Exodus 8
BBCExodus 8:1
B. The Second PlagueFrogs (8:1-15)The plague of frogs which covered the land of Egypt was so distressing that Pharaoh seemed to relent. When he asked Moses to have the plague lifted, Moses said, “Accept the honor of saying when I shall intercede for you, for your servants, and for your people, to destroy the frogs from you and your houses, that they may remain in the river only.” The magicians were able to produce frogs alsoas if there weren’t enough already! They probably did this by demonic power, but they dared not destroy the frogs because the frog was worshiped as the god of fertility! When the frogs died the next day, there was a tremendous stench from their dead bodies. Pharaoh once again hardened his heart.
Exodus 8:16
C. The Third PlagueLice (8:16-19)In the third plague the dust of the earth changed into gnats or lice. This time the magicians, unable to produce lice, warned Pharaoh that a power greater than theirs was at work, but the king was obdurate. The more he hardened his heart, the more it was hardened by God.
Exodus 8:20
D. The Fourth PlagueFlies (8:20-32)8:20-24 So God sent the fourth plagueswarms of flies. As the italics in the NKJV indicate, the Hebrew literally means swarms (or “mixed”), and the specific insect (flies) is supplied by the translators. Perhaps the swarms were a mixture of many species. Since most or all of the plagues were aimed at the false gods of Egypt (the Nile, and virtually every creature was a deity in Egypt!), it is possible that the beetle is meant. This would be an attack against Khepri, the god of the sacred beetle. 8:25-32 Pharaoh buckled to the extent of allowing the Israelites to sacrifice to God in the land of Egypt. But this wouldn’t do because they would be sacrificing animals worshiped by the Egyptians and thus incite a riot. Pharaoh made a further concession: The Jews could go into the wilderness to sacrifice but they must not go . . . far. This too was unsatisfactory because God had commanded them to go three days’ journey. As soon as Egypt got relief from the plague, Pharaoh changed his mind and forbade the people to go.