King James Version
Exodus 8
32 verses with commentary
The Second Plague: Frogs
And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 1 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
VIII.
**THE SECOND PLAGUE.**
(1-4) It is generally allowed that the second plague was one of frogs. All the ancient versions agree in the interpretation; and the only rival rendering—“crocodiles”—is too absurd to be argued against. We may take it, therefore, as certain that the second infliction upon Egypt was an innumerable multitude of frogs, which came up out of the river, and infested the citi...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-21. they met Moses ... The Lord look upon you, and judge--**Thus the deliverer of Israel found that this patriotic interference did, in the first instance, only aggravate the evil he wished to remove, and that instead of receiving the gratitude, he was loaded with the reproaches of his countrymen. But as the greatest darkness is immediately before the dawn, so the people of God are often plun...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 2 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20-21. they met Moses ... The Lord look upon you, and judge--**Thus the deliverer of Israel found that this patriotic interference did, in the first instance, only aggravate the evil he wished to remove, and that instead of receiving the gratitude, he was loaded with the reproaches of his countrymen. But as the greatest darkness is immediately before the dawn, so the people of God are often plun...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber , and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs: kneadingtroughs: or, dough
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 3 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 4 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 5 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 6 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) **The frogs came up.**—Hebrew, *the frog.* The term designates the species.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
CHAPTER 6 Ex 6:1-13. Renewal of the Promise.
**1. the Lord said unto Moses--**The Lord, who is long-suffering and indulgent to the errors and infirmities of His people, made allowance for the mortification of Moses as the result of this first interview and cheered him with the assurance of a speedy and successful termination to his embassy.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 7 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(7) **The magicians did so.**—It cannot be concluded from this that the magicians had the power of creating frogs. All that the writer means to express is, that they *seemed* to Pharaoh and to the Court to do on a small scale what Moses and Aaron had done on the largest possible scale. The means which they employed was probably sleight-of-hand. It has been well observed that they would have shown ...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**2. And God spake unto Moses--**For his further encouragement, there was made to him an emphatic repetition of the promise (Ex 3:20).
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may do sacrifice unto the LORD.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 8 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) **Pharaoh called for Moses.**—This was the first sign of yielding. Pharaoh had borne the infliction of the water turned to blood without flinching, probably because individually he had suffered but little from it. (See the comment on Exodus 7:23.) But he suffered from the frogs as much as any one else (Exodus 8:3-4); and the personal inconvenience drove him to make a concession. As far as word...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**3. I ... God Almighty--**All enemies must fall, all difficulties must vanish before My omnipotent power, and the patriarchs had abundant proofs of this.
**but by my name, &c.--**rather, interrogatively, by My name Jehovah was I not known to them? Am not I, the Almighty God, who pledged My honor for the fulfilment of the covenant, also the self-existent God who lives to accomplish it? Rest ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →And Moses said unto Pharaoh, Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, to destroy the frogs from thee and thy houses, that they may remain in the river only? Glory: or, Have this honour over me, etc when: or, against when to destroy: Heb. to cut off
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 9 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(9) **And Moses said . . . Glory over me.**—This phrase seems equivalent to—“I submit to thy will,” “I am content to do thy bidding. “It was probably an ordinary expression of courtesy in Egypt on the part of an inferior to a superior; but it was not a Hebrew idiom, and so does not occur elsewhere.
**When shall I intreat**?—Rather, as in the margin, *against when?* or *for when?*—*i.e.,* what date...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →And he said, To morrow. And he said, Be it according to thy word: that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the LORD our God. To morrow: or, Against to morrow
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 10 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(10) **That thou mayest know.**—Comp. Exodus 7:5; Exodus 7:17. Moses is not content that Pharaoh should simply acknowledge Jehovah as he had done (Exodus 8:8), but wishes him to be convinced that no other god can compare with Him.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy houses, and from thy servants, and from thy people; they shall remain in the river only.
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 11 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →And Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh: and Moses cried unto the LORD because of the frogs which he had brought against Pharaoh.
