Frogs

Frogs appear in scripture in two distinct registers: as the second plague on Egypt — the swarming, named animal of the exodus narrative and its later poetic recollections — and as a single symbolic image of three unclean spirits in the Apocalypse.

The Plague on Egypt

The threat is delivered against Pharaoh in the singular: "And if you refuse to let them go, look, I will strike all your borders with frogs:" (Ex 8:2). The next verses describe the invasion in detail — the river swarming, the bedchamber, the bed, the houses of slaves, the ovens, the kneading-troughs (Ex 8:3) — and the frogs coming "up both on you, and on your people, and on all your slaves" (Ex 8:4).

Yahweh's instruction to Aaron through Moses is pointed: "And Yahweh said to Moses, Say to Aaron, Stretch forth your hand with your rod over the rivers, over the streams, and over the pools, and cause frogs to come up on the land of Egypt" (Ex 8:5). The execution follows: "And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt" (Ex 8:6). The Egyptian magicians match the sign — "And the sacred scholars did in like manner with their magic, and brought up frogs on the land of Egypt" (Ex 8:7) — but only at the level of producing more frogs, not removing them.

Pharaoh's request comes next: "Entreat Yahweh, that he take away the frogs from me, and from my people; and I will let the people go, that they may sacrifice to Yahweh" (Ex 8:8). Moses sets a time of Pharaoh's choosing — "for what time shall I entreat for you, and for your slaves, and for your people, that the frogs be destroyed from you and your houses, and remain in the river only?" (Ex 8:9) — and Pharaoh names tomorrow. The purpose is stated explicitly: "Let it be according to your word; that you may know that there is none like Yahweh our God" (Ex 8:10).

The frogs are then promised to depart from people, slaves, and houses, "they will remain in the river only" (Ex 8:11). Moses cries out to Yahweh, "And Yahweh did according to the word of Moses; and the frogs died out of the houses, out of the courts, and out of the fields" (Ex 8:13). The aftermath is concrete: "And they gathered them together in heaps; and the land stank" (Ex 8:14).

Recollection in the Psalms

Two Psalms recall the plague within recital catalogues of Yahweh's acts in Egypt. "He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them; And frogs, which destroyed them" (Ps 78:45) — the frogs as agents of destruction, paired with flies. "Their land swarmed with frogs In the chambers of their kings" (Ps 105:30) — the frogs reaching even to royal chambers.

Symbolic in the Apocalypse

The single symbolic appearance is in Revelation. "And I saw [coming] out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits, as it were frogs:" (Re 16:13). The frogs are the figural shape of three unclean spirits issuing from the three opposing powers — dragon, beast, false prophet — and the simile carries the connotation of swarming uncleanness from the exodus material.