Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 7

8God said to Moses and Aaron as follows:   חוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָ֔ה אֶל־משֶׁ֥ה וְאֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן לֵאמֹֽר:
9“When Pharaoh speaks to you and says, ‘Produce a marvel for yourselves,’ you must say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and throw it down in front of Pharaoh. It will become a serpent.’”   טכִּי֩ יְדַבֵּ֨ר אֲלֵכֶ֤ם פַּרְעֹה֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר תְּנ֥וּ לָכֶ֖ם מוֹפֵ֑ת וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֗ן קַ֧ח אֶת־מַטְּךָ֛ וְהַשְׁלֵ֥ךְ לִפְנֵֽי־פַרְעֹ֖ה יְהִ֥י לְתַנִּֽין:
מוֹפֵת - means: a sign to show that the One who has sent you has enough power and dominion that I should listen to you.   מוֹפֵת.  אוֹת, לְהוֹדִיעַ שֶׁיֵּשׁ צְרוֹךְ בְּמִי שֶׁשּׁוֹלֵחַ אֶתְכֶם:
לְתַנִּֽין - תַנִּין is a serpent.   לְתַנִּֽין.  נָחָשׁ:
10So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did exactly as God had commanded. Aaron threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and in front of his courtiers, and it became a serpent.   יוַיָּבֹ֨א משֶׁ֤ה וְאַֽהֲרֹן֙ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיַּ֣עֲשׂוּ כֵ֔ן כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר צִוָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֑ה וַיַּשְׁלֵ֨ךְ אַֽהֲרֹ֜ן אֶת־מַטֵּ֗הוּ לִפְנֵ֥י פַרְעֹ֛ה וְלִפְנֵ֥י עֲבָדָ֖יו וַיְהִ֥י לְתַנִּֽין:
11Pharaoh, too, summoned his wise men and magicians, and the necromancers also did likewise through their incantations:   יאוַיִּקְרָא֙ גַּם־פַּרְעֹ֔ה לַֽחֲכָמִ֖ים וְלַֽמְכַשְּׁפִ֑ים וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֨וּ גַם־הֵ֜ם חַרְטֻמֵּ֥י מִצְרַ֛יִם בְּלַֽהֲטֵיהֶ֖ם כֵּֽן:
בְּלַֽהֲטֵיהֶם - Its meaning is as Onkelos translates it: בְּלַחֲשֵׁיהוֹן – with their incantations. There is no word directly identical to it in Scripture, but it may be compared to לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת “the revolving sword blade” 1 – the sword seemed to be revolving through an incantation (לַחַשׁ).   בְּלַֽהֲטֵיהֶם.  בְּלַחֲשֵׁיהוֹן; וְאֵין לוֹ דִּמְיוֹן בַּמִּקְרָא; וְיֵשׁ לְדַמּוֹת לוֹ "לַהַט הַחֶרֶב הַמִּתְהַפֶּכֶת" (בראשית ג') – דּוֹמֶה שֶׁהִיא מִתְהַפֶּכֶת עַל יְדֵי לַחַשׁ:
12Each of them threw down his staff and the staffs turned into serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs.   יבוַיַּשְׁלִ֨יכוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מַטֵּ֔הוּ וַיִּֽהְי֖וּ לְתַנִּינִ֑ם וַיִּבְלַ֥ע מַטֵּה־אַֽהֲרֹ֖ן אֶת־מַטֹּתָֽם:
וַיִּבְלַע מַטֵּה־אַֽהֲרֹן - But Aaron’s staff swallowed up - i.e., after it had turned back into a staff, symbolizing power and dominion, it swallowed up all of them.   וַיִּבְלַע מַטֵּה־אַֽהֲרֹן.  מֵאַחַר שֶׁחָזַר וְנַעֲשָׂה מַטֶּה, בָּלַע אֶת כֻּלָּן (שבת צ"ז):
13But Pharaoh was stubborn, and he paid no heed to them, just as God had said.   יגוַֽיֶּֽחֱזַק֙ לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֔ה וְלֹ֥א שָׁמַ֖ע אֲלֵהֶ֑ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:
