Frogs over the Land

[a]Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “(A)Let My people go, so that they may serve Me. But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I am going to strike your entire territory with frogs. The Nile will (B)swarm with frogs, which will come up and go into your house, and into your bedroom and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants, and on your people, and into your ovens and kneading bowls. So the frogs will come up on you, your people, and on all your servants.”’” [b]Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘(C)Extend your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the [c]streams, and over the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.’” So Aaron extended his hand over the waters of Egypt, and the [d](D)frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. However, (E)the soothsayer priests did the same with their secret arts, [e]making frogs come up on the land of Egypt.

Then Pharaoh (F)called for Moses and Aaron and said, “(G)Plead with the Lord [f]to remove the frogs from me and from my people; and (H)I will let the people go, so that they may sacrifice to the Lord.” And Moses said to Pharaoh, “[g]The honor is yours to tell me: when shall I plead for you and your servants and your people, [h]that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, that they be left only in the Nile?”

10 Then he said, “Tomorrow.” So he said, “May it be according to your word, so that you may know that there is (I)no one like the Lord our God. 11 The (J)frogs will depart from you and your houses, and from your servants and your people; they will be left only in the Nile.” 12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and (K)Moses cried out to the Lord concerning the frogs which He had [i]inflicted upon Pharaoh. 13 The Lord did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, the courtyards, and the fields. 14 So they piled them in heaps, and the land stank. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief, he [j]hardened his heart and (L)did not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.

The Plague of Insects

16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Extend your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may turn into [k]gnats through all the land of Egypt.’” 17 They did so; and Aaron extended his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and there were [l]gnats on every [m]person and animal. All the dust of the earth turned into [n](M)gnats through all the land of Egypt. 18 The soothsayer priests tried with their secret arts to produce [o]gnats, but (N)they could not; so there were [p]gnats on every person and animal. 19 Then the soothsayer priests said to Pharaoh, “(O)This is the finger of God.” But Pharaoh’s heart was [q]hardened, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had said.

20 Then the Lord said to Moses, “(P)Rise early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, [r]as (Q)he comes out to the water; and say to him, ‘This is what the Lord says: “(R)Let My people go, so that they may serve Me. 21 For if you are not going to 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; and the houses of the Egyptians will be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they live. 22 (S)But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where My people are [s]living, so that no swarms of flies will be there, in order that you may know that [t](T)I, the Lord, am in the midst of the land. 23 I will [u]put a division between My people and your people. Tomorrow this sign will occur.”’” 24 Then the Lord did so. And [v]thick swarms of flies entered the house of Pharaoh and the houses of his servants, and the land was (U)laid waste because of the swarms of flies in all the land of Egypt.

25 Then Pharaoh (V)called for Moses and Aaron and said, “(W)Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 26 But Moses said, “It is not permissible for us to do so, because we will sacrifice to the Lord our God [w]that which is (X)an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice [x]that which is an abomination to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? 27 We must go a (Y)three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God, just as He [y]commands us.” 28 Pharaoh said, “(Z)I will let you go, so that you may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you shall not go very far away. (AA)Plead for me.” 29 Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going to leave you, and I will plead with the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people tomorrow; only do not let Pharaoh (AB)deal deceitfully again in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.”

30 So (AC)Moses left Pharaoh and pleaded with the Lord. 31 The Lord did [z]as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. 32 But Pharaoh [aa]hardened his heart this time also, and (AD)he did not let the people go.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 8:1 Ch 7:26 in Heb
  2. Exodus 8:5 Ch 8:1 in Heb
  3. Exodus 8:5 Or canals
  4. Exodus 8:6 Lit frog
  5. Exodus 8:7 Lit and made
  6. Exodus 8:8 Lit that He remove
  7. Exodus 8:9 Lit Glory over me
  8. Exodus 8:9 Lit cut off the frogs from
  9. Exodus 8:12 Lit placed
  10. Exodus 8:15 Lit made heavy
  11. Exodus 8:16 Or lice
  12. Exodus 8:17 Or lice
  13. Exodus 8:17 I.e., Egyptians and their livestock
  14. Exodus 8:17 Or lice
  15. Exodus 8:18 Or lice
  16. Exodus 8:18 Or lice
  17. Exodus 8:19 Lit strong
  18. Exodus 8:20 Lit behold
  19. Exodus 8:22 Lit standing
  20. Exodus 8:22 Or I am the Lord in the midst of the earth
  21. Exodus 8:23 Lit set a ransom
  22. Exodus 8:24 Lit heavy
  23. Exodus 8:26 Lit the abomination of Egypt
  24. Exodus 8:26 Lit the abomination of Egypt
  25. Exodus 8:27 Lit says to us
  26. Exodus 8:31 Lit according to the word of Moses
  27. Exodus 8:32 Lit made heavy

The Second Plague: Frogs

[a] Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Let my people go, that (A)they may serve me. But if you (B)refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your country with (C)frogs. The Nile shall swarm with frogs that shall come up into your house and into (D)your bedroom and on your bed and into the houses of your servants and your people,[b] and into your ovens and your kneading bowls. The frogs shall come up on you and on your people and on all your servants.”’” [c] And the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, (E)‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, over the canals and over the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt!’” So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, and (F)the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. But (G)the magicians did the same by their secret arts and made frogs come up on the land of Egypt.

Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, (H)“Plead with the Lord to take away the frogs from me and from my people, and (I)I will let the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.” Moses said to Pharaoh, “Be pleased to command me when (J)I am to plead for you and for your servants and for your people, that the frogs be cut off from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.” 10 And he said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “Be it as you say, so (K)that you may know that (L)there is no one like the Lord our God. 11 The frogs shall go away from you and your houses and your servants and your people. They shall be left only in the Nile.” 12 So Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to the Lord about the frogs, as he had agreed with Pharaoh.[d] 13 And the Lord did according to the word of Moses. The frogs died out in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields. 14 And they gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was a (M)respite, he (N)hardened his heart and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

The Third Plague: Gnats

16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, (O)‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats in all the land of Egypt.’” 17 And they did so. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and (P)there were gnats on man and beast. All the dust of the earth became gnats in all the land of Egypt. 18 The (Q)magicians tried by their secret arts to produce gnats, but they could not. So there were gnats on man and beast. 19 Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is (R)the finger of God.” But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

The Fourth Plague: Flies

20 Then the Lord said to Moses, (S)“Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, (T)“Let my people go, that they may serve me. 21 Or else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into your houses. And the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand. 22 But on that day (U)I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, (V)that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.[e] 23 Thus I will put a division[f] between my people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall happen.”’” 24 And the Lord did so. (W)There came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants' houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by the swarms of flies.

25 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 26 But Moses said, “It would not be right to do so, for the offerings we shall sacrifice to the Lord our God are an (X)abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings (Y)abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? 27 We must go (Z)three days' journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God (AA)as he tells us.” 28 So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you must not go very far away. (AB)Plead for me.” 29 Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you and I will plead with the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow. Only let not Pharaoh (AC)cheat again by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.” 30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. 31 And the Lord did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. 32 But Pharaoh (AD)hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 8:1 Ch 7:26 in Hebrew
  2. Exodus 8:3 Or among your people
  3. Exodus 8:5 Ch 8:1 in Hebrew
  4. Exodus 8:12 Or which he had brought upon Pharaoh
  5. Exodus 8:22 Or that I the Lord am in the land
  6. Exodus 8:23 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew set redemption

The Second Plague: Frogs

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and tell him: This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.(A) But if you refuse to let them go, then I will plague all your territory with frogs.(B) The Nile will swarm with frogs; they will come up and go into your palace, into your bedroom and on your bed, into the houses of your officials and your people, and into your ovens and kneading bowls. The frogs will come up on you, your people, and all your officials.”

The Lord then said to Moses, “Tell Aaron: Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, canals, and ponds, and cause the frogs to come up onto the land of Egypt.”(C) When Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt, the frogs(D) came up and covered the land of Egypt. But the magicians did the same thing by their occult practices and brought frogs up onto the land of Egypt.

Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Appeal(E) to the Lord to remove the frogs from me and my people. Then I will let the people go and they can sacrifice to the Lord.”

Moses said to Pharaoh, “You may have the honor of choosing. When should I appeal on behalf of you, your officials, and your people, that the frogs be taken away from you and your houses, and remain only in the Nile?”

10 “Tomorrow,” he answered.

Moses replied, “As you have said, so that you may know there is no one like the Lord our God,(F) 11 the frogs will go away from you, your houses, your officials, and your people. The frogs will remain only in the Nile.” 12 After Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, Moses cried out to the Lord for help concerning the frogs that he had brought against Pharaoh. 13 The Lord did as Moses had said: the frogs in the houses, courtyards, and fields died. 14 They piled them in countless heaps, and there was a terrible odor in the land. 15 But when Pharaoh saw there was relief, he hardened his heart(G) and would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

The Third Plague: Gnats

16 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron: Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the land, and it will become gnats[a] throughout the land of Egypt.” 17 And they did this. Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff, and when he struck the dust of the land, gnats were on people and animals. All the dust of the land became gnats throughout the land of Egypt. 18 The magicians tried to produce gnats using their occult practices, but they could not. The gnats remained on people and animals.(H)

19 “This is the finger of God,”(I) the magicians said to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh’s heart was hard, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.

The Fourth Plague: Swarms of Flies

20 The Lord said to Moses, “Get up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh when you see him going out to the water. Tell him: This is what the Lord says: Let my people go, so that they may worship[b] me.(J) 21 But if you will not let my people go, then I will send swarms of flies[c] against you, your officials, your people, and your houses. The Egyptians’ houses will swarm with flies, and so will the land where they live.[d] 22 But on that day I will give special treatment to the land of Goshen, where my people are living;(K) no flies will be there. This way you will know that I, the Lord, am in the land. 23 I will make a distinction[e] between my people and your people. This sign will take place tomorrow.”

24 And the Lord did this. Thick swarms of flies went into Pharaoh’s palace and his officials’ houses. Throughout Egypt the land was ruined because of the swarms of flies.(L) 25 Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Go sacrifice to your God within the country.”

26 But Moses said, “It would not be right[f] to do that, because what we will sacrifice to the Lord our God is detestable to the Egyptians.(M) If we sacrifice what the Egyptians detest in front of them, won’t they stone us? 27 We must go a distance of three days into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as he instructs us.”

28 Pharaoh responded, “I will let you go and sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness, but don’t go very far. Make an appeal(N) for me.”

29 “As soon as I leave you,” Moses said, “I will appeal to the Lord, and tomorrow the swarms of flies will depart from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people. But Pharaoh must not act deceptively again by refusing to let the people go and sacrifice to the Lord.” 30 Then Moses left Pharaoh’s presence and appealed to the Lord. 31 The Lord did as Moses had said: He removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, his officials, and his people; not one was left. 32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also and did not let the people go.

Footnotes

  1. 8:16 Perhaps sand fleas or mosquitoes
  2. 8:20 Or serve
  3. 8:21 Or insects
  4. 8:21 Lit are
  5. 8:23 LXX, Syr, Vg; MT reads will place redemption
  6. 8:26 Or allowable