demonstrated that he considered his magicians powerless to cope with
the situation, that he acknowledged Moses and Aaron as the spokesman for
Jehovah, and that he would consent for the Israelites to sacrifice to Jehovah. This
indication by Pharaoh stopped short of promising permission for the Israelites to
leave the country, but it definitely showed signs of his cracking under the pressure
being applied.
"In asking Moses to entreat the Lord, Pharaoh recognizes him as the spokesman of
an actual deity. He no longer scorns Yahweh."[9]
"Have thou this glory over me ..." These words are considered difficult by some, but
the obvious meaning is that suggested by Harford:
"When Pharaoh prays for relief, Moses concedes him the "glory" or advantage of
naming the time when the pests should be removed, that the Divine control of the
visitation might be the more conspicuous."[10]
"Thy houses ..." The plural is used in Exodus 8:9,11, and, despite this being usually
interpreted as reference to the houses of both Pharaoh and his servants, there
remains the possibility that the houses (plural) of Pharaoh himself are meant, and
that the reference is to the twin capitals of Pharaoh, one in the south of Egypt, and
the other northward in the Delta. The plagues were visited upon the whole of Egypt.
"I will smite all thy borders" (Exodus 8:2). This would have prevented Pharaoh's
merely moving to his other residence to escape the plague. Rawlinson accepted this
view: "It would seem that the frogs had invaded more than one palace of Pharaoh.
He had perhaps quitted Tanis and gone to Memphis when the plague came, but the
frogs pursued him there."[11]
"That the frogs be destroyed ..." Pharaoh might have felt that he had out
maneuvered Moses and Aaron in the first confrontation, as some have alleged that
he did, but all that was wiped out completely by Pharaoh's being outmaneuvered
here. Moses said, in effect, "You have the honor of telling WHE the frogs will be
destroyed! Destroyed? Pharaoh might have thought that meant they would vanish.
But O, it meant they would all die! And is a dead frog any less a plague than a live
one! Pharaoh soon found out. "The removal of the plague in a manner intensified
it."[12]
ELLICOTT, "(8) Pharaoh called for Moses.—This was the first sign of yielding.
Pharaoh had borne the infliction of the water turned to blood without flinching,

33. probably because individually he had suffered but little from it. (See the comment
on Exodus 7:23.) But he suffered from the frogs as much as any one else (Exodus
8:3-4); and the personal inconvenience drove him to make a concession. As far as
words could go, the concession was complete. (1) He acknowledged the power of
Jehovah (“Intreat the Lord, that He may take away, &c.”’); (2) he acknowledged
the power of righteous men’s prayers; (3) he made an absolute unreserved promise
to “let the people go.”
PETT, "Exodus 8:8
‘The 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.”
Pharaoh was more moved by this plague. The frogs were in his palace, in his state
rooms, and in his bed. He was personally affected and wanted to be rid of the things
for they were seemingly everywhere. The more the servants disposed of them the
more there were. He promised that now he would let the people go into the
wilderness to sacrifice to Yahweh if only the frogs were removed. He had asked,
“Who is Yahweh?” and had said “I do not know Yahweh” (Exodus 5:2). ow he
‘entreats Yahweh’. He both knows who He is and knows Him by experience. He
‘knows His name’.
Pharaoh’s behaviour was unforgivable in the light of the times. Moses was the
mediator, the go-between. In men’s eyes he would be held liable by Yahweh if things
went wrong because Pharaoh broke his word. If any of Pharaoh’s officials had
behaved towards him like he was making Moses behave (making an agreement that
was not fulfilled) they would have been dismissed, if not worse.
PULPIT, "How long the plague of frogs endured, we are not told. Probably every
effort was made, short of intentionally killing them, to get rid of them. Snakes, and
chameleons, and ibises would destroy many—others would be crushed beneath
wheels, trampled on by animals, squeezed to death by the opening of doors,
unintentionally killed by men. But the vacancies made were constantly filled; and
there seemed no prospect of the infliction passing away. The influence of his
counsellors would under these circumstances be brought to bear upon the mind of
the Pharaoh—he would be warned that his subjects were attributing their sufferings
to his obstinacy—he would be recommended—perhaps pressed—to yield, and
would find in the annoyance which he individually endured a strong motive for
compliance. Accordingly, he after a while sent for the two Israelite chiefs, and made
the request recorded in the text.
Exodus 8:8
Intreat the Lord—i.e; "Intreat your God, Jehovah, who has sent this plague, and
can doubtless take it away." An acknowledgment of Jehovah's power is now for the
first time forced from the reluctant king, who has hitherto boasted that "he knew
not Jehovah" (Exodus 5:2). I will let the people go. The royal word is passed. A

34. positive promise is made. If the Pharaoh does not keep his word, he will outrage
even Egyptian morality—he will be without excuse.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:8 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.
Ver. 8. Intreat the Lord.] In extremity a hypocrite will cry for help, as a pig under
the knife, as a prisoner at the bar, as a drowning man will catch at that twig which
erst standing on the bank he despised. Joab in distress runs to the horns of the altar.
"Lord, in trouble have they visited thee, they poured forth a charm when thy
chastening was upon them," saith the prophet of those hypocrites that yet "brought
forth" no better than "wind." [Isaiah 26:16; Isaiah 26:18] But "will the hypocrite
pray always?." [Job 27:10] "Did they at all fast unto me, even to me?." [Zechariah
7:5]
I will let the people.] For the present, it may be, he purposed so to do. Good
thoughts make but a thoroughfare of carnal hearts: they cannot settle there. "Thy
goodness is as the morning dew," &c. [Hosea 6:4]
9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “I leave to you the honor
of setting the time for me to pray for you and your
officials and your people that you and your houses
may be rid of the frogs, except for those that
remain in the ile.”
BAR ES, "Glory over me - See the margin, “have honor over me,” i. e. have the
honor, or advantage over me, directing me when I shall entreat God for thee and thy
servants.
When - Or by when; i. e. for what exact time. Pharaoh’s answer in Exo_5:10 refers to
this, by tomorrow. The shortness of the time would, of course, be a test of the
supernatural character of the transaction.

35. CLARKE, "Glory over me - ‫עלי‬ ‫התפאר‬ hithpaer alai. These words have greatly
puzzled commentators in general; and it is not easy to assign their true meaning. The
Septuagint render the words thus: Ταξαι προς µε ποτε, etc., Appoint unto me when I shall
pray, etc. The constitue mihi quando of the Vulgate is exactly the same; and in this sense
almost all the versions understood this place. This countenances the conjectural
emendation of Le Clerc, who, by the change of a single letter, reading ‫התבאר‬ hithbaer for
‫התפאר‬ hithpaer, gives the same sense as that in the ancient versions. Houbigant,
supposing a corruption in the original, amends the reading thus: ‫עלי‬ ‫באר‬ ‫אתה‬ attah baar
alai - Dic mihi quo tempore, etc., “Tell me when thou wishest me to pray for thee,” etc.,
which amounts to the same in sense with that proposed by Le Clerc. Several of our
English versions preserve the same meaning; so in the Saxon Heptateuch; so in Becke’s
Bible, 1549, “And Moses sayed unto Pharaoh, Appoint thou the time unto me.” This
appears to be the genuine import of the words, and the sense taken in this way is strong
and good. We may conceive Moses addressing Pharaoh in this way: “That thou mayest
be persuaded that Jehovah alone is the inflicter of these plagues, appoint the time when
thou wouldst have the present calamity removed, and I will pray unto God, and thou
shalt plainly see from his answer that this is no casual affliction, and that in continuing
to harden thy heart and resist thou art sinning against God.” Nothing could be a fuller
proof that this plague was supernatural than the circumstance of Pharaoh’s being
permitted to assign himself the time of its being removed, and its removal at the
intercession of Moses according to that appointment. And this is the very use made of it
by Moses himself, Exo_8:10, when he says, Be it according to thy word: that thou
mayest know that there is none like unto the Lord our God; and that, consequently, he
might no longer trust in his magicians, or in his false gods.
GILL, "And Moses said unto Pharaoh, glory over me,.... If thou canst; take every
advantage against me of lessening my glory, and increasing thine own; or vaunt or boast
thyself against me, as the phrase is rendered, Jdg_7:2 or take this honour and glory to
thyself over me, by commanding me, and fixing a time to pray for thee, and I will obey
thy orders; which agrees with the Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate Latin versions, and the
paraphrase of Onkelos, "appoint", or "order for me"; that is, when I shall pray for thee;
or do me this honour, to believe me in the sight of the people, to declare before them
that thou dost believe that upon my prayer for thee this plague shall be removed:
when shall I entreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to
destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in this
river only? Moses agreed to entreat the Lord for him as he desired, but leaves it with
him to fix the time for doing it; and this he did, that it might appear that the removal of
the frogs, as well as the bringing of them, would not be owing to chance or to any natural
cause, but to the Lord himself; and though Moses had no direction from the Lord for
this, that is recorded, yet he might presume upon it, since he was made a god to
Pharaoh, and had power to do as he pleased; and also he knew the mind and will of God,
and might have now a secret impulse upon his spirit, signifying it to him: and besides, he
had the faith of miracles, and strongly believed that God would work this by him, and at
whatsoever time should be fixed.

36. HE RY 9-14, "How Moses fixes the time with Pharaoh, and then prevails with God
by prayer for the removal of the frogs. Moses, to show that his performances had no
dependence upon the conjunctions or oppositions of the planets, or the luckiness of any
one hour more than another, bids Pharaoh name his time. Nellum occurrit tempus regi -
No time fixed on by the king shall be objected to, Exo_8:9. Have thou this honour over
me, tell me against when I shall entreat for thee. This was designed for Pharaoh's
conviction, that, if his eyes were not opened by the plague, they might by the removal of
it. So various are the methods God takes to bring men to repentance. Pharaoh sets the
time for tomorrow, Exo_8:10. And why not immediately? Was he so fond of his guests
that he would have them stay another night with him? No, but probably he hoped that
they would go away of themselves, and then he should get clear of the plague without
being obliged either to God or Moses. However, Moses joins issue with him upon it: “Be
it according to thy word, it shall be done just when thou wouldst have it done, that thou
mayest know that, whatever the magicians pretend to, there is none like unto the Lord
our God. None has such a command as he has over all the creatures, nor is any one so
ready to forgive those that humble themselves before him.” Note, The great design both
of judgments and mercies is to convince us that there is none like the Lord our God,
none so wise, so mighty, so good, no enemy so formidable, no friend so desirable, so
valuable. Moses, hereupon, applies to God, prays earnestly to him, to remand the frogs,
Exo_8:12. Note, We must pray for our enemies and persecutors, even the worst as Christ
did. In answer to the prayer of Moses, the frogs that came up one day perished the next,
or the next but one. They all died (Exo_8:13), and, that it might appear that they were
real frogs, their dead bodies were left to be raked together in heaps, so that the smell of
them became offensive, Exo_8:14. Note, The great Sovereign of the world makes what
use he pleases of the lives and deaths of his creatures; and he that gives a being, to serve
one purpose, may, without wrong to his justice, call for it again immediately, to serve
another purpose.
CALVI , "9.And Moses said unto Pharaoh. Commentators differ as to the meaning
of this passage. They are too speculative who expound it, that this honor was
granted to Pharaoh, that he should fix the time in which Moses was to pray. Again,
there is a flatness in the exposition, that Pharaoh might glory because the frogs were
to die. Those who expound it, that Pharaoh should be freed from the frogs, so that
he might glory in safety, express part of the meaning, but not the whole. It rather
appears to me that there is an implied antithesis between the perverse boasting,
wherewith Pharaoh had exulted, and that pious glowing which he ought to seek for
in the mercy of God; as if Moses had said, “Thus far you have exalted yourself
improperly, trusting in your power, and afterwards when bewitched by the
enchantments; now rather glory, because you have an intercessor and patron to
plead for you to God.” For it was needful that the arrogance, which had so falsely
elevated him, that he dared to contend with God, should be crushed, and that no
hope should be left him, save in the mercy of God. But to “glory over” Moses, means
that he should seek his glory in the advocacy of Moses, and should account it a very
great happiness that he should deign to interpose for his reconciliation with God.
For the particle ‫על‬,)93 ) is often so taken. Yet Moses by no means wished to detract
at all from the glory of God; but (as I have lately said) desiring to humble the pride
of the haughty king, he told him that nothing would be better and more glorious for
him than to have a good hope of pardon, when he had obtained as his advocate the
servant of the living God, whom he so cordially hated. He only affirms that the frogs

37. should “remain in the river;” as much as to say that they should be content with
their ordinary habitation and bounds; for we know that frogs, although they
sometimes jump out on the bank, still do not go far from the water, because they are
nourished by humidity. Thus he hints that they were let loose by God’s command to
cover the ground, and that it was still in His power, if He chose, that they should
invade the fields and houses again in new multitudes; and that it must be ascribed to
His blessing, if they kept themselves in the waters, and did not make incursions
beyond their own boundaries.
BE SO , "Exodus 8:9. Glory over me — That is, I yield to thee. Thou shalt
command me. As I have gloried over thee in laying, first my commands, and then
my plagues upon thee; so now lay thy commands upon me for the time of my
praying, and if I do not what thou requirest, I am content thou shouldest insult over
me. Or he may mean, Glory or boast thyself of or concerning me, as one that by
God’s power can do that for thee which all thy magicians cannot, of whom thou now
seest thou canst not glory nor boast, as thou hast hitherto done. When shall I entreat
for thee? — Appoint me what time thou pleasest. Thus, he knew the power and
glory of God would be most conspicuous in the miracle. And this was not
presumption in Moses, who had a large commission, as a god to Pharaoh, and
particular direction from God in all he said and did in these matters.
COKE, "Exodus 8:9. And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me— Finding that
his magicians could not remove the plague, this haughty tyrant, who had said I
know not Jehovah, now requests the ambassadors of this great God to become
intercessors for him with their Almighty Master; while he, humbly but fallaciously,
promises to grant their request, and to dismiss them with honour, Exodus 8:8.; upon
which Moses says, Glory over me: when, &c. that is, take this honour to thyself to
appoint me the time when I shall entreat for thee. The margin of our Bibles has it,
have this honour over me; and the meaning of the phrase in this place seems to be
no more than I give you leave, or you shall command me. Bonfrerius expresses the
sense of the original in a similar manner: Tibi hunc honorem defero, ut eligas
quando, &c. You shall have the honour to choose the time when, &c.
ELLICOTT, "(9) And Moses said . . . Glory over me.—This phrase seems
equivalent to—“I submit to thy will,” “I am content to do thy bidding. “It was
probably an ordinary expression of courtesy in Egypt on the part of an inferior to a
superior; but it was not a Hebrew idiom, and so does not occur elsewhere.
When shall I intreat?—Rather, as in the margin, against when? or for when?—i.e.,
what date shall I fix in my prayer to God as that at which the plague shall be
removed? And so, in the next verse, for “to-morrow” translate against to-morrow. It
seems strange that Pharaoh did not say, “To-day, this very instant; “but perhaps he
thought even Jehovah could not do so great a thing at once.
PETT, "Exodus 8:9-11

38. ‘And Moses said to Pharaoh, “You may have this glory over me, at what time shall I
entreat for you and for your servants, and for your people, that the frogs be
destroyed from you and your houses and remain in the ile only?” And he said,
“Let it happen for tomorrow.” And he said, “It shall be according to your word that
you may know that there is none like Yahweh our God. And the frogs will depart
from you and from your houses, and from your servants and from your people.
They will remain in the ile only.” ’
Moses accepts Pharaoh’s word and tells him that he may choose the time when the
frogs cease to be a nuisance. Then they will go. (We are not told whether he spoke
through Aaron, his ‘mouth’. But he probably did).
“You may have this glory over me.” A triumphant statement. Pharaoh the god has
had to admit that Moses is more glorious and powerful than he, but Moses now
makes him a concession. He can be given a little ‘glory’, a little independence, in
choosing the time of the departure of the frogs. He can have his wounded pride
consoled.
“That you may know that there is none like Yahweh our God.” With Pharaoh
choosing the timing there could be no suggestion of trickery. It revealed that
Yahweh had total control over the frogs whenever He wished and could remove
them at any time.
“The frogs will depart.” Moses knows that it will happen but not how it will happen.
In the eventuality it was mainly through them dying (Exodus 8:13-14).
“From your houses.” All Pharaoh’s palaces were affected. He had had nowhere to
hide.
PULPIT, "Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me. Probably a phrase of ordinary
courtesy, meaning—"I submit to thy will have the honour of my submission." When
shall I intreat? Literally "For when"—i.e; "for what date shall I make my prayer to
God?" And so Pharaoh's answer is not "To-morrow," as in the Authorised Version,
but "For tomorrow." Thy houses. It would seem that the frogs had invaded more
than one palace of the Pharaoh. He had perhaps quitted Tanis, and gone to
Memphis, when the plague came; but the frogs pursued him there.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:9 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?
Ver. 9. Glory over me.] Or, Jeer me, andreject me, as thou hast done heretofore: but
when thou hast so done, thou must be beholden to me for my prayers, or thou art
like to lie under the plague, for aught that thy wizards can do to relieve and release
thee.

39. In the river only.] For a memento, that thou flinch not, nor forget thy promise. Quo
teneam vultus, &c. (a)
10 “Tomorrow,” Pharaoh said.
Moses replied, “It will be as you say, so that you
may know there is no one like the Lord our God.
GILL, "And he said, tomorrow,.... Which according to Bishop Usher was the twenty
sixth day of Adar, or February. It may seem strange that Pharaoh, and his people, being
so greatly distressed with this plague, should not desire that the Lord would be entreated
to do it immediately, and not put it off to another day: two reasons are usually given; one
is, he might hope that it would by that time go off of itself, and then he should not be
beholden to the Lord, nor to Moses; and the other is, that he thought an affair of this
kind could not be done immediately, but that it required time for making the
intercession, and performing rites and ceremonies, which he supposed might be used, as
were by his magicians; and it might be now the evening of the day, and therefore
deferred it till tomorrow:
and he said, be it according to thy word, as if he had said, it shall be done as thou
hast desired, and at the time fixed:
that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the Lord our God; that can
send plagues, and remove them at his pleasure, which the deities he worshipped, and the
magicians he employed, could not do.
K&D 10-15, "The king appointed the following day, probably because he hardly
thought it possible for so great a work to be performed at once. Moses promised that it
should be so: “According to thy word (sc., let it be), that thou mayest know that there is
not (a God) like Jehovah our God.” He then went out and cried, i.e., called aloud and
earnestly, to Jehovah concerning the matter (‫ר‬ ַ‫ב‬ ְ ‫ל‬ ַ‫)ע‬ of the frogs, which he had set, i.e.,
prepared, for Pharaoh (‫שׂוּם‬ as in Gen_45:7). In consequence of his intercession God took
the plague away. The frogs died off (‫ן‬ ִ‫מ‬ ‫,מוּת‬ to die away out of, from), out of the houses,
and palaces, and fields, and were gathered together by bushels (‫ים‬ ִ‫ר‬ ָ‫מ‬ ֳ‫ח‬ from ‫ר‬ ֶ‫ּמ‬‫ח‬, the
omer, the largest measure used by the Hebrews), so that the land stank with the odour of

40. their putrefaction. Though Jehovah had thus manifested Himself as the Almighty God
and Lord of the creation, Pharaoh did not keep his promise; but when he saw that there
was breathing-time (‫ה‬ ָ‫ח‬ָ‫ו‬ ְ‫,ר‬ ᅊνάψυξις, relief from an overpowering pressure), literally, as
soon as he “got air,” he hardened his heart, so that he did not hearken to Moses and
Aaron (‫ד‬ ֵ ְ‫כ‬ ַ‫ה‬ְ‫ו‬ inf. abs. as in Gen_41:43).
CALVI , "10.And he said, Tomorrow. If you refer this to Moses, there is ambiguity
in the sense; but, it being probable that they were Pharaoh’s words, I think that he
is asking for a respite till tomorrow, before he lets the people go. For they fall into
an absurdity, who think that he asked Moses to drive away the frogs by his prayers
on the morrow, as if Pharaoh went quietly to sleep, and put off the remedy of the
evil. There is, then, no pretence for understanding it, that Pharaoh, as if his mind
were quite tranquil and unmoved, desired to have his land delivered from the frogs
on the following day: but rather it means, that if he be released from this difficulty,
he promises the discharge of the people, but yet suspends it till the next day, for the
purpose of deceit. For there was no other reason for this procrastination, except
that, having obtained what he wanted, he might depart from his engagement, as he
actually did; but Moses, satisfied with this promise, undertakes to bring it about
that God should disperse the frogs; and this, I doubt not, was performed on the
same day. For this was the cause of the tyrant’s changing his determination, that, by
the interposition of the night, his fear departed. And, certainly, it is gathered from
the following words, that the frogs were soon after removed; for it is said that Moses
and Aaron prayed after they had gone out; which would be but little in accordance
with the notion, that the next day was waited for. It is not by any rash or
presumptuous impulse that Moses affirms that Pharaoh should obtain his desire;
because it appears from his success that he was assured of its being God’s will. Thus
often are the prophets, although no spoken revelation may intervene, directed
nevertheless by the secret inspiration of the Spirit. In this confidence, also, Moses
declares that Pharaoh should know that there is none other God to be compared
with the God of Israel. This, moreover, is the true knowledge of God, when
whatsoever lifts itself up to obscure His glory, is reduced to its proper level, and
every high thing yields or is cast down, so that He alone may be exalted.
BE SO , "Exodus 8:10. And he said, To-morrow — But why not to-day? Why not
immediately, since all men naturally desire to be instantly relieved of their
sufferings? Probably, he hoped that this night they would go away of themselves,
and then he should get clear of the plague, without being obliged either to God or
Moses. Or, considering what imperfect notions he must have had of God, we may
suppose he thought it utterly impossible to remove such a plague in an instant; and
therefore desired Moses to do it to-morrow, presuming that was the very soonest he
could accomplish such an event, by whatever power assisted. Moses joins issue with
him upon it. Be it according to thy word — It shall be done just when thou wouldest
have it done; that thou mayest know — That, whatever the magicians pretend to,
there is none like Jehovah our God — one has such a command as he has over all

41. creatures, nor is any so ready to forgive those that humble themselves before him.
The great design both of judgments and mercies is to convince us that there is none
like the Lord our God; none so wise, so mighty, so good; no enemy so formidable, no
friend so desirable, so valuable. And in particular, the great point intended by all
the plagues brought on Egypt was, that not only Pharaoh, but all the earth might
know that the God of Israel, the Creator of heaven and earth, could do every thing;
that all things were in his hand; that all the powers of nature, in whatever shape or
being, were no more than laws of his establishing, which he could, with infinite ease,
suspend or alter in whatsoever manner he pleased. And this is the God we profess to
serve: what confidence and trust ought we then to have in him, and what high
conceptions ought we to entertain of him!
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:10 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.
Ver. 10. To morrow.] Cras vat corvina. "Today, if ye will hear his voice." ow is the
day of grace, &c.; procrastination is perilous. Hannibal, when he could have taken
Rome, would not: when he would, could not. So, εις αυριον τα σπουδαια, said that
fool. Let serious matters alone till tomorrow; but he was slain that night. (a)
“ emo tam divos habuit faventes,
Crastinum ut possit sibi policeri. ”
{a} Plutarch.
COKE, "Exodus 8:10. And he said, To-morrow— othing could tend more strongly
to prove that Jehovah was the sole author of these miraculous punishments, than the
permission given to Pharaoh to choose his own time for the removal. Indeed
Pharaoh had no sooner fixed upon the time, than Moses leads him to this reflection:
He said, be it according to thy word; that thou mayest know, that there is none like
unto the Lord our God. Some have been very anxious to find out a reason why
Pharaoh should choose the morrow, rather than the present day, for the removal of
the frogs: whereas the Hebrew, agreeable to the marginal translation, expresses his
desire of an instantaneous removal. It should be rendered, and he said, against to-
morrow; ‫למחר‬ lemachar; i.e. let them be instantly removed.
11 The frogs will leave you and your houses, your
officials and your people; they will remain only in