14God said to Moses, “Pharaoh is being obstinate; he refuses to send the people forth.   ידוַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה כָּבֵ֖ד לֵ֣ב פַּרְעֹ֑ה מֵאֵ֖ן לְשַׁלַּ֥ח הָעָֽם:
כָּבֵד - (lit.) Heavy. Onkelos’ translation of this word is יַקִּירis heavy,” and not אִתְיַקַּרhas become heavy,” because it is an adjective and not a verb, as in “for this matter is too weighty (כָבֵד) for you”; 2 i.e., Pharaoh is stubborn on his own, beyond whatever God had done to make him stubborn.   כָּבֵד.  תַּרְגוּמוֹ יַקִּיר וְלֹא אִתְיַקַּר, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא שֵׁם דָּבָר, כְּמוֹ "כִּי כָבֵד מִמְּךָ הַדָּבָר" (שמות י"ח):
15Go to Pharaoh in the morning, for that is when he goes out to the water. Station yourself opposite him on the bank of the Nile River. Take in your hand Aaron’s staff, which turned into a serpent.   טולֵ֣ךְ אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֞ה בַּבֹּ֗קֶר הִנֵּה֙ יֹצֵ֣א הַמַּ֔יְמָה וְנִצַּבְתָּ֥ לִקְרָאת֖וֹ עַל־שְׂפַ֣ת הַיְאֹ֑ר וְהַמַּטֶּ֛ה אֲשֶׁר־נֶהְפַּ֥ךְ לְנָחָ֖שׁ תִּקַּ֥ח בְּיָדֶֽךָ:
הִנֵּה יֹצֵא הַמַּיְמָה - That is when he goes out to the water - to relieve himself; for Pharaoh pretended to be a god and claimed that he had no need to relieve himself, so he would rise early each morning and go out to the Nile and take care of his personal needs there in secret.   הִנֵּה יֹצֵא הַמַּיְמָה.  לִנְקָבָיו; שֶׁהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה עַצְמוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ וְאוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לִנְקָבָיו, וּמַשְׁכִּים וְיוֹצֵא לַנִּילוּס וְעוֹשֶׂה שָׁם צְרָכָיו (תנחומא):
16You must say to him: ‘God, God of the Hebrews, has sent me to you to say: Send forth My people, so they may serve Me in the wilderness! Until now you have not paid attention.   טזוְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו יְהֹוָ֞ה אֱלֹהֵ֤י הָֽעִבְרִים֙ שְׁלָחַ֤נִי אֵלֶ֨יךָ֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר שַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־עַמִּ֔י וְיַֽעַבְדֻ֖נִי בַּמִּדְבָּ֑ר וְהִנֵּ֥ה לֹֽא־שָׁמַ֖עְתָּ עַד־כֹּֽה:
עַד־כֹּֽה - means: until now. But its Midrashic explanation is: You will not listen to Me until you hear from Me the announcement of the plague of the firstborn, which I will open with the word כֹּה “thus”: “Thus God has said, ‘At midnight….’” 3   עַד־כֹּֽה.  עַד הֵנָּה; וּמִדְרָשׁוֹ: עַד שֶׁתִּשְׁמַע מִמֶּנִּי מַכַּת בְּכוֹרוֹת שֶׁאֶפְתַּח בָּהּ בְּ"כֹה" אָמַר ה' כַּחֲצוֹת הַלַּיְלָה (שמות י״א:ד׳):
17Now this is what God has said: Through this you will recognize that I am God. I am now going to strike the water of the river with the staff in my hand, and it will turn into blood.   יזכֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה בְּזֹ֣את תֵּדַ֔ע כִּ֖י אֲנִ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה הִנֵּ֨ה אָֽנֹכִ֜י מַכֶּ֣ה | בַּמַּטֶּ֣ה אֲשֶׁר־בְּיָדִ֗י עַל־הַמַּ֛יִם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּיְאֹ֖ר וְנֶֽהֶפְכ֥וּ לְדָֽם:
