81 And this is what the Lord said to Moses: Go to Pharaoh and say to him, The Lord says, Let my people go so that they may give me worship. 2 And if you will not let them go, see, I will send frogs into every part of your land: 3 The Nile will be full of frogs, and they will come up into your house and into your bedrooms and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants and your people, and into your ovens and into your bread-basins. 4 The frogs will come up over you and your people and all your servants. 5 And the Lord said to Moses, Say to Aaron, Let the rod in your hand be stretched out over the streams and the waterways and the pools, causing frogs to come up on the land of Egypt. 6 And when Aaron put out his hand over the waters of Egypt, the frogs came up and all the land of Egypt was covered with them. 7 And the wonder-workers did the same with their secret arts, making frogs come up over the land of Egypt. 8 Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and said, Make prayer to the Lord that he will take away these frogs from me and my people; and I will let the people go and make their offering to the Lord. 9 And Moses said, I will let you have the honour of saying when I am to make prayer for you and your servants and your people, that the frogs may be sent away from you and your houses, and be only in the Nile. 10 And he said, By tomorrow. And he said, Let it be as you say: so that you may see that there is no other like the Lord our God. 11 And the frogs will be gone from you and from your houses and from your servants and from your people and will be only in the Nile. 12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh; and Moses made prayer to the Lord about the frogs which he had sent on Pharaoh. 13 And the Lord did as Moses said; and there was an end of all the frogs in the houses and in the open spaces and in the fields. 14 And they put them together in masses, and a bad smell went up from the land. 15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was peace for a time, he made his heart hard and did not give ear to them, as the Lord had said.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 8:1-15
Commentary on Exodus 8:1-15
(Read Exodus 8:1-15)
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 arm the smallest parts of the creation against us. He thereby humbled Pharaoh. They should neither eat, nor drink, nor sleep in quiet; but wherever they were, they should be troubled by the frogs. God's curse upon a man will pursue him wherever he goes, and lie heavy upon him whatever he does. Pharaoh gave way under this plague. He promises that he will let the people go. Those who bid defiance to God and prayer, first or last, will be made to see their need of both. But when Pharaoh saw there was respite, he hardened his heart. Till the heart is renewed by the grace of God, the thoughts made by affliction do not abide; the convictions wear off, and the promises that were given are forgotten. Till the state of the air is changed, what thaws in the sun will freeze again in the shade.