He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.
Their land brought forth frogs in abundance, in the chambers of their kings
(Ps. 105:29–30).
How grievous this plague was to the Egyptians may be
conjectured from the consideration, that the element of water is one of the two
great means of supporting life. And the power of God shines forth the brighter,
from the fact, that although the land of Egypt is well irrigated, yet the Egyptians
were parched with drought amidst abundance of water. It is afterwards said,
that frogs were brought forth, and entered even into the chambers of
the kings; by which God manifestly evinced that he was the author of the
miracle; for although all Egypt swarmed with frogs, the courts of the kings
ought to have been exempt from this nuisance. By the term kings, is
denoted either the nobles of the realm, or the king’s sons, who were brought up
in the expectation of the royal power; for at that time, as is well known, one
king alone reigned over all Egypt.
From this we learn how easily, and as it were by a kind of
mockery, God humbles those who pride themselves in the flesh. He did not gather
together an army to fight against the Egyptians, nor did he forthwith arm his
angels, or thunder out of heaven, but brought forth frogs, which contemptuously
trampled upon the pride of that haughty nation, who held in contempt the whole
world beside. It would have been no disgrace for them to have been conquered by
powerful enemies; but how dishonorable was it to be vanquished by frogs?
God thus intended to show that he has no need of powerful
hosts to destroy the wicked; for he can do this, as it were in sport, whenever
he pleases. (Commentaries)
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