וְנֶֽהֶפְכוּ לְדָֽם - And it will turn into blood. Since rain does not fall in Egypt; rather, the Nile overflows and irrigates the land, the Egyptians worship the Nile as a deity. God therefore first smote their deity by turning it into blood and only afterwards punished them.   וְנֶֽהֶפְכוּ לְדָֽם.  לְפִי שֶׁאֵין גְּשָׁמִים יוֹרְדִים בְּמִצְרַיִם וְנִילוּס עוֹלֶה וּמַשְׁקֶה אֶת הָאָרֶץ וּמִצְרַיִם עוֹבְדִים לַנִּילוּס, לְפִיכָךְ הִלְקָה אֶת יִרְאָתָם וְאֲחַר כַּךְ הִלְקָה אוֹתָם (תנחומא):
18The fish in the river will die and the river will become putrid, and the Egyptians will grow weary of trying to drink water from it.’”   יחוְהַדָּגָ֧ה אֲשֶׁר־בַּיְאֹ֛ר תָּמ֖וּת וּבָאַ֣שׁ הַיְאֹ֑ר וְנִלְא֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִשְׁתּ֥וֹת מַ֖יִם מִן־הַיְאֹֽר:
וְנִלְאוּ מִצְרַיִם - And the Egyptians will grow weary - of seeking a cure for the water of the Nile so that it become fit to drink.   וְנִלְאוּ מִצְרַיִם.  לְבַקֵּשׁ רְפוּאָה לְמֵי הַיְאוֹר שֶׁיִּהְיוּ רְאוּיִין לִשְׁתּוֹת:
19God said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Take your staff and raise your hand over the water of Egypt—over their rivers, their canals, their ponds, and all their other bodies of water—and they will turn into blood. There will be blood throughout all Egypt, even in vessels of wood and stone.’”   יטוַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהֹוָ֜ה אֶל־משֶׁ֗ה אֱמֹ֣ר אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֡ן קַ֣ח מַטְּךָ֣ וּנְטֵה־יָֽדְךָ֩ עַל־מֵימֵ֨י מִצְרַ֜יִם עַל־נַֽהֲרֹתָ֣ם | עַל־יְאֹֽרֵיהֶ֣ם וְעַל־אַגְמֵיהֶ֗ם וְעַ֛ל כָּל־מִקְוֵ֥ה מֵֽימֵיהֶ֖ם וְיִֽהְיוּ־דָ֑ם וְהָ֤יָה דָם֙ בְּכָל־אֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם וּבָֽעֵצִ֖ים וּבָֽאֲבָנִֽים:
אֱמֹר אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן - Say to Aaron. Since the Nile protected Moses when he was cast into it, it was not smitten through him, neither in the plague of blood nor in the plague of frogs. Instead, it was smitten through Aaron.   אֱמֹר אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹן.  לְפִי שֶׁהֵגֵן הַיְאוֹר עַל מֹשֶׁה כְּשֶׁנִּשְׁלַךְ לְתוֹכוֹ, לְפִיכָךְ לֹא לָקָה עַל יָדוֹ לֹא בַדָּם וְלֹא בַצְפַרְדְּעִים, וְלָקָה עַל יְדֵי אַהֲרֹן (שמות רבה):
נַֽהֲרֹתָם - Their rivers. These are flowing rivers, similar to our rivers here in France.   נַֽהֲרֹתָם.  הֵם נְהָרוֹת הַמּוֹשְׁכִים, כְּעֵין נְהָרוֹת שֶׁלָּנוּ:
יְאֹֽרֵיהֶם - These are man-made pools, channels running from the river bank to the fields. The Nile’s water would increase and it would overflow, pass through these canals and irrigate the fields.   יְאֹֽרֵיהֶם.  הֵם בְּרֵכוֹת נִגָּרִים, הָעֲשׂוּיוֹת בִּידֵי אָדָם מִשְּׂפַת הַנָּהָר לַשָּׂדוֹת, וְנִילוּס מֵימָיו מִתְבָּרְכִים וְעוֹלֶה דֶּרֶךְ הַיְאוֹרִים וּמַשְׁקֶה הַשָּׂדוֹת:
