Exodus 8: Frogs, lice, and flies
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What happens?
Yahweh sends three plagues on Egypt: frogs, lice, and swarms of flies. The magicians copy the frogs but cannot make lice, and they tell Pharaoh, "This is God's finger." Twice Pharaoh asks Moses to pray and promises to let the people go, and twice he hardens his heart when the plague ends.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 10 of the 32 verses: Yahweh tells Moses what to say to Pharaoh in verses 1 to 4 and 20 to 23, and tells him what Aaron is to do in verses 5 and 16. Pharaoh, Moses and the magicians also speak. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, ‘This is what Yahweh says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him, 'This is what Yahweh says: "Let my people go, so that they can serve me.
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2If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your borders with frogs.God speaks
In plain English: If you refuse to let them go, I am about to strike your whole land (literally: all your borders) with frogs.
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3The river will swarm with frogs, which will 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.God speaks
In plain English: The river will swarm with frogs. They will come up into your house, your bedroom, and onto your bed, into the houses of your servants, onto your people, and into your ovens and your kneading troughs.
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4The frogs shall come up both on you, and on your people, and on all your servants.”’”God speaks
In plain English: The frogs will come up on you, on your people, and on all your servants."'"
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5Yahweh 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.’”God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Stretch out your hand with your rod over the rivers, the streams, and the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.'"
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6Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
In plain English: Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt. The frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt.
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7The magicians did the same thing with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt.
In plain English: The magicians did the same thing with their enchantments and brought frogs up on the land of Egypt.
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8Then 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.”
In plain English: Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Pray to Yahweh to take the frogs away from me and from my people. Then I will let the people go to sacrifice to Yahweh."
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9Moses 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.”
In plain English: Moses said to Pharaoh, "I give you the honor of choosing the time. When should I pray for you, your servants, and your people, so that the frogs are destroyed (literally: cut off) from you and your houses and stay in the river only?"
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10Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Let it be according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like Yahweh our God.
In plain English: Pharaoh said, "Tomorrow." Moses said, "Let it be as you say, so that you will know that there is no one like Yahweh our God.
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11The frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only.”
In plain English: The frogs will leave you, your houses, your servants, and your people. They will stay in the river only."
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12Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to Yahweh concerning the frogs which he had brought on Pharaoh.
In plain English: Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried out to Yahweh about the frogs that Yahweh had brought on Pharaoh (or: about the frogs, as Moses had arranged with Pharaoh).
The Hebrew word: "Which he had brought on" is the verb sum, which means to set or to put. The Hebrew does not name who "he" is. It can mean the frogs Yahweh put on Pharaoh, or the matter Moses had set with Pharaoh in and .
What changes: Read the second way, Moses cried out to Yahweh about the frogs as he had arranged with Pharaoh: the time set for tomorrow.
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13Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields.
In plain English: Yahweh did what Moses asked, and the frogs died out of the houses, the courtyards (or: villages), and the fields.
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14They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank.
In plain English: People piled them up in heaps, and the land stank.
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15But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.
In plain English: But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart (literally: made it heavy). He did not listen to them, just as Yahweh had said.
The Hebrew word: "Hardened" is kaved, the word for heavy. The Hebrew says Pharaoh "made his heart heavy".
How it is translated: Of the 10 verses in Exodus that use this verb, 5 are about Pharaoh's heart. This Bible says "harden" in 4 of them and "stubborn" in 1 ().
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16Yahweh 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.’”God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Moses, "Tell Aaron, 'Stretch out your rod and strike the dust of the earth, so that it becomes lice (or: gnats) throughout all the land of Egypt.'"
The Hebrew word: "Lice" is kinnim. The dictionary gives the word as "a gnat".
How it is translated: This Bible says "lice" in 4 of the 5 verses that use the word: the 3 here and .
What changes: Read as "gnats", the third plague is a swarm of gnats, not lice.
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17They 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.
In plain English: They did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod and struck the dust of the earth, and there were lice (or: gnats) on people and on animals. All the dust of the earth became lice (or: gnats) throughout all the land of Egypt.
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18The magicians tried with their enchantments to produce lice, but they couldn’t. There were lice on man, and on animal.
