The Second Blow: Frogs

7:25 61 Seven full days passed62 after the Lord struck63 the Nile. 8:1 1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Release my people in order that they may serve me! 8:2 But if you refuse to release them, then I am going to plague2 all your territory with frogs.3 8:3 The Nile will swarm4 with frogs, and they will come up and go into your house, in your bedroom, and on your bed, and into the houses of your servants and your people, and into your ovens and your kneading troughs.5 8:4 Frogs6 will come up against you, your people, and all your servants.” ’ ”7

8:5 The Lord spoke to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Extend your hand with your staff8 over the rivers, over the canals, and over the ponds, and bring the frogs up over the land of Egypt.’ ” 8:6 So Aaron extended his hand over the waters of Egypt, and frogs9 came up and covered the land of Egypt.

8:7 The magicians did the same10 with their secret arts and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt too.11

8:8 Then Pharaoh summoned12 Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray13 to the Lord that he may take the frogs away14 from me and my people, and I will release15 the people that they may sacrifice16 to the Lord.” 8:9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “You may have the honor over me17—when shall I pray for you, your servants, and your people, for the frogs to be removed18 from you and your houses, so that19 they will be left20 only in the Nile?” 8:10 He said, “Tomorrow.” And Moses said,21 “It will be22 as you say,23 so that you may know that there is no one like the Lord our God. 8:11 The frogs will depart from you, your houses, your servants, and your people; they will be left only in the Nile.”

8:12 Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh, and Moses cried24 to the Lord because of25 the frogs that he had brought on26 Pharaoh. 8:13 The Lord did as Moses asked27—the28 frogs died out of the houses, the villages, and the fields. 8:14 The Egyptians29 piled them in countless heaps,30 and the land stank. 8:15 But when Pharaoh saw that there was relief,31 he hardened32 his heart and did not listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted.33