Psalms 105:29-38

He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish.

-The three plagues omitted out of the ten are the murrain of the cattle and the boils, the fifth and the sixth, and the darkness, the ninth; the same which are omitted in the parallel psalm, Psalms 78:1.

Verse 29-31. He ... slew their fish. Their land brought forth frogs ... flies, and lice in all their coasts. He took away their favourite food, "fish," and sent odious "frogs," both in and out of the water; and besides, upon their land, "flies" (the dog-fly); "and lice" (or gnats) everywhere. Compare Psalms 78:44; Exodus 7:18-2; Exodus 8:3-2.

Verse 32. He gave them hail for rain, and flaming fire ... He smote their vines ... the locusts came, and caterpillars ... And did eat up all the herbs in their land. Thus all the food of the people was destroyed. Instead of the fertilizing showers which He 'gives' to His people (Leviticus 26:4), He gives Israel's foes "hail and flaming fire" (Psalms 78:48). "Caterpillars," - literally, 'the licker up' [ yeleq (H3218)], devourers: the hairy-winged locust (Exodus 10:5).

Verse 36-38.-God's wrathful visitation passes from the food of man to man himself. Hence, the ninth plague, which interrupts this progression, is omitted. He smote all the first-born - (Psalms 78:51; Psalms 105:33.)

Verse 37. He brought them forth also with silver and gold - presented to them by the Egyptians as an acknowledgment due for their labours in their bondage; not obtained fraudulently, but by the Lord's special appointment (Exodus 3:21-2; Exodus 11:2). It was not through sense of justice in the Egyptians, but in fear, and in order to hasten their departure. Compare Exodus 12:35-2; Genesis 15:14.

And there was not one feeble person among their tribes, [ kowsheel (H3782)] - 'not one stumbler,' unfit for the march through lassitude (Exodus 13:18). "The children of Israel went up harnessed (or, as Hengstenberg, strong) out of the land of Egypt" (Isaiah 5:27).

Verse 38. Egypt was glad when they departed; for the fear of them fell upon them - (Exodus 11:1; Exodus 12:33.) On "the fear of them," cf. Deuteronomy 11:25; Exodus 15:16.