אַגְמֵיהֶם - Their ponds. אַגַם is a collection of water that neither gushes forth nor flows, but remains stagnant in one place. It is called in Old French “estanc” (“pond”).   אַגְמֵיהֶם.  קְבוּצַת מַיִם שֶׁאֵינָן נוֹבְעִין וְאֵין מוֹשְׁכִין, אֶלָּא עוֹמְדִין בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד, וְקוֹרְין לוֹ אשטנ"ק:
בְּכָל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם - Throughout all Egypt - even in the bathhouses and in baths in homes.   בְּכָל־אֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם.  אַף בַּמֶּרְחֲצָאוֹת וּבָאַמְבַּטָּאוֹת שֶׁבַּבָּתִּים:
וּבָֽעֵצִים וּבָֽאֲבָנִֽים - (lit., “and in the trees and the stones”). means: the plague of blood would affect the water in wooden vessels and stone vessels.   וּבָֽעֵצִים וּבָֽאֲבָנִֽים.  מַיִם שֶׁבִּכְלֵי עֵץ וּבִכְלֵי אֶבֶן:
20Moses and Aaron did exactly as God had commanded: Aaron raised the staff and struck the water of the Nile River in the sight of Pharaoh and his courtiers, and all the water in the river turned into blood.   כוַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵן֩ משֶׁ֨ה וְאַֽהֲרֹ֜ן כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֣ר | צִוָּ֣ה יְהֹוָ֗ה וַיָּ֤רֶם בַּמַּטֶּה֙ וַיַּ֤ךְ אֶת־הַמַּ֨יִם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּיְאֹ֔ר לְעֵינֵ֣י פַרְעֹ֔ה וּלְעֵינֵ֖י עֲבָדָ֑יו וַיֵּהָֽפְכ֛וּ כָּל־הַמַּ֥יִם אֲשֶׁר־בַּיְאֹ֖ר לְדָֽם:
21The fish in the river died and the river became putrid, so that the Egyptians were unable to drink water from the river. There was blood everywhere in Egypt.   כאוְהַדָּגָ֨ה אֲשֶׁר־בַּיְאֹ֥ר מֵ֨תָה֙ וַיִּבְאַ֣שׁ הַיְאֹ֔ר וְלֹא־יָכְל֣וּ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִשְׁתּ֥וֹת מַ֖יִם מִן־הַיְאֹ֑ר וַיְהִ֥י הַדָּ֖ם בְּכָל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
22The necromancers of Egypt then did likewise with their incantations. So Pharaoh was stubborn, paying no heed to them, just as God had said.   כבוַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֛ן חַרְטֻמֵּ֥י מִצְרַ֖יִם בְּלָֽטֵיהֶ֑ם וַיֶּֽחֱזַ֤ק לֵֽב־פַּרְעֹה֙ וְלֹֽא־שָׁמַ֣ע אֲלֵהֶ֔ם כַּֽאֲשֶׁ֖ר דִּבֶּ֥ר יְהֹוָֽה:
בְּלָֽטֵיהֶם - With their incantations - refers to a spell that is uttered covertly (בַּלָּט) and secretly; and our rabbis said: בְּלָטֵיהֶם refers to acts intended to manipulate demons; בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם 4 refers to acts of sorcery.   בְּלָֽטֵיהֶם.  לַחַשׁ שֶׁאוֹמְרִין אוֹתוֹ בַּלָּט וּבַחֲשַׁאי; וְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ אָמְרוּ, "בְּלָטֵיהֶם" מַעֲשֵׂה שֵׁדִים, "בְּלַהֲטֵיהֶם" מַעֲשֵׂה כְשָׁפִים (סנהדרין ס"ז):
וַיֶּֽחֱזַק לֵֽב־פַּרְעֹה - So Pharaoh was stubborn - by saying, “You are doing this through magic. Are you bringing straw to Ofrayim, a city full of straw? You, too, are bringing magic to Egypt, which is already full of magic!”   וַיֶּֽחֱזַק לֵֽב־פַּרְעֹה.  לוֹמַר עַל יְדֵי מְכַשְּׁפוּת אַתֶּם עוֹשִׂים כֵּן; "תֶּבֶן אַתֶּם מַכְנִיסִים לְעָפְרַיִם", עִיר שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ תֶּבֶן, אַף אַתֶּם מְבִיאִין מְכַשְּׁפוּת לְמִצְרַיִם שֶׁכֻּלָּהּ כְּשָׁפִים:
