Exodus 8:6

6 And Aaron held forth the hand on the waters of Egypt; and paddocks went up, and covered the land of Egypt. (And Aaron stretched forth his hand over the waters of Egypt; and frogs went out, and covered the land of Egypt.)

Exodus 8:6 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 8:6

And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt
That is, towards the waters of the Nile, and towards all places where any water was; for it was not possible he could stretch out his hand over all the waters that were in every place:

and the frogs came and covered the land of Egypt:
they came up at once, and in such multitudes everywhere, that the whole land was full of them; this was done on the twenty fifth of Adar, or February, the same day the former plague ceased; so Artapanus ^F19, the Heathen historian says, that Moses by his rod produced frogs, locusts, and lice. And the story which Heraclides Lembus ^F20 tells seems to be hammered out of this account of Moses, that in Paeonia and Dardania such a number of frogs fell from heaven, as filled the public roads and private houses; at first the inhabitants killed them, and keeping their houses shut, bore it patiently some time; but when it signified nothing, and their household goods were covered with them, and they found them boiled and roasted with their food, and lay in such heaps that they could not tread for them, and were so distressed with the smell of the dead ones, they forsook their country.

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FOOTNOTES:

F19 Apud Euseb. ut supra. (Praepar. Evangel. l. 9. c. 27. p. 425.)
F20 Apud Athenaei Deipnosophist. l. 8. c. 2.

Exodus 8:6 In-Context

4 and the paddocks shall enter to thee, and to thy people, and to all thy servants. (and the frogs shall jump on thee, and on thy people, and on all thy servants.)

5 And the Lord said to Moses, Say thou to Aaron, Hold forth thine hand on the floods, and on the streams, and on the marshes; and bring out paddocks on the land of Egypt. (And the Lord said to Moses, Say thou to Aaron, Stretch forth thy hand over the rivers, and the steams, and the marshes; and bring out frogs onto the land of Egypt.)

6 And Aaron held forth the hand on the waters of Egypt; and paddocks went up, and covered the land of Egypt. (And Aaron stretched forth his hand over the waters of Egypt; and frogs went out, and covered the land of Egypt.)

7 Forsooth and the witches did in like manner by their enchantments; and they brought forth paddocks on the land of Egypt. (And the witches did likewise with their enchantments; and they also brought forth frogs onto the land of Egypt.)

8 Forsooth Pharaoh called (for) Moses and Aaron, and said to them, Pray ye the Lord, that he do away the paddocks from me, and from my people; and I shall deliver the people, that it make sacrifice to the Lord (and then I shall let the people go, so that they can offer sacrifices to the Lord).