42. the ile.”
GILL, "And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from
thy servants, and from thy people,.... Signifying there should be a full and clear
riddance of them:
they shall remain in the river only; the river Nile.
12 After Moses and Aaron left Pharaoh, Moses
cried out to the Lord about the frogs he had
brought on Pharaoh.
GILL, "And Moses and Aaron went from Pharaoh,.... To the place where they
used to pray to the Lord, and meet with him, and receive messages from him; this they
did the same day the plague was inflicted, the day before the morrow came when the
frogs were to be removed:
and Moses cried unto the Lord: prayed unto him with great fervency, and with a
loud voice, most fervently entreating that the frogs might be removed on the morrow, as
he had promised, that so he might not be covered with shame and confusion before
Pharaoh; his faith of the miracle being wrought did not hinder the use of prayer to God
for it:
because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh; as an army: or
"put upon" (z) him, as a judgment on him; or rather the sense is, as it may be rendered,
"because of the business of the frogs, which he had proposed or promised to Pharaoh"
(a); that is, for the taking of them away, he had proposed to Pharaoh to fix the time when
he should entreat the Lord for the removal of them; and he having fixed on the morrow,
Moses promised it should be done according to his word; and now he is importunate
with the Lord, that it may be done as he had promised.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:12 And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses
cried unto the LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh.
Ver. 12. And Moses cried unto the Lord.] ot for Pharaoh’s conversion; for he

43. knew he was past cure; but for his deliverance from the present plague, that the
power of God might be the more manifested, and the tyrant’s conscience the more
convinced.
COFFMA , "Verses 12-15
"And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto Jehovah
concerning the frogs which he had brought upon Pharaoh. And Jehovah did
according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the
courts, and out of the fields. And they gathered them together in heaps; and the land
stank. But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and
hearkened not unto them,' as Jehovah had spoken."
These verses recount the removal of the plague. The frogs did not merely vanish,
they died! What a smell of death must have gone up from all Egypt! Heaps upon
heaps of dead frogs everywhere! o one could deny that the plague had occurred,
for the evidence remained afterward, and what a clean up that must have been!
ow Pharaoh had specifically promised that he would let the people go; "But he
was more impressed by his own relief than by the power of God, and he forgot his
promise."[13]
"But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite ..." This literally means "a taking of
breath," or "a breathing place."[14] But Keil captured the full implications of the
passage thus: "As soon as he `got air' he hardened his heart."[15] Keil has
frequently been quoted by others in this rendition.
LA GE, "Exodus 8:12 [ Exodus 8:16] seq. Gnats. ‫ִם‬‫נּ‬ִ‫כּ‬ or ‫ִים‬‫נּ‬ִ‫כּ‬. Josephus, the
Rabbins, [the A. V.], and Luther render: “lice.” The LXX, σκνῖφες; the Vulg,
sciniphes. Very small, painfully stinging gnats, crawling on the skin, and even in the
nose and ears. They are very abundant in Egypt. The dust marks the transition
from the mire to the time of drought. The transformation of the dust into gnats is a
symbolic Acts, like the transformation of water into blood. They come out of the
dust, and fly around like the dust, too small to measure or to seize. Keil says: “The
gnats come out of the eggs laid in the dust or ground by the preceding generation.…
The miracle consists in both cases not in an immediate creation, but in the pre-
announcement, and the corresponding sudden creative (?) generation and
supernatural (?) increase of these animals.” Out of the eggs, and at the same time
supernatural—this is discordant.
PETT, "Exodus 8:12-14
‘And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried out to Yahweh
concerning the frogs which he had brought on Pharaoh, and 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. And they gathered them together in heaps and the land gave off a

44. stench.’
Moses cried to Yahweh and the frogs died out. Moses ‘cried out’. The expression is
strong. It was one thing to know that the frogs would go, another to have selected a
particular time. And Yahweh honoured his prayer.
The narrative is practical. The frogs do not hop back into the ile. It is probable
that, unknown to anyone but Yahweh, the frogs were diseased. Their contact with
the microcosms in the ile and the dead and rotting fish had probably infected
them. They may well, among other things, have had anthrax. Thus their death
would be sudden. But again the main miracle lies in quantity and timing, and the
latter fitting in to Pharaoh’s request.
“And they gathered them together into heaps and the land gave off a stench.” The
Egyptians hated the stench, but little did they realise that these heaps were a time
bomb waiting to go off.
13 And the Lord did what Moses asked. The frogs
died in the houses, in the courtyards and in the
fields.
BAR ES, "Villages - Literally, enclosures, or courtyards.
GILL, "And the Lord did according to the word of Moses,.... He heard his
prayers, and fulfilled what he had promised Pharaoh:
and the frogs died out of the houses, and out of the villages, and out of the
fields; the word for "villages" signifies "courts" (b), and may be so rendered here; and
the sense is, that they not only died out of their dwelling houses, but out of their
courtyards, and even out of their gardens, orchards, and fields, so that there were none
near them to give any manner of trouble and offence. And their dying, and remaining
dead upon the spot, were clear proofs that they were real frogs that were produced, and
not in appearance only, as the frogs of the magicians might be; God could have caused
them to return to the river from whence they came, or have annihilated them, or
removed them out of sight in an instant; but the killing of them, and letting them lie
dead, proved the truth of the miracle, and gave apparent evidence of it both ways, both
in the bringing and removing them.

45. BE SO , "Exodus 8:13-14. The frogs died. And they gathered them on heaps —
God could as easily have dissolved them into dust, but he would have them to lie
dead before their eyes, as a token that they were real frogs and no illusion, and as a
testimony of his wonderful power.
ELLICOTT, "Verse 13-14
(13, 14) The frogs died.—God, who knew the heart of Pharaoh, and its insincerity,
or at any rate its changefulness, took the plague of frogs away in a manner that
made its removal almost as bad as its continuance. The frogs did not return into the
river; neither were they devoured by flights of cranes or ibises. They simply died—
died where they were—in thousands and tens of thousands, so that they had to be
“gathered upon heaps.” And “the land stank.” In the great plague of frogs
mentioned by Eustathius (see the comment on Exodus 8:1-4) it was the stench of the
frogs after they were dead which caused the people to quit their country.
14 They were piled into heaps, and the land
reeked of them.
CLARKE, "They gathered them together upon heaps - The killing of the frogs
was a mitigation of the punishment; but the leaving them to rot in the land was a
continual proof that such a plague had taken place, and that the displeasure of the Lord
still continued. The conjecture of Calmet is at least rational: he supposes that the plague
of flies originated from the plague of frogs; that the former deposited their ova in the
putrid masses, and that from these the innumerable swarms afterwards mentioned were
hatched. In vindication of this supposition it may be observed, that God never works a
miracle when the end can be accomplished by merely natural means; and in the
operations of Divine providence we always find that the greatest number of effects
possible are accomplished by the fewest causes. As therefore the natural means for this
fourth plague had been miraculously provided by the second, the Divine Being had a
right to use the instruments which he had already prepared.
GILL, "And they gathered them together upon heaps,.... Swept them up, and
laid them in heaps out of the way:
and the land stank; with the stench of the dead frogs, which was another proof and
evidence of the reality of the miracle; and that dead frogs will cause such an ill smell
appears from the above account of what befell the inhabitants of Paeonia and Dardania,

46. unless that should be the same with this, only the names of places and some
circumstances altered; See Gill on Exo_8:16.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:14 And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land
stank.
Ver. 14. And the land stank.] As once this land also did by those unclean frogs that
came out of the Pope’s mouth. [Revelation 16:3] But England is now no more a
babe, said King Henry VIII, in his protestation against the Pope: (a) there is no man
here but now he knows that they do foolishly that give gold for lead, &c. Surely,
except God take away our right wits, not only the Pope’s authority shall be driven
out for ever, but his name also shall shortly be forgotten in England, &c. Thus he,
and much more to like purpose. God hath promised to take away the unclean spirit
out of the land. [Zechariah 13:2] Fiat, fiat. Surely the society of ungodly men,
whether Papists or atheists, is unsavoury and tedious, like the slime and filth that is
congealed, when frogs and toads and other vermin join together.
COKE, "Exodus 8:14. And they gathered them together upon heaps— This was a
sadly convincing proof to the Egyptians that this was no deception, but a true
miracle; and that the reptiles thus miraculously brought upon them were real. The
ingenious Calmet is of opinion, that the corruption of these frogs occasioned the
following plague of flies, which he supposes to have laid their eggs there in such
abundance, as to produce the swarms after-mentioned. For though, says he, these
plagues may justly be reckoned supernatural as to the manner in which they were
effected, yet God made the previous disposition of nature and second causes
subservient to his design.
REFLECTIO S.— The seven days of the first plague being expired, God brings a
second. He has many arrows in his quiver. But, 1. He sends to beg his people's
deliverance, for Pharaoh's sake as well as theirs; for God delighteth not in the death
of a sinner. He adds threats to his entreaty, but in vain. Hereupon, 2. The plague is
inflicted. The frogs come up, as an invading army; no place is free, not even their
beds and kneading-troughs. ote; When God pursues the guilty conscience of the
sinner, even his bed cannot give him rest, nor his meals be in quiet. 3. The magicians
imitate or aggravate the judgment. It is a bad power, which we had better be
without, only to be able to do hurt. 4. Pharaoh now at last begins, for a moment, to
relent. Moses and Aaron are called: he begs their prayers, and promises to let the
people go. In times of suffering, many will call for the help and prayers of those
whom before they despised. 5. We have Moses's prayer, and the success of it. ote;
(1.) If we must pray for our persecutors, how much more for those who give us
hopes of penitence. (2.) The prayer of faith is wonderfully effectual. 6. Pharaoh's
impenitence: no sooner respited than again hardened. Like his, are most sick-bed
promises, that with returning health are all forgotten. either God's patience, nor
his judgments, will savingly convert the sinner's heart, if he submit not to Divine
Grace. The more smitten, the more spared; the more impenitent.
LA GE. "Exodus 8:14 [ Exodus 8:18]. The scribes.‫ים‬ִ‫מּ‬ֻ‫ט‬ ְ‫ַר‬‫ח‬. Of the three forms of

47. designation, ‫ִים‬‫פ‬ ְ‫ַשּׁ‬‫ב‬ְ‫מ‬ sorcerers, ‫ים‬ִ‫מ‬ָ‫כ‬ֲ‫ח‬ wise men, and ‫ים‬ִ‫מּ‬ֻ‫ט‬ ְ‫ַר‬‫ח‬ἱερογραµµατεῖς, Egyptian
scribes, attached to the court, interpreters of hieroglyphic writings, the chief one is
here selected, making the expression of their impotence the stronger. They cannot
imitate this miracle. Why not? Knobel says: Because, according to the writer’s view,
this was a case involving the production of creatures. Keil: Because God’s
omnipotence in the case of this miracle put a check upon the demoniacal forces
which the sorcerers had employed. Strange that the characteristic mark of magic
wonders is again continually overlooked. The agency of Satan consists in lying
forces and signs and miracles. Satan, in all that he says ( Matthew 4) is the liar. If we
take Exodus 8:13 literally, we might say that Moses had already transformed all the
dust of Egypt into gnats, and that hence there was no dust left for them to work
miracles on. But it is more obvious to assume that in this case they found the
deception harder, or rather, that they were seized with a religious terror, and now
declared to Pharaoh that they could go with him no further, in order to induce him
to retrace his steps. This seems to be implied in their declaration: “This is the finger
of God.” According to Bochart this means: nos non cohibent Moses et Aaron, sed
divina vis, ulrisque major. Keil adds: “If they had meant the God of Israel, ‫יהוה‬
would be used.” But did they know Jehovah? And did they not also, as Egyptian
priests, refer all their doings to the influence of the Godhead? According to Kurtz,
by “finger” they meant an indication [Fingerzeig], a warning of the Egyptian gods
themselves. Keil, on the other hand, finds in the finger of God simply an expression
of creative omnipotence, as in Psalm 8:4, 3]; Luke 11:20; Exodus 31:18. Yet the
educating wisdom of God is emphasized, especially in Exodus 31:18. The recognition
of the fact that God’s finger displayed itself is the prelude of the perception of His
strong hand and His outstretched arm. Therefore the phrase cannot be intended to
designate either the gods of Egypt, who could not possibly, in the mind of the
priests, take part with Moses and Aaron, or the God of Israel according to the
Egyptian notion of Him, but only the deity, as conceived by a general overpowering
religious feeling.
15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he
hardened his heart and would not listen to Moses
and Aaron, just as the Lord had said.
GILL, "But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite,.... From his affliction, as
the Targum of Jonathan adds; the plague was removed, and he found himself and his

48. people at ease: or there was a "breathing" (c); before he and his people were so
oppressed, that they could scarce breathe, but now being delivered from the judgment
on them with which they were straitened, were enlarged and at liberty, and in easy
circumstances: he hardened his heart; See Gill on Exo_7:14.
and hearkened not unto them; to Moses and Aaron, to let the children of Israel go,
as they had required, and he had promised:
as the Lord had said; had foretold that he would not hearken to them, nor let Israel
go as yet.
HE RY, " What was the issue of this plague (Exo_8:15): When Pharaoh saw there
was a respite, without considering either what he had lately felt or what he had reason
to fear, he hardened his heart. Note, 1. Till the heart is renewed by the grace of God, the
impressions made by the force of affliction do not abide; the convictions wear off, and
the promises that were extorted are forgotten. Till the disposition of the air is changed,
what thaws in the sun will freeze again in the shade. 2. God's patience is shamefully
abused by impenitent sinners. The respite he gives them, to lead them to repentance,
they are hardened by; and while he graciously allows them a truce, in order to the
making of their peace, they take that opportunity to rally again the baffled forces of an
obstinate infidelity. See Ecc_8:11; Psa_78:34, etc.
CALVI , "15.Blot when Pharaoh saw. Hence it appears that the wretched tyrant,
like a winding serpent, twisted and turned his mind to crooked counsels; for when
he was trembling beneath the present feeling of God’s power, he dared not
obstinately resist any longer; he only sought a little breathing time; now, being freed
from fear, he returns to his former contumacy. But this is a sign of a perverse and
crooked disposition, not to submit willingly, but to pay only a temporary deference,
when necessity is more than usually urgent. God foreknew, and had foretold to
Moses, that this perfidy was hidden in the recesses of his heart; but he was willing to
bring it to light, and therefore remitted the punishment; and hence was the
opportunity for dissembling.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened
his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
Ver. 15. But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite.] Heb., A breathing, or
respiration. So fulfilling that of the prophet Isaiah, Isaiah 26:10. In like sort William
Rufus, being dangerously sick at Gloucester, in the sixth year of his reign, vowed,
upon his recovery, to see all vacancies in the Church furnished: which he did, but
with so much ado, as showed, that having escaped the danger, he would gladly have
deceived the saint; (a) like the man in Erasmus’s aufragium, who in a storm
promised the Virgin a picture of wax as big as St Christotpher: but when he came to
shore would not give a tallow candle! Thus, in the sweating sickness ministers were
sent for, and large promises made of amendment: but no sooner were they
recovered, but they returned to their old courses, as Mr Bradford complaineth:

49. whence Pliny, in one of his epistles to one who desired rules from him how to order
his life aright, I will, saith he, give you one rule, that shall be instead of a thousand,
Ut tales esse perseveremus sani, quales nos futuros esse profitemur infirmi: That we
go on to be such when well, as we promised to be when sick. Men roar when upon
the rack: but once got off, they think they may do as they wish.
ELLICOTT, "Verse 15
(15) When Pharaoh saw that there was respite.—Hebrew, a breathing space.
He hardened his heart.—Hitherto Pharaoh’s nature had not been impressed; his
heart had remained dull, callous, hard. ow an impression had been made (Exodus
8:8), and he must have yielded, if he had not called in his own will to efface it.
Herein was his great guilt. (See the comment on Exodus 4:21.)
EXPOSITOR'S DICTIO ARY, "Exodus 8:15
I expected every wave would have swallowed us up, and that every time the ship fell
down, as I thought, in the trough or hollow of the sea, we should never rise more;
and in this agony of mind I made many vows and resolutions, that if it would please
God here to spare my life this one voyage, if ever I got once my foot upon dry land
again, I would go directly home to my father, and never set it into a ship again while
I lived.... These wise and sober thoughts continued all the while the storm continued,
and indeed some time after; but the next day the wind was abated and the sea
calmer, and I began to be a little inured to it.... In a word, as the sea was returned to
its smoothness of surface and settled calmness by the abatement of that storm, so the
hurry of my thoughts being over, my fears and apprehensions of being swallowed
up by the sea being forgotten, and the current of my former desires returned, I
entirely forgot the vows and promises that I made in my distress.
—Defoe, Robinson Crusoe (chap. I.)
PETT, "Exodus 8:15
‘But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite he hardened his heart (‘made his
heart heavy’) and did not listen to them, just as Yahweh had said.’
Pharaoh’s word proved not to be reliable. Once he thought the menace was gone,
and realised they were somehow managing to cope with the problems of the red ile
(although many of his subjects may have disagreed with him) he changed his mind.
But the listener is assured that this was all in the plan, it was ‘just as Yahweh had
said’. Little did Pharaoh realise that another menace was already building up and
would come without warning.
All men have times when they are forced to turn their thoughts towards God, and
when they seek God’s help. It is at such times that their destinies are determined.
Either they become grateful and continually responsive to Him, or like Pharaoh they

50. choose to forget Him as soon as the problem is behind them. Either they warm
towards Him continually or their hearts are hardened. In this way they determine
their own judgment and destiny, just as Pharaoh was doing now. Many of the
Pharisees would later do it with Jesus. Jesus described it as being in danger of
blaspheming against the Holy Spirit at work through Him. Here Pharaoh was doing
the same to Yahweh in the light of His clear signs. That is why Yahweh can later
harden him.
PULPIT, "When Pharaoh saw that there was respite. Literally, "a taking of
breath," i.e; "a breathing-space." He hardened his heart. He became hard and
merciless once more, believing that the danger was past, and not expecting any fresh
visitation. As Isaiah says—"Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not
learn righteousness" (Isaiah 26:10). Bad men "despise the riches of God's goodness
and forbearance, and long-suffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth
them to repentance." In this way, they "treasure up to themselves wrath against the
day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God" (Romans 2:4,
Romans 2:5), either in this world or in the world to come. As the Lord had said. See
Exodus 3:19; Exodus 4:21; Exodus 7:4.
The Plague of Gnats
16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron,
‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the
ground,’ and throughout the land of Egypt the
dust will become gnats.”
BAR ES, "It is observed by Hebrew commentators that the nine plagues are divided
into three groups: distinct warnings are given of the first two plagues in each group; the
third in each is inflicted without any previous notice; namely, the third, lice, the sixth,
boils, the ninth, darkness.
The dust of the land - The two preceding plagues fell upon the Nile. This fell on the
earth, which was worshipped in Egypt as the father of the gods. An special sacredness
was attached to the black fertile soil of the basin of the Nile, called Chemi, from which
the ancient name of Egypt is supposed to be derived.
Lice - The Hebrew word occurs only in connection with this plague. These insects are

51. generally identified with mosquitos, a plague nowhere greater than in Egypt. They are
most troublesome toward October, i. e. soon after the plague of frogs, and are dreaded
not only for the pain and annoyance which they cause, but also because they are said to
penetrate into the body through the nostrils and ears.
CLARKE, "Smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice - If the vermin
commonly designated by this name be intended, it must have been a very dreadful and
afflicting plague to the Egyptians, and especially to their priests, who were obliged to
shave the hair off every part of their bodies, and to wear a single tunic, that no vermin of
this kind might be permitted to harbor about them. See Herod. in Euterp., c. xxxvii., p.
104, edit. Gale. Of the nature of these insects it is not necessary to say much. The
common louse is very prolific. In the space of twelve days a full-grown female lays one
hundred eggs, from which, in the space of six days, about fifty males and as many
females are produced. In eighteen days these young females are at their full growth, each
of which may lay one hundred eggs, which will be all hatched in six days more. Thus, in
the course of six weeks, the parent female may see 5,000 of its own descendants! So
mightily does this scourge of indolence and filthiness increase!
But learned men are not agreed on the signification of the original word ‫כנים‬ kinnim,
which different copies of the Septuagint render σκνιφες, σκνιπες, and σκνηπες, gnats; and
the Vulgate renders sciniphes, which signifies the same.
Mr. Harmer supposes he has found out the true meaning in the word tarrentes,
mentioned by Vinisauf, one of our ancient English writers; who, speaking of the
expedition of King Richard I. to the Holy Land, says, that “while the army were marching
from Cayphas to Caesarea, they were greatly distressed every night by certain worms
called tarrentes, which crept on the ground, and occasioned a very burning heat by most
painful punctures; for, being armed with stings, they conveyed a poison which quickly
occasioned those who were wounded by them to swell, and was attended with the most
acute pain.” All this is far fetched. Bochart has endeavored to prove that the ‫כנים‬ kinnim
of the text may mean lice in the common acceptation of the term, and not gnats. 1.
Because those in question sprang from the dust of the earth, and not from the waters. 2.
Because they were both on men and cattle, which cannot be spoken of gnats. 3. Because
their name comes from the radix ‫כון‬ kun, which signifies to make firm, fix, establish,
which can never agree to gnats, flies, etc., which are ever changing their place, and are
almost constantly on the wing. 4. Because ‫כנה‬ kinnah is the term by which the
Talmudists express the louse, etc. See his Hierozoicon, vol. ii., c. xviii., col. 571. The
circumstance of their being in man and in beast agrees so well with the nature of the
acarus sanguisugus, commonly called the tick, belonging to the seventh order of insects
called Aptera, that I am ready to conclude this is the insect meant. This animal buries
both its sucker and head equally in man or beast; and can with very great difficulty be
extracted before it is grown to its proper size, and filled with the blood and juices of the
animal on which it preys. When fully grown, it has a glossy black oval body: not only
horses, cows, and sheep are infested with it in certain countries, but even the common
people, especially those who labor in the field, in woods, etc. I know no insect to which
the Hebrew term so properly applies. This is the fixed, established insect, which will
permit itself to be pulled in pieces rather than let go its hold; and this is literally ‫באדם‬
‫ובבהמה‬ baadam ubabbehemah, in man and in beast, burying its trunk and head in the flesh
of both. In woodland countries I have seen many persons as well as cattle grievously

52. infested with these insects.
GILL, "And the Lord said unto Moses,.... On the twenty seventh day of the month,
according to Bishop Usher, the same day the flogs were removed; no warning is given
him of the next plague, at least there is no account of any:
say unto Aaron, stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land; in some
one part of the land, that place nearest to him where there was a quantity of dust; for it
cannot be imagined that he should smite all the dust of the land in every part of it, but
smiting one part served for the whole:
that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt: not gnats, as some, nor
flies, as others, but lice, though perhaps not of the common and ordinary sort, but new
and extraordinary, and it may be of different sorts, suitable to different creatures.
HE RY 16-17, "Here is a short account of the plague of lice. It does not appear that
any warning was given of it before. Pharaoh's abuse of the respite granted to him might
have been a sufficient warning to him to expect another plague: for if the removal of an
affliction harden us, and so we lose the benefit of it, we may conclude it goes away with a
purpose to return or to make room for a worse. Observe,
I. How this plague of lice was inflicted on the Egyptians, Exo_8:16, Exo_8:17. The
frogs were produced out of the waters, but these live out of the dust of the earth; for out
of any part of the creation God can fetch a scourge, with which to correct those that rebel
against him. He has many arrows in his quiver. Even the dust of the earth obeys him.
“Fear not then, thou worm Jacob, for God can use thee as a threshing instrument, if he
please,” Isa_41:14, Isa_41:15. These lice, no doubt, were extremely vexatious, as well as
scandalous, to the Egyptians. Though they had respite, they had respite but awhile, Rev_
11:14. The second woe was past, but behold the third woe came very quickly.
JAMISO , "Exo_8:16-19. Plague of Lice.
smite the dust of the land, etc. — 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.
K&D, "The Gnats, or the third plague. - The ‫ם‬ִ ִⅴ, or ‫ים‬ ִⅴ (also ‫ם‬ָ ִⅴ, probably an old
singular form, Ewald, §163f), were not “lice,” but σκνሏφες, sciniphes, a species of gnats,
so small as to be hardly visible to the eye, but with a sting which, according to Philo and
Origen, causes a most painful irritation of the skin. They even creep into the eyes and
nose, and after the harvest they rise in great swarms from the inundated rice-fields. This
plague was caused by the fact that Aaron smote the dust of the ground with his staff, and
all the dust throughout the land of Egypt turned into gnats, which were upon man and
beast (Exo_8:17). “Just as the fertilizing water of Egypt had twice become a plague, so

53. through the power of Jehovah the soil so richly blessed became a plague to the king and
his people.”
CALVI , "16.And the Lord said unto Moses. In this place again, as before, Aaron is
commanded to act as the inferior of Moses in punishing the tyrant; and this as being
more ignominious than as if Moses alone had been employed. The nature of this
third plague is very remarkable. God troubles Egypt not only with frogs, but with
lice; for although the Hebrews are not entirely agreed as to the ‫,כנם‬ kinim, yet they
admit that they were little animals or insects, which produced shame together with
annoyance even to the meanest of men. We see then how magnificently God
trampled upon the pride of Egypt, by inflicting a punishment full of affront and
disgrace; for although it would have been painful to sink under a powerful and
warlike enemy, yet was it far more sad to be basely destroyed by lice. or can we
doubt that God prepared such an army as this, principally that He might openly
manifest how easily He can bring to nought in derision all earthly strength and
power. And surely, unless the Egyptians had been something more than stupid and
beside themselves, this calculation would have come into their minds; what would
hereafter happen, if the Maker of heaven and earth should apply Himself to their
destruction with all His might, when they perceived themselves to be wasted away in
this almost ludicrous contest with Him? But let us learn from this history, that all
creatures are ready at God’s lightest command, whenever He chooses to make use of
them to chastise His enemies; and again, that no animal is so vile and contemptible
as not to have the power of doing injury when God employs it; and, finally, that
reprobates obtain this at last by their proud doings, viz., that they are, with the
greatest infamy, made to yield to the worms themselves, or to lice.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:16 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.
Ver. 16. Stretch out thy rod.] Here is no warning given; which shows great wrath.
Impenitency makes God "weary of repenting." [Jeremiah 15:6] Absolute in his
threatenings, if any; resolute in his executions, as Deuteronomy 29:19-20.
COFFMA , "Verses 16-19
PLAGUE III
"And Jehovah said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the
dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And they
did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the
earth, and there were lice upon many, and upon beast; all the dust of the earth
became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And the Egyptians did so with their
enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: and there were lice upon man,
and upon beast. 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 Jehovah
had spoken."

