HarperCollins Study Bible

by Harold W. Attridge

  6.26–27 The resumptive unit begins with the sequence Aaron and Moses and ends chiastically with Moses and Aaron.

  6.26 Company, in a military sense (see Num 2); see 12.41; cf. 7.4; 12.51; 13.18.

  6.28–7.7 A recapitulation of earlier passages, underscoring the fact that when Moses and Aaron address Pharaoh, they represent the Lord.

  6.30 An echo of 6.12.

  EXODUS 7

  1The LORD said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. 2You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his land. 3But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and I will multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. 4When Pharaoh does not listen to you, I will lay my hand upon Egypt and bring my people the Israelites, company by company, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgment. 5The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them.” 6Moses and Aaron did so; they did just as the LORD commanded them. 7Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

  Aaron’s Miraculous Rod

  8The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 9“When Pharaoh says to you, ‘Perform a wonder,’ then you shall say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, and it will become a snake.’” 10So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the LORD had commanded; Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. 11Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same by their secret arts. 12Each one threw down his staff, and they became snakes; but Aaron’s staff swallowed up theirs. 13Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

  The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood

  14Then the LORD said to Moses, “Pharaoh’s heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go. 15Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going out to the water; stand by at the river bank to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was turned into a snake. 16Say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you to say, “Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness.” But until now you have not listened. 17Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD.” See, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall be turned to blood. 18The fish in the river shall die, the river itself shall stink, and the Egyptians shall be unable to drink water from the Nile.’” 19The LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over its rivers, its canals, and its ponds, and all its pools of water—so that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout the whole land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.’”

  20Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and of his officials he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the river, and all the water in the river was turned into blood, 21and the fish in the river died. The river stank so that the Egyptians could not drink its water, and there was blood throughout the whole land of Egypt. 22But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts; so Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said. 23Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart. 24And all the Egyptians had to dig along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the river.

  25Seven days passed after the LORD had struck the Nile.

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  7.1–2 An echo of 4.16.

  7.2 An echo of 6.11.

  7.3–5 An echo of 3.19–20; 4.21.

  7.3 Wonders anticipates vv. 8–13.

  7.4 Great acts of judgment echoes 6.6; cf. 12.12.

  7.5 Shall know echoes 6.7 and anticipates v. 17. Stretch out my hand (see note on 3.20) echoes 6.6 and anticipates the first three plagues (see 7.19; 8.5–6, 16–17).

  7.7 In traditional literature and regularly in the narrative traditions of the Hebrew Bible, the older brother is subordinated to the younger.

  7.8–13 See note on 4.2. Here, as in the first three plagues, Aaron performs the signs with his own staff and Pharaoh, not Israel, is the object.

  7.9 Snake. See note on 4.2–5; in Ezek 29.3; 32.2 the term is used to describe a pharaoh as a “dragon.”

  7.11 Magicians. The Hebrew is a loanword from Egyptian, where it refers to a type of priest; the term is used in the Pentateuch only of Egyptians.

  7.12 Swallowed. Cf. 15.12. The one staff swallowing the many recalls the dreams Egypt’s magicians could not interpret (Gen 41.1–7). The magicians’ competition with Aaron here and in the first three plagues prefigures the contest between the Lord and Pharaoh.

  7.13 Hardened, “stiffened” see note on 4.21.

  7.14–12.32 The ten plagues appear to comprise different traditions; Pss 78; 105 count no more than eight. Here they are arranged in three sets of three plus a climactic tenth. Although some see the plagues as a plausible series of natural disasters, the narrative distinguishes their incredible, unprecedented (9.18, 24; 10.6, 14; 11.6) character; the tenth admits of no “natural” explanation.

  7.14–25 Afflicting Egypt’s deified life source recalls the genocide at the Nile (1.22).

  7.14 Hardened, lit. “heavy” see note on 4.21.

  7.15 Each set of three plagues begins with Moses alone confronting Pharaoh in the morning (cf. 8.20; 9.13). Moses’ concern in 3.11 was for naught. Turned anticipates the coming plague (see vv. 17, 20). Snake, the term used in 4.3.

  7.16 An allusion to 5.1–4.

  7.17 Know. See note on 5.2. It, the water.

  7.18 Shall stink. Cf. 5.21.

  7.19 Canals, plural of the same word translated “Nile.” Pools of water, a term used in Gen 1.10, suggesting perhaps that the plagues, like the flood, reverse the order of creation. Vessels, added for clarity. The fact that water found apart from the river turned to blood differentiates the plague from a “natural” disaster of the Nile.

