Bible Strands
Psalms 78:45
He sent swarms of flies that devoured them, and frogs that devastated them.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The psalmist recounts God’s judgments against Egypt during the Exodus. This verse appears in a historical recitation describing the escalation of plagues.
The words — עָרֹב (a.ro) translates literally to a swarm or mixed multitude of flies, and צְפַרְדַּע (tze.far.da.a) means frog. Both nouns identify the specific creatures deployed as instruments of destruction.
The thread — The text references the Exodus 8:2 plague narrative and Exodus 8:21 warning, while Psalms 105:30 repeats the frog infestation. These passages form a consistent scriptural record of the Egyptian plagues.
Why it lands — The passage states that God actively dispatched these creatures to ruin the Egyptian population. It requires the reader to acknowledge that divine judgment operates through concrete, historical events rather than abstract concepts.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them; and frogs, which destroyed them.
Cross-references
- Exodus 8:21 But if you will not let My people go, I will send swarms of flies upon you and your officials and your people and your houses. The houses of the Egyptians and even the ground where they stand will be full of flies.
- Exodus 8:2 But if you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs.
- Psalms 105:30 Their land teemed with frogs, even in their royal chambers.
- Revelation 16:3 And the second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it turned to blood like that of the dead, and every living thing in the sea died.