54. This plague was preceded by no warning, and was therefore more easily related by
Pharaoh to his welching on his promise to let the people go. In this quality of being
without warning, this plague corresponds to Plagues VI (the boils) and IX (the
darkness).
"All the dust of the earth ..." This expression, like many others in the Bible, is
hyperbole for the sake of emphasis. o one who endured the plague could possibly
have found any fault with this statement of the extent of it.
"And there were lice ..." The term rendered "lice" in our version is actually
uncertain in meaning and has been rendered in various ways, as follows:
It is rendered as "gnats" in the RSV, the Catholic ew American Bible, and the
Berkley version.
It is given as "maggots" in the ew English Bible.
It is translated "mosquitoes" in the Jerusalem Bible.
It appears in a word meaning "fleas" in the Septuagint (LXX).[16]
"Adam Clarke was certain that it means the tick, basing his conclusion on (1) their
being said to be in man and beast (the tick buries its head in the victim), and (2) the
meaning of the root word here, which is to make firm, fix or establish (which ticks
most assuredly do).[17] It is interesting that some very recent scholars also favor this
view. Ellison also understood the term to mean ticks."[18]
Apparently, one may take his choice as to the meaning of the word here given as
lice. Whatever they were, the plague they caused was devastating. The Egyptians
did not like it; the magicians could not duplicate it; and it could not possibly be
attributed to anything in heaven or on earth except to "the finger of God."
"The finger of God ..." "This need not imply that the magicians recognized Jehovah
as the God who wrought the marvel."[19] "This is confirmed by the fact that they
speak of [~'ªlohiym], a god, not of Jehovah the God of Israel."[20] Of course, the use
of a capital letter for God is misleading. The magicians were merely admitting that
the plague was supernatural and beyond their power of imitation.
"Pharaoh's heart was hardened ..." For discussion of this, see under Exodus 4:21,
above.
COKE, "Exodus 8:16. The Lord said unto Moses— We observed on Exodus 8:1 that
God, in mercy, was pleased to warn Pharaoh of his judgments before they came: but
now, he having notoriously falsified his promise, and shewed a disposition which
would not be reclaimed, God orders Moses to bring a third plague, without any sort
of warning. The word ‫כנים‬ kinnim, which we render lice, signifies a species of

55. insects. LXX, σκνιπες, or σκνιφες. So the Vulgate, sciniphes or cyniphes, gnats.
Origen describes them as winged insects, but so small as to escape any but the
acutest sight; and says; that when settled on the body, they pierce it with a most
sharp and painful sting. So that these insects seem to have their name from their
settling or fixing upon the bodies of men and beasts, and eating into the contexture
or substance of them. I have no doubt but they were of some of those species which
the Egyptians worshipped as their representative gods; and so, probably, of the
cantharides, scaraboeus, or beetle kind. See Parkhurst on the word, and the next
note. Bochart strongly supports the idea which our version gives us. If they were
lice, they were, most probably, of a kind peculiarly offensive; and, considering the
cleanliness for which the Egyptians were so famous, one cannot conceive a more
noisome and grievous plague to them than this, in the single view of neatness,
separate from its other inconveniences.
CO STABLE, "Verses 16-19
Gnats (the third plague) 8:16-19
The Hebrew word translated "gnats" (kinnim) probably refers not to lice or fleas
but to gnats. Kaiser suggested that mosquitoes may be in view. [ ote: Kaiser, "
Exodus ," p353.] The frogs had invaded the Egyptians" homes, but the gnats
afflicted their bodies.
They were ". . . a species of gnats, so small as to be hardly visible to the eye, but with
a sting which, according to Philo and Origin, causes a most painful irritation of the
skin. They even creep into the eyes and nose, and after the harvest they rise in great
swarms from the inundated rice fields." [ ote: Keil and Delitzsch, 1:483.]
"The dust . . . became gnats" ( Exodus 8:17) probably means that the gnats rose
from the dust, resembled the dust in that they were so small, and were as numerous
as the dust. Moses evidently used the language of appearance (here a metaphor).
The magicians failed to reproduce this miracle ( Exodus 8:18). They had to confess
that it was of divine origin and not the result of Moses and Aaron"s human ability.
The "finger of God" ( Exodus 8:19) is a phrase denoting creative omnipotence in
Scripture ( Exodus 31:18; Psalm 8:3; Luke 11:20). It is probably another
synecdoche as well as an anthropomorphism (a depiction of God in human terms).
Here the finger of God, a part, represents the totality, namely, all His power. See 1
Samuel 6:9 and Psalm 109:27 where the "hand of God" also pictures His power.
"The new element introduced in the account of the third of the mighty acts is the
realization by Pharaoh"s learned men that God or a god is in the midst of what is
happening in Egypt." [ ote: Durham, p109.]
"At this point in the narrative we, the readers, see that the Egyptian magicians were
using tricks in their earlier signs. Their confession plays an important role in
uncovering the writer"s real purpose in recounting these events." [ ote: Sailhamer,
The Pentateuch . . ., p255.]

56. The magicians gave credit to "God" (Elohim), not Yahweh. They did not ascribe
this miracle to the God of the Israelites but were only willing to say it had some
supernatural origin.
"It is not clear against what specific deities this particular plague was directed. It is
entirely possible, however, that the plague was designed to humiliate the official
priesthood in the land, for it will be noted in Exodus 8:17 that these creatures
irritated both man and beast, and this included "all the land of Egypt." The priests
in Egypt were noted for their physical purity. Daily rites were performed by a group
of priests known as the Uab or "pure ones." Their purity was basically physical
rather than spiritual. They were circumcised, shaved the hair from their heads and
bodies, washed frequently, and were dressed in beautiful linen robes. [ ote: Montet,
p177.] In the light of this it would seem rather doubtful that the priesthood in Egypt
could function very effectively having been polluted by the presence of these insects.
They, like their worshipers, were inflicted with the pestilence of this occasion. Their
prayers were made ineffective by their own personal impurity with the presence of
gnats on their bodies.
"The priests in Egypt were a group of people to be reckoned with not only
religiously but economically and politically. They controlled to a large degree, the
minds and hearts of the people." [ ote: Davis, p103.]
The Egyptian priests wore animal masks representing various gods to help the
people understand the god the mask portrayed and his activities. [ ote: Arelene
Wolinski, "Egyptian Masks: the Priest and His Role," Archaeology40:1 (January-
February1987):22-29.] This practice continues in some pagan religions even today.
ELLICOTT, "THE THIRD PLAGUE. (16, 17)
It is to be noticed that the third plague, whatever it was, came without warning. It
was God’s judgment on Pharaoh for hardening his heart and breaking his promise
(Exodus 8:15); and he was not given the option of avoiding it by submission to
God’s will.
(16) Smite the dust of the land.—Dust prevails in Egypt to an extent that is highly
inconvenient. “We travelled to Ashmim.” says one writer, “through clouds of dust,
raised by a high wind, which intercepted our view as much as if we had been
travelling in a fog.” “There is one great source of discomfort,” says another, “arising
from the dryness of the atmosphere, namely, an excessive quantity of dust.” When
“all the dust of the land became mosquitoes” (Exodus 8:17), the plague must indeed
have been great.
EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE COMME TARY, "THE THIRD PLAGUE.
Exodus 8:16-19.

57. There is no sufficient reason for discarding the ordinary opinion of this plague.
Gnats have been suggested (with beetles instead of flies for the fourth, since gnats
and flies would scarcely make two several judgments), but these, which spring from
marshy ground, would unfitly be connected with the dust whence Aaron was to
evoke the pest. Sir Samuel Baker, on the other hand, has said of modern Egypt that
"it seemed as if the very dust were turned into lice" (quoted in Speaker's
Commentary in loco).
Two features in this plague deserve attention. It came without any warning
whatever. The faithless king who gave his word and broke it found himself involved
in fresh miseries without an opportunity of humbling himself again. He was flung
back into deep waters, because he refused to fulfil the terms upon which he had
been extricated.
It must be understood that the act of Aaron was a public one, performed in the sight
of Pharaoh, and instantly followed by the plague. There was no doubt about the
origin of the pest, and the new and alarming prospect was opened up of calamities
yet to come, without a chance to avert them by submission.
Again, it will be observed that the magicians are utterly baffled just when there is
no warning given, and therefore no opportunity for pre-arranged sleight of hand.
And this surely favours the opinion that they had not hitherto succeeded by
supernatural assistance, for there is no such evident reason why infernal aid should
cease at this exact point.
It is a mistake to suppose that thereupon they confessed the mission of the brothers.
In their agitation they admitted that, on their part at least, no divinity had been at
work before. But they rather ascribed what they saw to the action of some vaguely
indicated deity, than confessed it to be the work of Jehovah. Again it has to be asked
whether this resembles more the vainglorious structure of a myth, or the course of a
truthful history.
evertheless, their grudging and insufficient avowal was meant to induce a
surrender. But "Pharaoh's heart was strong, and he hearkened not unto them." To
this statement it is not added, "because the Lord had hardened him," for this had
not even yet taken place; but only, "as the Lord had spoken."
LA GE, "D.—The blood-sucking gad-fly
Exodus 8:16-28 [ Exodus 8:20-32]
16 20] And Jehovah said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before
Pharaoh: lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus17 21]saith
Jehovah, Let my people go, that they may serve me. Else [For] if thou wilt not let my
people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies [send the 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 [full of the flies], 18 22]and also the ground whereon

58. they are. And I will sever [separate] in that day the land of Goshen, in which my
people dwell, that no swarms of flies [no flies] shall be there: to the end thou mayest
know that I:19 23] am Jehovah in the midst of the earth [land]. And I will put a
division between20 24]my people and thy people: tomorrow shall this sign be. And
Jehovah did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies [came grievous flies] into
the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt;
the land was corrupted [was like to be destroyed[F 13]] by reason of the swarm of
flies [the flies].
21 25]And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to22
26]your God in the land. And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall
[should] sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God; lo, shall we
[if we should] sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their23 27]eyes, and
will they [eyes, would they] not stone us?[F 14] We will go three days’ journey into
the wilderness, and sacrifice to Jehovah our God, as he shall24 28]command us. And
Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to Jehovah your God in the
wilderness: only ye shall not go very far away: 25 29]entreat for me. And Moses
said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat Jehovah that the swarms of flies
may [and the flies will] depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his
people, to-morrow; but [only] let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not
letting the people go to sacrifice26 30]to Jehovah. And Moses went out from
Pharaoh and entreated Jehovah27 31]And Jehovah did according to the word of
Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies [the flies] from Pharaoh, from his
servants, and from his people; there28 32]remained not one. And Pharaoh hardened
his heart at this [heart this] time also, neither would he [and he did not] let the
people go.
LA GE, "Exodus 8:16 [ Exodus 8:20] sqq. The gnats are followed by a worse
plague, called ‫ֹב‬ ‫ָר‬‫ע‬. This definite phrase cannot signify “all kind of vermin” (Luther,
πάµµυια, Sym.). The LXX. render κυνόµυια, “dog-fly,” by which is to be understood
the larger species of flies, the blood-sucking gad-fly, as is especially to be seen in the
plague of the cattle (vid. Hengstenberg, Egypt, etc., p116). Raphael Hirsch: “beast of
the desert.” There is no reason why the adjective ‫ֵד‬‫ב‬ָ‫כּ‬, Exodus 8:20, should not be
rendered literally, the heavy (grievous) dog-fly. If ‫ֵד‬‫ב‬ָ‫כּ‬ is to convey the notion of
multitude, this must also be indicated by the substantive. Moreover, the attributive
“numerous” would rather weaken than strengthen the thought. umerous flies!
[F 15]—In this plague two new factors enter: (1) It is expressly noticed that the
laud of Goshen, i.e., Israel, shall be exempt from this plague. (2) This time, without
the symbolic use of Moses’ rod, the visitation is announced only, and announced by
Jehovah as His own act. Moses and Aaron are already sufficiently accredited as
messengers of God; now their God will manifest Himself more definitely as the God
of Israel, Jehovah, as He is also at the same time the God (Elohim) absolutely, and,
therefore, also in the midst of Egypt.
PETT, "Verses 16-19
The Third Plague - The Plague of Insects (Exodus 8:16-19).

59. This can be analysed as follows:
a Aaron was to stretch out his staff and smite the dust so that it became insects
(Exodus 8:16).
b Aaron did so and there were insects all over Egypt on both man and beast
(Exodus 8:17).
b The magicians sought to imitate it but could not, and they said ‘this is the
finger of God’ (Exodus 8:18-19 a).
a And Pharaoh’s heart was hardened and he did not listen to them as Yahweh
had said (Exodus 8:19 b).
The basic lessons from the parallels is that in ‘a’ Aaron reveals his obedience and
manifests the power of Yahweh and in contrast Pharaoh hardens his heart and
refuses to listen. In ‘b’ the lesson is that the insects all over Egypt, ‘produced’ by
Aaron, are declared, even by the magicians, to be the finger of God. They admitted
that what Aaron did they could not do. Central to the whole incident is the failure of
the magicians to imitate God’s wonders in contrast to the previous ‘successes’. They
had to admit that Yahweh was greater than their gods.
PETT, "Exodus 8:16-17
‘And Yahweh said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and smite the
dust of the earth that it may become insects throughout all the land of Egypt’.” And
they did so, and Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and smote the dust of
the earth, and there were insects on both man and beast. All the dust of the earth
became insects throughout all the land of Egypt.’
This time there was no warning. We do not know where the eggs came from. They
may have come down the ile with the red earth, or they may have come from the
dead frogs, or they may have been latent in the soil, or all three, but known only to
Yahweh the land was covered with insect eggs waiting to hatch. And when Aaron
stretched out his staff, hatch they did. He ‘smote the dust of the earth’. This would
be done in full sight of important Egyptians. It was necessary that they recognised
that what followed came from Yahweh.
“All the dust of the earth became insects.” This was how it seemed to the
participants. The language is pictorial, not literal. Everywhere they looked insects
were there, proliferating among the dust. The whole land seemed alive with them.
“Insect.” The word ‘ken’ may cover a number of types of insects. The rotting
carcasses of the fish and frogs, and what they contained, could encourage many
forms of insect life to develop, as might excessive deposits of the red earth which
may have brought insect eggs with them. Insects proliferated throughout the land.
These might include lice and also the tick, an eight-legged arthropod and
bloodsucking parasite and carrier of disease, as well as fleas.
PULPIT, "THE THIRD PLAGUE. The breach of promise on the part of Pharaoh
(Exodus 8:15), was punished by the third plague, which was inflicted without being
announced. It is disputed among the best critics, whether the plague was really one

60. of "lice"(as given in the Authorised Version) or of mosquitoes. To the present writer
the arguments in favour of mosquitoes seem to preponderate; and he believes the
kinnim to represent those subtle pests. Such is the view of the LXX. translators, of
Philo, Artapanus, Origen, Rosenmuller, Gesenins, Geddes, Boothroyd, Keil, and
Kalisch. Mosquitoes are, under ordinary circumstances, a terrible annoyance in
Egypt, when the inundation is going off, especially about October. Their power to
annoy is witnessed to in ancient times by Herodotus (2.95), Philo, and St. Augustine;
in modem by Wilkinson and others. That Aaron was ordered to produce them out of
"the dust of the land," whereas mosquitoes come from larvae deposited in stagnant
waters (Cook), is only a proof that God can transform any kind of matter into any
other. He who made man of the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7) could with still
greater ease have transformed that dust into gnats. It is undoubtedly remarkable
that the magi-clans could not produce the kinnim; but this disability does not help
us to determine what exactly the kinnim were. Conceivably, the magicians were
tired of the contest, and feeling that they would ultimately be worsted in it,
withdrew before the circumstances compelled them to withdraw.
Exodus 8:16
Lice. Kinnim—the word is only found here and in the Psalms which celebrate the
Exodus (Psalms 78:46; Psalms 105:31). It was understood as "lice"by Josephus, the
Talmudical writers, Bochart, Pool, and our translators in the reign of James I. But
the great weight of authority is in favour of the rendering "gnats" or "mosquitoes."
See the preceding paragraph. It must also be berne in mind that the nearest
Egyptian equivalent, khennems, has the signification of mosquito.
17 They did this, and when Aaron stretched out
his hand with the staff and struck the dust of the
ground, gnats came on people and animals. All the
dust throughout the land of Egypt became gnats.
GILL, "And they did so,.... As follows:
for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod; as directed and ordered:

61. and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man and in beast;
which shows it was a miraculous operation, since lice do not usually spring from dust,
but thrive in the sweat of bodies, and the nastiness of them, through sloth and idleness;
and moreover, this was like the creation of man at first, which was out of the dust of the
earth, and alike the effect of almighty power:
all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt; that is,
the greatest part of it, not that every atom of dust became lice, nor was the land of
Goshen, in which the Israelites dwelt, infected with this plague, unless where any of the
Egyptians were; though Dr. Lightfoot (d) thinks, that lice were in Goshen as in other
parts of Egypt, there being no severing between Goshen and Egypt mentioned until the
next plague; and since Israel had partook of many of the sins of Egypt, they must partake
of some of her punishments; and he thinks this is the reason that the plague of lice is not
reckoned among the plagues of Egypt in Psa_78:44 because it was common to Israel,
and to the Egyptians, and which is the sense of Aben Ezra on Exo_7:24. The account that
Artapanus (e), the Heathen historian, gives of this plague, is this;"Moses smote the earth
with a rod, and produced a certain flying animal, which greatly distressed the Egyptians,
and raised ulcers in their bodies, which no physicians could cure.''And so Origen (f)
describes this creature as"having wings and flying in the air, but so subtile and minute as
to escape the eye, unless very sharp sighted; but when it lights upon a body, it stings
most bitterly, so that what a man cannot see flying, he feels stinging.''Both seem to
design the gnat, but this sort of vermin do not stick in and abide with men or beasts, as
these here are said to do, but buzz about and bite, and then are gone.
BE SO , "Exodus 8:17. The frogs were produced out of the waters, but the lice out
of the dust of the earth; for out of any part of the creation God can fetch a scourge
wherewith to correct those that rebel against him. This plague was probably sent
because it would be peculiarly grievous to the Egyptians, as being a very cleanly
people. According to Herodotus, their priests were wont to shave or scrape their
whole bodies every third day, lest any lice should breed upon them.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:17 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.
Ver. 17. All the dust of the land became lice.] Or, gnats. Quid cniphe villus? saith
Philo; what so base and vile a creature as a louse, a gnat? And yet by this poor
vermin God so plagued all Egypt, that fainting under it, they were forced to cry out,
"This is the very finger of God." Ciniphes sunt muscae minutisslmae, aculeis
permolestae, saith Rupert. Others say, that here are meant pediculi inguinales, crab
lice; Honos set auribus.
COKE, "Exodus 8:17. All the dust of the land became lice— Owen observes, that
the earth was another object of the Egyptians' worship, to which they addressed
their solemn devotion, and offered the first products of the year, as the donor of
their corn, grain and fruit, and the author of their sustenance. To make them
sensible, therefore, that the earth did not put forth those life-sustaining productions
(for which they adored it with mistaken gratitude) by an independent virtue of its

62. own, but only in consequence of the Divine establishment; to make them sensible of
this, I say, God reversed the nature of its productions, causing it to bring forth lice
throughout all the land. Before, they were nourished by what the earth produced;
now, they are destroyed by it. "And because they had gone astray so very far in the
ways of error, as to hold the cattle of the field, yea, noisome beasts, reptiles, and
insects, for gods:" therefore the former were killed by a murrain; and a mixture of
the latter was sent to torment them; "that they might know that wherewithal a man
sinneth, by the same also shall he be punished." See Wisdom of Solomon 11:15-16.
18 But when the magicians tried to produce gnats
by their secret arts, they could not.
Since the gnats were on people and animals
everywhere,
CLARKE, "The magicians did so - That is, They tried the utmost of their skill,
either to produce these insects or to remove this plague; but they could not, no juggling
could avail here, because insects must be produced which would stick to and infix
themselves in man and beast, which no kind of trick could possibly imitate; and to
remove them, as some would translate the passage, was to their power equally
impossible. If the magicians even acted by spiritual agents, we find from this case that
these agents had assigned limits, beyond which they could not go; for every agent in the
universe is acting under the direction or control of the Almighty.
GILL, "And the magicians did so with their enchantments, to bring forth
lice,.... They made use of their magical art, and juggling tricks they were masters of, to
produce the like sort of creatures, or at least to make such appear, or seem to appear, to
the eyes of men:
but they could not; God would not suffer them to do it, to impose upon Pharaoh, and
deceive him and the Egyptians any longer; and a stop is put to them, when such small
and despicable creatures were produced, the more to put them to shame and confusion,
and to show that what they did before was not real, and that what they did in appearance
was only by divine permission:
so there were lice upon man and upon beast; these lay in great numbers on both,

63. biting and distressing them in a most terrible manner; for as the magicians could not
produce such creatures, it was not in their power to remove them.
HE RY, "How the magicians were baffled by it, Exo_8:18. They attempted to imitate
it, but they could not. When they failed in this, it should seem they attempted to remove
it; for it follows, So there were lice upon man and beast, in spite of them. This forced
them to confess themselves overpowered: This is the finger of God (Exo_8:19); that is,
“This check and restraint put upon us must needs be from a divine power.” Note, 1. God
has the devil in a chain, and limits him both as a deceiver and as a destroyer; hitherto he
shall come, but no further. The devil's agents when God permitted them, could do great
things; but when he laid an embargo upon them, though but with his finger, they could
do nothing. The magicians' inability, in this less instance, showed whence they had their
ability in the former instances which seemed greater, and that they had no power against
Moses but what was given them from above. 2. Sooner or later God will extort, even
from his enemies, an acknowledgment of his own sovereignty and over-ruling power. It
is certain they must all (as we say) knock under at last, as Julian the apostate did, when
his dying lips confessed, Thou hast overcome me, O thou Galilean! God will not only be
too hard for all opposers, but will force them to own it.
K&D 18-19, "“The magicians did so with their enchantments (i.e., smote the dust
with rods), to bring forth gnats, but could not.” The cause of this inability is hardly to be
sought for, as Knobel supposes, in the fact that “the thing to be done in this instance,
was to call creatures into existence, and not merely to call forth and change creatures
and things in existence already, as in the case of the staff, the water, and the frogs.” For
after this, they could neither call out the dog-flies, nor protect their own bodies from the
boils; to say nothing of the fact, that as gnats proceed from the eggs laid in the dust or
earth by the previous generation, their production is not to be regarded as a direct act of
creation any more than that of the frogs. The miracle in both plagues was just the same,
and consisted not in a direct creation, but simply in a sudden creative generation and
supernatural multiplication, not of the gnats only, but also of the frogs, in accordance
with a previous prediction. The reason why the arts of the Egyptians magicians were put
to shame in this case, we have to seek in the omnipotence of God, restraining the
demoniacal powers which the magicians had made subservient to their purposes before,
in order that their inability to bring out these, the smallest of all creatures, which seemed
to arise as it were from the dust itself, might display in the sight of every one the
impotence of their secret arts by the side of the almighty creative power of the true God.
This omnipotence the magicians were compelled to admit: they were compelled to
acknowledge, “This is the finger of God.” “But they did not make this acknowledgment
for the purpose of giving glory to God Himself, but simply to protect their own honour,
that Moses and Aaron might not be thought to be superior to them in virtue or
knowledge. It was equivalent to saying, it is not by Moses and Aaron that we are
restrained, but by a divine power, which is greater than either” (Bochart). The word
Elohim is decisive in support of this view. If they had meant to refer to the God of Israel,
they would have used the name Jehovah. The “finger of God” denotes creative
omnipotence (Psa_8:3; Luk_11:20, cf. Exo_31:18). Consequently this miracle also made
no impression upon Pharaoh.
CALVI , "18.And the magicians did so. They “did” is here put for “they tried to