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 12 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →And the LORD did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the villages, and out of the fields.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 13 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(13, 14) **The frogs died.**—God, who knew the heart of Pharaoh, and its insincerity, or at any rate its changefulness, took the plague of frogs away in a manner that made its removal almost as bad as its continuance. The frogs did not return into the river; neither were they devoured by flights of cranes or ibises. They simply died—died where they were—in thousands and tens of thousands, so that ...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →And they gathered them together upon heaps: and the land stank.
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 14 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**9-11. Moses spake so unto the children of Israel--**The increased severities inflicted on the Israelites seem to have so entirely crushed their spirits, as well as irritated them, that they refused to listen to any more communications (Ex 14:12). Even the faith of Moses himself was faltering; and he would have abandoned the enterprise in despair had he not received a positive command from God to...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite, he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 15 describes the plague of frogs, targeting Heqet, Egyptian goddess of fertility portrayed as frog-headed. Frogs filled houses, bedrooms, ovens, and kneading bowls—contaminating private and sacred spaces. What Egypt worshipped became its torment.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(15) **When Pharaoh saw that there was respite.**—Hebrew, *a breathing space.*
**He hardened his heart.**—Hitherto Pharaoh’s nature had not been impressed; his heart had remained dull, callous, hard. Now an impression had been made (Exodus 8:8), and he must have yielded, if he had not called in his own will to efface it. Herein was his great guilt. (See the comment on Exodus 4:21.)
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**9-11. Moses spake so unto the children of Israel--**The increased severities inflicted on the Israelites seem to have so entirely crushed their spirits, as well as irritated them, that they refused to listen to any more communications (Ex 14:12). Even the faith of Moses himself was faltering; and he would have abandoned the enterprise in despair had he not received a positive command from God to...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
Chapter 8
Chapter Outline
The plague of frogs.(1-15)
The plague of lice.(16-19)
The plague of flies.(20-32)
**Verses 1-15**
Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can...
Read full commentary →The Third Plague: Gnats
And the LORD said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 16 introduces the plague of lice or gnats (כִּנִּם, kinnim), targeting Geb, earth god. Aaron struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice throughout Egypt. This plague attacks Egypt's very ground, showing YHWH's power over the earth itself.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
**THE THIRD PLAGUE. (16, 17)**
It is disputed whether this plague was one of lice or of mosquitoes. Josephus and the Jewish commentators generally take the former view, while the latter is supported by the LXX. and Vulgate, by the authorities of Philo, Artapanus, Origen, and St. Augustine in ancient, and by those of Rosenmüller, Michaelis, Œdmann, Gesenius, Keil, and Kalisch in modern times. The w...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**9-11. Moses spake so unto the children of Israel--**The increased severities inflicted on the Israelites seem to have so entirely crushed their spirits, as well as irritated them, that they refused to listen to any more communications (Ex 14:12). Even the faith of Moses himself was faltering; and he would have abandoned the enterprise in despair had he not received a positive command from God to...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 16-19**
These lice were produced out of the dust of the earth; out of any part of the creation God can fetch a scourge, with which to correct those who rebel against him. Even the dust of the earth obeys him. These lice were very troublesome, as well as disgraceful to the Egyptians, whose priests were obliged to take much pains that no vermin ever should be found about them. All the p...
Read full commentary →And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 17 introduces the plague of lice or gnats (כִּנִּם, kinnim), targeting Geb, earth god. Aaron struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice throughout Egypt. This plague attacks Egypt's very ground, showing YHWH's power over the earth itself.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**12. how then shall ... who am of uncircumcised lips?--**A metaphorical expression among the Hebrews, who, taught to look on the circumcision of any part as denoting perfection, signified its deficiency or unsuitableness by uncircumcision. The words here express how painfully Moses felt his want of utterance or persuasive oratory. He seems to have fallen into the same deep despondency as his bret...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 16-19**
These lice were produced out of the dust of the earth; out of any part of the creation God can fetch a scourge, with which to correct those who rebel against him. Even the dust of the earth obeys him. These lice were very troublesome, as well as disgraceful to the Egyptians, whose priests were obliged to take much pains that no vermin ever should be found about them. All the p...
