Exodus 8 | OET

This is still an early look into the drafted text of the Open English Translation of the Bible. Please double-check the text in advance before using in public.

Literal Version

8 and he said to Mosheh (Moses), “Go to Par’oh (Pharaoh) and tell him, ‘Yahweh says that you must let my people go so they can serve me.[fn] 2 But if you refuse to let them go, then look, I’m about to pound your entire territory with frogs. 3 The frogs will swarm in the river, then they’ll climb out and go into your house and in your bedroom and onto your bed. They’ll go into your servants’ houses and among your people, and in your cooking bowls and into your ovens. 4 They’ll climb on you and on your people and on all your servants.’ ”

5 Then Yahweh said to Mosheh, “Tell Aharon (Aaron): Hold your staff out over the canals, the streams, and the pools, and cause the frogs to come up onto the land of Mitsrayim (Egypt).” 6 So Aharon reached out his hand over the Mitsri (Egyptian) water supplies and frogs came up and covered the land of Mitsrayim. 7 But the sorcerers did the same with their magic, and they too brought up frogs over the land of Mitsrayim.

8 Then Par’oh called for Mosheh and Aharon, and told them, “Ask Yahweh to take the frogs away from me and from my people. Then I’ll let your people go, and they can sacrifice to Yahweh.”

9 Mosheh answered, “I’ll pray for you and your servants and your people, praying that the frogs will keep away from you and your homes and only be left in the river. And I’ll give you the honour of specifying when it’ll happen.”

10 “Tomorrow morning,” the king replied.

“Just as you say,” Mosheh responded, “so that you’ll know that there’s no one else like our god Yahweh. 11 Tomorrow the frogs will leave you and go away from your houses, and from your servants and your people. They’ll only be left in the river.” 12 Then Mosheh and Aharon left Par’oh and Mosheh called out to Yahweh concerning the retraction of the frogs that he’d sent against the king. 13 So Yahweh did what Mosheh had requested and the frogs died off from the houses and the courtyards, and from the fields. 14 The people collected them into many piles and the whole country stank. 15 But when Par’oh saw that there was relief from the frogs, he firmed his resolve and didn’t listen to Mosheh and Aharon, just as Yahweh had said previously.

8:1 This is 7:26 in some versifications (and the following three verses are 7:27, 28, & 29).

Literal Version EXO 7:26

26 [fn] And_ YHWH _he/it _said to Mosheh go to Parˊoh and_you _will _say to_him/it thus YHWH he _says let _go DOM people _of_my so_that_they _may _serve _me.

27 [fn] And_if you are_refusing to_let_them_go HERE I am_about _to _strike DOM all _of territory _of_your with_frogs.

28 [fn] And_ the_River _it _will _swarm frogs and_they _will _go _up and_they _will _go in_house _of_your and_in_the _chamber _of your _lying _down _of_your and_on bed _of_your and_in_the _house _of your_servants and_on_people _of_your and_in_ovens _of_your and_in_your(pl)_kneading _of_troughs.

29 [fn] And_on_you and_on_people _of_your and_on/over_all your_servants the_frogs they _will _go _up.

7:26 Note: KJB: Exod.8.1

7:27 Note: KJB: Exod.8.2

7:28 Note: KJB: Exod.8.3

7:29 Note: KJB: Exod.8.4

Literal Version EXO 8:1

8 [fn] And_ YHWH _he/it _said to Mosheh say to ʼAhₐron stretch _out DOM hand _of_your with_staff _of_your over the_rivers over the_canals and_over the_pools and_bring _up DOM the_frogs on the _land _of Miʦrayim/(Egypt).

2 [fn] And_ ʼAhₐron _he _stretched _out DOM his/its_hand over the _waters _of Miʦrayim and_ the_frog[s] _it _went _up and_it _covered DOM the _land _of Miʦrayim.

3 [fn] And_they _did thus the_soothsayer-priests by_enchantments _of_their and_they _brought _up DOM the_frogs on the _land _of Miʦrayim.

4 [fn] And_ Parˊoh _he/it _called (to)_Mosheh and_(to)_ʼAhₐron and_he/it _said pray to YHWH so_that _he _may _remove the_frogs from_me and_from_people _of_my and_I _will _let _go DOM the_people so_that _they _may _sacrifice to/for_YHWH.

5 [fn] And_ Mosheh _he/it _said to_Parˊoh honour _yourself over_me to_when will _I _pray to/for_yourself(m) and_for_servants _of_your and_for_people _of_your to_cut _off the_frogs from_you and_from_houses _of_your only in_River they _will _remain.

6 [fn] And_he/it _said to_tomorrow and_he/it _said according_to _of_your _message so _that you _may _know if/because _that there_is_not like_YHWH god _of_our.

7 [fn] And_ the_frogs _they _will _depart from_you and_from_houses _of_your and_from_servants _of_your and_from_people _of_your only in_River they _will _remain.

8 [fn] And_ Mosheh and_ʼAhₐron _he/it _went _out from_with Parˊoh and_ Mosheh _he _cried _out to YHWH on the _matter _of the _frogs which he _had _appointed for_Parˊoh.

9 [fn] And_ YHWH _he/it _made according_to _the _message _of Mosheh and_ the_frogs _they _died from the_houses from the_villages and_from the_fields.

10 [fn] And_people _piled _up DOM_them heaps heaps and_ the_earth/land _it _stank.