64. do;” for they did not succeed, as presently appears. They are therefore said to have
done, what they in vain attempted, or what they essayed, but without success. And
in this way God took away from Pharaoh whatever excuse remained, under pretext
of being deceived; for although he had previously himself sought for these
deceptions, still his obstinacy was not without color of excuse, as long as the
magicians rivaled Moses in the contention; but when he sees their art fail, he
professedly sets himself in opposition to God. Although it was not with reference to
him alone that God restrained these impostors, but He exposes them to the ridicule
of all, in order to assert altogether for Himself alone the glory of perfect power.
Hence we gather how well, according to His inestimable wisdom, He represses
whatever license He for a time permits to the ministers of Satan; for when, by
bearing with their audacity, He has sufficiently proved the faith of His people, He
compels them to stop abruptly, as it were, that they may sink in confusion, and
“proceed no further,” as Paul says, when recounting this history. (2 Timothy 3:9.)
BE SO , "Exodus 8:17. The frogs were produced out of the waters, but the lice out
of the dust of the earth; for out of any part of the creation God can fetch a scourge
wherewith to correct those that rebel against him. This plague was probably sent
because it would be peculiarly grievous to the Egyptians, as being a very cleanly
people. According to Herodotus, their priests were wont to shave or scrape their
whole bodies every third day, lest any lice should breed upon them.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:18 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.
Ver. 18. But they could not.] Though they endeavoured it, as did the magician of
Antwerp, who, being required by the English merchants there to play his feats and
show his cunning, after much sweating and toil, when he saw that nothing could go
forward, but that all his enchantments were void, was compelled openly to confess
that there was some man there at supper which disturbed and hindered all his
doings. This was Mr Tyndale the martyr, who, hearing of this magician, had desired
certain of the merchants that he might be present to see him play, (a) &c.
COKE, "Exodus 8:18. And the magicians did so, &c.— This verse is not accurately
translated. The clause at the end manifestly points out its true meaning, so there
were lice upon man, and upon beast; indicating to us, what is the true sense of the
passage, that the magicians endeavoured not to bring forth, but to draw off, or take
away, the lice; which they were utterly unable to do: so the lice continued upon man
and beast. The verse therefore should be rendered, and the magicians endeavoured,
with their inchantments, to take away, or remove, the lice; and they could not: so
there were lice upon man and upon beast. In which view the passage is plain, and
the context clear; as this certainly was a reasonable trial of the magicians' power,
and, as we find, a trial which compelled them to acknowledge the finger of God,
Exodus 8:19. The LXX evidently lead to this translation which we have given: for
they use the word εξαγαγειν, to remove or dispel. See Trommius's Concordance.
And the Chaldee, Syriac, and other versions have it, to draw off, expel. And, in this

65. sense, all the speculations of commentators, why the magicians were not able to
produce lice, as they had done frogs, &c. before, are vain and superfluous.
ELLICOTT, "(18) The magicians did so—i.e., tried to do so—took moist earth, and
dried it, and pulverised it, and tried the effect of their magic charms upon it, but.
failed to produce mosquitoes, as Aaron had done. Mosquitoes were things too
delicate to be caught, and manipulated, and produced at a given moment by sleight-
of-hand. The magicians tried to produce a counterfeit of the miracle, but could not.
Then they excused themselves to their master with the words, “This is the finger of a
god.”
PETT, "Exodus 8:18
‘And the magicians performed with their enchantments to produce insects, but they
could not. And there were insects on man and on beast.’
The magicians tried to emulate the production of the tiny insects but the dust just
would not change and insects so small were difficult to conjure with. And in the end
they gave up. In fact they themselves could not get away from them. They were on
man and beast. ot only could they not use their conjuring to produce them, they
had no way of avoiding them. They were uncontrollable.
PULPIT, "The magicians did so with their enchantments. The magicians stretched
out their rods over certain collections of dust, but no gnats were produced; which
would be the natural result, if they had made no secret arrangements. o reason can
be assigned why they should not have seemed to produce gnats, as easily as frogs, if
they had employed all the arts of which they were masters in so doing. But events
had convinced them that they could not cope with Moses and Aaron; and it would
seem that they therefore declined further contest,
19 the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the
finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hard and
he would not listen, just as the Lord had said.
BAR ES, "The finger of God - This expression is thoroughly Egyptian; it need not
imply that the magicians recognized Yahweh, the God who performed the marvel. They
may possibly have referred it to as a god that was hostile to their own protectors.

66. CLARKE, "This is the finger of God - That is, The power and skill of God are here
evident. Probably before this the magicians supposed Moses and Aaron to be conjurers,
like themselves; but now they are convinced that no man could do these miracles which
these holy men did, unless God were with him. God permits evil spirits to manifest
themselves in a certain way, that men may see that there is a spiritual world, and be on
their guard against seduction. He at the same time shows that all these agents are under
his control, that men may have confidence in his goodness and power.
GILL, "Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, this is the finger of God,....
This is to be ascribed to a power superior to human, to a divine power; so long as they
could do something similar, or impose upon the senses of men, and make them believe
they did the like, they would not acknowledge divine omnipotence; but when they no
longer could deceive the sight of Pharaoh and the Egyptian, then they own the effects of
a superior power: and this they did partly to detract from the power of Moses and Aaron,
because they would not have them pass for more skilful persons in the magic art than
themselves; and therefore suggest, that this was done not by virtue of any human skill
and art, but by the power of the Supreme Being; and partly to detract from the honour of
the God of Israel; for they do not say this is the finger of Jehovah, whom they accounted,
as Dr. Lightfoot (g) observes, as a petty trivial god, but this is the finger of Elohim, the
Supreme Deity. It is conjectured by some (h), that in memory of this plague the Egyptian
priests scrape their whole bodies, lest there should be a louse or any unclean thing on
them when they worship their gods, as Herodotus (i) relates:
and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; either
not unto the magicians owning the hand of God, and his divine power in the plague
inflicted; or to Moses and Aaron demanding the dismission of the people of Israel, which
latter seems to be confirmed by the usual phrase, as follows:
as the Lord had said; see Exo_7:4.
CALVI , "19.Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh. It is probable that they were
reproved harshly, because they had come to a stop in their rivalry with the servants
of God; wherefore they excuse themselves by saying, that there is no more room for
their wisdom and magical arts. We gather from hence that they had so been able to
delude by their sorceries, that they thought themselves very good and praiseworthy
artificers of deception. For on no other account had the people accounted them wise
than because they had themselves first attained this confidence; therefore they
oppose the finger of God to their subtlety and skill, as much as to say, that there is
no longer any question as to the excellence of their art, but that whatever could be
required from astrologers and masters of juggling, was now brought to nought by
the extraordinary power of God. They do indeed contradict themselves; because
what could have been their object in contending with Moses and Aaron, except they
had boasted that God was on their side? But if they had been acting under the
auspices of God, how ridiculous was it to confess that those, whom they had before
opposed, were their superiors, and to accord them the praise of the victory, because
they were endued with power from God? We see then how infatuated they were
with all their cunning. But in the meantime we must recollect what I have lately

67. glanced at, that they not only led others into error, but were also deceived, because
they thought there was some science in the deceptions of their magic; as now-a-days
we see that the fortune-tellers and other impostors, who call themselves judicial
astrologers, so pride themselves in their follies, as to have no hesitation in taking the
first rank amongst the learned. Besides, ambition itself impelled the magicians to
say, that God wrought by the hand of Moses; for they were ashamed to confess that
any human being excelled them in wisdom. But the confession was extorted from
them, that they might greatly magnify the glory of the one true God, and at the same
time bear witness to the legitimate vocation of Moses; for if the power of God is
manifested conspicuously in Moses, it follows that he is a true and divine Prophet.
But, because He does not equally work in them, but brings their efforts to confusion,
it may thence be concluded that they are enemies of God. That they should have
contended unsuccessfully, and have been foiled in the midst of their attempts, was
sufficient to restrain their vanity; but this was much worse, that they should make
out God to be the enemy of their art. It is true that they spoke this inconsiderately,
because they only wished to consult their own fame, and to defend the false honors
of their learning; but it pleased God thus to convict them, so that Pharaoh should
perceive that he had entered into contention with the living God, and not with two
ordinary men. As to the form of expression, it is clearly metaphorical; for in Luke’s
Gospel the Spirit is called “the finger of God,” (Luke 11:20;) as likewise, in many
passages, the same Spirit is intended by “the hand of God.” Still, we must mark the
reason, lest any unlearned person should take it literally, as if the Spirit, who truly
is Eternal God, were but some portion of the Divinity. (94) But since the magicians
were compelled at length to recognise God’s power in the miracle, our folly will be
worse than base if this same consideration does not obtain with us. Although it
becomes us to acknowledge the hand of God in two ways; for neither when He acts
by means, (as it is called,) does He detract from Himself at all; and, therefore, His
hand may be seen with the eyes of faith in the whole course of nature; but, since He
stirs up our indifference by miracles, therein it shines forth more conspicuously.
Because, however, we shall soon see that the magicians did not therefore repent of
their folly, let us learn sincerely and cordially to humble ourselves beneath God’s
powerful hand, as soon as it appears. That Pharaoh, when deserted by the
magicians, did not cease at all from his obstinacy, is a proof to us that, however
wickedness may seek for its support in different directions, still the corruption is
implanted within, which is of itself at enmity with God.
BE SO , "Exodus 8:19. This is the finger of God — The devil’s agents, when God
permitted them, could do great things; but when he laid an embargo upon them they
could do nothing. And their inability in this instance might have shown them
whence they had their ability in the former instances, and that they had no power
against Moses but what was given them from above. But Pharaoh’s heart was
hardened — By himself and the devil. Though he saw his magicians baffled, yet he
could not prevail on himself to let the Israelites go. His kingly pride, the desire of
detaining so many people in slavish dependance and subjection to him, and, above
all, his superstitious prejudices, so blinded his mind that he still remained obdurate.
Perhaps he yet considered Moses as a mere magician, like his own, only somewhat

68. more expert in his art.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:19 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.
Ver. 19. This is the finger of God.] An act of omnipotency, as Luke 11:20, Psalms
8:3. "The heavens are the work of God’s fingers." Deus disponit membra pulicis et
culicis, saith Augustine.
And he hearkened not to them.] either to Moses, nor to his own magicians, being
akin to the catadupes that dwell at the fall of his river ile, and are deaf.
COKE, "Exodus 8:19. This is the finger of God— The finger of A God, as some
would have it. This is the immediate power and work of God. See Luke 11:20
compared with Matthew 12:28. 1 Samuel 6:9. Psalms 109:27.
REFLECTIO S.— The vilest and most despicable of the creatures, when sent from
God, are sufficient to plague the proudest. The frogs are gone, and Pharaoh at ease.
But now without warning,
1. The lice come upon him: nor man nor beast is free from these loathsome
intruders. They who will not repent of their sins shall be plagued for them.
2. The magicians are baffled in their attempts. The devil can go no farther than his
chain. They are made to own the finger of God. Thus the most inveterate of God's
enemies have oft-times bore testimony to his glory.
3. Pharaoh's determined hardness of heart. When God gives a man up to a
reprobate mind, nothing can save him.
ELLICOTT, "(19) The finger of God.—Rather, of a goal. The magicians meant to
say, “This is beyond the power of man: it is supernatural; some god must be helping
Moses and Aaron.” They did not mean to profess a belief in One God.
Pharaoh’s heart was hardened.—The mosquitoes did not impress Pharaoh as the
frogs had done (Exodus 8:8-15). His heart remained hard. He had no need to harden
it by an act of his will. Probably the visitation affected him but little, since he would
possess mosquito curtains, and could inhabit the loftier parts of his palace, which
would be above the height whereto the mosquito ascends (Herod, ii. 95).
PARKER, ""And he hearkened not unto them."— Exodus 8:19.
The man spoken of is Pharaoh, and the men to whom reference is made were his
own magicians.—There came a time in the spiritual history of Pharaoh when he
declined the teaching of his own monitors in this matter.—Paganism has its

69. difficulties as well as Christianity. It must not be supposed that the Christian is the
only religion which is disbelieved: Pharaoh gave up his own magicians.—Men
sometimes give the lie to nature, disobeying every one of her laws, and seeking to
invent universes of their own.—It is not uncommon also for experience to be
dismissed by men who have imagined that its lessons are narrow and insufficient or
hesitating in their moral deductions.— ot only have nature and experience been
thus deposed, but history itself has been treated as an idle tale.—When nature,
experience, and history have had to suffer these things at the hands of their
supposed followers, what wonder if the men who have treated such teachers so
should have treated the Gospel message with contempt and spurning?—When a
man treats all teachers in so high-handed a manner, he assumes practical
godhead.—We are not at liberty to conduct our own education without hint or
service from others.—If we take to this course, we shall conduct ourselves towards
exhaustion.—The wise learner looks outward, upward, Godward, insisting that his
earth shall be warmed by no meaner fire than the sun.
PETT, "Exodus 8:19
‘Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of a god.” And Pharaoh’s
heart was hardened (was strong) and he did not listen to them just as Yahweh had
said.’
The magicians had to cover up for their inability. They had to confess that this was
beyond them and could only be imputed to a divine source. But still Pharaoh was
obstinate, ‘just as Yahweh had said’. ot aware of the dangers of disease that could
follow he did not think these as bad as the frogs. At least they were not in his bed.
“The finger of a god.” In Egyptian texts we find reference to the "finger of Seth"
and "the finger of Thoth". This was thus a typically Egyptian way of expressing the
situation. We would say, ‘God must have had a hand in this’. ote the use of ‘God’.
They were not thinking of Yahweh specifically, but of the divine.
The sad thing about this episode is that those who professed to be experts in religion
were as much in the dark as those whom they sought to lead. It was a case of the
blind leading the blind. The magician priests could have admitted the greatness of
God openly and called on Pharaoh to repent. How it might have changed history.
But instead they nodded their heads wisely and declared that what was happening
was a religious mystery. The world is full of people who claim to be religious
experts, and who nod their heads wisely and assure each other how wise they are.
But unless they respond to the revealed word of God their wisdom is nothing. Like
these magician priests they simply utter platitudes forgotten by the next generation.
Furthermore, like these magician priests they may gain a great reputation in the
world and be lauded to the skies, but it will all prove useless and empty unless they
come to and respond to the word of God.
PULPIT, "The magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God. Or "of a
God." It is not probable that the magicians believed in a single God, or intended in
what they said to express any monotheistic idea. All that they meant to say

70. was—"This is beyond the power of man—it is supernatural—some god must be
helping the Israelites." o doubt they had come to this conclusion by a careful
scrutiny of all the miracles hitherto wrought by Aaron. He hearkened not unto
them. The magicians were minded to resist no longer; but Pharaoh was otherwise
minded. It is quite possible that the mosquito plague did not greatly annoy him. He
would probably possess lofty apartments above the height to which the mosquito
ascends (Herod. 2.95); or he may have guarded himself by mosquito curtains of the
finest Egyptian muslin. His subjects would naturally suffer from such a plague far
more than he. As the Lord had said. See the comment on the same phrase in Exodus
8:11
The Plague of Flies
20 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in
the morning and confront Pharaoh as he goes to
the river and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord
says: Let my people go, so that they may worship
me.
BAR ES, "Cometh forth to the water - See the Exo_7:15 note. It is not
improbable that on this occasion Pharaoh went to the Nile with a procession in order to
open the solemn festival, which was held 120 days after the first rise, at the end of
October or early in November. At that time the inundation is abating and the first traces
of vegetation are seen on the deposit of fresh soil.
The plague now announced may be regarded as connected with the atmosphere, also
an object of worship.
GILL, "And the Lord said unto Moses, rise up early in the morning,.... Of the
day following, the twenty eight of Adar, or February, according to Bishop Usher; this was
the fittest time to meet with Pharaoh, and the most likely to make impressions on him:
and stand before Pharaoh: meet him as he comes along, and stop him, and stand
before him as having something to say to him; this was using great boldness and

71. freedom with a king; but as Moses was ordered to do it by the King of kings, it became
him to obey him:
lo, he cometh forth to the water; See Gill on Exo_7:15.
and say unto him, thus saith the Lord, let my people go, that they may serve
me; which had often been required before, but to no purpose, and in case of refusal he is
threatened as follows.
HE RY, "Here is the story of the plague of flies, in which we are told,
I. How it was threatened, like that of frogs, before it was inflicted. Moses is directed
(Exo_8:20) to rise early in the morning, to meet Pharaoh when he came forth to the
water, and there to repeat his demands. Note, 1. Those that would bring great things to
pass for God and their generation must rise early, and redeem time in the morning.
Pharaoh was early up at his superstitious devotions to the river; and shall we be for more
sleep and more slumber when any service is to be done which would pass well in our
account in the great day? 2. Those that would approve themselves God's faithful servants
must not be afraid of the face of man. Moses must stand before Pharaoh, proud as he
was, and tell him that which was in the highest degree humbling, must challenge him (if
he refused to release his captives) to engage with any army of flies, which would obey
God's orders of Pharaoh would not. See a similar threatening, Isa_7:18, The Lord will
hiss (or whistle) for the fly and the bee, to come and serve his purposes.
JAMISO 20-24, "Exo_8:20-24. Plague of flies.
Rise up early ... Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water, etc. — 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 (Psa_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.
K&D 20-22, "As the Egyptian magicians saw nothing more than the finger of God in
the miracle which they could not imitate, that is to say, the work of some deity, possibly
one of the gods of the Egyptians, and not the hand of Jehovah the God of the Hebrews,
who had demanded the release of Israel, a distinction was made in the plagues which
followed between the Israelites and the Egyptians, and the former were exempted from
the plagues: a fact which was sufficient to prove to any one that they came from the God
of Israel. To make this the more obvious, the fourth and fifth plagues were merely
announced by Moses to the king. They were not brought on through the mediation of

72. either himself or Aaron, but were sent by Jehovah at the appointed time; no doubt for
the simple purpose of precluding the king and his wise men from the excuse which
unbelief might still suggest, viz., that they were produced by the powerful incantations of
Moses and Aaron.
Exo_8:20-22
The fourth plague, the coming of which Moses foretold to Pharaoh, like the first, in the
morning, and by the water (on the bank of the Nile), consisted in the sending of “heavy
vermin,” probably Dog-Flies. ‫ּב‬‫ר‬ ָ‫,ע‬ literally a mixture, is rendered κυνόµυια (dog-fly) by
the lxx, πάµµυια (all-fly), a mixture of all kinds of flies, by Symmachus. These insects are
described by Philo and many travellers as a very severe scourge (vid., Hengstenberg ut
sup. p. 113). They are much more numerous and annoying than the gnats; and when
enraged, they fasten themselves upon the human body, especially upon the edges of the
eyelids, and become a dreadful plague. ‫ד‬ ֵ‫ב‬ ָⅴ: a heavy multitude, as in Exo_10:14; Gen_
50:9, etc. These swarms were to fill “the houses of the Egyptians, and even the land
upon which they (the Egyptians) were,” i.e., that part of the land which was not
occupied by houses; whilst the land of Goshen, where the Israelites dwelt, would be
entirely spared. ‫ה‬ ַ‫ל‬ ְ‫פ‬ ִ‫ה‬ (to separate, to distinguish in a miraculous way) is conjugated with
an accusative, as in Psa_4:4. It is generally followed by ‫ין‬ ֵ (Exo_4:4; Exo_11:7), to
distinguish between. ‫ד‬ ַ‫מ‬ ָ‫:ע‬ to stand upon a land, i.e., to inhabit, possess it; not to exist, or
live (Exo_21:21).
CALVI , "20.And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early. As Pharaoh advances
in daring rashness, so does God on the other hand proceed to restrain his
impetuosity by opposing impediments. This is what the wicked at length obtain by
long and multiplied contention, that having received many wounds they perish by
various torments. With respect to the command that Moses should meet Pharaoh,
when he shall go down in the morning to the river-side for his pleasure, it is
uncertain whether God would have the tyrant encountered in public, because the
palace was difficult of access; although it seems probable to me, that a place was
chosen in which the proceeding would be more manifest, and where the voice of His
messenger would be more clearly heard. Therefore, that nothing might be done
secretly, Moses proclaims in open day, before the whole multitude, that judgment of
God, which immediately afterwards took effect. But here no mention is made of the
rod, as in the former plagues; because God sometimes makes use of external
instruments, that we may know that all creatures are in His hand, and are wielded
according to His will; but sometimes acts independently of them, that we may know
that He needs no such assistance. This varied mode of action demonstrates that He
subjects all things to His empire as He pleases, and yet that He is contented with His
own power. This plague has some affinity to the two previous ones, inasmuch as its
infliction is attended with ignominy, which may put the tyrant to shame. The
Hebrew word ‫ערב‬,)95 ) g narob, means the same as the Latin “ examen insectorum,
” a swarm of insects. Many interpreters think that there was a mixture of various
kinds; and this I do not reject, since it is probable that their foul odour was
multiplied, so as almost to suffocate the tyrant. Those who explain it as describing
bears, lions, tigers, wolves, and other wild beasts, depart without any reason from

73. the genuine meaning of the word.
BE SO , "Exodus 8:20. Rise up early — Those that would bring great things to
pass for God and their generation must rise early, and redeem time in the morning.
Pharaoh was early up at his superstitious devotions to the river; and shall we be for
more sleep, and more slumber, when any service is to be done which would pass well
in our account in the great day?
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:20 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.
Ver. 20. Rise up early in the morning.] Sanctificat, sanat, ditat quoque surgere
mane. Early rising is good for health, wealth, and godliness. David "prevented the
dawning of the morning," &c. [Psalms 119:147] Christ "rose up a great while before
day." [Mark 1:35] {See Trapp on "Mark 1:35"}
COFFMA , "Verses 20-24
PLAGUE IV
"And Jehovah 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 Jehovah,
Let my people go, that they may serve me. 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. And I will set apart in that day the
land of Goshen, in which roy people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to
the end that thou mayest know that I am Jehovah in the midst of the earth. And I
will put a division between my people and thy people: by tomorrow shall this sign
be. And Jehovah 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."
There is a discernible and reasonable progress in these wonders. Two significant
developments distinguish this sign. (1) Moses in Plague III had been courteous to
Pharaoh, even offering him the choice and honor of saying when the frogs would be
destroyed, but in the announcement of this Plague, the formal obeisance which all
men customarily made when appearing before a mighty ruler was forbidden by the
Lord. It is not stated in the text that Moses had usually honored such a custom, but
the tenor of these words would seem to indicate a change. God said, "Stand before
Pharaoh!" Or Ha-Hayyim, a Jewish writer, has this to say:
"Being a man of great humility, Moses was accustomed to bow to all men in
greeting. Therefore the Lord found it necessary to command him `to stand before
Pharaoh.' `When thou goest before Pharaoh,' the Lord told Moses, `Stand erect
before him and do not bow to him in greeting, for thou art not to show him even the
slightest sign of respect.'"[21]

74. A second development (2) appears to have been in response to the statement of the
magicians, "This is the finger of God (a god)." Very well, God would make it clear
that it was not a god at all who did such wonders, but that it was Jehovah, the God
of Israel (Exodus 8:22)!
Observe also that the mention of the "houses" of Pharaoh and the "houses" of the
Egyptians (Exodus 8:21) confirms the view expressed above that more than one
house of Pharaoh suffered the visitations.
"Lo, he cometh forth to the water (Exodus 8:20) ..." It seems unquestionable that
these repeated visits of Pharaoh to the ile were due to his worship of that river as a
god, whose help he sought in the extremity that confronted him. It is especially
important that all of these plagues were leveled squarely against the pagan deities of
Egypt.
PLAGUE I was against the deified river ile. "The river was personified and
deified, Hapi being the name of the river as a god."[22] Several authors have
published drawings of this deity, depicted on the monuments as a man with huge,
elongated breasts, in a sitting position, holding a table, or altar, on which were vases
for libations, lotus flowers, and fruits, symbolizing the productivity of the ile.[23]
The change of its waters into blood was a forceful attack upon this Egyptian deity.
PLAGUE II, as we have already noted, was a devastating blow delivered against
Hekt, the frog-headed goddess of fertility!
PLAGUE III, caused by striking the dust of the earth, was of course a contradiction
and discrediting of Osiris, an "agricultural god."[24]
PLAGUE IV, which brought swarms of insects upon the people, was an effective
challenge and defeat of a whole host of sacred insects, especially the beetle,
especially, "the large, black, dung beetle, held sacred in ancient Egypt, as a symbol
of resurrection and fertility."[25]
"Swarms of flies ..." As in the case of the lice in Plague III, it is by no means certain
what these swarms were. "The Hebrew word for swarms means a mixture and may
signify the increase of all kinds of verminous scourges."[26] Since the Egyptian
pantheon included literally dozens of animals, birds, and insects, any increase of
living creatures of such dimensions as appeared in the plagues would have been a
disgrace to some of their pagan deities. Cook pointed out that this plague was also
connected with the atmosphere, in which the swarms appeared, "The atmosphere
also being an object of worship."[27] In spite of the general opinion that beetles,
especially, were meant here, we are inclined to accept the rendition of the Septuagint
(LXX) which translated the swarms as dog-flies, a sharp-biting fly actually capable
of killing animals when attacked by sufficient numbers, and which also inflicts very
painful bites upon human beings. The ordinary stock-fly in Texas is a species of it.
Our preference is based upon the fact that the Septuagint (LXX) was translated in
the very part of the world where this plague occurred. That the true meaning of the

75. passage is probably something like, "all kinds of flying insects," appears to be
supported by Psalms 78:45, which says, "He sent divers sorts of flies among them,
which devoured them."
"I will set apart ... the land of Goshen ..." The big thing in this passage, of course, is
the distinction which in this plague, for the first time, marks the exemption of Israel
from the general suffering. One should read the dissertations of the critics who
attempt to tell how this happened. As Ellison said, "Various naturalistic
explanations of how Goshen was spared have been offered, but since none carry
conviction, they can be ignored."[28]
CO STABLE, "Verse 20
5. The fourth, fifth, and sixth plagues8:20-9:12
"As the Egyptian magicians saw nothing more than the finger of God in the miracle
which they could not imitate, that is to say, the work of some deity, possibly one of
the gods of the Egyptians, and not the hand of Jehovah the God of the Hebrews ,
who had demanded the release of Israel, a distinction was made in the plagues
which followed between the Israelites and the Egyptians, and the former were
exempted from the plagues: a fact which was sufficient to prove to anyone that they
came from the God of Israel. To make this the more obvious, the fourth and fifth
plagues were merely announced by Moses to the king. They were not brought on
through the mediation of either himself or Aaron, but were sent by Jehovah at the
appointed time; no doubt for the simple purpose of precluding the king and his wise
men from the excuse which unbelief might still suggest, viz. that they were produced
by the powerful incantations of Moses and Aaron." [ ote: Keil and Delitzsch,
1:484.]
Verses 20-32
Flies (the fourth plague) 8:20-32
Moses announced this plague to Pharaoh like the first, in the morning near the ile
River ( Exodus 8:20; cf. Exodus 7:15).
These insects were very annoying, even more bothersome than the gnats.
"When enraged, they fasten themselves upon the human body, especially upon the
edges of the eyelids. ... [they] not only tortured, "devoured" ( Psalm 78:45) the men,
and disfigured them by the swellings produced by their sting, but also killed the
plants in which they deposited their eggs ...." [ ote: Ibid, 1:484-85.]
"The blood-sucking gadfly or dogfly was something to be abhorred and may in part
have been responsible for the great deal of blind men in the land. ... It might also be
noted that the Ichneuman fly, which deposits its eggs on other living things upon
which its larvae can feed, was regarded as the manifestation of the god Uatchit."
[ ote: Davis, p106.]

