שמות, פרק ז׳, פסוק כ״ו

The warning that initiates the second plague marks a new phase in the divine struggle against the Egyptian king. The instruction to approach the ruler is not merely a direction to move, but holds deep significance for how the negotiations are conducted. Commentators note a contrast between the command to approach the king here and the instructions in other plagues to go or wake up early. One perspective explains this through the lens of divine honor. When Moses was told to go to the river early in the morning for the previous plague, it was to catch the king while he was relieving himself, a place of impurity where the Divine Presence could not accompany him. Here, however, the command to approach implies an invitation to come along with God, meaning He promises that His presence will accompany Moses [הדר זקנים, דעת זקנים, בכור שור].

The primary approach among commentators reveals a systematic structure in the warnings, which are divided into groups of three. The first plague in each series requires a public warning in the morning at the riverbank, in full view of the king's officials. The second plague, as seen here, involves a private warning inside the palace. God sends Moses into the king's luxurious hall in the middle of the day to deliver a rebuke in private, avoiding public humiliation. The third plague always strikes without any prior warning [רשב״ם, הדר זקנים, ביאור יש״ר, אברבנאל]. This visit to the palace connects directly to the preceding events where the king returned to his home. It is precisely there, where he sits on his throne and views himself as a deity, that he must hear the word of God [מלבי״ם, הירש, קאסוטו].

Although the command is directed to Moses alone, he is expected to bring his brother Aaron, who serves as his mouthpiece and speaks directly to the king [אבן עזרא, אבן עזרא הקצר, רלב״ג]. Furthermore, the impending plague will actually be initiated by Aaron rather than Moses. This is to protect Moses' honor. Because the Egyptian magicians will eventually manage to duplicate this specific plague using their tricks, God did not want Moses to perform a miracle that could be copied by sorcerers [אברבנאל].

Together, Moses and Aaron must reiterate the central demand to let the Israelites go so they may serve God [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This warning is designed to clarify that the river, which the Egyptians worship as a deity and rely on for abundance, is entirely subordinate to God and will soon become a source of devastation [מלבי״ם]. Regarding the nature of this devastation, a unique perspective suggests that the creatures destined to emerge from the water are not the small, noisy frogs commonly imagined. Instead, they are giant, predatory crocodiles miraculously brought from the ocean into the Nile to inflict genuine death and destruction upon the Egyptians [אברבנאל].