In plain English: The magicians tried to bring forth lice (or: gnats) with their enchantments, but they could not. There were lice (or: gnats) on people and on animals.
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19Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is God’s finger;” but Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.
In plain English: The magicians said to Pharaoh, "This is God's finger." But Pharaoh's heart was hardened (literally: strong), and he did not listen to them, just as Yahweh had said.
The Hebrew word: "God" here is Elohim. The magicians do not say the name Yahweh. The text does not say what they meant by "God's finger".
Good to know: This Bible uses "God's finger" in 3 other verses: and (the stone tablets written with God's finger) and .
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20Yahweh 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 Yahweh says, “Let my people go, that they may serve me.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Moses, "Get up early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water. Tell him, 'This is what Yahweh says: "Let my people go, so that they can serve me.
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21Else, 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. The houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground they are on.God speaks
In plain English: If you will not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies (the Hebrew says only: the swarm) on you, on your servants, on your people, and into your houses. The houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of flies, and so will the ground they stand on.
The Hebrew word: "Swarms" is arov, which means a swarm. The Hebrew says only "the swarm" and does not name the creature.
How it is translated: This Bible adds "of flies" in all 7 of the verses that use the word: 5 in Exodus 8 and 2 in the Psalms (, ). The dictionary used for this study lists the word as "a mosquito (from its swarming)".
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22I 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 Yahweh on the earth.God speaks
In plain English: On that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people live, so that no swarms of flies will be there. Then you will know that I am Yahweh, here on the earth (or: in the middle of the land).
Good to know: In Pharaoh said, "I don't know Yahweh." Later Yahweh says that Egypt will know that he is Yahweh (), and that Pharaoh will know it ( and this verse).
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23I will put a division between my people and your people. This sign shall happen by tomorrow.”’”God speaks
In plain English: I will put a division (or: a ransom, a redemption) between my people and your people. This sign will happen tomorrow."'"
The Hebrew word: "Division" is pedut. The dictionary gives it as "distinction; also deliverance".
How it is translated: This Bible says "division" here and "redemption" in 2 of the other 3 verses that use the word (, ). In the third () it says "redeem".
What changes: Read as "redemption", God puts a rescue between his people and Pharaoh's people, not a dividing line.
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24Yahweh did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses. In all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies.
In plain English: Yahweh did so. Heavy swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh and into the houses of his servants. In all the land of Egypt the land was ruined (or: corrupted) because of the swarms of flies.
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25Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!”
In plain English: Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Go, sacrifice to your God here in the land."
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26Moses said, “It isn’t appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Yahweh our God. Behold, if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, won’t they stone us?
In plain English: Moses said, "It is not right to do that, because we will sacrifice to Yahweh our God what the Egyptians find detestable (literally: the abomination of the Egyptians). If we sacrifice what the Egyptians find detestable right before their eyes, will they not stone us?
The Hebrew word: "Abomination" is toevah, something hated or detestable.
How it is translated: In its 112 verses this Bible says "abomination" about 9 times in 10 and "detestable" about 1 time in 20. This is the only verse in Exodus that uses the word.
Good to know: The text does not say what the "abomination of the Egyptians" is. It may mean the animals Israel would sacrifice, or the sacrificing itself. The same word is used in , where the Egyptians do not eat with the Hebrews, and in : "every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians."
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27We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh our God, as he shall command us.”
In plain English: We will go a three-day journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to Yahweh our God, as he tells us."
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28Pharaoh 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. Pray for me.”
In plain English: Pharaoh said, "I will let you go to sacrifice to Yahweh your God in the wilderness. Only, do not go very far away. Pray for me."
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29Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you. I will pray to Yahweh 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 Yahweh.”
In plain English: Moses said, "Look, I am going out from you, and I will pray to Yahweh that the swarms of flies will leave Pharaoh, his servants, and his people tomorrow. Only, Pharaoh must not deceive us again by refusing to let the people go to sacrifice to Yahweh."
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30Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh.
In plain English: Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to Yahweh.
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31Yahweh 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.
In plain English: Yahweh did what Moses asked and took the swarms of flies away from Pharaoh, his servants, and his people. Not one was left.
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32Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn’t let the people go.
In plain English: But Pharaoh hardened his heart (literally: made it heavy) this time also, and he did not let the people go.
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