76. God demonstrated His sovereignty over space as well as nature and time by keeping
the flies out of Goshen and off the Israelites ( Exodus 8:22). The exact location of
Goshen is still unknown, but its general location seems to have been in the eastern
half of the delta region of Egypt (cf. Genesis 46:28-29; Genesis 46:33-34; Genesis
47:1-6; Genesis 47:11). [ ote: Durham, p114.] Some of the commentators assumed
that the first three plagues did not afflict the Israelites either, though the text does
not say so explicitly (cf. Exodus 7:19; Exodus 8:2; Exodus 8:16-17). God
distinguished between the two groups of people primarily to emphasize to Pharaoh
that Israel"s God was the author of the plagues and that He was sovereign over the
whole land of Egypt ( Exodus 8:23).
For the first time Pharaoh gave permission for the Israelites to sacrifice to Yahweh (
Exodus 8:25), but he would not allow them to leave Egypt. Pharaoh admitted that
Yahweh was specifically the God of Israel ("your God"), but he did not admit that
he had an obligation to obey Him. [ ote: Meyer, p121.]
The Egyptians regarded the animals the Israelites would have sacrificed as holy and
as manifestations of their gods. Consequently the sacrifices would have been an
abomination. [ ote: Cassuto, pp108-09. Cf. Cole, p95.]
". . . we know from excavations that this Pharaoh, Amenhotep II, worshipped
bulls." [ ote: Gispen, p94.]
The abomination that the Israelites" sacrifice would have constituted to the
Egyptians also may have consisted in the method by which the Israelites would have
sacrificed these animals. The Egyptians themselves practiced animal sacrifices, but
they had rigorous procedures for cleansing their sacrificial animals before they
killed them, which the Israelites would not have observed. [ ote: See Ernst
Hengstenberg, Egypt and the Books of Moses, p114; and J. Philip Hyatt, Exodus ,
p112.]
Pharaoh agreed to let the Israelites leave Egypt to sacrifice temporarily in the
wilderness after Moses reminded him of the problems involved in sacrificing in
Egypt ( Exodus 8:28). Yet they were not to go very far from Goshen. Again Pharaoh
asked Moses to pray that his God would remove the plague ( Exodus 8:28; cf.
Exodus 8:9-10).
"What is new in this fourth of the mighty Acts , apart from the nature of the miracle
itself, is the separation of the land of Goshen from the effects of miracle (there has
been no mention of Goshen"s fate in the earlier accounts), the negotiations between
Pharaoh and Moses, with each of them setting conditions, and the allusion to the
antipathy of the Egyptians to Israel worhsip [sic] (or to Israelite ways, and to
Israelites in general)." [ ote: Durham, p115.]
ELLICOTT, "(20, 21) There is. again, a doubt as to the nature of the fourth plague.
In the original it is called the plague of “the ‘arób.” which is used throughout in the
singular number. The LXX. translate ha-’arob by “the dog-fly” ( ή κυνόµυιά). The

77. Jewish commentators connect the word with the root ‘ereb or ‘arab, and suppose it
to designate either a mixed multitude of all kinds of wild beasts (Josephus and
Jonathan), or a mixture of all sorts of insects (Aquila, &c). Moderns generally agree
with the LXX. that a definite species of animal—probably an insect—is meant, but
doubt about the particular creature. The dog-fly, it is said (Musca canina), is not a
pest in houses, as the ‘arôb was (Exodus 8:21; Exodus 8:24), nor does it do any
damage to the land (Exodus 8:24). It is therefore suggested that the plague was
really one of the kakerlaque, a kind of beetle, which is injurious both to the persons
of men, to the furniture and fittings of houses, and to the crops in the fields. It is in
favour of the kakerlaque that, like all beetles, it was sacred, and might not be
destroyed, being emblematic of the sun-god, Ra, especially in his form of Khepra, or
“the creator.” Egyptians were obliged to submit to such a plague without attempting
to diminish it, and would naturally view the infliction as a sign that the sun-god was
angry with them. They would also suffer grievously in person, for the kakerlaque
“inflicts very painful bites with its jaws” (Kalisch); and they would begin for the
first time to suffer in their property, which neither the frogs nor the mosquitoes had
damaged. The plague was thus—if one of the kakerlaque—an advance on previous
plagues, and if less disgusting than some others, was far more injurious.
(20) Early in the morning.—Comp. Exodus 7:15; and on the early habits of an
Egyptian king, see Herod. ii. 172.
He cometh forth to the water.—It is conjectured that this was on the occasion of the
great autumn festival, when, after the retirement of the ile within its banks, and
the scattering of the grain upon the fresh deposit of mud, the first blades of corn
began to appear. It is not improbable that Khepra, “the creator,” was then
especially worshipped.
(21) Swarms of flies.—Heb., the ‘arôb. Comp. “the frog” (Exodus 8:13), and “the
mosquito” (ha-kinnim) in Exodus 8:17. On the species intended, sec the comment on
Exodus 8:20-21.
EXPOSITOR'S BIBLE COMME TARY, "THE FOURTH PLAGUE.
Exodus 8:20-32.
When the third plague had died away, when the sense of reaction and exhaustion
had replaced agitation and distress, and when perhaps the fear grew strong that at
any moment a new calamity might befal the land as abruptly as the last, God orders
a solemn and urgent appeal to be made to the oppressor. And the same occurs three
times: after each plague which arrives unexpectedly the next is introduced by a
special warning. On each of these occasions, moreover, the appeal is made in the
morning, at the hour when reason ought to be clearest and the passions least
agitating; and this circumstance is perhaps alluded to in the favourite phrase of
Jeremiah when he would speak of condescending earnestness--"I sent my prophets,
rising up early and sending them" (Jeremiah 25:4, Jeremiah 26:5, Jeremiah 29:19,
and many more; cf. also Jeremiah 7:13, and 2 Chronicles 36:15). So far is the

78. Scripture from regarding Pharaoh as propelled by destiny, as by a machine, down
iron grooves to ruin.
We have now come to the group of plagues which inflict actual bodily damage, and
not inconvenience and humiliation only: the dogfly (or beetle); the murrain among
beasts, which was a precursor of the crowning evil that struck at human life; and
the boils. Of the fourth plague the precise nature is uncertain. There is a beetle
which gnaws both man and beast, destroys clothes, furniture, and plants, and even
now they "are often seen in millions" (Munk, Palestine, p. 120). "In a few minutes
they filled the whole house.... Only after the most laborious exertions, and covering
the floor of the house with hot coals, they succeeded in mastering them. If they make
such attacks during the night, the inmates are compelled to give up the houses, and
little children or sick persons, who are unable to rise alone, are then exposed to the
greatest danger of life" (Pratte, Abyssinia, p. 143, in Kalisch).
ow, this explanation has one advantage over that of dogflies--that special mention
is made of their afflicting "the ground whereon they are" (Exodus 8:21), which is
less suitable to a plague of flies. But it may be that no one creature is meant. The
Hebrew word means "a mixture." Jewish interpreters have gone so far as to make it
mean "all kinds of noxious animals and serpents and scorpions mixed together,"
and although it is palpably absurd to believe that Pharaoh should have survived if
these had been upon him and upon his servants, yet the expression "a mixture,"
following after one kind of vermin had tormented the land, need not be narrowed
too exactly. With deliberate particularity the king was warned that they should
come "upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine
houses, and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of [them(15)], and also the
ground whereon they are."
It has been supposed, from the special mention of the exemption of the land of
Goshen, that this was a new thing. We have seen reason, however, to think
otherwise, and the emphatic assertion now made is easy to understand. The plague
was especially to be expected in low flat ground: the king may not even have been
aware of the previous freedom of Israel; and in any case its importance as an
evidence had not been pressed upon him. The spirit of the seventy-eighth Psalm,
though not perhaps any one specific phrase, contrasts the earlier as well as the later
plagues with the protection of His own people, whom He led like sheep (Psalms
78:42-52).
After the appointed interval (the same which Pharaoh had indicated for the removal
of the frogs) the plague came. We are told that the land was corrupted, but it is
significant that more stress is laid upon the suffering of Pharaoh and his court in the
event than in the menace. It came home to himself more cruelly than any former
plague, and he at once attempted to make terms: "Go ye, sacrifice to your God in
the land." It is a natural speech, at first not asking to be trusted as before by getting
relief before the Hebrews actually enjoy their liberty; and yet conceding as little as
possible, and in hot haste to have that little done and the relief obtained. They may
even serve their God on the sacred soil, so completely has He already defeated all

79. His rivals. But this was not what was demanded; and Moses repeated the claim of a
three days' journey, basing it upon the ground, still more insulting to the national
religion, that "We will sacrifice to Jehovah our God the abomination of the
Egyptians," that is to say, sacred animals, which it is horror in their eyes to
sacrifice. Any faith in his own creed which Pharaoh ever had is surrendered when
this argument, instead of making their cause hopeless, forces him to yield--adding,
however, like a thoroughly weak man who wishes to refuse but dares not, "only ye
shall not go very far away: intreat for me." And again Moses concedes the point,
with only the courteous remonstrance, "But let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any
more."
It is necessary to repeat that we have not a shred of evidence that Moses would have
violated his compact and failed to return: it would have sufficed as a first step to
have asserted the nationality of his people and their right to worship their own God:
all the rest would speedily have followed. But the terms which were rejected again
and again did not continue for ever to bind the victorious party: the story of their
actual departure makes it plain that both sides understood it to be a final exodus;
and thence came the murderous pursuit of Pharaoh (cf. Exodus 15:9), which in itself
would have cancelled any compact which had existed until then.
PARKER, ""And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and
stand before Pharaoh."— Exodus 8:20.
God is always before men. However early we rise, God is waiting for us.—The
Lamb was slain from before the foundation of the world.—We never can surprise
God by a new necessity, or baffle him by the agony of an unexpected pain.—The
Church should take a lesson from this consideration. It should watch the movements
of men, and always be ahead of them and waiting for them, and surprise them by
Christian appeals where such appeals are least expected.—The Church cannot
begin its labours too early in the day.—The message from Heaven is always in time
and in place.—Every engagement of life may be legitimately interrupted by the
direct messages of Heaven.—The Church has been too particular in studying the
convenience of the persons to whom it has been sent in the name of Heaven.—
Interrupt everything, that the Gospel may be delivered.—Have no fear of the
greatest; whatever his importance in life it is transcended by the importance of
messages that are sent by God himself.
PETT, "Verses 20-32
The Fourth Plague - The Plague of Swarms of Flying Insects (Exodus 8:20-32).
The first series of three plagues being behind them we now come to the second series
of three. While the first three have been general and have affected all, the second
three are more targeted. In these three plagues the Israelites are spared and the
plagues are rather centred on the Egyptians. And as with the first three the first
confrontation is on the banks of the ile.
Egypt suffers from mosquitoes all the year round but they are at their worst during

80. and just after the ile flood when the fields are still flooded. Their eggs and larvae
develop in the standing water. The extra flooding would provide even better
conditions for proliferation. As well as mosquitoes, flies would also proliferate
among the rotting fish, the dead frogs and the decaying vegetation, including the
carrier-fly, the stomoxys calcitrans (which might well be responsible for the later
boils), and become carriers of disease from these sources. The ‘swarms’ may well
have included both. They would have been an equal nuisance and an equal threat.
The Egyptians were used to both mosquitoes and flies, which were a constant and
dreadful nuisance. But they had never seen anything like the situation that now
developed.
a Moses was to meet Pharaoh by the ile, and must declare that he must allow
Yahweh’s people to go and serve Him by worship and offerings (compare Exodus
7:15). (Exodus 8:20).
b If he does not there will be swarms of flying insects throughout the land of
Egypt (Exodus 8:21).
c But in Goshen were His people are there will be no flying insects, this is so
that he will know the great power of Yahweh (Pharaoh could do nothing about the
insects, but Yahweh was in complete control) (Exodus 8:22).
d The result will be that He sets a deliverance between the Egyptians and His
own people (Exodus 8:23 a).
e The sign will come on the morrow (of the overwhelming power of the Lord
Yahweh) (Exodus 8:23 b).
f And Yahweh did so. He brought flying insects throughout the whole land.
The land was corrupted as a result of the flying insects (Exodus 8:24).
g Pharaoh call Moses and Aaron and tells them that they may go and sacrifice,
but only in the land of Egypt (Exodus 8:25).
g Moses points out that they cannot because their sacrifices are of such a
nature that they will cause disquiet among the Egyptians (Exodus 8:26).
f He insists that they must go a short journey into the wilderness and sacrifice
there to Yahweh their God as He shall command (they could not sacrifice to Him in
a corrupted land). Then Pharaoh says that he will allow them to go into the
wilderness, only they must not go far away (Exodus 8:27-28 a).
e He then asks Moses to entreat with Yahweh on his behalf (another sign
emphasising the power of Yahweh. It is the inferior who entreats with the superior)
(Exodus 8:28 b).
d Moses says he will entreat Yahweh, so that the flying insects may go, (thus
they all may also experience Yahweh’s deliverance), but warns Pharaoh against
practising deceit by not letting the people go (Exodus 8:29).
c Moses went out from Pharaoh’s presence and entreated Yahweh (Exodus
8:30).
b Yahweh does according to the word of Moses and removes the swarms of
flying insects so that there ‘remained not one’ (Exodus 8:31).
a And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time as well, and would not let the
people go (Exodus 8:32).
In ‘a’ as usual we have ‘let my people go’ paralleled with Pharaoh hardening his

81. heart. In ‘b’ the warning that there will be flying insects is paralleled with the
removal of the flying insects. In ‘c’ for Yahweh’s people in Goshen there were no
flying insects, while in the parallel Pharaoh could not get rid of them without the
help of Moses. In ‘d’ there is deliverance for Yahweh’s people in contrast with the
Egyptians, and through that deliverance and contrast Pharaoh will ‘know Yahweh’
(Exodus 8:22) whereas in the parallel the hope of deliverance for the Egyptians lies
with Moses, who in promising it warns against deceit. Pharaoh must know Yahweh.
In ‘e’ the sign of Yahweh’s overwhelming power will come on the morrow, while in
the parallel Pharaoh the god-king has to entreat Yahweh through Moses, a sign of
Yahweh’s overwhelming power. In ‘f’ Yahweh brings the flying insects into Egypt
and the land is ‘corrupted’ (the word usually means destroyed but can also indicate
moral corruption, compare Exodus 32:7; Genesis 6:11-13; Genesis 6:17; Genesis
38:9; Deuteronomy 4:16; Deuteronomy 4:25; Deuteronomy 9:12; Deuteronomy
31:29; Deuteronomy 32:5; or for being marred - Leviticus 19:27), in the parallel
Moses insists that Israel must leave the (corrupted) land in order to sacrifice. In ‘g’
Pharaoh tells Moss that they must sacrifice in the land. In the parallel Moses says
that they cannot because of the nature of their sacrifices. When it comes to
worshipping Yahweh Egypt is no place for it.
Exodus 8:20-23
‘And Yahweh said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and stand before
Pharaoh. Lo, he comes out to the water. And say to him, ‘Thus says Yahweh, let my
people go that they may serve me. Or else, if you will not let my people go, behold I
will send swarms of flying insects on you and on your servants, and on your people
and into your houses, and the houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of
flying insects and also the ground on which they are. And I will sever in that day the
land of Goshen in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flying insects will be
there, to the end that you may know that I am Yahweh in the midst of the earth.
And I will put a division between my people and your people. By tomorrow will this
sign be.” ’
Moses was again to approach Pharaoh early in the morning, as he came to the ile
to venerate it and receive its blessing. This is the second time that Moses has
approached him while worshipping at the ile. It may be that Yahweh deliberately
chose such occasions because they weakened Pharaoh’s right to deny the Israelites
the same opportunity of worshipping Yahweh. Or it may have been intended to
challenge Pharaoh about the power of the ile god. egotiations would take place in
the very presence of the ile god, but he would be unable to do anything about it.
The warning was to be given that if God’s people cannot go and ‘serve’ Him as
Pharaoh now ‘serves’ the ile then the next plague will come, a plague of excessive
swarms of flying insects, and these will be everywhere. They will be inescapable.
Others see these insects as a particularly vicious type of beetle.
The only exception would be the land of Goshen where His people lived. Their lives
were still burdened by slavery but they would not suffer this latest plague. If they
were mosquitoes this was remarkable as Goshen usually had more than its fair

82. share of mosquitoes, demonstrating again the hand of Yahweh. (The excessive
disease carrying swarms are what they would escape. They would still probably
have to endure flies and mosquitoes in the normal way). But they could easily have
been something even more dreadful.
“Swarms.” The word is only used of this plague (both here and in Psalms 78:45;
Psalms 105:31). It comes from a root ‘to mix’ and expresses the idea of dense
swarms or possibly incessant motion, and may include a variety of swarming insects.
“I will put a division.” Literally ‘set a deliverance’. One side will be delivered, the
other will not.
“That you may know that I am Yahweh in the midst of the earth.” Pharaoh had said
earlier that he did not recognise Yahweh (Exodus 5:2). ow he will indeed know
Him, whether he wants to or not, for He is there and active.
“By tomorrow will this sign be.” The remarkable distinction will be a clear sign of
the power and favour of Yahweh, and it was to come on the morrow.
PULPIT, "THE FOURTH PLAGUE.
It has been noticed that—setting apart the last and most terrible of the plagues,
which stands as it were by itself—the remainder divide themselves into three groups
of three each—two in each group coming with a warning, and the third without.
(See Exodus 8:16; Exodus 9:8; Exodus 10:21.) In other respects, no great regularity
is observable. There is a general principle of increasing severity in the afflictions,
but it does not obtain throughout the entire series. The first three caused annoyance,
rather than actual injury, either to persons or property. Of the next three, two were
upon property, one upon both property and person (Exodus 9:10). Of the remaining
three, two again inflicted injury on property, while one (the plague of darkness) was
a mere personal annoyance. The exact character of the fourth plague depends on the
proper translation of the word 'arob. The Jewish commentators connected this word
with 'Ereb and 'Arab, words meaning "mingled" or "mixed;" and supposed a
mixed multitude of animals—beasts, reptiles, and insects—to be meant. But the
expression used throughout, which is ha-'arob, "the 'arob," marks very clearly a
single definite species. So much was clear to the LXX; who rendered the word by
κυνόµυια, "the dog-fly," which is not the common house-fly (Musca domestica), but
a distinct species (Musca canina). Flies of this kind are said to constitute a terrible
affliction in Egypt; but they attack men chiefly, and do no harm to houses or to the
fruits of the field, whereas the 'arob is spoken of as a pest in the houses, and as
"destroying the land" (Exodus 8:24). It has been, therefore, suggested that the
Blatta orientalis, or kakerlaque, a kind of beetle, is really intended. These creatures
suddenly appear upon the ile in great numbers; they "inflict very painful bites
with their jaws; gnaw and destroy clothes, household furniture, leather, and articles
of every kind, and either consume or render unavailable all eatables"(Kalisch).
They sometimes drive persons out of their houses; and they also devastate the fields.

