Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 8:10
And he said, Tomorrow. And he said, [Be it] according to thy word: that thou mayest know that [there is] none like unto the LORD our God.
10. that thou mayest know, &c.] The removal of the plague at a time fixed by the Pharaoh himself should be conclusive evidence to him that it was sent by God. The words are intended to emphasize the religious lesson of the plague; cf. the similar sentences, Exo 8:22 b, Exo 9:14 b, Exo 9:16 b, Exo 9:29 b, Exo 10:2 b, Exo 11:7 b (all J); comp. on Exo 9:14-16, and p. 56.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Why not presently?
Answ. 1. Because he hoped ere that time they might be removed, either by natural causes or by chance, and so he should not need the favour of Moses or his God.
2. Because he thought it a hard and long work to remove so vast a number of frogs, and that Moses might use divers ceremonies, as the magicians did, in his addresses to God, which would require some considerable time.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And he said, tomorrow,…. Which according to Bishop Usher was the twenty sixth day of Adar, or February. It may seem strange that Pharaoh, and his people, being so greatly distressed with this plague, should not desire that the Lord would be entreated to do it immediately, and not put it off to another day: two reasons are usually given; one is, he might hope that it would by that time go off of itself, and then he should not be beholden to the Lord, nor to Moses; and the other is, that he thought an affair of this kind could not be done immediately, but that it required time for making the intercession, and performing rites and ceremonies, which he supposed might be used, as were by his magicians; and it might be now the evening of the day, and therefore deferred it till tomorrow:
and he said, be it according to thy word, as if he had said, it shall be done as thou hast desired, and at the time fixed:
that thou mayest know that there is none like unto the Lord our God; that can send plagues, and remove them at his pleasure, which the deities he worshipped, and the magicians he employed, could not do.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The king appointed the following day, probably because he hardly thought it possible for so great a work to be performed at once. Moses promised that it should be so: “ According to thy word (sc., let it be), that thou mayest know that there is not (a God) like Jehovah our God.” He then went out and cried, i.e., called aloud and earnestly, to Jehovah concerning the matter ( ) of the frogs, which he had set, i.e., prepared, for Pharaoh ( as in Gen 45:7). In consequence of his intercession God took the plague away. The frogs died off ( , to die away out of, from), out of the houses, and palaces, and fields, and were gathered together by bushels ( from , the omer, the largest measure used by the Hebrews), so that the land stank with the odour of their putrefaction. Though Jehovah had thus manifested Himself as the Almighty God and Lord of the creation, Pharaoh did not keep his promise; but when he saw that there was breathing-time ( , , relief from an overpowering pressure), literally, as soon as he “ got air, ” he hardened his heart, so that he did not hearken to Moses and Aaron ( inf. abs. as in Gen 41:43).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
10. And he said, Tomorrow. If you refer this to Moses, there is ambiguity in the sense; but, it being probable that they were Pharaoh’s words, I think that he is asking for a respite till tomorrow, before he lets the people go. For they fall into an absurdity, who think that he asked Moses to drive away the frogs by his prayers on the morrow, as if Pharaoh went quietly to sleep, and put off the remedy of the evil. There is, then, no pretence for understanding it, that Pharaoh, as if his mind were quite tranquil and unmoved, desired to have his land delivered from the frogs on the following day: but rather it means, that if he be released from this difficulty, he promises the discharge of the people, but yet suspends it till the next day, for the purpose of deceit. For there was no other reason for this procrastination, except that, having obtained what he wanted, he might depart from his engagement, as he actually did; but Moses, satisfied with this promise, undertakes to bring it about that God should disperse the frogs; and this, I doubt not, was performed on the same day. For this was the cause of the tyrant’s changing his determination, that, by the interposition of the night, his fear departed. And, certainly, it is gathered from the following words, that the frogs were soon after