23Pharaoh turned and went into his palace, paying no attention even to this.   כגוַיִּ֣פֶן פַּרְעֹ֔ה וַיָּבֹ֖א אֶל־בֵּית֑וֹ וְלֹא־שָׁ֥ת לִבּ֖וֹ גַּם־לָזֹֽאת:
גַּם־לָזֹֽאת - Even to this - i.e., not only did he not care about the marvel of the staff having turned into a serpent, but also not about this sign of the Nile turning to blood.   גַּם־לָזֹֽאת.  לְמוֹפֵת הַמַּטֶּה שֶׁנֶּהְפַּךְ לְתַנִּין, וְלֹא לָזֶה שֶׁל דָּם:
24All the Egyptians dug around the river for drinking water, since they could not drink any water from the river.   כדוַיַּחְפְּר֧וּ כָל־מִצְרַ֛יִם סְבִיבֹ֥ת הַיְאֹ֖ר מַ֣יִם לִשְׁתּ֑וֹת כִּ֣י לֹ֤א יָֽכְלוּ֙ לִשְׁתֹּ֔ת מִמֵּימֵ֖י הַיְאֹֽר:
25Seven full days passed from the time God struck the river.   כהוַיִּמָּלֵ֖א שִׁבְעַ֣ת יָמִ֑ים אַֽחֲרֵ֥י הַכּֽוֹת־יְהֹוָ֖ה אֶת־הַיְאֹֽר:
וַיִּמָּלֵא - (lit.) There was completed - the amount of seven days during which the plague continued in that the Nile did not revert to its former state; this verse is stated also to inform when the subsequent warnings took place, for each plague would last a quarter of a month, and for three-quarters of a month Moses warned and cautioned the Egyptians about the forthcoming plague.   וַיִּמָּלֵא.  מִנְיַן שבעת ימים, שֶׁלֹּא שָׁב הַיְאוֹר לְקַדְמוּתוֹ, שֶׁהָיְתָה הַמַּכָּה מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת רְבִיעַ חֹדֶשׁ, וג' חֲלָקִים הָיָה מֵעִיד וּמַתְרֶה בָהֶם (תנחומא):
26God said to Moses, “Come to Pharaoh and say to him: ‘This is what God has said: Send forth My people so they may serve Me.   כווַיֹּ֤אמֶר יְהֹוָה֙ אֶל־משֶׁ֔ה בֹּ֖א אֶל־פַּרְעֹ֑ה וְאָֽמַרְתָּ֣ אֵלָ֗יו כֹּ֚ה אָמַ֣ר יְהֹוָ֔ה שַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־עַמִּ֖י וְיַֽעַבְדֻֽנִי:
27If you refuse to let them leave, I will plague all your territory with frogs.   כזוְאִם־מָאֵ֥ן אַתָּ֖ה לְשַׁלֵּ֑חַ הִנֵּ֣ה אָֽנֹכִ֗י נֹגֵ֛ף אֶת־כָּל־גְּבֽוּלְךָ֖ בַּֽצְפַרְדְּעִֽים:
וְאִם־מָאֵן אַתָּה - means: “But if you are one who refuses.” מָאֵן is similar in meaning to the present tense verbs מְמָאֵן and מְסָרֵב “refuse,” but the difference is that מָאֵן is a description of the person in respect to his continual action, similar to שָׁלֵו “one who is tranquil”; 5 שָׁקֵט “one who is calm”; סַר וְזָעֵף “dispirited and one who is enraged.” 6   וְאִם־מָאֵן אַתָּה.  וְאִם סַרְבָן אַתָּה מָאֵן כְּמוֹ מְמָאֵן, מְסָרֵב, אֶלָּא כִּנּוּי הָאָדָם עַל שֵׁם הַמִּפְעָל, כְּמוֹ "שָׁלֵו" (איוב ט"ז), "שָׁקֵט" (שופטים י"ח), "סַר וְזָעֵף" (מלכים א כ'):