Read full commentary →And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 18 introduces the plague of lice or gnats (כִּנִּם, kinnim), targeting Geb, earth god. Aaron struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice throughout Egypt. This plague attacks Egypt's very ground, showing YHWH's power over the earth itself.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(18) **The** **magicians** **did** ***so**—i.e.,* tried to do so—took moist earth, and dried it, and pulverised it, and tried the effect of their magic charms upon it, but. failed to produce mosquitoes, as Aaron had done. Mosquitoes were things too delicate to be caught, and manipulated, and produced at a given moment by sleight-of-hand. The magicians tried to produce a counterfeit of the miracle,...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 16-19**
These lice were produced out of the dust of the earth; out of any part of the creation God can fetch a scourge, with which to correct those who rebel against him. Even the dust of the earth obeys him. These lice were very troublesome, as well as disgraceful to the Egyptians, whose priests were obliged to take much pains that no vermin ever should be found about them. All the p...
Read full commentary →Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 19 introduces the plague of lice or gnats (כִּנִּם, kinnim), targeting Geb, earth god. Aaron struck the dust of the earth, and it became lice throughout Egypt. This plague attacks Egypt's very ground, showing YHWH's power over the earth itself.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(19) **The finger of God.**—Rather, *of a goal.* The magicians meant to say, “This is beyond the power of man: it is supernatural; some god must be helping Moses and Aaron.” They did not mean to profess a belief in One God.
**Pharaoh’s heart was hardened.**—The mosquitoes did not impress Pharaoh as the frogs had done (Exodus 8:8-15). His heart remained hard. He had no need to harden it by an act o...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Ex 6:14-30. The Genealogy of Moses.
**14-15. These be the heads of their fathers' houses--**chiefs or governors of their houses. The insertion of this genealogical table in this part of the narrative was intended to authenticate the descent of Moses and Aaron. Both of them were commissioned to act so important a part in the events transacted in the court of Egypt and afterwards elevated to so hig...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 16-19**
These lice were produced out of the dust of the earth; out of any part of the creation God can fetch a scourge, with which to correct those who rebel against him. Even the dust of the earth obeys him. These lice were very troublesome, as well as disgraceful to the Egyptians, whose priests were obliged to take much pains that no vermin ever should be found about them. All the p...
Read full commentary →The Fourth Plague: Flies
And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
View commentary (4 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 20 describes the plague of flies (עָרֹב, arov—swarms), with crucial distinction: Goshen is protected. God says 'I will sever... the land of Goshen' (v.22), demonstrating selective judgment. This plague may target Khepri, scarab beetle god representing resurrection and transformation.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
THE FOURTH PLAGUE.
(20, 21) There is. again, a doubt as to the nature of the fourth plague. In the original it is called the plague of “the ‘*arób.”* which is used throughout in the singular number. The LXX. translate *ha-’arob* by “the dog-fly” (ή κυνόμυιά)*.* The Jewish commentators connect the word with the root ‘ereb or *‘arab,* and suppose it to designate either a mixed multitude of all kinds...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
Ex 6:14-30. The Genealogy of Moses.
**14-15. These be the heads of their fathers' houses--**chiefs or governors of their houses. The insertion of this genealogical table in this part of the narrative was intended to authenticate the descent of Moses and Aaron. Both of them were commissioned to act so important a part in the events transacted in the court of Egypt and afterwards elevated to so hig...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 20-32**
Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service to the Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be marked in the plague of flies. The Lord knows them that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set them apart for himself. Pharaoh unwil...
Read full commentary →Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereon they are. swarms: or, a mixture of noisome beasts, etc
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 21 describes the plague of flies (עָרֹב, arov—swarms), with crucial distinction: Goshen is protected. God says 'I will sever... the land of Goshen' (v.22), demonstrating selective judgment. This plague may target Khepri, scarab beetle god representing resurrection and transformation.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 20-32**
Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service to the Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be marked in the plague of flies. The Lord knows them that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set them apart for himself. Pharaoh unwil...
Read full commentary →And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
Verse 22 describes the plague of flies (עָרֹב, arov—swarms), with crucial distinction: Goshen is protected. God says 'I will sever... the land of Goshen' (v.22), demonstrating selective judgment. This plague may target Khepri, scarab beetle god representing resurrection and transformation.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(22) I will sever in that day the land of Goshen.—This was a new feature, and one calculated to make a deep impression both on king and people. The “land of Goshen” can only have been some portion of the Eastern Delta, a tract in unwise different from the rest of Egypt—low, flat, well-watered, fertile. Nature had put no severance between it and the regions where the Egyptians dwelt; so the severan...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 20-32**
Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service to the Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be marked in the plague of flies. The Lord knows them that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set them apart for himself. Pharaoh unwil...
Read full commentary →And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be. a division: Heb. a redemption to morrow: or, by to morrow
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 23 describes the plague of flies (עָרֹב, arov—swarms), with crucial distinction: Goshen is protected. God says 'I will sever... the land of Goshen' (v.22), demonstrating selective judgment. This plague may target Khepri, scarab beetle god representing resurrection and transformation.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 20-32**
Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service to the Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be marked in the plague of flies. The Lord knows them that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set them apart for himself. Pharaoh unwil...
Read full commentary →And the LORD did so; and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies. corrupted: or, destroyed
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 24 describes the plague of flies (עָרֹב, arov—swarms), with crucial distinction: Goshen is protected. God says 'I will sever... the land of Goshen' (v.22), demonstrating selective judgment. This plague may target Khepri, scarab beetle god representing resurrection and transformation.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(24) **The land was corrupted.**—Rather, as in the margin, *destroyed.* Kalisch observes, “These insects”—*i.e.,* the kakerlaque (*Blatta Orientalis*)*, “*really fill the land, and molest men and beasts; they consume all sorts of materials, *devastate the country,* and are in so far more detrimental than the gnats, as they destroy also the property of the Egyptians.”
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 20-32**
Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service to the Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be marked in the plague of flies. The Lord knows them that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set them apart for himself. Pharaoh unwil...
Read full commentary →And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 25 describes the plague of flies (עָרֹב, arov—swarms), with crucial distinction: Goshen is protected. God says 'I will sever... the land of Goshen' (v.22), demonstrating selective judgment. This plague may target Khepri, scarab beetle god representing resurrection and transformation.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(25) **Pharaoh called for Moses.**—Pharaoh suffered from the kakerlaque equally with his subjects, or rather, *more* than his subjects. It was “upon him,” inflicting its painful bites (Exodus 8:21); it was “upon his palaces” (Exodus 8:21), destroying his rich and magnificent furniture; it was upon his lands, ravaging and devastating them (Exodus 8:24). He therefore gave way before this plague almo...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**20. Amram took him Jochebed his father's sister to wife--**The Septuagint and Syriac versions render it "his cousin."
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 20-32**
Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service to the Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be marked in the plague of flies. The Lord knows them that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set them apart for himself. Pharaoh unwil...
Read full commentary →And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 26 describes the plague of flies (עָרֹב, arov—swarms), with crucial distinction: Goshen is protected. God says 'I will sever... the land of Goshen' (v.22), demonstrating selective judgment. This plague may target Khepri, scarab beetle god representing resurrection and transformation.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(26) It **is not meet so to do.**—Pressed to remain “in the land,” and sacrifice, Moses deemed it right to explain to the king why this was impossible. The Israelites would have to “sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians”—*i.e.,* animals of which the Egyptians abominated the killing; and if they did this in the presence of Egyptians, a riot would be certain to break out—perhaps a civil war wou...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 20-32**
Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service to the Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be marked in the plague of flies. The Lord knows them that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set them apart for himself. Pharaoh unwil...