  7.20 Struck. See note on 2.11.

  7.20–21 The river, in Hebrew refers to “the Nile.”

  7.22 Where the magicians found water to turn to blood is not explained. Hardened, “stiffened.” See note on 4.21. The sentence repeats v. 13 verbatim, lending coherence to the narrative.

  7.23 Turned, did an about-face.

  7.25 Seven days, a round number. The unusual waiting period allows the Nile to return to normal and serve as the source of the next plague (see 8.3). Struck. See v. 20.

  EXODUS 8a

  The Second Plague: Frogs

  1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 2If you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs. 3The river shall swarm with frogs; they shall come up into your palace, into your bed-chamber and your bed, and into the houses of your officials and of your people,b and into your ovens and your kneading bowls. 4The frogs shall come up on you and on your people and on all your officials.’” 5c And the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, the canals, and the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.’” 6So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. 7But the magicians did the same by their secret arts, and brought frogs up on the land of Egypt.

  8Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, “Pray to the LORD to take away the frogs from me and my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.” 9Moses said to Pharaoh, “Kindly tell me when I am to pray for you and for your officials and for your people, that the frogs may be removed from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.” 10And he said, “Tomorrow.” Moses said, “As you say! So that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God, 11the frogs shall leave you and your hous
es and your officials and your people; they shall be left only in the Nile.” 12Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh; and Moses cried out to the LORD concerning the frogs that he had brought upon Pharaoh.d 13And the LORD did as Moses requested: the frogs died in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields. 14And they gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. 15But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.

  The Third Plague: Gnats

  16Then the LORD said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats throughout the whole land of Egypt.’” 17And they did so; Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and gnats came on humans and animals alike; all the dust of the earth turned into gnats throughout the whole land of Egypt. 18The magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, but they could not. There were gnats on both humans and animals. 19And the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God!” But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.

  The Fourth Plague: Flies

  20Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 21For if you will not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you, your officials, and your people, and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies; so also the land where they live. 22But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people live, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I the LORD am in this land. 23Thus I will make a distinctione between my people and your people. This sign shall appear tomorrow.’” 24The LORD did so, and great swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh and into his officials’ houses; in all of Egypt the land was ruined because of the flies.

  25Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 26But Moses said, “It would not be right to do so; for the sacrifices that we offer to the LORD our God are offensive to the Egyptians. If we offer in the sight of the Egyptians sacrifices that are offensive to them, will they not stone us? 27We must go a three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as he commands us.” 28So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, provided you do not go very far away. Pray for me.” 29Then Moses said, “As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart tomorrow from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his people; only do not let Pharaoh again deal falsely by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.”

  30So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD. 31And the LORD did as Moses asked: he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his people; not one remained. 32But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and would not let the people go.

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  a Ch 7.26 in Heb

  b Gk: Heb upon your people

  c Ch 8.1 in Heb

  d Or frogs, as he had agreed with Pharaoh

  e Gk Vg: Heb will set redemption

  8.1–15 The first of four plagues connected with animals is remarkable for its extent. The magicians can produce frogs, ironically compounding the plague, but they cannot remove them.

  8.1 Cf. 7.16.

  8.3 The river, “the Nile.” Swarm. Cf. Gen 1.20; see note on Ex 1.7, in whose light the plague is poetic justice. Kneading bowls. The first plague made it impossible to drink, the second to bake bread.

  8.5 Stretch out, an echo of 7.19; see note on 7.5.

  8.6 Covered, a motif recurring in the plagues of hail, locusts, and darkness.

  8.8 Recalling 7.22, one is surprised that now Pharaoh calls Moses and Aaron. Pray, entreat. From me. The plague was directed at Pharaoh first (vv. 3–4).

  8.9 That the frogs may be removed. In Hebrew the verb is active, “to cut off the frogs.”

  8.10 Know. See 7.17; Moses is “calling the shot” to demonstrate that the plague is directed by Yahweh.

  8.12 Cried out, used in 14.15; 15.25 as well as in 3.7; 12.30.

  8.13 Died in, in Hebrew “died from,” meaning that the frogs in these areas died; for a similar usage, see 9.6–7.

  8.14 They, the Egyptians.

  8.15 Hardened, “made heavy” see note on 4.21.

  8.16–19 The term gnats, or mosquitoes, which are indigenous to Egypt, has also been interpreted as “lice,” which are not. The last plague in each set of three is narrated briefly; there is no encounter with Pharaoh and no mention of removing the pest.

