Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. Ver. 1. _Let my people go._] The very same message to a word, as before often. Austin persuades God's messengers so long to insist upon the same point,... [ Continue Reading ]
For if thou refuse to let [them] go, and wilt hold them still, Ver. 2. _And wilt hold them still._] Being wedded to thy will, which will prove thy hell. _a_ a _Voluntas tua infernus tuus._ - _Bern._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which [is] in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: [there shall be] a very grievous murrain._ Ver. 3. _Is upon thy cattle._] Both those _ad esum_ and those _ad usum._ Men sin, these suffer, a... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all [that is] the children's of Israel. Ver. 4. _And there shall nothing die._] It is fair weather oft with the saints when it is foulest with the wicked. God hideth his in the hollow of hi... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one. Ver. 6. _And all the cattle._] That is, A great sort of them, not all. _a_ Exodus 9:19 _; _ Exo 9:25 And this was the fifth of those ten plagues, a number of perfec... [ Continue Reading ]
And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go. Ver. 7. _And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened._] Like a smith's anvil, he grew harder for hammering. There was little need to say to Phara... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. Ver. 8. _Sprinkle it toward the heaven._] In token that this plague should, in a special manner, be inflicted from heaven. The Philistines,... [ Continue Reading ]
And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth [with] blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt. Ver. 9. _A boil breaking forth._] This Moses threateneth to all disobedient persons Deu 28:27 Job's boils were rather probational tha... [ Continue Reading ]
And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth [with] blains upon man, and upon beast. Ver. 10. _And they took ashes of the furnace._] Whereby, being cast up towards heaven, was sent up, as it were, a compla... [ Continue Reading ]
And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. Ver. 11. _For the boil was upon the magicians._] Who were convicted, but not converted. Exo 8:19 They stood still to withstand Moses: as Balaam, against the light of... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses. Ver. 12. _And the Lord hardened._] See Exodus 9:7; Exodus 4:21, &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. Ver. 13. _Let my people go._] See Exodus 9:1 .... [ Continue Reading ]
For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that [there is] none like me in all the earth. Ver. 14. _All my plagues upon thine heart._] Heart plagues are the worst plagues of all. A hard heart is in some respects wo... [ Continue Reading ]
For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth. Ver. 15. _For now I will stretch out._] His former preservation was but a reservation: and he hath hitherto escaped with his life; not for any love that God bare to hi... [ Continue Reading ]
And in very deed for this [cause] have I raised thee up, for to shew [in] thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth. Ver. 16. _Have I raised thee up._] Heb., I have constituted and set thee up as a butt mark: that I may let fly at thee and follow thee close with plagu... [ Continue Reading ]
As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? Ver. 17. _As yet exaltest thou thgself?_] q.d., No amendment yet? A sore sign of a vessel of wrath fitted to destruction. It is ill with the body when physic will either not enter or not stay with us.... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. Ver. 18. _Such as hath not been in Egypt._] Dio maketh mention of a shower of blood and of water, that fell in Egypt a little before it was sub... [ Continue Reading ]
_Send therefore now, [and] gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; [for upon] every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die._ Ver. 19. _Send therefore now._] Here "(mercy rejoiceth against... [ Continue Reading ]
He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: Ver. 20. _He that feared the word of the Lord._] As few will do till they feel his hand. But they that tremble not in hearing shall be crushed to pieces in feeling, said that mar... [ Continue Reading ]
And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field. Ver. 21. _And he that regarded not._] This was, doubtless, the greater number; _Qualis Rex, talis grex._ This was a just presage and desert of ruin, not to be warned.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt. Ver. 22. _Stretch forth thine hand,_] i.e., Thy rod in thine hand. Exo 9:23... [ Continue Reading ]
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt. Ver. 23. _And the fire ran along upon the ground._] Such "hailstones and coals of fire" we also read of in Psa 18:13-15 Isaia... [ Continue Reading ]
_So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation._ Ver. 24e. So there was hail, and fire mingled.] A strange mixture; a miracle within a miracle, saith Rub. Solomon. Fire and water made a peace betwix... [ Continue Reading ]
And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that [was] in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field. Ver. 25. _And break every tree of the fleld._] Here was _strages et clades horrenda; _ yet Pharaoh's heart is not broke... [ Continue Reading ]
Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel [were], was there no hail. Ver. 26. _Only in the land of Goshen._] _See Trapp on "_ Exo 8:23 _"_ Dio reports further of the fire forementioned, Exo 8:23 that that fire from heaven either fell not at all upon the Romans; or, if it did, it was... [ Continue Reading ]
And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD [is] righteous, and I and my people [are] wicked. Ver. 27. _The Lord is righteous._] _See Trapp on "_ Exo 5:2 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
Intreat the LORD (for [it is] enough) that there be no [more] mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer. Ver. 28. _I will let you go._] But though he speak thus fair, believe him not: "for there are seven abominations in his heart." Pro 26:25 No sooner was Phar... [ Continue Reading ]
And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; [and] the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth [is] the LORD'S. Ver. 29. _I will spread abroad my hands,_] viz., In prayer; hold... [ Continue Reading ]
But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God. Ver. 30. _That ye will not yet fear._] Howbeit I will pray for you, and you shall feel the fruit of it. Thus God is good to "the just and the unjust." Mat 5:45... [ Continue Reading ]
And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley [was] in the ear, and the flax [was] bolled. Ver. 31, 32. _And the flax and the barley._] We need not wonder that in Egypt their barley harvest was so long before their wheat harvest; since, from the overflow of the Nile, and the difference of... [ Continue Reading ]
But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they [were] not grown up. Ver. 32. _See Trapp on "_ Exo 9:31 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth. Ver. 33. _Went out of the city._] For privacy sake. _ Spread abroad his hands._] _See Trapp on "_ Exo 9:29 _"_... [ Continue Reading ]
And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants. Ver. 34. _But sinned yet more._] As iron is very soft and malleable while in the fire, but soon after returns to its former hardness: so here.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses. Ver. 35. _And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened._] Judicially; and penally, after that he had first hardened his own heart. Exo 9:34... [ Continue Reading ]