11 [fn] And_ Parˊoh _he/it _saw if/because _that it _had _come the_respite and_he _made _unresponsive DOM his/its_heart and_not he _listened to_them just_as YHWH he _had _said.

8:1 Note: KJB: Exod.8.5

8:2 Note: KJB: Exod.8.6

8:3 Note: KJB: Exod.8.7

8:4 Note: KJB: Exod.8.8

8:5 Note: KJB: Exod.8.9

8:6 Note: KJB: Exod.8.10

8:7 Note: KJB: Exod.8.11

8:8 Note: KJB: Exod.8.12

8:9 Note: KJB: Exod.8.13

8:10 Note: KJB: Exod.8.14

8:11 Note: KJB: Exod.8.15

8:16 Plague 3: Lice

16 Then Yahweh said to Mosheh (Moses), “Tell Aharon (Aaron): Stretch out your staff and strike the dust on the ground, and it will turn into lice[fn] all over Mitsrayim (Egypt).” 17 So Aharon held out his staff and struck the dust with it, and the dust became lice on the people and on the animals. All over Mitsrayim, the dust turned into lice 18 and the sorcerers tried to do the same with their magic but they were unable to. So there were lice on people and animals 19 and the magicians said to Par’oh (Pharaoh), “This is God’s finger.”[ref] But Par’oh was stubborn and he didn’t listen to them, just as Yahweh had said previously.

8:16 The Hebrew word ‘כֵּן/כִּנִּם’ (kēn/kinnim) could refer to either lice, gnats, or fleas. However, unlike lice, gnats don’t usually reside on people and animals (which seems to be implied by the text).

8:19: Luk 11:20.

12 [fn] And_ YHWH _he/it _said to Mosheh say to ʼAhₐron stretch _out DOM staff _of_your and_strike DOM the _dust _of the_earth/land and_it _was (into)_gnats in_all the _land _of Miʦrayim/(Egypt).

13 [fn] And_they _did so and_ ʼAhₐron _he _stretched _out DOM his/its_hand with_staff _of_his and_he _struck DOM the _dust _of the_earth/land and_ the_gnat[s] _it _became on_humankind and_on/over_cattle/livestock all _of the _dust _of the_earth/land it _was gnats in_all the _land _of Miʦrayim.

14 [fn] And_they _made thus the_soothsayer-priests by_enchantments _of_their to_bring _forth DOM the_gnats and_not they _were _able and_ the_gnat[s] _it _became on_humankind and_on/over_cattle/livestock.

15 [fn] And_ the_magicians/soothsayers _they _said to Parˊoh is_the _finger _of god it and_ the _heart _of Parˊoh _it _was _strong and_not he _listened to_them just_as YHWH he _had _said.

8:12 Note: KJB: Exod.8.16

8:13 Note: KJB: Exod.8.17

8:14 Note: KJB: Exod.8.18

8:15 Note: KJB: Exod.8.19

8:20 Plague 4: The swarm

20 Then Yahweh said to Mosheh (Moses), “Get up early in the morning and when you see Par’oh (Pharaoh) coming down to the river, station yourself in front of him and tell him, ‘Yahweh saw that you must let my people go so they can serve me. 21 Certainly if you don’t release my people immediately, then take note: I’m about to send the swarm[fn] at you and your servants and at your people and into your houses. The Mitsrim’ (Egyptians) houses will be full of the swarm and even the ground that they’re on. 22 But when it happens, I’ll distinguish the Goshen region where my people live so the swarm won’t be there, so that you’ll be able to see that I’m Yahweh and I’m right here in this land. 23 This sign will happen tomorrow and you’ll see how I plan to set my people free from your people.’ ” 24 So Yahweh did what he’d said and a heavy swarm came to Par’oh’s house and the houses of his servants and all the Mitsrim—the country was ruined by the arrival of the swarm.

25 Then Par’oh called for Mosheh and to Aharon (Aaron) and told them, “Go and sacrifice to the god of you all, but here in Mitsrayim (Egypt).”

26 “It wouldn’t be right to do that,” Mosheh replied, “because our sacrifices to Yahweh our god would be offensive to Mitsrim. Listen, if we made sacrifices in front of the Mitsrim that are repulsive to them, wouldn’t they throw rocks at us to try to kill us? 27 We need to travel into the wilderness for three days, then we’ll sacrifice to our god Yahweh there, just like he’s telling us to.”

28 So Par’oh relented, “I’ll let you all go into the wilderness and sacrifice to Yahweh your god—except you definitely can’t go very far. Now, ask God for me for the plague to stop.”

29 “Listen, I’m about to leave now,” Mosheh responded, “and I’ll pray to Yahweh and he’ll withdraw the swarm from Par’oh tomorrow, and from his servants and his people. But may Par’oh not be dishonest again and fail to let our people go to sacrifice to Yahweh.”

30 Then Mosheh left Par’oh and prayed to Yahweh 31 and Yahweh did what Mosheh asked him and he withdrew the swarm from Par’oh, and from his servants and his people. Not one remained. 32 But Par’oh changed his mind and remained stubborn and he wouldn’t let the Israelis leave.

8:21 The Hebrew word ‘עָרֹב’ (ˊārov) probably meaning ‘mixture’ is sometimes translated as ‘swarm’. This plague could have been anything from flies to other insects (hornets or mosquitoes???) all the way to a mixture of wild animals.