Exodus, Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Verses 1-28: The Plagues of Frogs, Lice, and Wild Animals

1. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let My people go, so that they may serve Me.
2. If you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your territory with frogs.
3. The Nile will swarm with frogs, which will come up and enter your house, your bedroom, on your bed, into the houses of your servants, upon your people, into your ovens, and into your kneading bowls.
4. The frogs will come up on you, your people, and all your servants.”‘”
5. Moses said to Pharaoh, “Exert your honor over me: when shall I entreat for you, your servants, and your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses? Only in the Nile shall they remain.”
6. He said, “Tomorrow.” And he said, “May it be according to your word, so that you may know that there is none like the LORD our God.
7. The frogs shall depart from you, your houses, your servants, and your people; they shall remain only in the Nile.”
8. Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried out to the LORD concerning the frogs which He had brought against Pharaoh.
9. The LORD did according to the word of Moses; the frogs died out of the houses, the courtyards, and the fields.
10. They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank.
11. But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he hardened his heart and did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
12. Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the land, so that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.'”
13. They did so; Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff, and struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice on man and beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
14. The magicians tried with their secret arts to produce lice, but they could not. So there were lice on man and beast.
15. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, as the LORD had said.
16. The LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh; behold, he is coming out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let My people go, so that they may serve Me.
17. If you do not let My people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you, your servants, your people, and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand.
18. But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, in order that you may know that I, the LORD, am in the midst of the land.
19. I will put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign will occur.”‘”
20. And the LORD did so; there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and in all the land of Egypt the land was ruined because of the swarm of flies.
21. Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.”
22. But Moses said, “It is not right to do so, for we would be sacrificing the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God. Lo, if we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us?
23. We must go a three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as He commands us.”
24. 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. Entreat for me.”
25. Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you, and I will entreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow. Only do not let Pharaoh deal deceitfully anymore in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.”
26. So Moses went out from Pharaoh and entreated the LORD.
27. And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained.
28. But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.

Interpretation: These verses describe the continuation of God’s plagues upon Egypt, emphasizing the severity of the consequences for Pharaoh’s refusal to let the Israelites go. Through these plagues, God demonstrates His power over nature and the gods of Egypt, making a distinction between the Egyptians and His people, Israel. Despite witnessing these miracles, Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened, showcasing a recurring theme of resistance against divine will.