removed; for it is said that Moses and Aaron prayed after they had gone out; which would be but little in accordance with the notion, that the next day was waited for. It is not by any rash or presumptuous impulse that Moses affirms that Pharaoh should obtain his desire; because it appears from his success that he was assured of its being God’s will. Thus often are the prophets, although no spoken revelation may intervene, directed nevertheless by the secret inspiration of the Spirit. In this confidence, also, Moses declares that Pharaoh should know that there is none other God to be compared with the God of Israel. This, moreover, is the true knowledge of God, when whatsoever lifts itself up to obscure His glory, is reduced to its proper level, and every high thing yields or is cast down, so that He alone may be exalted.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) That thou mayest know.Comp. Exo. 7:5; Exo. 7:17. Moses is not content that Pharaoh should simply acknowledge Jehovah as he had done (Exo. 8:8), but wishes him to be convinced that no other god can compare with Him.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 8:10. And he said, To-morrow Nothing could tend more strongly to prove that Jehovah was the sole author of these miraculous punishments, than the permission given to Pharaoh to choose his own time for the removal. Indeed Pharaoh had no sooner fixed upon the time, than Moses leads him to this reflection: He said, be it according to thy word; that thou mayest know, that there is none like unto the Lord our God. Some have been very anxious to find out a reason why Pharaoh should choose the morrow, rather than the present day, for the removal of the frogs: whereas the Hebrew, agreeable to the marginal translation, expresses his desire of an instantaneous removal. It should be rendered, and he said, against to-morrow; lemachar; i.e. let them be instantly removed.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Exo 8:10 And he said, To morrow. And he said, [Be it] according to thy word: that thou mayest know that [there is] none like unto the LORD our God.
Ver. 10. To morrow. ] Cras vat corvina. “Today, if ye will hear his voice.” Now is the day of grace, &c.; procrastination is perilous. Hannibal, when he could have taken Rome, would not: when he would, could not. So, , said that fool. Let serious matters alone till tomorrow; but he was slain that night. a
“ Nemo tam divos habuit faventes,
Crastinum ut possit sibi policeri. ”
a
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
To morrow: or, against to-morrow, Pro 27:1, Jam 4:14
there is none: Exo 9:14, Exo 9:29, Exo 15:11, Deu 32:31, Deu 33:26, 2Sa 7:22, 1Ch 17:20, Psa 9:16, Psa 83:18, Psa 86:8, Psa 89:6-8, Isa 40:25, Isa 46:9, Jer 10:6, Jer 10:7
Reciprocal: Exo 7:5 – Egyptians Exo 7:25 – General Exo 8:22 – know Exo 8:29 – to morrow Exo 10:4 – morrow Isa 40:18 – General Dan 4:32 – until
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 8:10. And he said, To-morrow But why not to-day? Why not immediately, since all men naturally desire to be instantly relieved of their sufferings? Probably, he hoped that this night they would go away of themselves, and then he should get clear of the plague, without being obliged either to God or Moses. Or, considering what imperfect notions he must have had of God, we may suppose he thought it utterly impossible to remove such a plague in an instant; and therefore desired Moses to do it to-morrow, presuming that was the very soonest he could accomplish such an event, by whatever power assisted. Moses joins issue with him upon it. Be it according to thy word It shall be done just when thou wouldest have it done; that thou mayest know That, whatever the magicians pretend to, there is none like Jehovah our God None has such a command as he has over all creatures, nor is any so ready to forgive those that humble themselves before him. The great design both of judgments and mercies is to convince us that there is none like the Lord our God; none so wise, so mighty, so good; no enemy so formidable, no friend so desirable, so valuable. And in particular, the great point intended by all the plagues brought on Egypt was, that not only Pharaoh, but all the earth might know that the God of Israel, the Creator of heaven and earth, could do every thing; that all things were in his hand; that all the powers of nature, in whatever shape or being, were no more than laws of his establishing, which he could, with infinite ease, suspend or alter in whatsoever manner he pleased. And this is the God we profess to serve: what confidence and trust ought we then to have in him, and what high conceptions ought we to entertain of him!