נֹגֵף אֶת־כָּל־גְּבֽוּלְךָ - Plague all your territory. נֹגֵף means here: “smite,” and likewise every expression of מַגֵּפָה does not necessarily connote death but smiting; and similarly: “and they collide with (וְנָגְפוּ) a pregnant woman” 7 does not connote killing; and similarly: “and while your feet do not yet stumble (יִתְנַגְּפוּ)”; 8 “so that your foot not strike (פֶּן תִּגֹּף) a stone”; 9 וּלְאֶבֶן נֶגֶף “and as a stumbling block.” 10   נֹגֵף אֶת־כָּל־גְּבֽוּלְךָ.  מַכֶּה, וְכֵן כָּל לְשׁוֹן מַגֵּפָה אֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן מִיתָה אֶלָּא לְשׁוֹן מַכָּה, וְכֵן "וְנָגְפוּ אִשָּׁה הָרָה" (שמות כ"א), אֵינוֹ לְשׁוֹן מִיתָה, וְכֵן "וּבְטֶרֶם יִתְנַגְּפוּ רַגְלֵיכֶם" (ירמיהו י"ג), "פֶּן תִּגֹּף בָּאֶבֶן רַגְלֶךָ" (תהילים צ"א), "וּלְאֶבֶן נֶגֶף" (ישעיהו ח'):
28The river will swarm with frogs, and when they emerge, they will go first into your palace and your bedroom and onto your bed, and then into the homes of your courtiers and among your people, and into your ovens and kneading bowls.   כחוְשָׁרַ֣ץ הַיְאֹר֘ צְפַרְדְּעִים֒ וְעָלוּ֙ וּבָ֣אוּ בְּבֵיתֶ֔ךָ וּבַֽחֲדַ֥ר מִשְׁכָּֽבְךָ֖ וְעַל־מִטָּתֶ֑ךָ וּבְבֵ֤ית עֲבָדֶ֨יךָ֙ וּבְעַמֶּ֔ךָ וּבְתַנּוּרֶ֖יךָ וּבְמִשְׁאֲרוֹתֶֽיךָ:
וְעָלוּ - And they will (lit.) come up - i.e., from the Nile River.   וְעָלוּ.  מִן הַיְאוֹר:
בְּבֵיתֶךָ - Into your house - and only afterwards into your courtiers’ houses. Pharaoh first proposed the idea of oppressing the Israelites, as it says: “He said to his people…”, 11 and therefore the punishment began with him.   בְּבֵיתֶךָ.  וְאַחַר כָּךְ בבית עבדיך. הוּא הִתְחִיל בָּעֵצָה תְּחִלָּה, "וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל עַמּוֹ" (שמות א'), וּמִמֶּנּוּ הִתְחִילָה הַפֻּרְעָנוּת:
29The frogs will enter alive into you, your people, and all your courtiers.’”   כטוּבְכָ֥ה וּבְעַמְּךָ֖ וּבְכָל־עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ יַֽעֲל֖וּ הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִֽים:
וּבְכָה וּבְעַמְּךָ - Into you and your people. The frogs would even enter into their intestines and croak there.   וּבְכָה וּבְעַמְּךָ.  בְּתוֹךְ מְעֵיהֶם נִכְנָסִין וּמְקַרְקְרִין (סוטה י"א):

Shemot (Exodus) Chapter 8

1God said to Moses, “Say to Aaron, ‘Raise your hand with your staff over the rivers, the canals, and the ponds, and make the frogs come up over Egypt.’”   אוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהֹוָה֘ אֶל־משֶׁה֒ אֱמֹ֣ר אֶל־אַֽהֲרֹ֗ן נְטֵ֤ה אֶת־יָֽדְךָ֙ בְּמַטֶּ֔ךָ עַל־הַ֙נְּהָרֹ֔ת עַל־הַיְאֹרִ֖ים וְעַל־הָֽאֲגַמִּ֑ים וְהַ֥עַל אֶת־הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֖ים עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
2Aaron raised his hand over the water of Egypt, and the swarm of frogs came up and covered Egypt.   בוַיֵּ֤ט אַֽהֲרֹן֙ אֶת־יָד֔וֹ עַ֖ל מֵימֵ֣י מִצְרָ֑יִם וַתַּ֨עַל֙ הַצּפַרְדֵּ֔עַ וַתְּכַ֖ס אֶת־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
