By David M. Renfro
As discussed in the Introduction to the Plagues in the January-February 2025 issue, the first nine plagues can be viewed as three cycles of three plagues each. The plagues in each cycle become increasingly severe and life-threatening. These first three plagues caused much irritation and disruption in the lives of the Egyptians, but they did not cause bodily injury or death.
THE FIRST PLAGUE: WATER TO BLOOD (EXODUS 7:14-25)
THE PLAN
Despite the earlier amazing demonstrations of the LORD’s power, Pharaoh stubbornly continued to refuse to free the Israelites. Even the miracle of Moses’ staff transforming from staff to serpent then back to staff did not convince Pharoah that the God of Israel (Yahweh) was sovereign (Exod 7:1-13). Yahweh therefore visited the first plague on Pharaoh’s realm both to judge it and to demonstrate His superiority over all of Egypt’s gods and goddesses.
The first plague involved a crucial necessity of Egyptian life—water.
THE PLOT
Pharoah’s heart was hard (stubborn), so the LORD commanded Moses to confront Pharaoh when he went out to the water of the Nile River (vv14-15). Pharaoh would have gone to the Nile both to bathe and to worship the god of the Nile. Moses was to tell Pharaoh that Yahweh commanded him to let the Israelites leave so that they could worship Him (v 16).
Yahweh (through Moses) warned Pharaoh that He would strike Egypt’s bodies of water and turn them into pools and rivers of blood. The life in these waters would die (v 18), the river would stink, and the people would suffer because the water was undrinkable. It was hoped that Pharaoh, upon seeing this, would know (or experience) that Yahweh was the Sovereign of the universe, and that he would therefore obey Him.
Aaron was then commanded to lift up his rod (v 20) over the Nile and other water sources so that they would turn to blood. This occurred when Aaron “struck the waters.” Pharaoh and his servants were eyewitnesses of this (v 20). As predicted, all the creatures living in the waters died, making the water even more repulsive (v 21).
The Egyptian magicians were able to duplicate this using their pagan practices (v 22). The LORD probably allowed this so that Pharaoh would remain stubborn and again refuse to free the Israelites.
THE PURPOSE
Egyptians believed the Nile River to be a god that was the source and sustainer of life. The first plague was designed to educate the Egyptians and the Israelites to the fact that Yahweh, not the Nile, is the source and sustainer of life.
Jesus taught us that He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25-26). Being God, He invented life, and being the Anointed (the Christ), He is the source of everlasting life to all who believe in Him (John 6:47).
THE SECOND PLAGUE: AN ARMY OF FROGS (EXODUS 8:1-15)
THE PLAN
The second plague involved covering the land of Egypt with frogs. This was significant because frogs were repulsive to the Egyptian people; being overrun by them would make their lives miserable.
THE PLOT
The LORD commanded Moses to go to Pharaoh (not at the Nile) and again demand the liberation of the Israelites. If Pharaoh did not comply, then Moses warned that a second plague would come on (lit. “against”) him and his people. This one would involve frogs—a lot of them.
Moses warned Pharaoh that the frogs that normally lived near the Nile River would overrun his people’s homes (including his palace). In fact, they would come into bedrooms, kitchens, and even the ovens (v 3). Since Pharaoh believed himself to be a god, one would think that he thought he could have prevented this.
Aaron then held his rod over the bodies of water, and the frogs appeared and covered the land (v 6). Since there would not have been enough frogs in the Nile to cover the land, Yahweh probably created most of them at that moment.
As with the first plague, the Egyptian sorcerers were able to duplicate the plague (v 7), bringing more frogs onto the land. This was not a good thing, because they just added to the problem! The lives of the Egyptians became even more miserable instead of better. Interestingly, the sorcerers could create the frogs but not make them go away!
Things got so bad that Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron into his presence. He asked them to persuade the LORD to get rid of the frogs (v 8). This is the first time that Pharaoh spoke as if Yahweh existed. This time he did not call upon his sorcerers and magicians to get rid of the frogs.
To entice Moses and Aaron to do so, he promised to let the Israelites go so that they could worship Yahweh. It was an insincere promise that he never intended to keep.
