Exodus 8 - Printer Friendly

What does Exodus 8 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

The last chapter described the first plague against Egypt (Exodus 3:19–20; 7:14–25). Surface waters, including the Nile River, turned into rotting, lifeless blood (Exodus 7:21). This didn't convince the king to release Hebrew slaves as God had commanded (Exodus 5:1–3). In this passage, the Lord sends three additional catastrophes, none of which convince Pharaoh to set the slaves free.

First, God sends Moses and Aaron to threaten Pharaoh with a plage of frogs. When Pharaoh refuses to free the slaves, the Lord sends a mass of frogs into Egypt's homes, kitchens, bedrooms, and food. This hints at God' supremacy over Egyptian idols such as the false goddess Heqet, associated with frogs and fertility. However, the Egyptian court magicians convince Pharoah they can do the same thing (Exodus 8:1–7).

Egyptian sorcery apparently does not include making the frogs disappear. Whatever power the conjurers have, it's not enough to make the invasive frogs go away. So, Pharaoh appears to concede: he will release the Hebrew slaves if the plague ends. When Moses prays, the frogs drop dead where they are, and Egyptians stack them in reeking piles. Yet Pharaoh goes back on his word and refuses to free the Jews (Exodus 8:8–15).

The Lord then sends another plague, this time with no recorded warning. Tiny swarming insects—either gnats, fleas, lice, mosquitoes, or all four—spread through the land like desert dust. Egypt's conjurers cannot duplicate this feat. They recognize this as truly divine power. Despite this, Pharaoh still refuses to change his mind (Exodus 8:16–19).

The next plague threatened is that of flies—and these will only bother the Egyptians, not the Hebrews in their territory of Goshen. Here, again, God demonstrates power over elements which Egyptian gods were said to control. The overwhelming number of insects convinces Pharaoh to negotiate with Moses. At first, the king says he will allow Israel time to sacrifice, but they cannot leave. Moses rejects this since it's contrary to God's will. It would also be likely to provoke the Egyptians to violence against the slaves. Pharaoh says Israel can leave, so long as they don't go far, if Moses prays for an end to the plague. Moses agrees but warns Pharaoh not to lie as he did in the past (Exodus 8:20–29).

As expected (Exodus 3:19–20), Pharoah immediately changes his mind once God removes judgment. The king won't even discuss obedience unless under extreme pressure. When that pressure fades, so does any pretended interest in submission to the Lord. Pharaoh keeps control over the Israelite slaves. This continues the cycle of escalating disasters, which next takes the form of a terrible plague on livestock (Exodus 8:30–32).

Exodus 8:1–15 describes the second plague: frogs. The rotting Nile (Exodus 7:20–23) spits out a wave of frogs into Egyptian streets and homes. Pharaoh's conjurers can also summon frogs—but they can't remove them. So, Pharoh turns to Moses. They schedule a specific moment to lift the plague. This explicit timing made it clear that Israel's God, not the Egyptian frog goddess Heqet, was in control. As soon as the pressure of the plague is off, Pharoah changes his mind about releasing the Israelites.

Exodus 8:16–19 records the third plague: a massive infestation of small insects. These may have been literal "gnats," though the Hebrew word may imply lice, fleas, mosquitos, or all of these. For the first time, Pharaoh's occultists cannot even pretend to match this miracle. The Egyptian magicians attribute the plague to divine power. Yet the Egyptian king is still obstinate, refusing to release the Israelites.

Exodus 8:20–32 presents the fourth plague in response to Pharaoh's continued resistance to Israelite freedom. This involves droves of insects: possibly flies or the larger, biting horseflies. The Hebrew word simply means "swarms." There are so many flies that they even cover the ground. This time, Israelite territory is specifically exempt from the disaster. That restriction further removes doubts that this was an unplanned coincidence. Pharaoh seems willing to allow some measure of freedom for Israel, but quickly changes his mind.

Chapter Summary:

After Pharaoh ignores the first plague (Exodus 7:20–23), God sends a swarm of frogs. Pharaoh's magicians can summon frogs, but they can't get rid of them. So, he appeals to Moses. Though the plague is lifted, Pharaoh re-jects the command to release Israelite slaves. This leads to a plague of gnats and then one of flies, with similar results. The arrival of these creatures might have been caused by the corruption of the Nile River, but only God's supernatural work could make them disappear. Future plagues will be increasingly severe (Exodus 9:6, 10, 22; 10:4, 22; 12:29–32).

Chapter Context:

Moses and Aaron offered a sign to Pharaoh (Exodus 7:10–13), but he still refused to release the Hebrew slaves (Ex-odus 1:11–14). This triggered the first of the ten plagues of Egypt: turning water into blood (Exodus 7:20–21). This chapter includes the next three disasters: frogs, gnats, and flies. Pharaoh stubbornly refuses to concede each time. Upcoming plagues will escalate (Exodus 9:6, 10, 22, 10:4, 22), leading to the death of Egypt's firstborn (Exodus 12:29–32) and Israel's release (Exodus 12:41).

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.

Accessed 4/21/2025 4:23:40 PM