A judgment, and a mercy
The Frogs
The second plague brings frogs up out of the same river God had judged. They cover the land and invade every house, even Pharaoh's bedchamber.
“And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.”Exodus 8:6
What happened
What happened. God sent Moses again, "Let my people go, that they may serve me. And if thou refuse to let them go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs" (Exodus 8:1-2). Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters, "and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt" (Exodus 8:6). They came into the houses, the bedchambers, the beds, the ovens, and the kneadingtroughs. The magicians again brought up frogs by their enchantments, but they could not send them away. Overwhelmed, Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron and said, "Intreat the LORD, that he may take away the frogs from me" (Exodus 8:8), promising to let the people go. Moses gave Pharaoh the honor of naming the time, and Pharaoh said, "To morrow" (Exodus 8:10). Moses cried unto the LORD, and the frogs died out of the houses and fields. They gathered them in heaps, "and the land stank" (Exodus 8:14). But when Pharaoh saw there was respite, "he hardened his heart, and hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had said" (Exodus 8:15).
What it meant
What it meant. The plague turned a river creature into a torment that filled every private and sacred space of Egyptian life. Some scholars link the frogs to the Egyptian goddess Heqet, who was depicted with a frog's form and associated with fruitfulness and birth. This is a reasonable connection, and it is often taught, but honesty requires saying that Exodus does not name Heqet or any other deity in this account. The book states only the general judgment, "against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment" (Exodus 12:12). What is certain is that the God of Israel commanded the frogs to come and commanded them to die, at times He appointed. Even more telling is Pharaoh's word "to morrow." Given the chance to be free of torment at once, he chose one more night with the frogs. The heart that resists God will endure misery rather than surrender, and it will always find a reason to delay obedience until a more convenient day that rarely comes.
How it points to Christ
How it points to Christ. The frogs show a world in bondage, invaded and defiled by a curse it cannot lift. Pharaoh had to cry for relief because he could not remove the plague himself, and even the magicians who could summon frogs could not banish them. So it is with sin; we can multiply our troubles but cannot deliver ourselves. Deliverance comes only when it is asked of the LORD and granted by Him. This points forward to the true deliverance of Passover, "Christ our passover is sacrificed for us" (1 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus is the one who both bears the curse and lifts it, "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29). Where Pharaoh said "to morrow," the gospel says today, "now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Questions people ask
Why did Moses let Pharaoh choose the time for the frogs to leave?
Moses said, "Glory over me: when shall I intreat for thee?" (Exodus 8:9). By letting Pharaoh set the hour, God proved the plague ended at His exact word and not by chance, so that Pharaoh would know "there is none like unto the LORD our God" (Exodus 8:10).
Does the text say the frogs plague targeted an Egyptian goddess?
No. Many scholars suggest a link to the frog-formed goddess Heqet, which is a plausible inference, but Exodus names no specific deity. It states only the general judgment against all the gods of Egypt (Exodus 12:12).