frog

There is little doubt that the Hebrew and Greek words mean “frog”. The plague of frogs mentioned in Exodus comes after the plague of polluted water. The frogs seem to have left the water and come into the villages. Since frogs eat flies and thus control fly populations, it seems likely that the death of the frogs was one of the causes of the next two plagues to trouble Egypt, namely gnats and flies.

The two most common frogs in the Middle East and Egypt are the Edible Frog Rana esculenta and the Spotted Frog Rana punctata. They are both about 70 millimeters (3 inches) long and are brown or olive-green in color. They live in the water almost all of the time and eat gnats, flies, and other waterside insects. They lay eggs, which hatch as tadpoles and gradually grow legs. The hind legs are much bigger and better developed than the front legs, since the hind legs are used for jumping.

Frogs were considered unclean by the Jews and also by the Egyptians and Persians, who associated them with demons.

Frogs are found all over the world, and there should be no problem in finding a local equivalent.

Source: All Creatures Great and Small: Living things in the Bible (UBS Helps for Translators)

complete verse (Exodus 8:7)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Exodus 8:7:

  • Kupsabiny: “But the magicians of that land also did their rituals. They also sent frogs to fill the whole land.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The magicians also did the same things with their magic and took out the frogs throughout the country of Egypt.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “But the magicians also did/performed this miracle through their tricks/magic. They also caused- the frogs -to-come-out from the water of Egipto.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Bariai: “But the Isip people’s magic people did their magic, and so they also caused frogs to leave the water and arise into the area of Isip.” (Source: Bariai Back Translation)
  • Opo: “But, spiritists of Egypt, they made frog climb here out also with power of gods of earth.” (Source: Opo Back Translation)
  • English: “But the men who performed magic did the same thing, and they caused more frogs to come up from the water onto the land.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

Translation commentary on Exod 8:7

The magicians are the same “magicians of Egypt” mentioned in 7.11 and 7.22. Here again, they did the same by their secret arts. (See the translation and comments there.) Brought frogs is literally “they caused to come up frogs,” as in verse 5. Upon is literally “up upon.” Good News Translation adds the word “also,” since they did the same thing, meaning they also caused the frogs to “come up on the land” from the water.

Quoted with permission from Osborn, Noel D. and Hatton, Howard A. A Handbook on Exodus. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 1999. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .