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Translation
Berean Standard Bible
They were piled into countless heaps, and there was a terrible stench in the land.
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Commentary on Exodus 8 verses 1–15
1 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
2 And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:
3 And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs:
4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.
5 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.
6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.
8 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD.
9 And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only?
10 And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God.
11 And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only.
12 And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto the LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh.
13 And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.
14 And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank.
15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
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 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.
III. 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.
IV. 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.
V. 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.
VI. 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.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 1–15. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
The provided draft offers a stark depiction of the immediate, grim aftermath of the second plague on Egypt, the plague of frogs. After God, through Moses, miraculously removed the frogs at Pharaoh's urgent plea, the land was left saturated with countless dead amphibians. The Egyptians were compelled to gather these carcasses into enormous, putrid heaps, resulting in a pervasive and suffocating stench that served as an inescapable, sensory reminder of divine judgment and Pharaoh's unyielding defiance.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This verse is situated immediately after the miraculous cessation of the frog plague. Earlier in Exodus 8, God, through Moses, unleashed the plague of frogs upon Egypt (Exodus 8:6) as a direct consequence of Pharaoh's refusal to release the Israelites. Overwhelmed by the ubiquitous infestation, Pharaoh, for the first time, pleaded with Moses to intercede with the Lord, promising to let the people go if the frogs were removed (Exodus 8:8). Moses prayed, and the frogs died en masse in all dwellings, courtyards, and fields throughout Egypt (Exodus 8:13). The provided draft then graphically portrays the grim, laborious task of clearing away the immense number of dead frogs and the resulting pervasive, foul odor. This vivid scene serves as a tangible demonstration of the plague's severity and the unpleasant, lingering consequences of divine judgment, setting the stage for Pharaoh's subsequent hardening of heart in Exodus 8:15.
Historical & Cultural Context: Ancient Egypt was heavily reliant on the Nile River, which was central to its life and religion. Frogs, while common, were also associated with Heket, the Egyptian goddess of fertility and childbirth, often depicted with a frog's head. The plague of frogs, therefore, was not merely an ecological disaster but a direct assault on Egyptian deities and their perceived control over nature. The sheer number of frogs, followed by their mass death, would have created an unprecedented public health crisis. Without modern sanitation, the decomposition of millions of frogs in a warm climate would rapidly lead to an unbearable stench and potential disease, making the land truly uninhabitable. The Egyptians' forced labor of gathering these carcasses into "heaps" underscores the overwhelming scale of the judgment and their utter helplessness before it, a stark contrast to their usual pride in their organized society and advanced civilization.
Key Themes: The provided draft contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the book of Exodus and the broader Pentateuch. It powerfully illustrates God's absolute sovereignty over creation, demonstrating His ability to command even the lowliest creatures to execute His will and judgment. The lingering stench highlights the inescapable consequences of sin and rebellion, showing that even when an immediate judgment is lifted, its effects can persist as a bitter reminder. This verse also underscores the hardening of Pharaoh's heart, a recurring theme throughout the plague narratives, as the very evidence of God's power and the discomfort it caused paradoxically led Pharaoh to further entrench his defiance, as seen in Exodus 8:15. Finally, it emphasizes the overwhelming nature of God's judgment, designed not merely to punish but to reveal His glory and compel both Egypt and Israel to acknowledge His unique deity, a central purpose articulated in passages like Exodus 9:16.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
The provided draft vividly portrays the grim and pervasive aftermath of the frog plague, emphasizing the overwhelming scale of the divine judgment and its lingering, unpleasant consequences.
