Exodus 8:14

_AND THEY GATHERED THEM TOGETHER UPON HEAPS: AND THE LAND STANK._ They gathered them together upon heaps; and the land stank. The collection of these reptiles in heaps would, by disengaging the putrid effluvia, and polluting the air by the unwholesome stench from the carcases, immensely aggravate the severity of this plague; and there is reason to believe it was followed by a pestilence, which caused widespread destruction among the people (Psalms 78:45)....

1-15 Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast numbers made them sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued Egypt with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he chose to do it by these despicable creatures. God, when he pleases, can arm the smallest parts of the creation against us. He thereby humbled Pharaoh. They should neither eat, nor drink, nor sleep in quiet; but wherever they were, they should be troubled by the frogs. God's curse upon a man will pursue him wherever he goes, and lie heavy upon him whatever he does. Pharaoh gave way under this plague. He promises that he will let the people go. Those who bid defiance to God and prayer, first or last, will be made to see their need of both. But when Pharaoh saw there was respite, he hardened his heart. Till the heart is renewed by the grace of God, the thoughts made by affliction do not abide; the convict...

Verse Exodus 8:14. _THEY GATHERED THEM TOGETHER UPON HEAPS_] The killing of the frogs was a mitigation of the punishment; but the leaving them to rot in the land was a continual proof that such a plague _had_ taken place, and that the displeasure of the Lord still continued. The conjecture of _Calmet_ is at least rational: he supposes that the plague of _flies_ originated from the plague of _frogs_; that the former deposited their _ova_ in the putrid masses, and that from these the innumerable swarms afterwards mentioned were hatched. In vindication of this supposition it may be observed, that God never works a miracle when the end can be accomplished by merely natural means; and in the operations of Divine providence we always find that the _greatest number of effects_ possible are accomplished by the _fewest causes_. As therefore the n

EXPOSITION How long the plague of frogs endured, we are not told. Probably every effort was made, short of intentionally killing them, to get rid of them. Snakes, and chameleons, and ibises would destroy many—others would be crushed beneath wheels, trampled on by animals, squeezed to death by the opening of doors, unintentionally killed by men. But the vacancies made were constantly filled; and there seemed no prospect of the infliction passing away. The influence of his counsellors would under these circumstances be brought to bear upon the mind of the Pharaoh—he would be warned that his subjects were attributing their sufferings to his obstinacy—he would be recommended—perhaps pressed—to yield, and would find in the annoyance which he individually endured a strong motive for compliance. Accordingly, he after a while sent for the two Israelite chiefs, and made the request recorded in t...

AND THEY GATHERED THEM TOGETHER UPON HEAPS,.... Swept them up, and laid them in heaps out of the way: AND THE LAND STANK; with the stench of the dead frogs, which was another proof and evidence of the reality of the miracle; and that dead frogs will cause such an ill smell appears from the above account of what befell the inhabitants of Paeonia and Dardania, unless that should be the same with this, only the names of places and some circumstances altered; Exodus 8:16....

CHAPTER 8 THE SECOND, THIRD, AND FOURTH PLAGUES _ 1. The demand and the plague of frogs announced (Exodus 8:1)_ 2. The plague executed (Exodus 8:5) 3. The request of Pharaoh and the frogs removed (Exodus 8:8) 4. The divine command for the third plague (Exodus 8:16) 5. The plague executed (Exodus 8:17) 6. The confession of the magicians (Exodus 8:18) 7. The renewed demand and the plague of the flies announced ...

2°. FROGS SWARM FROM THE NILE (Exodus 8:1 J, Exodus 8:5 P, Exodus 8:8 a J, heart, Exodus 8:15 b P). Each year the inundation brings with it myriads of frogs (Sayce), amounting in certain years to a veritable plague, but they do not infest houses or die suddenly in heaps. In Exodus 8:3 they were to come upon the persons of the people, and into their earthenware stoves (ovens) and the shallow wooden bowls they used, as do the Arabs still, for kneading-troughs. When Pharaoh prays for relief, Moses concedes him the glory or ad vantage of naming the time when the pests should be remo

UPON HEAPS. Hebrew "heaps, heaps. "Figure of speech _Epizeuxis_ (App-6). in many great heaps....

Exodus 7:14 to Exodus 11:5 _The first nine Plagues_ The narrative of the Plagues, like that of the preceding Chapter s, is composite. The details of the analysis depend partly upon literary criteria, partly upon differences in the representation, which are not isolated, but recurrent, and which moreover _accompany_the literary differences and support the conclusions based upon them, the differences referred to often also agreeing remarkably with corresponding differences in the parts of the preceding narrative, especially in Exodus 3:1 to Exodus 7:13, which have already, upon independent grounds, been assigned to P, J, and E, respectively. N

AND THEY GATHERED THEM TOGETHER UPON HEAPS— This was a sadly convincing proof to the Egyptians that this was no deception, but a true miracle; and that the reptiles thus miraculously brought upon them were real. The ingenious Calmet is of opinion, that the corruption of these frogs occasioned the following plague of _flies,_ which he supposes to have laid their eggs there in such abundance, as to produce the swarms after-mentioned. For though, says he, these plagues may justly be reckoned supernatural as to the manner in which they were effected, yet God made the previous disposition of nature and second causes subservient to his design. REFLECTIONS.— The seven days of the first plague being expired, God brings a second. He has many arrows in his quiver. But, 1. He sends to beg his people's deliverance, for Pharaoh's sake as well as theirs; for God delighteth not in the death of a sinner...