Exodus 8

Aaron's Action Exodus 8:5–10

⁵Verse 5. Yahweh 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.’” ⁶Verse 6. Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. ⁷Verse 7. The magicians did the same thing with their enchantments, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt. ⁸Verse 8. Then 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.”

⁹Verse 9. 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.” ¹⁰Verse 10. He said, “Tomorrow.” He said, “Be it according to your word, that you may know that there is no one like Yahweh our God.

Pharaoh's Plea and Response Exodus 8:11–15

¹¹Verse 11. The frogs shall depart from you, and from your houses, and from your servants, and from your people. They shall remain in the river only.” ¹²Verse 12. Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried to Yahweh concerning the frogs which he had brought on Pharaoh. ¹³Verse 13. Yahweh did according to the word of Moses, and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields. ¹⁴Verse 14. They gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. ¹⁵Verse 15. But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and didn’t listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken.

The Plague of Lice Exodus 8:16–19

¹⁶Verse 16. Yahweh 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.’” ¹⁷Verse 17. They 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. ¹⁸Verse 18. The magicians tried with their enchantments to produce lice, but they couldn’t. There were lice on man, and on animal. ¹⁹Verse 19. Then the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is God’s finger:” and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he didn’t listen to them; as Yahweh had spoken.

The Plague of Flies Exodus 8:20–24

²⁰Verse 20. Yahweh 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. ²¹Verse 21. Else, 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: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are. ²²Verse 22. I 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.

²³Verse 23. I will put a division between my people and your people: by tomorrow shall this sign be.”’” ²⁴Verse 24. Yahweh did so; and there came grievous swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses: and in all the land of Egypt the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies.

Negotiation with Pharaoh Exodus 8:25–29

²⁵Verse 25. Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land!” ²⁶Verse 26. Moses said, “It isn’t appropriate to do so; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to Yahweh our God. Behold, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and won’t they stone us? ²⁷Verse 27. We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to Yahweh our God, as he shall command us.” ²⁸Verse 28. Pharaoh 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.”

²⁹Verse 29. Moses said, “Behold, I go out from you, and 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.”

Moses' Prayer and Pharaoh's Hardness Exodus 8:30–32

³⁰Verse 30. Moses went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh. ³¹Verse 31. Yahweh 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. ³²Verse 32. Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and he didn’t let the people go.