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs potent Imagery to convey the grim reality of the plague's aftermath. The visual of "heaps" of dead frogs and the olfactory sensation of the land "stank" create a vivid and repulsive picture for the reader, emphasizing the overwhelming and pervasive nature of the judgment. This sensory detail serves to make the consequences of Pharaoh's defiance palpable. Furthermore, the Symbolism of the stench is profound; it represents not only the physical decay but also the spiritual putrefaction and moral decay of Egypt under Pharaoh's stubborn rule. The pervasive odor symbolizes the inescapable consequences of rebellion against God, a constant reminder that sin leaves a lasting, unpleasant mark. The narrative also uses Consequence as a literary driver, directly linking Pharaoh's plea and God's mercy (removing the frogs) to the immediate and unpleasant outcome of mass death and decay, highlighting that even relief from judgment can come with its own bitter aftermath.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse powerfully illustrates that even when a direct act of divine judgment is lifted, the natural and often unpleasant consequences of sin and rebellion frequently linger, serving as a bitter and inescapable reminder. It underscores God's absolute sovereignty, demonstrating His ability to use even the most common creatures and their subsequent decay to execute His will and judgment upon a defiant nation and its ruler. The stench, a tangible sign of God's power and the cost of resistance, paradoxically led Pharaoh to further harden his heart, revealing the deep-seated rebellion inherent in humanity when confronted with undeniable divine truth.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The provided draft serves as a potent and visceral reminder that our actions carry consequences, particularly when we resist divine will. While God is merciful and may alleviate immediate suffering or remove a direct judgment, the effects of our choices, especially those made in defiance of His commands, can have lasting and unpleasant repercussions that manifest in various forms—emotional, relational, or spiritual "stenches." This verse encourages us to consider the full and often pervasive impact of our decisions and to cultivate a heart of prompt and humble obedience to God's directives, thereby avoiding the lingering "stench" of persistent rebellion. It also highlights how God, in His sovereign wisdom, can use even the most uncomfortable or repulsive circumstances to reveal His power, expose our sin, and ultimately prompt repentance, much like the broader narrative of the plagues in Egypt.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did God cause the frogs to die rather than just disappear?
Answer: God caused the frogs to die en masse to leave an undeniable, tangible, and pervasive consequence of the plague. If they had simply vanished, Pharaoh might have dismissed the event as a magical trick, a natural phenomenon, or a temporary inconvenience. Their mass death and the resulting putrid stench provided irrefutable, sensory evidence of God's immense power and judgment, making the plague's impact inescapable and undeniable. This ensured that the Egyptians, and especially Pharaoh, could not easily rationalize away the divine intervention, forcing them to confront the reality of Yahweh's supremacy.
What was the significance of the stench?
Answer: The stench was a crucial and deliberate element of the judgment. It was a constant, pervasive, and deeply unpleasant sensory reminder of God's power and Pharaoh's defiance. Beyond physical discomfort, it symbolized the putrefaction and moral decay of Egypt's spiritual state under Pharaoh's leadership, a nation steeped in idolatry and oppression. The inescapable odor served as a persistent, daily torment that underscored the severity of divine judgment, affecting every aspect of life in a profound and humiliating way, designed to break Pharaoh's stubborn will.
Did Pharaoh learn his lesson from this plague?
Answer: Sadly, no. Despite the overwhelming evidence of God's power and the severe discomfort caused by the plague and its repulsive aftermath, Exodus 8:15 explicitly states that Pharaoh hardened his heart once again. This demonstrates the profound stubbornness and spiritual blindness of the human heart in rebellion against God, even when confronted with undeniable divine intervention and palpable suffering. Pharaoh's continued defiance set the stage for even more severe judgments.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While the provided draft describes a specific act of judgment and its lingering consequences in the Old Testament, it powerfully foreshadows the ultimate consequences of sin and rebellion against God, which find their comprehensive fulfillment in Christ. The pervasive stench of death and decay in Egypt points to the universal and pervasive nature of sin's corruption, which affects all humanity and pollutes creation, as described in Romans 8:20-22. Yet, Christ, through His perfect life, atoning death on the cross, and glorious resurrection, became the ultimate remedy for this spiritual putrefaction. He bore the full "stench" and weight of humanity's sin, becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13), offering a path to cleansing and new life. Where once there was only the foul odor of rebellion and death, Christ's sacrifice is described as a "fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (Ephesians 5:2). The deliverance of Israel from the bondage of Egypt, marked by these judgments and their unpleasant aftermath, ultimately points to Christ's greater deliverance from the bondage of sin and death, providing a spiritual "sweet savor" to God in the lives of those redeemed by His blood (2 Corinthians 2:15-16).