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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 8:5

And the Lord spake unto Moses ,.... By a secret impulse upon his mind, for he was now in the presence of Pharaoh, who had refused to let Israel go: say unto Aaron, stretch forth thy hand with thy rod ; for Aaron carried the rod, and he was the minister of Moses, who was appointed a god to him; and be was to speak and to do whatever he ordered him from the Lord: over the streams, over the rivers and over the ponds ; the seven streams of the river of Nile, and over the canals cut out... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 8:5

Stretch forth thine hand - over the streams, over the rivers - The streams and rivers here may refer to the grand divisions of the Nile in the Lower Egypt, which were at least seven, and to the canals by which these were connected; as there were no other streams, etc., but what proceeded from this great river. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 8:5

Verse 5 5.And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron. It is questionable whether God thus enjoined Moses in a continuous address, or whether He waited until Pharaoh contumaciously despised His command. It is probable, indeed, that after Pharaoh had paid no attention to the threats, the execution of the punishment was commanded. Meantime, we must recollect what I before said, that Moses moved not even a finger; but, as he had been commanded, transferred the active measures to his inferior... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 8:1-8

God can scourge men beyond endurance with a whip of straw. A frog seems an innocent and harmless reptile enough, not pleasing nor attractive, but scarcely calculated to cause much suffering. When the Egyptians made frogs sacred, they had no notion of one day finding them an intolerable annoyance. But God can make, of the least of his creatures, a weapon to wound, a whip to scourge men. Minute microscopic fungi and entozoa destroy crops and wither up the human frame. Huge ships are... 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 8:5

Over the streams … rivers … ponds. See the comment on Exodus 7:19 . read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Exodus 8:1-32

Nine plagues (7:14-10:29)The timing, intensity and extent of these plagues show clearly that they were sent by God. It also seems fairly clear that God used the physical characteristics of the Nile valley to produce them.When the first plague struck, it polluted all the water in the Nile and in the irrigation canals and reservoirs connected with it, resulting in all the fish dying. As the dead fish floated to the banks they would force the frogs out of the water, thereby producing the second... read more

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