What I Noticed Today (Exodus 8-10)
Exodus 8-10
These chapters cover eight of the ten plagues that God brought to Egypt (frogs, gnats, flies, livestock, boils, hail, locusts, and darkness). There is an escalation in the severity and consequence in the plagues, but Pharaoh remains unwilling to let the Israelites go.
Exodus 8
The Second Plague: Frogs
In verses 1-15, the second plague is sent to Egypt:
- The Lord told Moses to tell Pharaoh; God wants Pharaoh to let His people go to worship Him. Otherwise, He will send a plague of frogs throughout the land.
- Then the Lord told Moses to tell Aaron to stretch out his hand with his staff, and frogs came up out of the Nile covering the land.
- The magicians also brought frogs up onto the land.
- Pharaoh summoned Moses and told him to ask God to remove the frogs, and then he would let the people go to worship God.
- Moses allowed Pharaoh to pick the time when the frogs would leave, and Pharaoh chose the next day.
- Moses cried out to God for help, and the next day all the frogs died. They piled the frogs up in heaps.
- But Pharaoh’s heart was hard, and he refused to let the people go.
Note: Frogs lived in the Nile and would normally appear in December when waters receded, but this was August, so this was clearly from God. The frogs would normally stay near the river, but in this case, they invaded all the land, even into the houses. Egyptians considered the frogs as having divine power, yet they became a curse to the people of Egypt.
The Third Plague: Gnats
In verses 16-19, the third plague is sent to Egypt:
- Then the Lord told Aaron to stretch out his staff, strike the dust of the earth, and it will become gnats throughout the land.
- They did this, and there were gnats throughout the land.
- The magicians tried to produce gnats, but they could not.
- The magicians told Pharaoh this was from God, but Pharaoh’s heart was hard, and he would not listen.
Note: The third plague of gnats came without warning.
The Fourth Plague: Swarms of Flies
In verses 20-32, the fourth plague is sent to Egypt:
- The Lord told Moses to tell Pharaoh; God wants Pharaoh to let His people go to worship Him. Otherwise, He will send a swarm of flies throughout the land, but the land of Goshen where My people live will not be affected. This way, Pharaoh will know it is Me.
- The next day swarms of flies appeared everywhere except the land of Goshen.
- Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and told them to sacrifice to God but stay in Egypt.
- But Moses said, no, their sacrifices were abhorrent to the Egyptians, they must go three days’ journey into the wilderness.
Note: Moses’ concern about the Egyptians stoning them if they sacrificed bulls or cows stems from the fact that the Egyptians thought bulls and cows represented Egyptian deities.
- Pharaoh said he would let them go, but not very far if Moses would appeal to God for him.
- When Moses left Pharaoh, he appealed to God, and the flies left the next day, but Pharaoh changed his mind and would not let the people go.
Note: This plague demonstrates God’s power in separating the plague from the Israelites and Pharaoh’s inability to protect his people. Pharaoh tried to negotiate with Moses; sacrifice in the country, then sacrifice but don’t go very far.
Exodus 9
The Fifth Plague: Death of Livestock
In verses 1-7, the fifth plague is sent to Egypt:
- The Lord told Moses to tell Pharaoh; God wants Pharaoh to let His people go to worship Him. Otherwise, the next day He will send a plague against the livestock (horses, donkeys, camels, herds, and flocks) in the fields throughout the land, except for the land of Goshen where the Israelites lived.
- The next day the Lord sent the plague against all of the Egyptian livestock. They all died, but none of the livestock of the Israelites died.
- Pharaoh’s confirmed that none of the Israelites livestock had died, yet his heart was hard, and he still would not let the people go.
Note: The word “all” referring to the livestock (verse 6) raises the question that if all the livestock died, where did the livestock come from that are referred to in verse 10? The word “all” may either be a figure of speech suggesting a large quantity, or it may be that the livestock in the fields died, but livestock in shelters lived.
