# Exodus Chapter 8
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## Summarrium
God commands Moses to warn Pharaoh that if he refuses to let the Israelites leave he will send a plague of frogs. Pharaoh refuses and a plague of frogs is sent. Pharaoh asks Moses to pray for their removal agreeing to let the people go and Moses agrees but reneges on his promise once the frogs are gone. So without prior warning a plague of gnats is sent and the magicians cannot replicate this plague acknowledging a power beyond them.

Moses then warns Pharaoh of a pending plague of flies unless he lets the Israelites leave. This time making a distinction pointing out that Goshen where the Israelites live will be spared from this plague. Pharaoh once again relents asking Moses to pray but once the flies are gone Pharaohs heart is hardened and he reneges once again.

## Meditatio
Pharaoh represents resistance to God’s will, while Moses symbolizes obedience and mediation. By stepping away, Moses distances himself from the stubbornness and rebellion of Pharaoh, positioning himself as the intermediary between God and Egypt. Indeed the refrain 'So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord.' is a recurrent refrain (e.g., Exodus 8:12, 9:33).

Stylistically it appears to establishes a rhythm where Moses confronts Pharaoh, Pharaoh either resists or relents momentarily, and Moses then intercedes with God. The act of "going out" reinforces his role as a mediator that must liaise between parties. Yet there is some question as to if the Lord is of sufficient power to be worth of attention.

Nevertheless Each of the plagues targets a central aspects of Egyptian life and their Gods. Frogs represent the goddess Heget, associated with fertility and frequently depicted with a frogs head. This 'blessing' becomes a curse to the Egyptians as they are overrun and left with the stench of decaying amphibians.

The emergence of gnats from the dust of the ground evidences YHWHs power over the earth and over Geb, the god of the earth and soil. Finally here the plague of flies demonstrating YHWHs power over Khepri the god of creation and rebirth often depicted with a beetle or fly head; Khepri was unable to bring order to the disruption and chaos brought by the flies.

If anything this passage highlights the patience with which the Lord approaches a rebellious people, lead by a dishonest King. To think that the Lord will allow Pharaoh to relent and accept and relent and accept over time is incredulous. Yet...he is clear his purpose is "that you may *know* that I am the LORD" (Exodus 8:10, 8:22). So God’s ultimate purpose in the plagues: is that of revealing Himself as the true God, not just to Israel but to Egypt and the surrounding nations.