6:13 The Lord spoke 1 to Moses and Aaron and gave them a charge 2 for the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt.
8:5 The Lord spoke to Moses, “Tell Aaron, ‘Extend your hand with your staff 3 over the rivers, over the canals, and over the ponds, and bring the frogs up over the land of Egypt.’”
1 tn Heb “And Yahweh spoke.”
2 tn The term וַיְצַוֵּם (vayÿtsavvem) is a Piel preterite with a pronominal suffix on it. The verb צָוָה (tsavah) means “to command” but can also have a much wider range of meanings. In this short summary statement, the idea of giving Moses and Aaron a commission to Israel and to Pharaoh indicates that come what may they have their duty to perform.
3 sn After the instructions for Pharaoh (7:25-8:4), the plague now is brought on by the staff in Aaron’s hand (8:5-7). This will lead to the confrontation (vv. 8-11) and the hardening (vv. 12-15).