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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 8:1-15

Pharaoh is here first threatened and then plagued with frogs, as afterwards, in this chapter, with lice and flies, little despicable inconsiderable animals, and yet by their vast numbers rendered sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued them with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with vultures or other birds of prey; but he chose to do it by these contemptible instruments. 1. That he might magnify his own power. He is Lord of the hosts of the whole creation, has them all at his beck,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 8:12

And Moses and Aaron went from Pharaoh ,.... To the place where they used to pray to the Lord, and meet with him, and receive messages from him; this they did the same day the plague was inflicted, the day before the morrow came when the frogs were to be removed: and Moses cried unto the Lord : prayed unto him with great fervency, and with a loud voice, most fervently entreating that the frogs might be removed on the morrow, as he had promised, that so he might not be covered with shame... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 8:13

And the Lord did according to the word of Moses ,.... He heard his prayers, and fulfilled what he had promised Pharaoh: and the frogs died out of the houses, and out of the villages, and out of the fields ; the word for "villages" signifies "courts" F2 מן החצרת "ex atriis", Montanus, Tigurine version, Piscator. , and may be so rendered here; and the sense is, that they not only died out of their dwelling houses, but out of their courtyards, and even out of their gardens,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 8:14

And they gathered them together upon heaps ,.... Swept them up, and laid them in heaps out of the way: and the land stank ; with the stench of the dead frogs, which was another proof and evidence of the reality of the miracle; and that dead frogs will cause such an ill smell appears from the above account of what befell the inhabitants of Paeonia and Dardania, unless that should be the same with this, only the names of places and some circumstances altered; See Gill on Exodus 8:16 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 8:15

But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite ,.... From his affliction, as the Targum of Jonathan adds; the plague was removed, and he found himself and his people at ease: or there was a "breathing" F3 הרוחה "respiratio", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Junius and Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius. ; before he and his people were so oppressed, that they could scarce breathe, but now being delivered from the judgment on them with which they were straitened, were enlarged and at... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 8:14

They gathered them together upon heaps - The killing of the frogs was a mitigation of the punishment; but the leaving them to rot in the land was a continual proof that such a plague had taken place, and that the displeasure of the Lord still continued. The conjecture of Calmet is at least rational: he supposes that the plague of flies originated from the plague of frogs; that the former deposited their ova in the putrid masses, and that from these the innumerable swarms afterwards mentioned... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 8:15

Verse 15 15.Blot when Pharaoh saw. Hence it appears that the wretched tyrant, like a winding serpent, twisted and turned his mind to crooked counsels; for when he was trembling beneath the present feeling of God’s power, he dared not obstinately resist any longer; he only sought a little breathing time; now, being freed from fear, he returns to his former contumacy. But this is a sign of a perverse and crooked disposition, not to submit willingly, but to pay only a temporary deference, when... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 8:1-15

The seared plague: the frogs. In intimating the first plague, Moses made no forms! demand upon Pharaoh to liberate Israel, though of course the demand was really contained in the intimation. But now as the second plague approaches, the formal demand once again is heard. Pharaoh is left for no long time without a distinct appeal which he must face either with consent or refusal. And so now Moses addresses him in the same words as on his first visit: "Let my people go." It is a challenge to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 8:1-16

The plague of frogs. Observe on this plague, in addition to what has been said above. I. PHARAOH 'S HARDNESS UNDER THE FIRST PLAGUE WROUGHT NO ESCAPE , EITHER FROM THE DIVINE COMMAND OR FROM THE DIVINE POWER ( Exodus 8:1 ). He probably thought, now that the river was healed, that he had done with Jehovah's demand, and perhaps congratulated himself that he had succeeded in holding out. But divine commands are not thus to be got rid of. They are... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 8:8-13

God's mercy when men repent ever so little. The object of the judgments, as well as of the goodness of God is "to lead men to repentance "( Romans 2:4 ). He "wouldeth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should be converted and live"( Ezekiel 33:11 ). His cry is ever," Why will ye die, O house of Israel?" And sometimes His judgments have their proper effect on men, partially at any rate. Ahab repented to some extent when woe was denounced upon his house by Elijah—he "rent... read more

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