וַתַּעַל הַצּפַרְדֵּעַ - (lit.) And the frog came up. There was at first just one frog, but the Egyptians would strike it and it would then spray forth many swarms; this is its Midrashic explanation, according to which the word can simultaneously be rendered as “came up” and “brought up. But its straightforward explanation is: One may say that a swarm of frogs may be spoken of in the singular, and so we find: וַתְּהִי הַכִּנָּם, 12 where הַכִּנָּם means: the swarm of lice, “pedoliyere” in Old French (“lice swarm”); so, too, here: וַתַּעַל הַצְּפַרְדֵּעַ, and הַצְּפַרְדֵּעַ means: “grenoulliyere” in Old French (“frog swarm”).   וַתַּעַל הַצּפַרְדֵּעַ.  צְפַרֵדַּע אַחַת הָיְתָה וְהָיוּ מַכִּין אוֹתָהּ וְהִיא מַתֶּזֶת נְחִילִים נְחִילִים, זֶהוּ מִדְרָשׁוֹ (סנהדרין ס"ז). וּפְשׁוּטוֹ יֵשׁ לוֹמַר, שֵׁרוּץ הַצְפַרְדְּעִים קוֹרֵא לְשׁוֹן יְחִידוּת; וְכֵן וַתְּהִי הַכִּנָּם – הָרְחִישָׁה, פדולייר"א בְּלַעַז, וְאַף ותעל הצפרדע – גרינולייר"א בְּלַעַז:
3The necromancers did the same with their incantations: they made frogs come up over Egypt.   גוַיַּֽעֲשׂוּ־כֵ֥ן הַֽחַרְטֻמִּ֖ים בְּלָֽטֵיהֶ֑ם וַיַּֽעֲל֥וּ אֶת־הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֖ים עַל־אֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם:
4Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Entreat God to remove the frogs from me and my people, and I will send forth the people so they may sacrifice to God!”   דוַיִּקְרָ֨א פַרְעֹ֜ה לְמשֶׁ֣ה וּלְאַֽהֲרֹ֗ן וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ הַעְתִּ֣ירוּ אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה וְיָסֵר֙ הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֔ים מִמֶּ֖נִּי וּמֵֽעַמִּ֑י וַֽאֲשַׁלְּחָה֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם וְיִזְבְּח֖וּ לַֽיהֹוָֽה:
5Moses replied to Pharaoh, “Show off at my expense. For what time should I pray—for you and your courtiers and your people—that God should eradicate the frogs from you and your homes so that they remain only in the river?”   הוַיֹּ֨אמֶר משֶׁ֣ה לְפַרְעֹה֘ הִתְפָּאֵ֣ר עָלַי֒ לְמָתַ֣י | אַעְתִּ֣יר לְךָ֗ וְלַֽעֲבָדֶ֨יךָ֙ וּלְעַמְּךָ֔ לְהַכְרִית֙ הַֽצְפַרְדְּעִ֔ים מִמְּךָ֖ וּמִבָּתֶּ֑יךָ רַ֥ק בַּיְאֹ֖ר תִּשָּׁאַֽרְנָה:
הִתְפָּאֵר עָלַי - The word הִתְפָּאֵר is similar to: “Can the axe pride itself (הֲיִתְפָּאֵר) over the one who chops with it,” 13 i.e., boast by saying, “I am greater than you”; “vanter” in Old French (“to boast”). Similarly here: הִתְפָּאֵר עָלַי means: Pride yourself by acting clever, asking me to do something difficult, saying that I will be unable to do it.   הִתְפָּאֵר עָלַי.  כְּמוֹ "הֲיִתְפָּאֵר הַגַּרְזֶן עַל הַחֹצֵב בּוֹ" (ישעיהו י') – מִשְׁתַּבֵּחַ לוֹמַר אֲנִי גָּדוֹל מִמְּךָ, ונטי"ר בְּלַעַז. וְכֵן הִתְפָּאֵר עָלַי – הִשְׁתַּבֵּחַ לְהִתְחַכֵּם וְלִשְׁאֹל דָּבָר גָּדוֹל, וְלוֹמַר שֶׁלֹּא אוּכַל לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ:
לְמָתַי אַעְתִּיר לְךָ - (lit.) For when should I pray for you- 

i.e., that which I will pray for you today concerning the eradication of the frogs – when do you wish them to disappear? You will then see if I uphold my word at the time you designate for me. If the verse had said: מָתַי אַעְתִּיר, it would have meant: “when should I pray?” Since it says: לְמָתַי אַעְתִּיר, it means: Today I will pray for you that the frogs be eradicated at the time you set for me; say by which day you wish them to disappear.