Read full commentary →We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the LORD our God, as he shall command us.
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 27 describes the plague of flies (עָרֹב, arov—swarms), with crucial distinction: Goshen is protected. God says 'I will sever... the land of Goshen' (v.22), demonstrating selective judgment. This plague may target Khepri, scarab beetle god representing resurrection and transformation.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(27) **As he shall command us.**—Comp. Exodus 10:26—“We know not with what we must serve the Lord, until we come thither.”
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 20-32**
Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service to the Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be marked in the plague of flies. The Lord knows them that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set them apart for himself. Pharaoh unwil...
Read full commentary →And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness; only ye shall not go very far away: intreat for me.
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 28 describes the plague of flies (עָרֹב, arov—swarms), with crucial distinction: Goshen is protected. God says 'I will sever... the land of Goshen' (v.22), demonstrating selective judgment. This plague may target Khepri, scarab beetle god representing resurrection and transformation.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**23. Elisheba--**that is, Elizabethan. These minute particulars recorded of the family of Aaron, while he has passed over his own, indicate the real modesty of Moses. An ambitious man or an impostor would have acted in a different manner.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 20-32**
Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service to the Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be marked in the plague of flies. The Lord knows them that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set them apart for himself. Pharaoh unwil...
Read full commentary →And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 29 describes the plague of flies (עָרֹב, arov—swarms), with crucial distinction: Goshen is protected. God says 'I will sever... the land of Goshen' (v.22), demonstrating selective judgment. This plague may target Khepri, scarab beetle god representing resurrection and transformation.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(29) **And Moses said, Behold . . . I will in-treat the Lord.**—Moses accepted Pharaoh’s second promise, and took no special exception to its condition —“only ye shall not go very far away.” He had distinctly stated his own demand, which was for “a three days’ journey into the wilderness” (Exodus 5:3; Exodus 8:27). It was for Pharaoh to settle with himself whether he considered that distance “very...
Read full commentary →Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 20-32**
Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service to the Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be marked in the plague of flies. The Lord knows them that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set them apart for himself. Pharaoh unwil...
Read full commentary →And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 30 describes the plague of flies (עָרֹב, arov—swarms), with crucial distinction: Goshen is protected. God says 'I will sever... the land of Goshen' (v.22), demonstrating selective judgment. This plague may target Khepri, scarab beetle god representing resurrection and transformation.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 20-32**
Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service to the Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be marked in the plague of flies. The Lord knows them that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set them apart for himself. Pharaoh unwil...
Read full commentary →And the LORD 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.
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 31 describes the plague of flies (עָרֹב, arov—swarms), with crucial distinction: Goshen is protected. God says 'I will sever... the land of Goshen' (v.22), demonstrating selective judgment. This plague may target Khepri, scarab beetle god representing resurrection and transformation.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(31) **There remained not one.**—The sudden and entire removal of a plague like this at the word *of* Moses was almost as great a miracle as its sudden coming at his word, and is therefore, when it happened, carefully recorded. (See Exodus 10:19.) It seems not to have happened with the frogs (Exodus 8:11-13) or with the mosquitoes.
Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 20-32**
Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service to the Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be marked in the plague of flies. The Lord knows them that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set them apart for himself. Pharaoh unwil...
Read full commentary →And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.
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KJV Study Commentary
Verse 32 describes the plague of flies (עָרֹב, arov—swarms), with crucial distinction: Goshen is protected. God says 'I will sever... the land of Goshen' (v.22), demonstrating selective judgment. This plague may target Khepri, scarab beetle god representing resurrection and transformation.
Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(32) **Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also.**—Comp, Exodus 8:15. Again, it is after being impressed, and partially relenting, that Pharaoh hardens his own heart.
**Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
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Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
**Verses 20-32**
Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service to the Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be marked in the plague of flies. The Lord knows them that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set them apart for himself. Pharaoh unwil...
Read full commentary →