TRV
Translation
King James Version
And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.
Complete Jewish Bible
But the magicians did the same with their secret arts and brought up frogs onto the land of Egypt.
Berean Standard Bible
But the magicians did the same thing by their magic arts, and they also brought frogs up onto the land of Egypt.
American Standard Version
And the magicians did in like manner with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.
World English Bible Messianic
The magicians did the same thing with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And the sorcerers did likewise with their sorceries, and brought frogges vp vpon the land of Egypt.
Young's Literal Translation
and the scribes do so with their flashings, and cause the frogs to come up against the land of Egypt.
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Study This Verse
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
Exodus 8:7 describes the Egyptian magicians' successful, albeit limited, replication of the plague of frogs. Following Aaron's miraculous act, Pharaoh's sorcerers, employing their secret arts, also brought forth frogs, thereby intensifying the existing plague. This event served to initially bolster Pharaoh's resistance, setting the stage for a dramatic contest of power between Yahweh, the God of Israel, and the perceived might of Egypt's deities and their practitioners of magic.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Exodus 8:7 describes the Egyptian magicians' immediate and alarming response to the second plague, the plague of frogs. After Aaron, at God's command, brought forth an overwhelming multitude of frogs upon Egypt, the sorcerers in Pharaoh's court sought to demonstrate their own power and validate the strength of their deities. They succeeded in replicating this feat, adding even more frogs to the already overwhelmed land.
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several literary devices to convey its meaning. Contrast is central, highlighting the difference between Yahweh's original, creative power (manifested through Aaron) and the magicians' imitative, limited abilities. While both "brought up frogs," the narrative implicitly contrasts the divine source of the former with the occult or demonic source of the latter. There is also an element of Irony at play; the magicians, by replicating the plague, inadvertently worsen the suffering of their own people and land, thereby contributing to the very judgment Yahweh is bringing upon Egypt. Furthermore, the frogs themselves, as a symbol of impurity and chaos in Egyptian culture, serve as Symbolism of the unraveling of Egypt's cosmic order and the impotence of its gods in the face of Yahweh's might.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Exodus 8:7 serves as a pivotal moment in the unfolding narrative of the plagues, powerfully illustrating the profound theological contest between Yahweh and the gods of Egypt. While the magicians' ability to replicate the plague of frogs initially appears to be a demonstration of their own power, it ultimately underscores the qualitative difference between divine origination and human/demonic imitation. Their success was limited to adding to the existing problem, incapable of reversing the plague or preventing its onset, thereby highlighting their inherent impotence in the face of Yahweh's absolute sovereignty. This partial success, however, would have emboldened Pharaoh, giving him a false sense of security and further hardening his heart against God's command. Yet, even this limited allowance of power was under God's sovereign control, designed to magnify His glory when the magicians' abilities eventually failed, proving that only Yahweh possesses true, unchallengeable authority over creation and all spiritual forces.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Exodus 8:7 offers profound insights for believers today, serving as a powerful reminder that while deceptive powers and imitations may exist in the world, they are always subordinate to God's ultimate authority. In a world saturated with competing spiritual claims, false teachings, and various forms of occultism, this verse calls us to cultivate spiritual discernment. We are encouraged to recognize that true divine power is unique, originating solely from God, and cannot be genuinely replicated by human or demonic means. Our trust must be placed in the Lord alone, who not only initiates but also controls and resolves all things. This passage challenges us to rely on God's truth and not be swayed by superficial appearances, impressive imitations, or any power that lacks the true substance of His divine will and character. It reminds us that God's power is always for His glory and the good of His people, ultimately leading to liberation and true freedom.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Did the magicians truly create frogs, or was it an illusion?
Answer: The biblical text states that the magicians "brought up frogs," implying a genuine, though limited, manifestation rather than a mere illusion. While the exact mechanism of their power is not fully explained, it was understood to be a real, albeit secondary and derivative, act. This power was likely demonic in origin, permitted by God to intensify the contest and ultimately showcase His absolute supremacy when the magicians' abilities proved insufficient to remove the plague or perform true creative acts.
Why would God allow the magicians to replicate His miracles?
Answer: God permitted the magicians' partial success for several strategic and theological reasons. Firstly, it served to intensify the spiritual contest, demonstrating that even the most potent human or demonic power was ultimately no match for His absolute sovereignty. Secondly, their ability to add to the plague, but not remove it, highlighted their inherent impotence and underscored the qualitative difference between divine origination and mere imitation. This distinction magnified God's glory when He alone could bring relief. Thirdly, it served to harden Pharaoh's heart further, as he was falsely encouraged by his sorcerers' abilities, thereby fulfilling God's prophetic declaration regarding Pharaoh's stubbornness and ensuring that God's glory would be fully displayed through the subsequent, undeniable plagues.
What does this say about spiritual power today?
Answer: This event serves as a foundational biblical precedent that deceptive powers and imitations can and do exist in the world, but they are always subordinate to God's ultimate authority. It teaches believers the critical importance of spiritual discernment, urging us to distinguish between true divine power, which originates from God and aligns with His character and Word, and any human or demonic imitation. We are called to trust only in the unique and incomparable power of the Lord, recognizing that while evil forces may exert influence, they are ultimately limited and will be overcome by God's sovereign will, as demonstrated by the magicians' eventual failure and God's ultimate triumph over Egypt.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Exodus 8:7, with its depiction of a contest between divine power and lesser, imitative forces, profoundly foreshadows the ultimate supremacy of Christ over all spiritual and earthly powers. Just as Yahweh's power utterly eclipsed the magicians' enchantments, so too does Christ's authority triumph over sin, death, and all demonic influence. His miracles were not imitations or additions to existing problems, but original acts of creation, healing, and liberation, demonstrating His inherent divinity and unique power over all things, for "all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made" (John 1:3). The inability of the magicians to undo the plague, contrasted with God's ultimate control over both judgment and deliverance, points to Christ as the one who not only brings judgment upon sin but also offers true liberation and new creation, a power that no earthly or demonic force can replicate or resist. Through His crucifixion and resurrection, Christ disarmed and triumphed over all the "rulers and authorities" (Colossians 2:15), ultimately destroying the one who has the power of death (Hebrews 2:14), thereby fulfilling the ultimate victory of God over all opposing forces.