  8.17 Animals. As in the flood story of Gen 6–9, animals are innocent victims, here afflicted to punish the Egyptians. All the dust…into gnats, an impossible, therefore amazing, feat; cf. 7.19.

  8.18 See v. 7.

  8.19 This is…God. To acknowledge God’s power was an explicit purpose of the preceding two plagues (7.17; 8.10). Hardened, “stiffened.” See note on 4.21.

  8.20–32 The Hebrew word translated flies occurs only in connection with this plague and is not precisely defined. It may derive from the sense of “swarm” Jewish tradition interprets “wild animals.” The word resembles the word for “locusts” (eighth plague) and the sense of “fly” suits Ps 78.45.

  8.20 Morning. See note on 7.15. Present yourself, “position yourself,” as in 2.4; 7.15, in which the term is translated with the verb “to stand.”

  8.21 This verse is an echo of vv. 3–4, forging coherence with the second plague. Flies. See note on 8.20–32. Send. The Hebrew term is of the same root as let…go. Filled, a verbal link with the first plague, rendered passed in 7.25.

  8.22 Set apart. As in the fifth (9.4), seventh (9.26), ninth (10.23), and tenth (11.7; 12.23) plagues the Israelites are miraculously spared; see also note on 14.1–31. Segregating the Hebrews, by which Egypt had asserted its superiority (Gen 43.32; 46.34), is turned to Israel’s advantage. Goshen. See Gen 45.10; the name may derive from Arabs who spread into Egypt in the seventh century BCE. Know. See note on 8.19. In this land, lit. “in the midst of the land.”

  8.23 Sign, as in 4.8–9. Tomorrow recalls 8.10.

  8.24 The LORD effects this plague without the intermediation of Moses or Aaron. Great swarms of flies, lit. “a heavy swarm-of-flies” see note on 4.10. Ruined evokes “corrupt” and “destroy,” from the same Hebrew root in Gen 6.11–13.

  8.25–27 Cf. 5.3.

  8.26 The Hebrew terms for right and so play on the same root. Offensive, an “abomination.” See note on 8.22. Egypt abominates Israelite sheepherding (Gen 46.34), and Israel would offer sheep to its God; cf. 12.3–5.

  8.29 Tomorrow, emphasized in the Hebrew. Only, rendered provided in v. 28; Moses’ reply plays on Pharaoh’s rhetoric. Deal falsely, play a dirty trick (e.g., Gen 31.7).

  8.31 Removed, lit. “caused to depart,” the Hebrew root used in v. 29 and of the removal of the frogs in vv. 9–11. Remained, another verbal link with the second plague (translated be left in v. 9).

  8.32 Hardened, “made heavy” (see 8.15).

  EXODUS 9

  The Fifth Plague: Livestock Diseased

  1Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 2For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, 3the hand of the LORD will strike with a deadly pestilence your livestock in the field: the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks. 4But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing shall die of all that belongs to the Israelites.’” 5The LORD set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land.” 6And on the next day the LORD did so; all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but of the livestock of the Israelites not one died. 7Pharaoh inquired and found t
hat not one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he would not let the people go.

  The Sixth Plague: Boils

  8Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw it in the air in the sight of Pharaoh. 9It shall become fine dust all over the land of Egypt, and shall cause festering boils on humans and animals throughout the whole land of Egypt.” 10So they took soot from the kiln, and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses threw it in the air, and it caused festering boils on humans and animals. 11The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils afflicted the magicians as well as all the Egyptians. 12But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.

  The Seventh Plague: Thunder and Hail

  13Then the LORD said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. 14For this time I will send all my plagues upon you yourself, and upon your officials, and upon your people, so that you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. 15For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. 16But this is why I have let you live: to show you my power, and to make my name resound through all the earth. 17You are still exalting yourself against my people, and will not let them go. 18Tomorrow at this time I will cause the heaviest hail to fall that has ever fallen in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. 19Send, therefore, and have your livestock and everything that you have in the open field brought to a secure place; every human or animal that is in the open field and is not brought under shelter will die when the hail comes down upon them.’” 20Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD hurried their slaves and livestock off to a secure place. 21Those who did not regard the word of the LORD left their slaves and livestock in the open field.