TRV
Translation
King James Version
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?
KJV (with Strong's)
Complete Jewish Bible
Moshe said to Pharaoh, "Not only that, but you can have the honor of naming the time when I will pray for you, your servants and your people to be rid of the frogs, both yourselves and your homes, and that they stay only in the river."
Berean Standard Bible
Moses said to Pharaoh, “You may have the honor over me. When shall I pray for you and your officials and your people that the frogs (except for those in the Nile) may be taken away from you and your houses?”
American Standard Version
And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Have thou this 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?
World English Bible Messianic
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.”
Geneva Bible (1599)
And Moses said vnto Pharaoh, Concerning me, euen command when I shall pray for thee, and for thy seruants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogges from thee and from thine houses, that they may remaine in the riuer only.
Young's Literal Translation
And Moses saith to Pharaoh, `Beautify thyself over me; when do I make supplication for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to cut off the frogs from thee and from thy houses--only in the River they do remain?'
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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
In Exodus 8:9, Moses boldly challenges Pharaoh to name the exact moment he desires the plague of frogs to cease. This audacious demand underscores God's absolute and precise control over creation, serving as a direct confrontation that forces Pharaoh to acknowledge that the cessation of the plague would be a deliberate, undeniable act of the God of Israel, rather than a mere coincidence. Moses' proposition strips Pharaoh of any excuse for continued defiance, highlighting the divine authority vested in God's messenger.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Moses' words to Pharaoh in Exodus 8:9 are a masterstroke of divine strategy, designed to leave Pharaoh without any rationalization for his continued obstinacy. Pharaoh, desperate for relief from the overwhelming plague, had finally appealed to Moses and Aaron. Moses' response is not a simple agreement to pray but a profound challenge that elevates the stakes of the divine confrontation.
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several potent literary devices. The primary device is a Rhetorical Question: "when shall I intreat for thee...?" Moses is not asking for information but rather issuing a challenge, compelling Pharaoh to make a choice that will expose his powerlessness and God's sovereignty. There is also profound Irony at play: Pharaoh, who considers himself a god and wields absolute power over Egypt, is now reduced to begging a Hebrew slave for relief and is then challenged to dictate the terms of his deliverance. This reversal of roles powerfully highlights the true source of authority. Furthermore, the phrase "[that] they may remain in the river only" serves as a form of Understatement or Litotes, emphasizing the complete and precise removal of the frogs by stating their highly restricted presence. This precision itself underscores the Symbolism of the miracle, where the exact timing and scope of the plague's removal serve as an undeniable sign of Yahweh's unique power and control over all creation.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Exodus 8:9 stands as a powerful testament to God's absolute sovereignty and His active engagement with human history. It vividly illustrates that God's power is not chaotic or random, but precise, purposeful, and perfectly controlled. By allowing Pharaoh to set the terms of the miracle's cessation, God removes all pretense, forcing a direct confrontation between His omnipotence and Pharaoh's perceived divinity. This interaction underscores God's patience, offering clear opportunities for recognition and repentance, even in the midst of judgment. It also highlights the critical role of the mediator, Moses, whose intercession is effective because it aligns with God's will to demonstrate His glory. Ultimately, the verse serves as a foundational declaration that Yahweh alone is the true God, capable of commanding all creation and fulfilling His purposes with exactitude.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Exodus 8:9 offers profound lessons for our lives today. In a world often characterized by chaos and uncertainty, this verse reminds us that God remains sovereign over all things, even the seemingly mundane or irritating "plagues" that infest our lives. Just as He precisely controlled the frogs, He holds ultimate authority over our circumstances, our anxieties, and our challenges. We are called to trust in His perfect timing and His precise power, knowing that He can bring deliverance and order when and how He sees fit. Moreover, Moses' willingness to "intreat" for Pharaoh, his oppressor, challenges us to embrace our role as intercessors. We are called to pray not only for those we love but also for those in authority, for our adversaries, and for those who are lost, believing that fervent, righteous prayer can indeed bring about divine intervention and reveal God's glory. This passage ultimately prompts us to surrender our own attempts to control outcomes and instead rest in the precise, powerful, and purposeful will of our sovereign God.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of Moses asking Pharaoh to name the time for the frogs' departure?
Answer: Moses' challenge for Pharaoh to name the exact time was a strategic and critical move designed to eliminate any possible excuse for Pharaoh to deny the miraculous nature of the event. If the frogs disappeared at a moment chosen by Pharaoh himself, it would be undeniably clear that their removal was not a coincidence, a natural phenomenon, or a trick by Moses, but a direct, precise, and supernatural act of the God of Israel. This precision forced Pharaoh to confront the reality of Yahweh's power, leaving him without any rationalization for his continued defiance and highlighting the unparalleled authority of the God of Israel over all creation, including the perceived gods of Egypt. This divine precision served as an incontrovertible sign, as seen throughout the plague narrative.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Exodus 8:9, with Moses acting as a powerful intercessor and God demonstrating precise control over judgment and deliverance, profoundly points forward to Jesus Christ. Moses, as the mediator between God and Pharaoh, foreshadows Christ, the ultimate and perfect Mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5). Just as Moses' word, empowered by God, brought about a precise act of divine power to remove the plague, Christ's word holds ultimate authority over creation, sin, and death (Colossians 1:16-17). He is the one who can precisely command the cessation of the "plague" of sin in our lives, offering deliverance not just from physical affliction but from spiritual bondage and eternal death. The opportunity given to Pharaoh, though ultimately rejected, reflects God's persistent offer of salvation through Christ, who perfectly fulfills the role of intercessor and sovereign Lord. Through His atoning sacrifice, Jesus takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), bringing about a new creation and a final deliverance from all evil at His appointed time, demonstrating a precision and power far exceeding the temporary removal of frogs. As our Great High Priest, He ever lives to make intercession for us (Hebrews 7:25), ensuring our ultimate and eternal deliverance.