83. Exodus 8:20
Lo, he cometh forth to the water. See Exodus 7:15, and comment. It is suspected that
on this occasion Pharaoh "went to the ile with a procession to open the solemn
festival "held in the autumn when the inundation was beginning to abate (Cook).
Say unto him. Repeat, i.e; the Divine command so often given (Exodus 5:1; Exodus
7:16; Exodus 8:1).
21 If you do not let my people go, I will send
swarms of flies on you and your officials, on your
people and into your houses. The houses of the
Egyptians will be full of flies; even the ground will
be covered with them.
BAR ES, "Swarms of flies - Generally, supposed to be the dog-fly, which at
certain seasons is described as a plague far worse than mosquitos. Others, however,
adopt the opinion that the insects were a species of beetle, which was reverenced by the
Egyptians as a symbol of life, of reproductive or creative power. The sun-god, as creator,
bore the name Chepera, and is represented in the form, or with the head, of a beetle.
CLARKE, "Swarms of flies upon thee - It is not easy to ascertain the precise
meaning of the original word ‫הערב‬ hearob; as the word comes from ‫ערב‬ arab, he mingled,
it may be supposed to express a multitude of various sorts of insects. And if the
conjecture be admitted that the putrid frogs became the occasion of this plague,
(different insects laying their eggs in the bodies of those dead animals, which would soon
be hatched, see on Exo_8:14 (note)), then the supposition that a multitude of different
hinds of insects is meant, will seem the more probable. Though the plague of the locusts
was miraculous, yet God both brought it and removed it by natural means; see Exo_
10:13-19.
Bochart, who has treated this subject with his usual learning and ability, follows the
Septuagint, explaining the original by κυνοµυια, the dog-fly; which must be particularly
hateful to the Egyptians, because they held dogs in the highest veneration, and
worshipped Anubis under the form of a dog. In a case of this kind the authority of the
Septuagint is very high, as they translated the Pentateuch in the very place where these

84. plagues happened. But as the Egyptians are well known to have paid religious veneration
to all kinds of animals and monsters, whence the poet: -
Omnigenumque deum monstra, et latrator Anubis,
I am inclined to favor the literal construction of the word: for as ‫ערב‬ ereb, Exo_12:38,
expresses that mixed multitude of different kinds of people who accompanied the
Israelites in their departure from Egypt; so here the same term being used, it may have
been designed to express a multitude of different kinds of insects, such as flies, wasps,
hornets, etc., etc. The ancient Jewish interpreters suppose that all kinds of beasts and
reptiles are intended, such as wolves, lions, bears, serpents, etc. Mr. Bate thinks the
raven is meant, because the original is so understood in other places; and thus he
translates it in his literal version of the Pentateuch: but the meaning already given is the
most likely. As to the objection against this opinion drawn from Exo_8:31, there
remained not one, it can have very little weight, when it is considered that this may as
well be spoken of one of any of the different kinds, as of an individual of one species.
GILL, "Else, if thou wilt not let my people go,.... But remainest obstinate and
inflexible:
behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee; the word used is generally thought
to signify a "mixture", and is interpreted by many a mixture of various creatures; the
Targum of Jonathan paraphrases it a mixture of wild beasts, and so Josephus (k)
understands it of all sorts of beasts, of many forms, and such as were never seen before;
according to Jarchi, all sorts of evil beasts are meant, as serpents and scorpions, mixed
together; and so Aben Ezra says it signifies evil beasts mixed together, as lions, wolves,
bears, and leopards; but it is not likely the houses should be filled with these, or the
ground covered with them, as after related: and besides, they would soon have
destroyed, all the inhabitants of the land, since as it follows they are said to be upon
them; rather a mixture of insects is intended; the Septuagint; version renders it the "dog
fly", and so Philo the Jew (l); which, as Pliny (m) says, is very troublesome, to dogs
especially, about their ears, and this version Bochart (n) approves of:
and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses; they should
be sent unto and settle first on his own person, and also on his ministers and courtiers,
and upon all his subjects in general, and get into their houses, and be very troublesome
guests there:
and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of the swarms of flies, and also
the ground whereon they are; their number would be so very great.
BE SO , "Exodus 8:21. Swarms of flies — The original word, ‫,ערב‬ means properly
a mixture, or multitude of noisome creatures. And some understand by it, swarms of
venomous insects and noxious animals, as serpents, scorpions, &c. See the margin.
The Septuagint renders it κυνοµυια, the dog-fly, flies these which stick fast in the
skin, lance it with a sharp proboscis, and suck the blood. Bochart and several others
approve of this translation, the rather because this insect was peculiarly offensive to

85. dogs, animals held in religious veneration by the Egyptians. But no doubt, insects of
various kinds are included, not only flies, but gnats, wasps, hornets, and those
probably more pernicious than the common ones were.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:21 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].
Ver. 21. Shall be full of swarms of flies.] Of all the ten plagues this was the most
troublesome; for that they never suffered men to rest: so worldly cares; nocte ac die
non dabunt requiem, as those tyrants in Jeremiah 16:1-21.
COKE, "Exodus 8:21. Swarms of flies— A mixture or multitude of noxious
creatures: ‫ערב‬ orab, signifies a mixture collected from various species of little beasts
or insects. Some understand by it serpents, scorpions, and other venomous animals.
The margin of our Bibles renders it, a mixture of noisome beasts. Wisdom of
Solomon 2:15-17. Whatever may be the precise meaning of ‫ער‬
PULPIT, "Swarms of flies is an unfortunate translation of a single substantive in
the singular number, accompanied by the article. A mixture, etc; is nearly as bad.
The writer must mean some one definite species of animal, which he called "the
'arob." On the probable identification of the animal, see the Introductory
paragraph to this Chapter. And also the ground. The 'arob, like the frogs, was to
plague them both inside their houses and outside, but especially inside.
22 “‘But on that day I will deal differently with
the land of Goshen, where my people live; no
swarms of flies will be there, so that you will know
that I, the Lord, am in this land
BAR ES, "I will sever ... - This severance constituted a specific difference between
this and the preceding plagues. Pharaoh could not of course attribute the exemption of
Goshen from a scourge, which fell on the valley of the Nile, to an Egyptian deity,

86. certainly not to Chepera (see the last note), a special object of worship in Lower Egypt.
CLARKE, "I will sever in that day - ‫הפליתי‬ hiphleythi, has been translated by some
good critics, I will miraculously separate; so the Vulgate: Faciam mirabilem, “I will do a
marvellous thing.” And the Septuagint, παραδοξασω, I will render illustrious the land of
Goshen in that day; and this he did, by exempting that land, and its inhabitants the
Israelites, from the plagues by which he afflicted the land of Egypt.
GILL, "And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people
dwell,.... Distinguish it from other parts of the land of Egypt:
that no swarms of flies shall be there; which was a very wonderful thing, and so
the word may be rendered. "I will marvellously sever or separate" (o), and so the Targum
of Jonathan, "I will do wonders or miracles in that day": as they were to make such a
difference in one part of the country from another, and so near as Goshen was to the
place where Pharaoh lived, and to bound and limit such sort of creatures as flies, which
move swiftly from place to place, and particularly to keep the land of Goshen clear of
them; when, as Bishop Patrick observes, it was a country that abounded with cattle,
whose dung is apt to breed flies:
to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth; he
is God over all the earth, and rules as a King in the midst of it, and does whatsoever he
pleases in it; see Psa_74:12 and in the midst of the land of Goshen where his people
dwelt, and over whom he was King in a peculiar manner, and took a peculiar care of
them, to protect and defend them; and which must the more vex and distress the
Egyptians, when they saw the Israelites clear of those plagues they were afflicted with.
HE RY 22-23, "How the Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be remarkably
distinguished in this plague, Exo_8:22, Exo_8:23. It is probable that this distinction had
not been so manifest and observable in any of the foregoing plagues as it was to be in
this. Thus, as the plague of lice was made more convincing than any before it, by its
running the magicians aground, so was this, by the distinction made between the
Egyptians and the Hebrews. Pharaoh must be made to know that God is the Lord in the
midst of the earth; and by this it will be known beyond dispute. 1. Swarms of flies, which
seem to us to fly at random, shall be manifestly under the conduct of an intelligent mind,
while they are above the direction of any man. “Hither they shall go,” says Moses, “and
thither they shall not come;” and the performance is punctually according to this
appointment, and both, compared, amount to a demonstration that he that said it and
he that did it was the same, even a Being of infinite power and wisdom. 2. The servants
and worshippers of the great Jehovah shall be preserved from sharing in the common
calamities of the place they live in, so that the plague which annoys all their neighbours
shall not approach them; and this shall be an incontestable proof that God is the Lord in
the midst of the earth. Put both these together, and it appears that the eyes of the Lord
run to and fro through the earth, and through the air too, to direct that which to us
seems most casual, to serve some great designed end, that he may show himself strong
on the behalf of those whose hearts are upright with him, 2Ch_16:9. Observe how it is
repeated: I will put a division between my people and thy people Exo_8:23. Note, The

87. Lord knows those that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world, certainly
in the other, that he has set them apart for himself. A day will come when you shall
return and discern between the righteous and the wicked (Mal_3:18), the sheep and the
goats (Mat_25:32; Eze_34:17), though now intermixed.
CALVI , "22.And I will sever. Although this had not been expressly declared as
yet, still it must be extended to the other plagues; for it is certain, that when God
inflicted punishment on the Egyptians, He did not proceed promiscuously against all
men; and, therefore, that His chosen people, in whose behalf He acted, were free
from all inconvenience. But now perhaps for the first time this distinction is made
more evident to Pharaoh, whereas before the peculiar grace of God had not been
known to him. From hence, however, it was more than plain, that mercies and
punishments were in the power of the one God of Israel, so that He might spare His
own people, and treat them kindly and paternally, whilst, on the other hand, He
exercised vengeance against His enemies. Wherefore He adds, “to the end thou
mayest know that I am the Lord God in the midst of the earth.” There is all implied
antithesis here, which casts down all idols, and exalts the God of Israel alone. But
although “the earth” may be here taken for the whole habitable globe, it will be
properly confined to Egypt, as if God affirmed that He was supreme in the midst of
Egypt, or everywhere throughout all Egypt, which means the same. The expression
which follows, although somewhat harsh, yet contains no ambiguity. God is said to
have “put a redemption between his people and the Egyptians; (96) because, as if He
had erected barriers, or set up a fence to preserve one corner in safety, He had
withholden His favor from the whole surrounding district. Moreover, because the
word ‫פלה‬,)97 ) phelo, signifies to be admirable, or to be concealed, some interpreters
translate it, “I will render admirable (98) the land of Goshen;” but I have preferred
following the more usual rendering which appears to be most appropriate. Lastly, it
is to be observed that time for repentance is again given to Pharaoh, so that, if he
were curable, he might prevent the punishment denounced against him: for God
might have sent the insects at the moment; but He assigns the morrow, to prove the
wickedness of the tyrant.
BE SO , "Exodus 8:22. I will sever in that day — The Hebrew properly means, I
will marvellously sever. The LXX. render it παραδοξασω , I will make a glorious
distinction. Although the Israelites were probably not afflicted with any of the
plagues which went before this, yet as Goshen, where they lived, was at a
considerable distance, it might be thought that the frogs and lice, in the common
course of things, considering their nature, would not extend as far; but it being
natural to flies to be carried by the air everywhere, this was the more astonishing
and distinguishing, that such creatures, whose nature it is to spread themselves in all
places, should not any of them extend to the land of Goshen. Know that I am the
Lord in the midst of the earth — In every part of it. Swarms of flies, which seem to
us to fly at random, shall be manifestly under the conduct of an intelligent mind.
Hither they shall go, saith Moses, and thither they shall come, and the performance
is punctual according to this appointment; and both compared amount to a
demonstration, that he that said it and he that did it was the same — even a Being of

88. infinite power and wisdom.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:22 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.
Ver. 22. And I will sever.] Heb., Marvellously separate, by setting upon them my
signum salutare. [Ezekiel 9:4] So that the worst that are "shall return and discern
betwixt the righteous and the wicked." [Malachi 3:18] See Exodus 33:16.
In the midst of the earth.] ot in heaven only, whereunto Aristotle and other
atheists would confine his providence. (a) Lysippus made Alexander’s picture with
this poesy: -
“ Iupiter asserui terram mihi, tu assere coelum. ”
COKE, "Exodus 8:22. I will sever in that day— I will distinguish, &c. See Exodus
8:23. The LXX has it παραδοξασω ; a word which, like the Hebrew, implies a
remarkable and glorious distinction. The cause of God's making such a distinction,
as well as working these amazing prodigies, is never forgotten by the sacred writer;
to the end that thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth: the
Sovereign and Uncontrolled Ruler of the whole world.
ELLICOTT, "(22) I will sever in that day the land of Goshen.—This was a new
feature, and one calculated to make a deep impression both on king and people. The
“land of Goshen” can only have been some portion of the Eastern Delta, a tract in
unwise different from the rest of Egypt—low, flat, well-watered, fertile. ature had
put no severance between it and the regions where the Egyptians dwelt; so the
severance to be made would be a manifest miracle.
LA GE, "Exodus 8:22 [ Exodus 8:26]. It is not meet [Lange: safe]. De Wette
translates ‫ָכון‬‫נ‬ by “fitting,” Keil by “established.” The first expresses too little, the
second too much.[F 17]—The abomination of the Egyptians.—Knobel says: “The
Egyptians sacrificed only bulls, calves and geese (Herod. II:45), but no cows, as
being sacred to Isis (Herod. II:41; Porphyr. Abstin. 2, 11); also no turtle-doves
(Porphyr4, 7). Also no sheep and goats, at least, not generally; in the worship of Isis
at Thiborna in Phocis none could be offered (Pausan10, 32, 9), and in Egypt those
who belonged to the temple and district of Mendes offered no she-goats or Hebrews
-goats, though they did offer sheep; whereas the opposite was the case in Upper
Egypt (Herod. II:42, 46). The Egyptians were greatly scandalized when sacred
animals were sacrificed or eaten (Josephus, Apion I:26). The Hebrews, on the other
hand, sacrificed sheep, goats and rams, and cows no less, e.g. for peace-offerings (
Leviticus 3:1), burnt-offerings ( 1 Samuel 6:14), sin-offerings ( umbers 19), and
others ( Genesis 15:9).” It is singular that Keil can suppose the meaning to be only
that the ceremonial rules and ordinances [of the Egyptians] were so painfully

89. minute that the Jewish method of offering sacrifices might well scandalize the
Egyptians. The sacrifice of cows would of itself be to them abominable enough. The
more sacred the animal was, the more abominable did the sacrifice of it seem to be.
But the chief point in the matter seems to be overlooked. It was the offering in Egypt
of sacrifices to Jehovah, a god foreign to the Egyptians, which must have been an
abomination. Even after the Reformation many Catholic princes thought that each
land could have but one religion.
ISBET, "I AM THE LORD!
‘To the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.’
Exodus 8:22
I. This is the only possible explanation of these successive visitations.—The
Egyptians worshipped the river from which the frogs came; were punctilious in
their purity by continual bathing, and sacrificed to the deities that presided over the
noisome insect tribes. It was necessary, therefore, to show that none of their fancied
deities could avail to deliver them from the hands of Jehovah. ‘The gods of the
heathen are no gods, but the Lord made the heavens.’ As we have said, so we repeat,
the just and righteous God could not expect Pharaoh and his people to obey the
demand to let Israel go, until He had shown Himself to be the God of gods, and Lord
of lords.
II. Possibly all life is intended for the same object.—God is all around us: He knows
that we can only be really happy and strong when we know Him. By every avenue of
approach He is seeking to make an entrance into the secret places of our souls; but
we are so blind and stolid. We set up our idols and prostrate before them faculties
which were meant for God only; too often becoming like the deities which engross
us. Then God sends stroke after stroke, to shatter our images, and awaken us to His
glorious Being which is the sum of all blessedness. ote those words, ‘in the midst of
the earth.’ God is no absentee. The Lamb is not only in the midst of the throne; but
wherever two or three are gathered, He is in the midst. In Him we live, and move,
and have our being. The whole earth, every cranny of it, is full of Him. Yield Him
your whole heart.
Illustration
(1) ‘In Halyburton’s priceless Memoirs we read: “Hereby I was brought into a
doubt about the truths of religion, the being of God, and things eternal. Whenever I
was in dangers or straits and would build upon these things, a suspicion secretly
haunted me, What if the things are not? This perplexity was somewhat eased while
one day I was reading how Robert Bruce was shaken about the being of God and
how at length he came to the fullest satisfaction.” And in another place: “Some days
ago reading Exodus 9, 10, and finding this ‘That ye may know that I am God’
frequently repeated, and elsewhere in passages innumerable, as the end of God’s
manifesting Himself in His word and works; I observe from it that atheism is deeply
rooted even in the Lord’s people, seeing they need to be taught this so much. The
great difficulty that the whole of revelation has to grapple with is atheism; its whole
struggle is to recover man to his first impressions of a God. This one point

90. comprehends the whole of man’s recovery, just as atheism is the whole of man’s
apostasy.”’
(2) ‘The Egyptians made gods of many living creatures, but the cat appears to have
held the highest place. In life it was venerated and well cared for, while after its
death it was accorded the highest honour—it was mummified. The mummy of a rich
man’s cat was very elaborately decorated. Different coloured stuffs were twisted
round and round the body, forming curious patterns. The head would be carefully
encased, and sometimes gilded; the ears were always standing upright. These
curious mummies look not unlike bottles of rare wine done up in plaited straw.
Sometimes it would be enclosed in a bronze box, with a statue of a cat seated on the
top.’
PULPIT, "I will sever in that day the land of Goshen. On the position of the land of
Goshen, see the Excursus on the Geography. The "severance" is a new feature, and
one distinguishing the later from the earlier plagues. It was an additional mark of
the miraculous character of the visitations, well calculated to impress all thoughtful
and honest minds. By all such it would be seen that the God who could make this
severance was no local God of the Hebrews only, but one whose power extended
over the whole earth.
23 I will make a distinction[b] between my people
and your people. This sign will occur tomorrow.’”
CLARKE, "And I will put a division - ‫פדת‬ peduth, a redemption, between my
people and thy people; God hereby showing that he had redeemed them from those
plagues to which he had abandoned the others.
GILL, "And I will put a division between my people and thy people,.... Or, a
"redemption" (p); for by distinguishing them in his providence from the Egyptians, he
might be said to redeem or deliver them; thus God makes a difference between his
chosen people and the rest of the world, through his Son's redemption of them by his

91. blood, out of every kindred, tongue, people, and nation:
tomorrow shall this sign be: which, according to Bishop Usher, must be the twenty
nineth day of Adar or February.
K&D, "Exo_8:23
“And I will put a deliverance between My people and thy people.” ‫דוּת‬ ְ does not mean
διαστολή, divisio (lxx, Vulg.), but redemption, deliverance. Exemption from this plague
was essentially a deliverance for Israel, which manifested the distinction conferred upon
Israel above the Egyptians. By this plague, in which a separation and deliverance was
established between the people of God and the Egyptians, Pharaoh was to be taught that
the God who sent this plague was not some deity of Egypt, but “Jehovah in the midst of
the land” (of Egypt); i.e., as Knobel correctly interprets it, (a) that Israel's God was the
author of the plague; (b) that He had also authority over Egypt; and (c) that He
possessed supreme authority: or, to express it still more concisely, that Israel's God was
the Absolute God, who ruled both in and over Egypt with free and boundless
omnipotence.
BE SO , "Exodus 8:23-24. A division — A wall of partition. There came a
grievous swarm of flies — The prince of the power of the air has gloried in being
Beel-zebub, the god of flies; but here it is proved that even in that he is a pretender,
and a usurper; for even with swarms of flies God fights against his kingdom and
prevails. The land was corrupted — By the land Bochart understands the
inhabitants of the land, whose blood these flies sucked, and left such a poison in it
that their bodies swelled, and many of them died.
But Le Clerc understands it of the flesh and other eatables, which those vermin
having preyed upon and fly-blown, bred maggots, and spread stench and
putrefaction throughout the land.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:23 And I will put a division between my people and thy people:
to morrow shall this sign be.
Ver. 23. And I will put a division.] Heb., A redemption; so Luke 1:68. Aristotle
reporteth that, when from the hill Etna there ran down a torrent of fire that
consumed all the houses thereabouts, in the midst of those fearful flames the river of
fire parted itself, and made a kind of lane for those who ventured to rescue their
aged parents. This extorted from him an acknowledgment of God’s good providence
for the godly here on earth. (a)
PULPIT, "A division. Literally "a redemption," i.e; a sign that they are redeemed
from bondage, and are "My people," not thine any longer. To-morrow. Particulars
of time and place are fixed beforehand, to mark clearly that the visitation does not
take place by chance, or by mere natural law, but by Gods positive decree and by

92. his agency.
24 And the Lord did this. Dense swarms of flies
poured into Pharaoh’s palace and into the houses
of his officials; throughout Egypt the land was
ruined by the flies.
CLARKE, "The land was corrupted - Every thing was spoiled, and many of the
inhabitants destroyed, being probably stung to death by these venomous insects. This
seems to be intimated by the psalmist, “He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which
Devoured them,” Psa_78:45.
In ancient times, when political, domestic, and personal cleanliness was but little
attended to, and offal of different kinds permitted to corrupt in the streets and breed
vermin, flies multiplied exceedingly, so that we read in ancient authors of whole districts
being laid waste by them; hence different people had deities, whose office it was to
defend them against flies. Among these we may reckon Baalzebub, the fly-god of Ekron;
Hercules, muscarum abactor, Hercules, the expeller of flies, of the Romans; the
Muagrus of the Eleans, whom they invoked against pestilential swarms of flies; and
hence Jupiter, the supreme god of the heathens, had the epithets of Αποµυιος and
Μυωδης, because he was supposed to expel flies, and defend his worshippers against
them. See Dodd.
GILL, "And the Lord did so,.... And this he did immediately of himself without any
means; not by the rod of Aaron, to let the Egyptians see that there was nothing in that
rod, that it had no magic virtue in it, and what was done by it was from the Lord himself,
who could as well inflict plagues without it as with it; see Psa_105:31 and there came a
grievous swarm of flies; or a "heavy" (q) one, which was both very numerous, and very
troublesome and distressing:
into the house of Pharaoh, and into the houses of his servants, and into all
the land of Egypt: into the palace of Pharaoh, and into the palaces of his nobles,
ministers, and courtiers, and into the dwelling places of all his subjects, throughout the
whole land, excepting the land of Goshen:
the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies; Josephus (r) says, the

93. land lay neglected and uncultivated by the husbandmen; it may be, the air was infected
by the flies, which produced a pestilence that took off many of the inhabitants; so among
the Eleans, as Pliny (s) reports, a multitude of flies produced a pestilence; however, it is
certain many of the inhabitants of Egypt perished by them; they might sting them to
death, suck their blood, and poison them with their envenomed stings; see Psa_78:45.
HE RY, "How it was inflicted, the day after it was threatened: There came a
grievous swarm of flies (Exo_8:24), flies of divers sorts, and such as devoured them,
Psa_78:45. The prince of the power of the air has gloried in being Beelzebub - the god of
flies; but here it is proved that even in that he is a pretender and a usurper, for even with
swarms of flies God fights against his kingdom and prevails.
K&D, "Exo_8:24-27
This plague, by which the land was destroyed (‫ת‬ ֵ‫ח‬ ָ ִ ), or desolated, inasmuch as the
flies not only tortured, “devoured” (Psa_78:45) the men, and disfigured them by the
swellings produced by their sting, but also killed the plants in which they deposited their
eggs, so alarmed Pharaoh that he sent for Moses and Aaron, and gave them permission
to sacrifice to their God “in the land.” But Moses could not consent to this restriction. “It
is not appointed so to do” (‫ּון‬‫כ‬ָ‫נ‬ does not mean aptum, conveniens, but statutum,
rectum), for two reasons: (1) because sacrificing in the land would be an abomination to
the Egyptians, and would provoke them most bitterly (Exo_8:26); and (2) because they
could only sacrifice to Jehovah their God as He had directed them (Exo_8:27). The
abomination referred to did not consist in their sacrificing animals which the Egyptians
regarded as holy. For the word ‫ה‬ ָ‫ב‬ ֵ‫ּוע‬ (abomination) would not be applicable to the
sacred animals. Moreover, the cow was the only animal offered in sacrifice by the
Israelites, which the Egyptians regarded as sacred. The abomination would rather be
this, that the Iran would not carry out the rigid regulations observed by the Egyptians
with regard to the cleanness of the sacrificial animals (vid., Hengstenberg, p. 114), and in
fact would not observe the sacrificial rites of the Egyptians at all. The Egyptians would
be very likely to look upon this as an insult to their religion and their gods; “the violation
of the recognised mode of sacrificing would be regarded as a manifestation of contempt
for themselves and their gods” (Calvin), and this would so enrage them that they would
stone the Israelites. The ‫ן‬ ֵ‫ה‬ before ‫ח‬ ַ ְ‫ז‬ִ‫נ‬ in Exo_8:26 is the interjection lo! but it stands
before a conditional clause, introduced without a conditional particle, in the sense of if,
which it has retained in the Chaldee, and in which it is used here and there in the
Hebrew (e.g., Lev_25:20).
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:24 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].
Ver. 24. A grievous swarm of flies,] i.e., umerous and pernicious; yet not so bad as
those many noisome thoughts that swarm daily in men’s hearts. There is that
Leviathan; there are also creeping things innumerable. And these many times mar
and corrupt our prayers, so as that they stink in the nostrils of God.

94. COKE, "Exodus 8:24. The land was corrupted— Le Clerc understands the
expression, the land was corrupted of the flesh and other eatables in the land;
which, these vermin having preyed upon and fly-blown, bred maggots, stench, and
putrefaction. Bochart understands it of the inhabitants of the land. The original
word signifies to destroy or spoil, as well as to corrupt; so that we may imagine the
air was infected, and many of the people poisoned and stung to death by them. The
Psalmist says, these flies devoured them, Psalms 78:45. Heathen historians have
recorded facts something similar to the plagues of frogs and flies. Pliny mentions a
city in France which was of old depopulated by frogs. And that whole countries
have been infested with flies, appears from the number of gods which were
worshipped, because they were supposed to have driven them away. Baalzebub, the
god of Ekron, 2 Kings 1:2 signifies the god of flies. The Romans had their Hercules,
muscarum abactor, the driver away of flies. The Eleans had their god Myagrus,
whom they invoked against pestilential swarms of flies; and Jupiter, for the same
reason, was stiled Αποµυιος and ΄υωδης.
ELLICOTT, "(24) The land was corrupted.—Rather, as in the margin, destroyed.
Kalisch observes, “These insects”—i.e., the kakerlaque (Blatta Orientalis), “really
fill the land, and molest men and beasts; they consume all sorts of materials,
devastate the country, and are in so far more detrimental than the gnats, as they
destroy also the property of the Egyptians.”
PETT, "Exodus 8:24
‘And Yahweh did so. And there came grievous swarms of flying insects 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 flying insects.’
It is emphasised here that the house of Pharaoh and his high officials were especially
affected. The plagues were now getting nearer to home, and Pharaoh’s helplessness
in the face of them was being revealed. But apart from Goshen the whole land was
affected. Their people were becoming aware that the mighty Horus (the living
Pharaoh was believed to be the god Horus) was helpless against Yahweh.
“Corrupted.” The word commonly means ‘destroyed’, but regularly refers to moral
corruption, and sometimes to being marred (compare Exodus 32:7; Genesis 6:11-13;
Genesis 6:17; Genesis 38:9; Deuteronomy 4:16; Deuteronomy 4:25; Deuteronomy
9:12; Deuteronomy 31:29; Deuteronomy 32:5; or for being marred - Leviticus
19:27). The point being made is of the devastating effect that they had, so much so
that Pharaoh compromises. They did not just destroy the land, they made it
distasteful. This particular word would support the suggestion that the insects were
a particularly vicious and ravenous form of beetle. Some kinds of beetles were
sacred to the Egyptians which would make the situation even more difficult. It
would certainly not be a land where Yahweh could be worshipped in purity.
PULPIT, "A grievous swarm of flies. Rather "a multitude of beetles." As with the
frogs, so with the beetles, it aggravated the infliction, that, being sacred animals,
they might not be destroyed or injured. Beetles were sacred to Ra, the sun-god; and

95. one form of Ra, Chepra, was ordinarily represented under the form of a beetle, or
as a man with a beetle for his heath The land was corrupted. Rather "destroyed;"
i.e. grievously injured, or "devastated"(as Kalisch renders). The beetles seriously
damaged the growing crops.
25 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron
and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God here in the
land.”
BAR ES, "To your God - Pharaoh now admits the existence and power of the God
whom he had professed not to know; but, as Moses is careful to record, he recognizes
Him only as the national Deity of the Israelites.
In the land - i. e. in Egypt, not beyond the frontier.
CLARKE, "Sacrifice to your God in the land - That is, Ye shall not leave Egypt,
but I shall cause your worship to be tolerated here.
GILL, "He and his people not being able to endure this plague of flies any longer; and
we read in profane history of such creatures being so troublesome, that people have been
obliged to quit their habitations, and seek for new ones; so Pausanias (t) relates of the
inhabitants of Myus, that such a number of flies rose out of the lake, that the men were
obliged to leave the city, and go to Miletus; so Aelian (u) reports, that the inhabitants of
Megara were driven from thence by a multitude of flies, as were the inhabitants of
Phaselis by wasps, which creatures also might be in this mixture of insects:
and said, go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land; that is, in the land of Goshen, in
the place where they were; he was willing to allow them the liberty of sacrificing to their
God, which it seems they had before; but then he would not consent they should go out
of the land to do it.
HE RY 25-27, " How Pharaoh, upon this attack, sounded a parley, and entered into
a treaty with Moses and Aaron about a surrender of his captives: but observe with what

96. reluctance he yields.
1. He is content they should sacrifice to their God, provided they would do it in the
land of Egypt, Exo_8:25. Note, God can extort a toleration of his worship, even from
those that are really enemies to it. Pharaoh, under the smart of the rod, is content they
should do sacrifice, and will allow liberty of conscience to God's Israel, even in his own
land. But Moses will not accept his concession; he cannot do it, Exo_8:26. It would be an
abomination to God should they offer the Egyptian sacrifices, and an abomination to the
Egyptians should they offer to God their own sacrifices, as they ought; so that they could
not sacrifice in the land without incurring the displeasure either of their God or of their
task-masters; therefore he insists: We will go three days' journey into the wilderness,
Exo_8:27. Note, Those that would offer an acceptable sacrifice to God must, (1.)
Separate themselves from the wicked and profane; for we cannot have fellowship both
with the Father of lights and with the works of darkness, both with Christ and with
Belial, 2Co_6:14, etc.; Psa_26:4, Psa_26:6. (2.) They must retire from the distractions of
the world, and get as far as may be from the noise of it. Israel cannot keep the feast of the
Lord either among the brick-kilns or among the flesh-pots of Egypt; no, We will go into
the wilderness, Hos_2:14; Son_7:11. (3.) They must observe the divine appointment:
“We will sacrifice as God shall command us, and not otherwise.” Though they were in
the utmost degree of slavery to Pharaoh, yet in the worship of God, they must observe
his commands and not Pharaoh's.
JAMISO 25-32, "Pharaoh called for Moses, ... Go ye, sacrifice to your God
in the land, etc. — 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.
CALVI , "25.And Pharaoh called for Moses. Pharaoh imagines that he is granting
a great thing, if the Israelites are permitted to offer sacrifice to God in Egypt. He
and all his people should have humbly embraced the worship of God, and casting
away their superstitions should have sought to Moses as their instructor in sincere
piety. He departs from none of their common vices; he does not renounce his idols
nor forsake his former errors; but only permits God to be worshipped in one part of
his kingdom. But this is customary with the reprobate, to think that they have
sufficiently done their duty, when they yield ever so little to God. Hence it arises,
that when they are conquered and compelled, still they would not hesitate to detract
somewhat from the rights of God; nay, if they might do so with impunity, they
would willingly rob Him of all. And in fact as long as fortune (99) is propitious, and
they enjoy a state of prosperity and safety, they deprive God, as much as may be, of
all His glory; but when the power of resisting fails them, they so descend to
submission as to defraud Him of half His due honor. God had commanded a free
departure to be conceded to His people; Pharaoh does not obey this command, but
endeavors to satisfy God in another way, viz., by not forbidding them to offer

97. sacrifice in Egypt. This sin, which was common in all ages, is now-a-days too clearly
manifest. Our Pharaohs would altogether extinguish God’s glory, and this they
madly set themselves to compass; but when reduced to extremities, if there be no
further use in professedly contending with Him, they maim and mutilate His
worship by a fictitious course, which they call a reformation. Hence arose that
mixture of light and darkness, which was named “the Interim” (100) or do the
enemies of the truth cease to obtrude thus ridiculously upon God their empty and
unreal expiation’s.
COFFMA , "Verses 25-28
"And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your
God in the land, And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the
abomination of the Egyptians to Jehovah our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the
abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us? We will
go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Jehovah our God, as he
shall command us. And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to
Jehovah your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: entreat for
me."
"Go sacrifice to your God in the land ..." Here is the first of four compromises
suggested by Pharaoh as a means of hindering the will of God. The second is in
Exodus 8:28, "Ye shall not go very far away." The third is in Exodus 10:11, "Only
the men must go." The fourth is in Exodus 10:24, "The flocks and the herds must be
left behind." Moses' ultimate answer to these was the stern declaration: "There
shall not a hoof be left behind!" (Exodus 10:26). The marvel of these writings is
their correspondence with spiritual truth in all ages. Many have pointed out that
these compromises are exactly the same as those which Satan and his servants
propose to believers who would follow the Lord Jesus Christ in these present times,
or in all times. We may paraphrase them thus:
If you must serve Christ, do so in the world. Why bother with belonging to the
church? Of course, this is as impossible now as it was when Pharaoh suggested it.
The Christian must sacrifice what the world adores!
If you must be religious, then don't be a fanatic. Do not go very far! This is the
motto of all lukewarm, indifferent Christians, who fancy that they are serving
Christ, but they have not gone very far!
Only the males must go! Leave your families out of it. If you must be a Christian, do
not attempt to take others with you. Let everyone make up his own mind. Keep your
religion to yourself!
Let the flocks and herds stay behind. If you must be a Christian, go ahead, but don't
invest any money in it. Use your wealth for yourself. Of this class of Christians are
those whose pocketbooks were never baptized!

98. Concerning such applications of the Sacred Scriptures here recorded, Unger said:
"In these compromises we read Satan's attempt to keep God's people ensnared by
the world, and thus to hold them under his control and power. In this strategy he
has highly succeeded in Christendom."[29]
"We shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians ..." Scholars usually interpret
this as meaning that the Hebrews would sacrifice cows which were considered
sacred in Egypt, but Keil objected to this on the grounds that "cows were not an
abomination to them."[30] However, the clause could mean that "the sacrificing of
cows" was the abomination spoken of. Fields thought that the best explanation is,
"The abomination involved the use of sheep for sacrifice. Every shepherd was an
abomination to the Egyptians (Genesis 46:34)."[31] We still favor the common view,
because it is illuminated by the spiritual derivative of it, that Christians must
sacrifice that which the world worships! Rylaarsdam also preferred this
understanding of it, pointing out that:
"The Elephantine Papyri show that Egyptians of a later era actually did react
violently to Israel's worship. Most of Israel's animal sacrifices would have offended
Egyptians."[32]
COKE, "Exodus 8:25. Go ye, sacrifice—in the land— In the 8th verse Pharaoh
allows them to sacrifice, without specifying the place: here he confines them to the
land of Goshen, to which Moses objects; as the animals they were to sacrifice to the
Lord being those which were worshipped by the Egyptians, it would be such an
affront and abomination to them as would endanger the lives of the Israelites. This
is the meaning of the phrase, Exodus 8:26 shall we sacrifice the abomination of the
Egyptians? See Genesis 43:32 and Gen 47:34. The Chaldee paraphrase renders the
latter part of Exodus 8:26, "for we shall take the animals, which the Egyptians
worship, to sacrifice to the Lord our God." The Syriac, "for, if we shall sacrifice the
gods of the Egyptians before their eyes, they will stone us." Herodotus, says Bishop
Warburton, expressly tells us, that the Egyptians esteemed it a profanation to
sacrifice any kind of cattle, except swine, bulls, clean calves, and geese; and that
heifers, rams, and goats, were held sacred, either in one province or another:—and,
if he came any thing near the truth in his account of the early superstition of Egypt,
the Israelites, we see, could not avoid sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians.
And with what deadly hatred and revenge they pursued such imaginary impieties,
the same Herodotus informs us in another place. See Herod, lib. ii. c. 42. 45. 65. and
Div. Leg. vol. ii. part i. p. 36.
ELLICOTT, "(25) Pharaoh called for Moses.—Pharaoh suffered from the
kakerlaque equally with his subjects, or rather, more than his subjects. It was
“upon him,” inflicting its painful bites (Exodus 8:21); it was “upon his palaces”
(Exodus 8:21), destroying his rich and magnificent furniture; it was upon his lands,
ravaging and devastating them (Exodus 8:24). He therefore gave way before this
plague almost at once, and without waiting for any remonstrance on the part of the
magicians or others, “called for Moses.”

99. In the land.—Pretending to grant the request made of him, Pharaoh mars all by this
little clause. A three days’ journey into the wilderness had been demanded from the
first (Exodus 5:3), and no less could be accepted.
PETT,"Exodus 8:25
‘And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron and said, “You go, sacrifice to your
God in the land.” ’
So Pharaoh, driven to distraction, offered to let the children of Israel offer sacrifices
and serve God in a festival, but only within the land of Egypt, not in the wilderness.
He would give them time off for their worship, but they must not leave the country.
PULPIT, "The fourth plague moves the Pharaoh more than any preceding one. He
still cannot bring himself to grant the demand of Moses; but he offers a compromise.
The Israelites shall have a respite from their toils, and be permitted to hold their
festival, and offer the needful sacrifices in Egypt (Exodus 8:25). When this offer is
for good reasons not accepted, he yields even further—he will let the people go and
sacrifice in the wilderness—only they must not "go far away"(Exodus 8:28). Having
made this promise, he obtains for the second time the intercession of Moses and the
discontinuance of the plague in consequence of it. But then, as before, when he saw
that there was respite (Exodus 8:15), he retracted his promise, hardened himself,
and refused to allow the people to quit Egypt (Exodus 8:32).
Exodus 8:25
In the land—i.e; in Egypt within the limits of my dominions, so that I may not lose
sight of you—far less run the risk of losing you altogether.
26 But Moses said, “That would not be right. The
sacrifices we offer the Lord our God would be
detestable to the Egyptians. And if we offer
sacrifices that are detestable in their eyes, will
they not stone us?

100. BAR ES, "The abomination - i. e. an animal which the Egyptians held it
sacrilegious to slay. The ox, bull, or cow, is meant. The cow was never sacrificed in
Egypt, being sacred to Isis, and from a very early age the ox was worshipped throughout
Egypt, and more especially at Heliopolis and Memphis under various designations, Apis,
Mnevis, Amen-Ehe, as the symbol or manifestation of their greatest deities, Osiris,
Atum, Ptah, and Isis.
CLARKE, "We shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians - That is,
The animals which they hold sacred, and will not permit to be slain, are those which our
customs require us to sacrifice to our God; and should we do this in Egypt the people
would rise in a mass, and stone us to death. Perhaps few people were more superstitious
than the Egyptians. Almost every production of nature was an object of their religious
worship: the sun, moon, planets, stars, the river Nile, animals of all sorts, from the
human being to the monkey, dog, cat, and ibis, and even the onions and leeks which
grew in their gardens. Jupiter was adored by them under the form of a ram, Apollo
under the form of a crow, Bacchus under that of a goat, and Juno under that of a heifer.
The reason why the Egyptians worshipped those animals is given by Eusebius, viz., that
when the giants made war on the gods, they were obliged to take refuge in Egypt, and
assume the shapes or disguise themselves under different kinds of animals in order to
escape. Jupiter hid himself in the body of a ram, Apollo in that of a crow, Bacchus in a
goat, Diana in a cat, Juno in a white heifer, Venus in a fish, and Mercury in the bird ibis;
all which are summoned up by Ovid in the following lines: -
Duxque gregis fit Jupiter -
Delius in corvo, proles Semeleia capro,
Fele soror Phoebi, nivea Saturnia vacca,
Pisce Venus latuit, Cyllenius ibidis alis.
Metam., l. v., fab. v., 1. 326.
How the gods fled to Egypt’s slimy soil,
And hid their heads beneath the banks of Nile;
How Typhon from the conquer’d skies pursued
Their routed godheads to the seven-mouth’d flood;
Forced every god, his fury to escape,
Some beastly form to take, or earthly shape.
Jove, so she sung, was changed into a ram,
From whence the horns of Libyan Ammon came;
Bacchus a goat, Apollo was a crow,
Phoebe a cat, the wife of Jove a cow,
Whose hue was whiter than the falling snow;
Mercury, to a nasty ibis turn’d,
The change obscene, afraid of Typhon mourn’d,
While Venus from a fish protection craves,
And once more plunges in her native waves
- Maynwaring.

101. These animals therefore became sacred to them on account of the deities, who, as the
fable reports, had taken refuge in them. Others suppose that the reason why the
Egyptians would not sacrifice or kill those creatures was their belief in the doctrine of
the metempsychosis, or transmigration of souls; for they feared lest in killing an animal
they should kill a relative or a friend. This doctrine is still held by the Hindoos.
GILL, "And Moses said, it is not meet so to do,.... It being the command and will
of God that they should go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice there;
and besides it was dangerous, the Egyptians might be provoked by their sacrifices to fall
upon them, and kill them:
for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God;
by which Moses is not to be understood as calling the idols of Egypt an abomination, as
being so to God and to all good men, that were not idolaters; for though they were,
Moses would scarcely call them so before Pharaoh, when he could have made use of
another word as well; but his meaning is, that the Israelites would sacrifice that which
would be an abomination, and very detestable to the Egyptians for them to do. And so
the Targum of Jonathan;"for the sheep, which are the idols of the Egyptians, we shall
take and offer before the Lord our God.''Herodotus (w) says, it was not accounted with
the Egyptians lawful to sacrifice any creature but swine, and male oxen, and calves, such
as were clean; but nevertheless, as after these times the Egyptians did offer such
creatures as oxen, sheep, and goats, at least some of them did, Bishop Patrick thinks this
may only refer to the rites and ceremonies of sacrificing, and to the qualities and
condition of the beasts that were offered, about which the Egyptians in later ages were
very curious; however, be it which it will, something might be done which would
displease the Egyptians, and therefore it was best to sacrifice out of their land:
lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and
will they not stone us? rise up in a body in great wrath, and fall upon us and slay us,
by taking up stones and casting at us, or by some means or another dispatch us while
offering; just as Pilate mingled the blood of the Galilaeans with their sacrifices, Luk_13:1
and the Egyptians were a people that greatly resented any indignity done to their deities,
and would prosecute it with great wrath and fury; as appears from an instance which
Diodorus Siculus (x) reports he was an eyewitness of, as that a certain Roman having
killed a cat, (which is an Egyptian deity,) the mob rose about his house, so that neither
the princes sent by the king of Egypt to entreat them, nor the common dread of the
Roman name, could deliver the man from punishment, though he did it imprudently,
and not on purpose.
CALVI , "26.And Moses said. The word ‫כון‬,)101 ) kon, which Moses here uses, has
a wide signification; for the Hebrews say of whatever they do not approve, that it is
not right ( rectum.) Therefore almost all the interpreters agree in this, that Pharaoh
demanded what was by no means equitable, because he would have exposed the
Israelites to be stoned by his people. If this opinion be admitted, we must read the
passage connectedly, that it was not in accordance with reason, that the Israelites
should sacrifice in Egypt in a strange manner, because the novelty would not be
tolerated. There are two clauses in the sentence; one, that it was not right for them

102. to offer in Egypt a sacrifice to God, which was abominable to the inhabitants
themselves, or to offer a profane sacrifice of the abominations of the heathen; the
other, that there was a danger of the Israelites being stoned, if they provoked the
Egyptians by a ceremony, which was detestable to them. As to the second clause,
there is no doubt that “the abomination of the Egyptians” is taken actively for the
sacrifices which they abominate. The same seems to be the meaning of the first
clause; for it would be harsh to interpret the same forms of expression differently
within a few words of each other; except that the name of Jehovah, put in opposition
as it is to “the abomination,” seems to require a passive signification. For Moses says
emphatically, that “it is not right to sacrifice the abomination of Egypt to Jehovah
the God of Israel.” If this view be adopted, “the abomination” will be the
profanation of true and pure worship, wherewith the sacred ceremonies of the
Egyptians were defiled; as much as to say, that it was unlawful to mix up the
worship of the true God with such sacrilege. And, in fact, Moses seems to contend
with a twofold argument; first, that it was not right, secondly, that it was not
expedient. Take this, then, as the first reason, that a sacrifice which should. be
polluted by the abominations of Egypt, would neither be lawful nor pleasing to God;
the second will follow after, that the Egyptians would not tolerate it; because they
would conceive both themselves and their gods to be grievously insulted, if their
accustomed mode of sacrificing should be violated. This interpretation is fuller, and
contains fuller doctrine, if Moses, first of all, was solicitous as to the honor of God,
and did not regard the advantage of the people only; and in this sentiment, that the
true God could not be duly worshipped unless when separated from all idols, there
is nothing forced. But, since in the same verse “the abomination of the Egyptians” is
taken actively, it will be well, in order that the construction may be more easy, to
expound it thus in both places. Then the sense of the first clause will be, it is not
consistent to expose the worship of our God to the reproaches and sneers of the
Gentiles; which would be the case, if the Egyptians should see us honoring a
sacrificial ceremony which they abominate. I do not, indeed, assent to their opinion,
who will not admit the passage to consist of two clauses, but read it connectedly thus
— that it was not right to do this, because the Egyptians would stone the Israelites.
For Moses not only had regard to what was best for the people, but primarily to
what would please God, viz., that His holy name should not be profaned. I see no
foundation in reason for restraining, as is usually done, the word “abomination” to
the animals of sacrifice; and, therefore, I extend it to the whole operation of
sacrificing. (102)
BE SO , "Exodus 8:26. We should sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians —
That which they abominated to see killed, because they worshipped as gods the
animals which the Hebrews were wont to offer in sacrifice. From this it seems
probable, and from no mention being made of any, that the Israelites had omitted to
offer sacrifices from their first coming into Egypt.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:26 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?

103. Ver. 26. Will they not stone us?] Superstition is cruel; witness the Popish Inquisition
to Lithgow, who, in ten hours, received seventy various torments. And the massacre
of Paris, wherein they poisoned the Queen of avarre, murdered the most part of
the peerless nobility in France, their wives and children, with a great sort of the
common people, a hundred thousand in one year in various parts of the realm; some
say three hundred thousand! The bloody and barbarous persecutions of the
religious abroad in Bohemia, the Valtoline, Piedmont, and etherlands; the Marian
dog-days here at home; are better known than I need to mention them.
ELLICOTT, "(26) It is not meet so to do.—Pressed to remain “in the land,” and
sacrifice, Moses deemed it right to explain to the king why this was impossible. The
Israelites would have to “sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians”—i.e., animals
of which the Egyptians abominated the killing; and if they did this in the presence of
Egyptians, a riot would be certain to break out—perhaps a civil war would ensue.
The animal worship of the Egyptians is a certain, and generally recognised, fact. It
seemed to the Greeks and Romans the most striking characteristic of the Egyptian
reliction. (See Herod, ii. 65-76; Diod. Sic. i. 82-84; Cic. De at. Deor. i. 36; &c.) The
sacrificial animals of the Hebrews—sheep, goats, and cattle—were all of them
sacred animals, either to the Egyptians generally, or to the inhabitants of certain
districts. A Theban could not endure the sacrifice of a sheep, nor a Men-desian that
of a goat (Herod. ii. 42). White cows and heifers—perhaps cows and heifers
generally—were sacred to Isis-Athor. Any bull-calf might be an Apis; and it could
not be known whether he was Apis or not till the priests had examined him (Herod.
iii. 28). The extent to which the Egyptians carried their rage when a sacred animal
was killed in their presence is illustrated by many facts in history. On one occasion a
Roman ambassador, who had accidentally killed a cat, was torn to pieces by the
populace (Diod. Sic. i. 83). On another, war broke out between the Oxyrinchites and
the Cynopolites, because the latter had eaten one of the fish considered sacred by
the former (Plutarch, De Isid. et Osir. § 44). The fear of Moses was thus not at all
groundless.
Will they not stone us?—This is the first mention of “stoning” in Scripture or
elsewhere. It was not a legalised Egyptian punishment; but probably it was
everywhere one of the earliest, as it would be one of the simplest, modes of wreaking
popular vengeance. Æschylus mentions it (Sept. 100 Th. 183), also Herodotus (v. 38).
It was known in ancient Persia (Ctes. Fr. 50).
PETT, "Exodus 8:26
‘And Moses said, “It is not satisfactory to do so. For we will sacrifice the
abomination of the Egyptians to Yahweh our God. Look, shall we sacrifice the
abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes and they not stone us?” ’
But Moses argued that this compromise was not suitable because of the nature of
their sacrifices and the way in which they would sacrifice them. Their actions would
be seen as an abomination by the Egyptians who saw some of the animals as sacred,
and would consider that they were not sacrificing them in the right way. Can
Pharaoh not see that thus the Egyptians would be incensed and would riot and

104. attack them for their sacrilege? Stoning was not an official form of punishment in
Egypt. The idea is that the Egyptians would riot and use any weapon that lay to
hand.
PULPIT, "Exodus 8:26
It is not meet so to do. So many animals were held sacred by the Egyptians, some
universally, some partially, that, if they held a great festival anywhere in Egypt, the
Israelites could not avoid offending the religious feelings of their neighbours. Some
animals would be sure to be sacrificed—white cows, or heifers, for instance—by
some of the people, which the Egyptians regarded it as sacrilegious to put to death.
A bloody conflict, or even a civil war, might be the consequence. By the abomination
of the Egyptians seems to be meant animals of which the Egyptians would
abominate the killing. It has generally been supposed that either cows alone, or
"cows, bulls and oxen" are meant; but recent researches seem to show that it was
only white cows which it was absolutely unlawful to sacrifice. Will they not stone
us? Death was the legal penalty for wilfully killing any sacred animal in Egypt
(Herod. 2.65). On one occasion even a Roman ambassador was put to death for
accidentally killing a eat (Diod. Sic. 1.88). Stoning does not appear to have been a
legal punishment in Egypt, so that we must suppose Moses to have feared the people
present taking the law into their own hands, seizing the sacrificers, and killing them
by this ready method.
27 We must take a three-day journey into the
wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God,
as he commands us.”
BAR ES, "Three days’ journey - See the Exo_3:18 note.
CLARKE, "And sacrifice to the Lord - as he shall command us - It is very
likely that neither Moses nor Aaron knew as yet in what manner God would be
worshipped; and they expected to receive a direct revelation from him relative to this
subject, when they should come into the wilderness.