Interestingly, Moses let Pharoah decide when he should intercede with Yahweh (v 9). He used the phrase accept the honor (lit. “honor yourself”). Moses seems to be giving Pharaoh the ability (or the illusion of having the ability) to control things, at least in part. This would also demonstrate that Moses was not manipulating things.
Pharaoh responded that he wanted the frogs gone by the next day (v 10). Moses agreed to this because the purpose of letting Pharaoh choose the time was to demonstrate that the God of Moses–Yahweh–unlike Pharaoh’s ineffectual gods was truly sovereign over the world. The frogs would once again be allowed to live only in and around the Nile River.
Yahweh did as Moses asked (v 13). The frogs died. They were then taken out of the people’s houses (including Pharoah’s) and placed in large piles. Of course, the piles of dead frogs stank, making life in Egypt miserable. But, as predicted, Pharaoh hardened his heart and disobeyed Yahweh’s command by going back on his promise to release the Israelites.
THE PURPOSE
The target of this plague was the Egyptian goddess Heqet. She was worshipped as the goddess of birth and was pictured with the head of a frog. This plague demonstrated that she was not in control of the birth of countless frogs or of anything else.
It also showed that the God of Israel, Yahweh, is the only One who has the power to create and destroy life at His bidding.
THE THIRD PLAGUE: A COLONY OF LICE (EXODUS 8:16-19)
THE PLAN
Pharaoh had gone back on his word and did not let the Israelites go (see v 15). The second plague did not change his mind, so another plague was needed.
The third plague was not announced to Pharaoh.
THE PLOT
Yahweh, through Moses, commanded Aaron to take his rod (the one in 7:10-12), and strike the dust (v. 16), turning it into lice. The exact meaning of the Hebrew word translated “lice” in the NKJV is unknown. Most English versions translate it “gnats,” but no one is certain. In any case, it refers to some insect that was extremely irritating.
Aaron obeyed Yahweh, and the dust became lice. It is possible that Yahweh infused life into dust particles, causing them to turn into lice (Gen 2:7). These lice covered everyone and everything in Egypt. Imagine being covered by stinging insects everywhere you go! In the second plague, frogs had covered people’s homes. Now, lice covered people’s bodies, making life exceedingly miserable.
Because the lice covered all of Egypt, it is likely that the Israelites were afflicted with this plague as well. Later, plagues will affect all of Egypt but not Goshen, where the Israelites lived (vv 22-23; 9:4, 6, 26).
Pharaoh’s magicians were called into action. Using their mystical enchantments (v 18), they tried to bring forth lice, but they failed. The Hebrew verb for bring forth can mean either “produce” or “cause to go out” (get rid of).
Either way, they failed in their mission. They reported back to Pharaoh that the finger of God was the creator of the plague, implying that they could do nothing. The finger of God was also used to write the Ten Commandments on stone tablets (Exod 31:18; Deut 9:10) and to cast out demons (Luke 11:20). In all cases, it is a reference to God’s incomparable power.
The Egyptian magicians recognized that the power of Israel’s God could not be overcome by any power they possessed.
THE PURPOSE
This plague probably targeted two Egyptian gods.
• The first is Set, god of the desert, storms, and violence. For a time, Set was the protector of Ra, the Egyptian sun god.
• The second god was Geb, god of the earth or dust of the earth. Geb was sometimes pictured with the head of a snake (Gen 3:1-14; Rev 12:9).
This plague proved that neither of these deities could control the outbreak of lice over the land of Egypt. The fact that the lice came and went in spite of Egypt’s efforts demonstrated that Israel’s God was in complete control. After all, only God could command lice to do His bidding.
It was also an attack on the Egyptian priests, who had a reputation for maintaining physical immaculacy. These lice contaminated their purity, and they could do nothing about it.
The third plague also shows both the Egyptians and the Israelites (and us as well) that Yahweh, the Sovereign Ruler of the natural world, is the standard of purity (1 John 3:3).
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David Renfro and his wife Linda live in Highland Village, TX. He is a native Dallasite and has a Th. M. degree from D.T.S. in Old Testament Semitics. He is currently busy with writing projects as well as occasionally filling the pulpit in the Dallas area.