Scripture uses the hif’il forms אַעְתִּיר, הַעְתִּירוּ, and וְהַעְתַּרְתִּי, and it does not say: אֶעְתַּר, עִתְרוּ, and וְעָתַרְתִּי (kal forms), because every form of the verb עתר connotes increasing prayer, and just as when wishing to express “increasing something,” one says: הַרְבּוּ, אַרְבֶּה, and וְהִרְבֵּיתִי in the hif’il form, so one says: אַעְתִּיר, הַעְתִּירוּ, and וְהַעְתַּרְתִּי to express “increasing words.” The prime example for this is: וְהַעְתַּרְתֶּם עָלַי דִּבְרֵיכֶם which meansand you have multiplied your words against Me.” 14

  לְמָתַי אַעְתִּיר לְךָ.  אֶת אֲשֶׁר אַעְתִּיר לְךָ הַיּוֹם עַל הַכְרָתַת הַצְפַרְדְּעִים, לְמָתַי תִּרְצֶה שֶׁיִּכָּרְתוּ? וְתִרְאֶה אִם אַשְׁלִים דְּבָרִי לַמּוֹעֵד שֶׁתִּקְבַּע לִי. אִלּוּ נֶאֱמַר "מָתַי" אַעְתִּיר, הָיָה מַשְׁמָע מָתַי אֶתְפַּלֵּל, עַכְשָׁו שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר "לְמָתַי", מַשְׁמָע אֲנִי הַיּוֹם אֶתְפַּלֵּל עָלֶיךָ, שֶׁיִּכָּרְתוּ הַצְפַרְדְּעִים לִזְמַן שֶׁתִּקְבַּע עָלַי; אֱמֹר לְאֵיזֶה יוֹם תִּרְצֶה שֶׁיִּכָּרְתוּ אַעְתִּיר העתירו, והעתרתי וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶעְתַּר, עִתְרוּ, וְעָתַרְתִּי, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁכָּל לְשׁוֹן עתר הַרְבּוֹת פֶּלֶל הוּא, וְכַאֲשֶׁר יֹאמַר אַרְבֶּה, הַרְבּוּ, וְהִרְבֵּיתִי, לְשׁוֹן מַפְעִיל, כָּךְ יֹאמַר אַעְתִּיר, הַעְתִּירוּ, וְהַעְתַּרְתִּי דְּבָרִים; וְאָב לְכֻלָּם "וְהַעְתַּרְתֶּם עָלַי דִּבְרֵיכֶם" (יחזקאל ל"ה) – הִרְבֵּיתֶם:
6He replied, “By tomorrow.” So Moses said, “It will be as you say, so that you will recognize that there is none like God, our God.   ווַיֹּ֖אמֶר לְמָחָ֑ר וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ כִּדְבָ֣רְךָ֔ לְמַ֣עַן תֵּדַ֔ע כִּי־אֵ֖ין כַּֽיהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵֽינוּ:
וַיֹּאמֶר לְמָחָר - He replied, “By tomorrow” - i.e., pray today that they disappear by tomorrow.   וַיֹּאמֶר לְמָחָר.  הִתְפַּלֵּל הַיּוֹם, שֶׁיִּכָּרְתוּ לְמָחָר: