Exodus8

Exodus chapter 8 details three more plagues upon Egypt: frogs, lice, and swarms of flies. Each plague was a divine judgment intended to compel Pharaoh to release the Israelites for service to the LORD. Following the removal of the frogs and flies, Pharaoh repeatedly hardened his heart, refusing to honor his promises. The Egyptian magicians acknowledged the divine origin of the lice, unable to replicate it.

The Second Plague: Frogs

1
The LORD spoke to Moses, Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, “This is what the LORD says, ‘Let my people go, that they may serve me. ​
2
If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your borders with frogs:
3
and the river shall swarm with frogs, which shall go up and come into your house, and into your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the house of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens, and into your kneading troughs: ​
4
and the frogs shall come up both on you, and on your people, and on all your servants.’”
5
The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt.’”
6
Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
7
The magicians did the same thing with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt. ​
8
Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Entreat the LORD, that he take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to the LORD.”
9
Moses said to Pharaoh, “I give you the honor of setting the time that I should pray for you, and for your servants, and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, and remain in the river only.” ​
10
He said, “Tomorrow.” He said, “Be it according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God. ​
11
The frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only.”
12
Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the LORD concerning the frogs which he had brought on Pharaoh.
13
The LORD did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields.
14
They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank.
15
But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn’t listen to them, as the LORD had spoken. ​

The Third Plague: Gnats (Lice)

16
The LORD said to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Stretch out your rod, and strike the dust of the earth, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.’” ​
17
They did so; and Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and struck the dust of the earth, and there were lice on man, and on animal; all the dust of the earth became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
18
The magicians tried with their enchantments to produce lice, but they couldn’t. There were lice on man, and on animal. ​
19
Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God:” and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them; as the LORD had spoken. ​

The Fourth Plague: Swarms of Flies

20
The LORD said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; behold, he comes out to the water; and tell him, ‘This is what the LORD says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.
21
Else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, and on your servants, and on your people, and into your houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are.
22
I will set apart in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end you may know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth. ​
23
I will put a division between my people and your people: by tomorrow shall this sign be.”’” ​
24
The LORD did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses: and in all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies.
25
Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!” ​
26
Moses said, “It isn’t appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God. Behold, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and won’t they stone us? ​
27
We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.”
28
Pharaoh said, “I will let you go, that you may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, only you shall not go very far away. Pray for me.”
29
Moses said, “Behold, I go out from you, and I will pray to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow; only don’t let Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.”
30
Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to the LORD.
31
The LORD did according to the word of Moses, and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people. There remained not one.
32
Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn’t let the people go. ​

Study Notes for Exodus 8

Verse 1

This instruction follows the pattern established in the first plague, emphasizing God's patience by warning Pharaoh before the judgment falls.

Verse 3

The detailed description of where the frogs will invade (bedchamber, ovens, kneading troughs) emphasizes the complete disruption of daily life and ritual purity for the Egyptians.

Verse 7

The ability of the Egyptian magicians to replicate the first two plagues demonstrates the power of their gods or demonic forces, though their power was clearly subordinate to Yahweh’s.

Verse 9

Moses challenges Pharaoh to set the time of the plague’s removal. This prevents Pharaoh from claiming the cessation was a coincidence, ensuring he recognizes Yahweh's control over creation.

Verse 10

The timing ('tomorrow') is crucial, proving that the plague is removed by Moses' specific intercession rather than natural processes, reinforcing the absolute power of the LORD.

Verse 15

The hardening of Pharaoh's heart after receiving respite demonstrates his deceit and pride. This fulfills the earlier prophecy (Exodus 7:3) that Pharaoh would remain obstinate even after witnessing God's power.

Verse 16

The plague of *kinnim* (often translated as gnats, lice, or fleas) defiles both man and beast, rendering the Egyptians ritually impure and unable to perform temple duties.

Verse 18

This failure marks a theological turning point. The Egyptian magicians cannot reproduce this plague, signaling that this judgment surpassed the reach of Egyptian magic.

Verse 19

The magicians' confession, 'This is the finger of God,' is a powerful acknowledgment by the enemy that Yahweh’s power is absolute and operates on a cosmic scale.

Verse 22

This is the first plague where the Israelites in Goshen are explicitly protected. This distinction proves that the plagues are not random natural disasters but targeted acts of divine judgment.

Verse 23

The Hebrew word translated 'division' (*peduth*) implies a redemption or setting apart, emphasizing that God is actively segregating his covenant people from the judgment falling upon Egypt.

Verse 25

Pharaoh attempts a compromise, allowing sacrifice but confining it to the land. This is a common tactic of oppressors—to allow religious practice only if it remains under state control.

Verse 26

Moses refuses Pharaoh’s offer because sacrificing animals sacred to the Egyptians (like cattle) in their presence would incite violence, necessitating the separation of the three-day wilderness journey.

Verse 32

Pharaoh’s immediate relapse into hardness after the relief of the judgment shows his insincerity. This sets the stage for God's subsequent, more severe interventions in the cycle of plagues.

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