105. GILL, "We will go three days' journey into the wilderness,.... As was first
insisted on, and from which demand they should not depart:
and sacrifice unto the Lord our God, as he shall command us; both what
sacrifices shall be offered, and the manner in which they shall be done, both which
seemed for the present in a good measure undetermined and unknown; and therefore it
was possible, and very probable, that in one or the other they should give offence to the
Egyptians, should they sacrifice among them, being at all events resolved to do as the
Lord should command them.
CALVI , "27.We will go three days’ journey. This is the conclusion that no change
must be made in God’s command, but that His injunction must be obeyed simply,
and without exception. or is there little praise due to the firmness of Moses, who so
boldly and unreservedly rejected the pretended moderation of the tyrant, because it
would have somewhat interfered with the will of God. He therefore declares that the
Israelites would do no otherwise than as God had prescribed.
BE SO , "Exodus 8:27-29. As he shall command us — For he has not yet told us
what sacrifices to offer. Ye shall not go very far away — ot so far but that he
might fetch them back again. It is likely he suspected that if once they left Egypt
they would never come back; and therefore when he is forced to consent that they
shall go, yet he is not willing they should go out of his reach. See how ready God is
to accept sinners’ submissions: Pharaoh only says, Entreat for me — Moses
promises immediately; I will entreat the Lord — For thee; and that he might see
what the design of the plague was, not to bring him to ruin but to repentance.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:27 We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and
sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.
Ver. 27. As he shall command us.] Manner as well as matter, circumstance as well as
substance, to be heeded in God’s service; else there may be malum opus in bona
materia, as one saith, - an evil work in a good matter.
PULPIT, "Three days' journey into the wilderness. This was the demand made
from the first (Exodus 5:3) by Divine direction (Exodus 3:18). Its object was to
secure the absence of Egyptians as witnesses. As he shall command us. Compare
Exodus 10:26, where Moses observes—"We know not with what we must serve the
Lord until we come thither." Divine directions were expected as to the number and
the selection of the victims.
28 Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to offer

106. sacrifices to the Lord your God in the wilderness,
but you must not go very far. ow pray for me.”
CLARKE, "I will let you go only ye shall not go very far away - Pharaoh
relented because the hand of God was heavy upon him; but he was not willing to give up
his gain. The Israelites were very profitable to him; they were slaves of the state, and
their hard labor was very productive: hence he professed a willingness, first to tolerate
their religion in the land, (Exo_8:25); or to permit them to go into the wilderness, so
that they went not far away, and would soon return. How ready is foolish man, when the
hand of God presses him sore, to compound with his Maker! He will consent to give up
some sins, provided God will permit him to keep others.
Entreat for me - Exactly similar to the case of Simon Magus, who, like Pharaoh,
fearing the Divine judgments, begged an interest in the prayers of Peter, Act_8:24.
GILL, "And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the Lord
your God in the wilderness,.... He does not say three days, though as he allowed
them to go into the wilderness and sacrifice, they could not go and come again in less
time; nor would Moses have accepted of the grant, as it seems by what follows he had, if
he had obliged them to less time:
only you shall not go very far away; his meaning is, as Aben Ezra observes, that
they should go no further than three days' journey; he was jealous that this was only an
excuse to get entirely out of his dominions, and never return more. He might have heard
of their claim to the land of Canaan, and of their talk, and hope, and expectation, of
going and settling there; and so understood this motion of theirs, to have leave to go into
the wilderness for three days, to sacrifice to the Lord, was only a pretence; that their real
intention was to proceed on in their journey to Canaan; however, being in this great
distress, he made as if he was willing to grant what they desired, and very importunately
urged they would pray he might be delivered from this plague:
entreat for me; the words seem to be spoken in haste, and with great eagerness and
vehemence.
HE RY 28-29, " When this proposal is rejected, he consents for them to go into the
wilderness, provided they do not go very far away, not so far but that he might fetch
them back again, Exo_8:28. It is probable he had heard of their design upon Canaan,
and suspected that if once they left Egypt they would never come back again; and
therefore, when he is forced to consent that they shall go (the swarms of flies buzzing the
necessity in his ears), yet he is not willing that they should go out of his reach. Thus
some sinners who, in a pang of conviction, part with their sins, yet are loth they should
go very far away; for, when the fright is over, they will return to them again. We observe
here a struggle between Pharaoh's convictions and his corruptions; his convictions said,

107. “Let them go;” his corruptions said, “Yet not very far away:” but he sided with his
corruptions against his convictions, and this was his ruin. This proposal Moses so far
accepted as that he promised the removal of this plague upon it, Exo_8:29 See here, (1.)
How ready God is to accept sinners' submissions. Pharaoh does but say, Entreat for me
(though it is with regret that he humbles so far), and Moses promises immediately, I will
entreat the Lord for thee, that Pharaoh might see what the design of the plague was, not
to bring him to ruin, but to bring him to repentance. With what pleasure did God say
(1Ki_21:29), Seest thou how Ahab humbles himself? (2.) What need we have to be
admonished that we be sincere in our submission: But let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully
any more. Those that deal deceitfully are justly suspected, and must be cautioned not to
return again to folly, after God has once more spoken peace. Be not deceived, God is not
mocked; if we think to put a cheat upon God by a counterfeit repentance, and a
fraudulent surrender of ourselves to him, we shall prove, in the end, to have put a fatal
cheat upon our own souls.
K&D, "Exo_8:28-32
These reasons commended themselves to the heathen king from his own religious
standpoint. He promised, therefore, to let the people go into the wilderness and
sacrifice, provided they did not go far away, if Moses and Aaron would release him and
his people from this plague through their intercession. Moses promised that the swarms
should be removed the following day, but told the king not to deceive them again as he
had done before (Exo_8:8). But Pharaoh hardened his heart as soon as the plague was
taken away, just as he had done after the second plague (Exo_8:15), to which the word
“also” refers (Exo_8:32).
CALVI , "28.And Pharaoh said, I will let you go. When he sees that his delays and
shifts avail him nothing, he professes entire obedience; not that he then proposed to
deceive and lie, because he was prevented by fear; but only, because overwhelmed
with a present sense of his calamity, he dared not raise his crest against God.
Therefore (as I said before) he did not so much wish designedly to conciliate and
frustrate Moses by falsehood, as he deceived himself. For we must observe that (like
one who has a wolf by the ears) he was constrained to promise the dismissal of the
people, whom he retained to his own great injury. And this is why he commends
himself to their prayers, for necessity urged him to implore God’s pardon and
peace: although it might have been that he desired craftily to engage their affection
to himself under the pretext of religion. For by this anxious precaution for himself,
he betrays his want of confidence. Finally, by requesting their prayers, he, as it
were, throws out a rope by which he may draw them back to himself when the
sacrifice was over.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:28 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.
Ver. 28. Only ye shall not go very far.] So loath was he to lose his hold. So is the
devil. (a) The Pope made large offers to Queen Elizabeth, as also to our king, when
in Spain.

108. Intreat for me.] So Simon Magus, in a fright, begs Peter’s prayers. So Maximinus,
the persecuting emperor, sent to the Church for prayers, when God had laid upon
him a grievous disease. So Ezra 6:10, "Pray for the king’s life, and for his sons."
PARKER, ""Only ye shall not go very far away."— Exodus 8:28.
This was a stipulation made by Pharaoh.—He had been plagued into some
concession.—This is the language of compromise—the common language of all
time.—Men are generous with a reservation. This was Pharaoh"s policy.—In many
cases religion is to be respected, but is not to cost anything.—Some people use this
language when they are giving a kind of permission to faith; they say, "It may go so
far, but no farther." It is not to go very far away from what can be seen and
handled; it is to be as a tethered bird unable to fly beyond its check.—Some people
use the same language to the spirit of Consecration. It must not go very far away
from the marketplace and from the common courses of society; it must never
become a passion, a heroism, a burning sacrifice.—People keep themselves very
much within themselves, not knowing that self-control reaches its highest discipline
in the absolute giving away of the whole life to the care and service of God.
PETT, "Exodus 8:28
‘And 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. Entreat for me.” ’
Pharaoh now concedes almost all the ground. ‘ ot very far’ rather than a ‘three
days journey’. The difference in distance is minimal and probably a face saver.
“Entreat for me.” Here was a humiliation indeed. The great Pharaoh was pleading
with Moses as a prophet to plead for him with his own God Who was thereby
acknowledge as being more powerful than he. It should be noted that he is asking
Moses to entreat on the basis of the terms discussed. Thus for Pharaoh to back down
would be a breach of treaty and would be seen as a serious offence deserving of
severe punishment. (The word is not specifically a treaty word but the context
makes it so).
PULPIT, "Only ye shall not go very far away. Here for the first time Pharaoh shows
his real objection to letting the Israelites go—he is afraid that they will escape him.
So he suggests the compromise, that they shall just enter the wilderness on his
eastern border, remaining near the frontier, and therefore within his reach. Moses
seems to have made no objection to this proviso. As Kalisch says, "he committal
himself entirely to the guidance and direction of God." The three days' journey
which he had requested by Divine command (Exodus 3:18) would not take him far
beyond the Egyptian frontier. Entreat for me. Compare Exodus 8:8. An abbreviated
form is now used, as sufficiently intelligible.

109. 29 Moses answered, “As soon as I leave you, I will
pray to the Lord, and tomorrow the flies will leave
Pharaoh and his officials and his people. Only let
Pharaoh be sure that he does not act deceitfully
again by not letting the people go to offer
sacrifices to the Lord.”
GILL, "And Moses said, behold, I go out from thee,.... Directly, immediately, to
the place where he was wont to meet the Lord, and receive orders and instructions from
him:
and I will entreat the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from
Pharaoh; for as he sent them, he only could remove them, and he could do the one as
easily as he did the other:
from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; that there might be a
thorough and clear riddance of them from him and all his subjects, and out of every part
of his kingdom; which should be done, and was done on the morrow, that is, on the
thirtieth day of Adar, answering to part of our February, and part of our March, so that
this must be about the middle of March:
but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more, in not letting the people go to
sacrifice to the Lord; as in the plague of frogs, refusing to let them go when it was
past; which Moses calls an illusion, a mocking of them, and dealing deceitfully, to which
he here refers; see Exo_8:15.
CALVI , "29.And Moses said, Behold I go out from thee. Moses does not reply to
this demand, because he knew that the design of God was otherwise; and God had
justly left him in ignorance as to what He did not yet wish him to know. There is,
then, no reason why Moses should be accused of bad faith when he faithfully
fulfilled the charge committed to him; although he was silent as to what he was not
ordered to declare, even as to that which God wished to be concealed from the
tyrant. But the holy Prophet, aroused to pious indignation by the king’s perfidy,
does not immediately remove the plague, but waits till the morrow; and moreover,
denounces with severity that, if he should persist in deceit, its punishment awaited
him. This great magnanimity he had derived from the miracles, for, having

110. experienced in them the unconquerable power of God, he had no cause for fear. For
it was an act of extraordinary boldness openly and before the tyrant’s face to
reproach him for his falsehoods, and at the same time to threaten him with
punishment unless he desisted from them. But we said before that Moses had not
acted from the workings of his own mind, when he promised Pharaoh what he
asked, but that he had spoken thus confidently from special impulse. For the general
promise in which God affirms that He will grant the prayers of His servants, must
not be applied to particular cases, so that they should expect to obtain this or that in
a specified manner, unless they have some peculiar testimony from the word or the
Spirit of God.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:29 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.
Ver. 29. Deal deceitfully any more.] Some are so slippery, there is no believing of
them. Egesippus saith of Pilate, that he was vir nequam, et parvifaciens mendacium,
a naughty man, and one that made no conscience of a lie. o more did Pharaoh.
COFFMA , "Verses 29-32
"And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat Jehovah that the
swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people,
tomorrow: only let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people
go to sacrifice to Jehovah. And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated
Jehovah. And Jehovah 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. And Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he did not let
the people go."
"And he (Jehovah) removed the swarms of flies ..." Dobson accurately discerned the
significance of this:
"As we read the story we see that again, and again, the writer emphasizes the fact
that it was not Moses or Aaron who either caused or removed the plagues, but the
Lord himself. See Exodus 8:28-33; 9:27-33; 10:15-19; 8:30-31; 9:5,6; and
10:13,33."[33]
The skillful development of this narrative of the Ten Plagues, with its successive
gradations, and delicate sensitivity to changing scenes, make it absolutely impossible
to suppose that the sacred history here is a hodge-podge scissors-and-paste job of
putting together prior documents. Such theories are no explanation whatever of
what we see revealed here.
ELLICOTT, "(29) And Moses said, Behold . . . I will in-treat the Lord.—Moses
accepted Pharaoh’s second promise, and took no special exception to its condition
—“only ye shall not go very far away.” He had distinctly stated his own demand,
which was for “a three days’ journey into the wilderness” (Exodus 5:3; Exodus

111. 8:27). It was for Pharaoh to settle with himself whether he considered that distance
“very far” or not. As he made no clear objection to the distance, Moses was bound
to suppose that he allowed it.
Let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more. God’s servants must rebuke even kings
when they openly break the moral law (1 Samuel 13:13; 1 Samuel 15:16-23; 2
Samuel 12:7-12; 1 Kings 21:20-22; Matthew 14:4. &c.). Pharaoh had promised
unconditionally to let the people go if the frogs were removed (Exodus 8:8), and had.
then flagrantly broken his word. Moses was right to rebuke his “deceit.”
PETT,"Exodus 8:29-31
‘And Moses said, “Behold I go out from you, and I will entreat Yahweh that the
swarms of flying insects may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants and from his
people tomorrow. Only let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the
people go to sacrifice to Yahweh.” And Moses went out from Pharaoh and entreated
Yahweh, and Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and he removed the
swarms of flying insects from Pharaoh, from his servants and from his people.
There remained not one.’
Moses accepts the compromise, agrees to entreat for him on the basis of it because
he is acknowledging that only Yahweh can deliver is such a case, and warns
Pharaoh against failing to fulfil his obligations under the agreement. He will ask
Yahweh that the swarms of flying insects might depart, but he knows by now that
this Pharaoh is not to be trusted and warns him against proving false to his promise
of letting them go and sacrifice to Yahweh. Yahweh is doing what He is about to do
because Pharaoh is to some extent acknowledging that he ‘knows Yahweh as the
One Who is in the midst of the earth’, the One Who can deliver (Exodus 8:22-23).
Let him not then back down from it.
“And Moses went out from Pharaoh and entreated Yahweh.” These words are
heavy with significance. Pharaoh was used to men entering his presence in order to
entreat with him because they saw him as a power amongst the gods. But Moses
departs the other way, for he has a more powerful Being to entreat. He departed
from Pharaoh and entreated Yahweh.
He entreated Yahweh to remove the swarms, and it is stressed that Yahweh did so in
accordance with the word of Moses. ot one remained. Moses may not be good at
the flowery speeches, but his word is powerfully effective in performing wonders.
And he is good at the hard bargaining, for although it may well be that the
conversation was taking place through intermediaries, (for Aaron was with him),
the final decisions lay with him.
“There remained not one.” Probably not intended to be pressed too literally. The
point is that they would all appear to have disappeared so that no trace of one could
be seen.

112. 30 Then Moses left Pharaoh and prayed to the
Lord,
GILL, "And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the Lord. He did as
he promised he would, and prayed to the Lord to remove the flies from Pharaoh and his
people.
HE RY 30-32, "Lastly, The issue of all was that God graciously removed the plague
(Exo_8:30, Exo_8:31), but Pharaoh perfidiously returned to his hardness, and would
not let the people go, Exo_8:32. His pride would not let him part with such a flower of
his crown as his dominion over Israel was, nor his covetousness with such a branch of
his revenue as their labours were. Note, Reigning lusts break through the strongest
bounds, and make men impudently presumptuous and scandalously perfidious. Let not
sin therefore reign; for, if it do, it will betray and hurry us to the grossest absurdities.
31 and the Lord did what Moses asked. The flies
left Pharaoh and his officials and his people; not a
fly remained.
CLARKE, "The Lord did according to the word of Moses - How powerful is
prayer! God permits his servant to prescribe even the manner and time in which he shall
work.
He removed the swarms - Probably by means of a strong wind, which swept them
into the sea.
GILL, "And the Lord did according to the word of Moses,.... Did as he entreated

113. him to do, as follows:
and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and
from his people; by what means is not said, whether by destroying them at once, as
the frogs, or by driving them away with a wind, as the locusts afterwards:
there remained not one; the meaning is not, not one swarm of flies, but not one fly,
there was not one left; which looks as if it was in the latter way that they were removed,
since, if in the former, they would have remained, though dead, as the frogs did, for a
little while.
CALVI , "31.And the Lord did according to the word of Moses. “The word” here
may be expounded either of the answer, or the prayer, of Moses. The former pleases
me best, viz., that by the result God proved that He ratified what Moses had said,
whom He had made the proclaimer of His judgment; but if any one prefer to refer it
to his prayer, let him retain his opinion. When he adds that the “heart of the king
was hardened at this time also,” he aggravates the crime of his obstinacy, since there
was no bound to his rebellion under such a series of punishments, by which even an
iron heart should have been corrected.
BE SO , "Exodus 8:31. There remained not one — This immediate and entire
removal of the flies was as extraordinary, and as plainly indicative of the hand of
God, as the bringing them upon the land. Probably a strong wind swept them into
the sea, or into the deserts of Africa.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:31 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.
Ver. 31. There remained not one.] Prayer makes clean work; it can do wonders in
heaven and earth. Say thou with David, "Cleanse thou me from secret faults,"
[Psalms 19:12] those that are of daily and hourly incursion. Prayer will scour the
coast, clear the conscience of dead works. [Acts 8:22]
COKE, "Exodus 8:31. There remained not one— This immediate and entire
removal of the flies was as extraordinary, and as plainly indicated the hand of God,
as the bringing them upon the land. Probably a strong wind swept them into the sea,
or into the desarts of Africa.
REFLECTIO S.— 1. Pharaoh is warned of God's resolution to send a grievous
swarm of flies. He was probably praying at the river to his false gods, and here is a
message to him from Jehovah. Distinction shall be made between God's people and
his, more evidently to demonstrate the hand of God in the judgment. Whilst Egypt
in general is full of flies, Goshen shall be free. ote; God is able to secure his
servants from common desolations here; but if they should now sink with others in
affliction, the day is near when he will make an awful and eternal separation
between the righteous and the wicked.

114. 2. Pharaoh calls for Moses and Aaron; and, tormented with these noisome insects,
he makes some reluctant concessions: they shall worship, but in Egypt.
The proposal is rejected, and the reason given. They insist upon liberty to depart,
and he with unwillingness consents they shall go, but not far out of his reach. ote;
(1.) Sins which we are driven from by a tormented conscience through fear only, like
a favourite cast off in a passion, will soon be taken in again. (2.) In order to serve
God acceptably, we must be separate from the ways and company of a wicked
world. (3.) o service can please him, but what is according to his will and word.
3. Moses is content to intercede for him, but admonishes him not to deal deceitfully.
God is not mocked. Forced repentance usually betrays itself; but though we impose
upon men, we cannot upon God: we can only deceive ourselves to our ruin.
4. The plague is removed, and Pharaoh's hypocrisy appears. It is bad trusting to
wicked men's words. The ambition and pride of despotic kings make them often
break their solemn treaties; but they only thereby court their own destruction.
ELLICOTT, "(31) There remained not one.—The sudden and entire removal of a
plague like this at the word of Moses was almost as great a miracle as its sudden
coming at his word, and is therefore, when it happened, carefully recorded. (See
Exodus 10:19.) It seems not to have happened with the frogs (Exodus 8:11-13) or
with the mosquitoes.
32 But this time also Pharaoh hardened his heart
and would not let the people go.
CLARKE, "Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also - See Exo_8:15. This
hardening was the mere effect of his self-determining obstinacy. He preferred his gain to
the will and command of Jehovah, and God made his obstinacy the means of showing
forth his own power and providence in a supereminent degree.
1. As every false religion proves there is a true one, as a copy, however marred or
imperfect, shows there was an original from which it was taken, so false miracles
prove that there were genuine miracles, and that God chooses at particular times,
for the most important purposes, to invert the established order of nature, and
thus prove his omnipotence and universal agency. That the miracles wrought at

115. this time were real we have the fullest proof. The waters, for instance, were not
turned into blood in appearance merely, but were really thus changed. Hence the
people could not drink of them; and as blood in a very short time, when exposed to
the air, becomes putrid, so did the bloody waters; therefore all the fish that were in
the river died.
2. No human power or ingenuity could produce such frogs as annoyed the land of
Egypt. This also was a real, not an imaginary, plague. Innumerable multitudes of
these animals were produced for the purpose; and the heaps of their dead
carcasses, which putrefied and infected the land, at once demonstrated the reality
of the miracle.
3. The lice both on man and beast through the whole land, and the innumerable
swarms of flies, gave such proofs of their reality as to put the truth of these
miracles out of question for ever. It was necessary that this point should be fully
proved, that both the Egyptians and Israelites might see the finger of God in these
awful works.
4. To superficial observers only do “Moses and the magicians appear to be nearly
matched.” The power of God was shown in producing and removing the plagues.
In certain cases the magicians imitated the production of a plague, but they had no
power to remove any. They could not seem to remove the bloody color, nor the
putrescency from the waters through which the fish were destroyed, though they
could imitate the color itself; they could not remove the frogs, the lice, or swarms
of flies, though they could imitate the former and latter; they could by dexterity of
hand or diabolic influence produce serpents, but they could not bring one forward
that could swallow up the rod of Aaron. In every respect they fall infinitely short of
the power and wonderful energy evidenced in the miracles of Moses and Aaron.
The opposition therefore of those men served only as a foil to set off the excellence
of that power by which these messengers of God acted.
5. The courage, constancy, and faith of Moses are worthy of the most serious
consideration. Had he not been fully satisfied of the truth and certainty of his
Divine mission, he could not have encountered such a host of difficulties; had he
not been certain of the issue, he could not have preserved amidst so many
discouraging circumstances; and had he not had a deep acquaintance with God,
his faith in every trial must have necessarily failed. So strong was this grace in him
that he could even pledge his Maker to the performance of works concerning
which he had not as yet consulted him! He therefore let Pharaoh fix the very time
on which he would wish to have the plague removed; and when this was done, he
went to God by faith and prayer to obtain this new miracle; and God in the most
exact and circumstantial manner fulfilled the word of his servant.
6. From all this let us learn that there is a God who worketh in the earth; that
universal nature is under his control; that he can alter, suspend, counteract, or
invert its general laws whensoever he pleases; and that he can save or destroy by
the most feeble and most contemptible instruments. We should therefore deeply
reverence his eternal power and Godhead, and look with respect on every creature
he has made, as the meanest of them may in his hand, become the instrument of
our salvation or our ruin.
7. Let us not imagine that God has so bound himself to work by general laws, that
those destructions cannot take place which designate a particular providence.
Pharaoh and the Egyptians are confounded, afflicted, routed, and ruined, while the
land of Goshen and the Israelites are free from every plague! No blood appears in
their streams; no frogs, lice, nor flies, in all their borders! They trusted in the true

116. God, and could not be confounded. Reader, how secure mayest thou rest if thou
hast this God for thy friend! He was the Protector and Friend of the Israelites
through the blood of that covenant which is the very charter of thy salvation: trust
in and pray to him as Moses did, and then Satan and his angels shall be bruised
under thy feet, and thou shalt not only be preserved from every plague, but be
crowned with his loving kindness and tender mercy. He is the same to-day that he
was yesterday, and shall continue the same for ever. Hallelujah, the Lord God
omnipotent reigneth!
GILL, "And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also,.... As he did before,
when he found the plague was removed, and the flies were gone:
neither would he let the people go; through pride and covetousness, being loath to
have the number of those under his dominion so much diminished, and to lose so large a
branch of his revenues arising from the labour of these people.
TRAPP, "Exodus 8:32 And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither
would he let the people go.
Ver. 32. And Pharaoh hardened.] All blows and pressures were so far from
mollifying him, that he hardened and emmarbled more and more.
PETT, "Exodus 8:32
‘And Pharaoh hardened his heart (made his heart heavy) this time as well and he
did not let the people go.’
Pharaoh clearly now felt that there was not much else Yahweh could now do, for he
again changed his mind once the danger was removed. We must presume he thought
that treaties with slaves and Habiru under duress did not need to be observed. But
his dishonesty and intransigence was building up trouble for the future, not only for
himself but for his people. We should remember that our sins always affect the
future and always affect others.
The further lesson that we learn from this plague, on top of what we have already
pointed out, is God’s care of His own. In all His dealings He distinguishes between
those who are His people and respond to Him, and those who do not.