The Sixth Plague: Boils
In verses 8-12, the sixth plague is sent to Egypt:
- Then the Lord told Moses and Aaron to take handfuls of soot and throw it up in the air while Pharaoh is watching, and it will become boils on man and beast throughout the land.
- The magicians could not stand before Moses because they and all the Egyptians were covered with boils.
- But Pharaoh’s heart was hard, and he would not let the people go.
The Seventh Plague: Hail
In verses 13-35, the seventh plague is sent to Egypt
- The Lord told Moses to go to Pharaoh the next morning and tell Pharaoh; God wants Pharaoh to let His people go to worship Him. Otherwise, He will send all His plagues against Egypt, so you will know there is no one like Me in all the earth. I (God) could have obliterated you, but I have let you live to show my power and make My name known in all the earth.
- Tomorrow at this time, I (God) will rain down hail in Egypt. Bring your cattle into shelters, for whatever is not sheltered will die from the hail.
- Pharaoh’s officials who feared the Lord brought their servants and animals into a shelter and those who did not fear the Lord left their servants and livestock outside.
- The Lord told Moses to stretch out his hand toward heaven, and there was hail, thunder, and lightning throughout the land of Egypt. The hail struck down man and beast, and shattered trees in the field.
- Only the land of Goshen was untouched.
- Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron and repented, saying he had sinned, that Yahweh is righteous, and my people and I are guilty.
- Pharaoh told Moses he and the people could go.
- Moses said when he left the city, he would ask God to stop the hail, so you will know that the earth belongs to God. But I (Moses) know you (Pharaoh) still do not fear God.
- When Moses left the city, the hail and rain stopped.
- But when Pharaoh saw the hail and rain had stopped, he sinned by hardening his heart and would not let the people go.
Exodus 10
The Eighth Plague: Locusts
In verses 1-20, the eighth plague is sent to Egypt:
- Then the Lord told Moses to go to Pharaoh because his heart was hard so God could do these signs among the people, and the Israelites could tell their children and grandchildren about the signs, and they would know that God is the Lord.
- The next day Moses and Aaron went before Pharaoh, saying God wants Pharaoh to let His people go to worship Him. Otherwise, the next day He will send a plague of locusts throughout the land that will devour anything missed by the hail.
- Pharaoh’s officials asked Pharaoh, how long will you remain stubborn? Don’t you realize Egypt is devastated because of this man?
- So Moses and Aaron were brought back before Pharaoh, who asked exactly who will be going to worship God? Moses answered they all must go, women and children, and their flocks. Pharaoh refused, saying only the men could go.
- The Lord told Moses to stretch out his hand, and the locusts came and destroyed everything left by the hail. Nothing green was left on the plants or the trees throughout all of Egypt.
- Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron again and said he had sinned against God. Please appeal to God and take away the locusts.
- God took away the locusts, but Pharaoh hardened his heart once again and would not let the people go.
Note: The plague of locusts destroyed what little is left in Egypt, but Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened. Even when his people confront him, he remains recalcitrant. He tries to barter again – go, but don’t take your children. Once again, he admits his sin but has not repented.
The Ninth Plague: Darkness
In verses 21-29, the ninth plague is sent to Egypt:
- Then the Lord told Moses to stretch out his hand and bring darkness on the land for three days, yet the Israelites had light in Goshen.
- Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said they could take their families and worship God, but they must leave their flocks behind.
- Moses said the flocks and herds must also go because they would not know what to sacrifice until they left.
- Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go. He even said Moses and Aaron would never see his face again, or they would die.
Note: To never see Pharaoh’s face again is a reference to a formal appearance before Pharaoh. Moses does see Pharaoh again (Exodus 12:31).
Additional thoughts for consideration:
- Pharaoh’s stubbornness and hardness of heart caused the destruction of his entire nation; the rivers, the land, the plants, and the livestock. He lied, deceived, and tried to barter. He recognized his sin but, but refused to repent.
- So may leaders today set their minds on a course of action, and despite all the warnings from God, they stubbornly pursue their course, refusing to admit their sin, repent, and turn back to God!
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
