8:8 Then Pharaoh summoned 1 Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray 2 to the Lord that he may take the frogs away 3 from me and my people, and I will release 4 the people that they may sacrifice 5 to the Lord.” 8:9 Moses said to Pharaoh, “You may have the honor over me 6 – when shall I pray for you, your servants, and your people, for the frogs to be removed 7 from you and your houses, so that 8 they will be left 9 only in the Nile?”
1 tn The verb קָרָא (qara’) followed by the lamed (ל) preposition has the meaning “to summon.”
2 tn The verb הַעְתִּירוּ (ha’tiru) is the Hiphil imperative of the verb עָתַר (’atar). It means “to pray, supplicate,” or “make supplication” – always addressed to God. It is often translated “entreat” to reflect that it is a more urgent praying.
3 tn This form is the jussive with a sequential vav that provides the purpose of the prayer: pray…that he may turn away the frogs.
sn This is the first time in the conflict that Pharaoh even acknowledged that Yahweh existed. Now he is asking for prayer to remove the frogs and is promising to release Israel. This result of the plague must have been an encouragement to Moses.
4 tn The form is the Piel cohortative וַאֲשַׁלְּחָה (va’ashallÿkhah) with the vav (ו) continuing the sequence from the request and its purpose. The cohortative here stresses the resolve of the king: “and (then) I will release.”
5 tn Here also the imperfect tense with the vav (ו) shows the purpose of the release: “that they may sacrifice.”
6 tn The expression הִתְפָּאֵר עָלַי (hitpa’er ’alay) is problematic. The verb would be simply translated “honor yourself” or “deck yourself with honor.” It can be used in the bad sense of self-exaltation. But here it seems to mean “have the honor or advantage over me” in choosing when to remove the frogs. The LXX has “appoint for me.” Moses is doing more than extending a courtesy to Pharaoh; he is giving him the upper hand in choosing the time. But it is also a test, for if Pharaoh picked the time it would appear less likely that Moses was manipulating things. As U. Cassuto puts it, Moses is saying “my trust in God is so strong you may have the honor of choosing the time” (Exodus, 103).
7 tn Or “destroyed”; Heb “to cut off the frogs.”
8 tn The phrase “so that” is implied.
9 tn Or “survive, remain.”