1 Then the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Go H935 in unto Pharaoh, H6547 and tell H1696 him, Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of the Hebrews, H5680 Let my people H5971 go, H7971 that they may serve H5647 me.
2 For if thou refuse H3986 to let them go, H7971 and wilt hold H2388 them still,
3 Behold, the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 is H1961 upon thy cattle H4735 which is in the field, H7704 upon the horses, H5483 upon the asses, H2543 upon the camels, H1581 upon the oxen, H1241 and upon the sheep: H6629 there shall be a very H3966 grievous H3515 murrain. H1698
4 And the LORD H3068 shall sever H6395 between the cattle H4735 of Israel H3478 and the cattle H4735 of Egypt: H4714 and there shall nothing H1697 die H4191 of all that is the children's H1121 of Israel. H3478
5 And the LORD H3068 appointed H7760 a set time, H4150 saying, H559 To morrow H4279 the LORD H3068 shall do H6213 this thing H1697 in the land. H776
6 And the LORD H3068 did H6213 that thing H1697 on the morrow, H4283 and all the cattle H4735 of Egypt H4714 died: H4191 but of the cattle H4735 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 died H4191 not one. H259
7 And Pharaoh H6547 sent, H7971 and, behold, there was not one H259 of the cattle H4735 of the Israelites H3478 dead. H4191 And the heart H3820 of Pharaoh H6547 was hardened, H3513 and he did not let the people H5971 go. H7971
8 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses H4872 and unto Aaron, H175 Take H3947 to you handfuls H2651 H4393 of ashes H6368 of the furnace, H3536 and let Moses H4872 sprinkle H2236 it toward the heaven H8064 in the sight H5869 of Pharaoh. H6547
9 And it shall become small dust H80 in all the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 and shall be a boil H7822 breaking forth H6524 with blains H76 upon man, H120 and upon beast, H929 throughout all the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
10 And they took H3947 ashes H6368 of the furnace, H3536 and stood H5975 before H6440 Pharaoh; H6547 and Moses H4872 sprinkled H2236 it up toward heaven; H8064 and it became a boil H7822 breaking forth H6524 with blains H76 upon man, H120 and upon beast. H929
11 And the magicians H2748 could H3201 not stand H5975 before H6440 Moses H4872 because H6440 of the boils; H7822 for the boil H7822 was upon the magicians, H2748 and upon all the Egyptians. H4714
12 And the LORD H3068 hardened H2388 the heart H3820 of Pharaoh, H6547 and he hearkened H8085 not unto them; as the LORD H3068 had spoken H1696 unto Moses. H4872
13 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Rise up early H7925 in the morning, H1242 and stand H3320 before H6440 Pharaoh, H6547 and say H559 unto him, Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of the Hebrews, H5680 Let my people H5971 go, H7971 that they may serve H5647 me.
14 For I will at this time H6471 send H7971 all my plagues H4046 upon thine heart, H3820 and upon thy servants, H5650 and upon thy people; H5971 that thou mayest know H3045 that there is none like me in all the earth. H776
15 For now I will stretch out H7971 my hand, H3027 that I may smite H5221 thee and thy people H5971 with pestilence; H1698 and thou shalt be cut off H3582 from the earth. H776
16 And in very H199 deed H5668 for this cause have I raised thee up, H5975 for to shew H7200 in thee my power; H3581 and that my name H8034 may be declared H5608 throughout all the earth. H776
17 As yet exaltest H5549 thou thyself against my people, H5971 that thou wilt not let them go? H7971
18 Behold, to morrow H4279 about this time H6256 I will cause it to rain H4305 a very H3966 grievous H3515 hail, H1259 such as hath not been H3644 in Egypt H4714 since H4480 the foundation H3117 H3245 thereof even until now.
19 Send H7971 therefore now, and gather H5756 thy cattle, H4735 and all that thou hast in the field; H7704 for upon every man H120 and beast H929 which shall be found H4672 in the field, H7704 and shall not be brought H622 home, H1004 the hail H1259 shall come down H3381 upon them, and they shall die. H4191
20 He that feared H3373 the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 among the servants H5650 of Pharaoh H6547 made his servants H5650 and his cattle H4735 flee H5127 into the houses: H1004
21 And he that regarded H7760 H3820 not the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 left H5800 his servants H5650 and his cattle H4735 in the field. H7704
22 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Stretch forth H5186 thine hand H3027 toward heaven, H8064 that there may be hail H1259 in all the land H776 of Egypt, H4714 upon man, H120 and upon beast, H929 and upon every herb H6212 of the field, H7704 throughout the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
23 And Moses H4872 stretched forth H5186 his rod H4294 toward heaven: H8064 and the LORD H3068 sent H5414 thunder H6963 and hail, H1259 and the fire H784 ran along H1980 upon the ground; H776 and the LORD H3068 rained H4305 hail H1259 upon the land H776 of Egypt. H4714
24 So there was hail, H1259 and fire H784 H3947 mingled H8432 with the hail, H1259 very H3966 grievous, H3515 such as there was none H3808 like it in all the land H776 of Egypt H4714 since it became a nation. H1471
25 And the hail H1259 smote H5221 throughout all the land H776 of Egypt H4714 all that was in the field, H7704 both man H120 and beast; H929 and the hail H1259 smote H5221 every herb H6212 of the field, H7704 and brake H7665 every tree H6086 of the field. H7704
26 Only in the land H776 of Goshen, H1657 where the children H1121 of Israel H3478 were, was there no hail. H1259
27 And Pharaoh H6547 sent, H7971 and called H7121 for Moses H4872 and Aaron, H175 and said H559 unto them, I have sinned H2398 this time: H6471 the LORD H3068 is righteous, H6662 and I and my people H5971 are wicked. H7563
28 Intreat H6279 the LORD H3068 (for it is enough) H7227 that there be no more mighty H430 thunderings H6963 and hail; H1259 and I will let you go, H7971 and ye shall stay H5975 no longer. H3254
29 And Moses H4872 said H559 unto him, As soon as I am gone out H3318 of the city, H5892 I will spread abroad H6566 my hands H3709 unto the LORD; H3068 and the thunder H6963 shall cease, H2308 neither shall there be any more hail; H1259 that thou mayest know H3045 how that the earth H776 is the LORD'S. H3068
30 But as for thee and thy servants, H5650 I know H3045 that ye will not yet fear H3372 H6440 the LORD H3068 God. H430
31 And the flax H6594 and the barley H8184 was smitten: H5221 for the barley H8184 was in the ear, H24 and the flax H6594 was bolled. H1392
32 But the wheat H2406 and the rie H3698 were not smitten: H5221 for they H2007 were not grown up. H648
33 And Moses H4872 went out H3318 of the city H5892 from Pharaoh, H6547 and spread abroad H6566 his hands H3709 unto the LORD: H3068 and the thunders H6963 and hail H1259 ceased, H2308 and the rain H4306 was not poured H5413 upon the earth. H776
34 And when Pharaoh H6547 saw H7200 that the rain H4306 and the hail H1259 and the thunders H6963 were ceased, H2308 he sinned H2398 yet more, H3254 and hardened H3513 his heart, H3820 he and his servants. H5650
35 And the heart H3820 of Pharaoh H6547 was hardened, H2388 neither would he let the children H1121 of Israel H3478 go; H7971 as the LORD H3068 had spoken H1696 by H3027 Moses. H4872
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Exodus 9
Commentary on Exodus 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 9
Ex 9:1-7. Murrain of Beasts.
3-5. Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle—A fifth application was made to Pharaoh in behalf of the Israelites by Moses, who was instructed to tell him that, if he persisted in opposing their departure, a pestilence would be sent among all the flocks and herds of the Egyptians, while those of the Israelites would be spared. As he showed no intention of keeping his promise, he was still a mark for the arrows of the Almighty's quiver, and the threatened plague of which he was forewarned was executed. But it is observable that in this instance it was not inflicted through the instrumentality or waving of Aaron's rod, but directly by the hand of the Lord, and the fixing of the precise time tended still further to determine the true character of the calamity (Jer 12:4).
6. all the cattle of Egypt died—not absolutely every beast, for we find (Ex 9:19, 21) that there were still some left; but a great many died of each herd—the mortality was frequent and widespread. The adaptation of this judgment consisted in Egyptians venerating the more useful animals such as the ox, the cow, and the ram; in all parts of the country temples were reared and divine honors paid to these domesticated beasts, and thus while the pestilence caused a great loss in money, it also struck a heavy blow at their superstition.
7. Pharaoh sent … there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead—The despatch of confidential messengers indicates that he would not give credit to vague reports, and we may conclude that some impression had been made on his mind by that extraordinary exemption, but it was neither a good nor a permanent impression. His pride and obstinacy were in no degree subdued.
Ex 9:8-17. Plague of Boils.
8. Take to you handfuls of ashes, &c.—The next plague assailed the persons of the Egyptians, and it appeared in the form of ulcerous eruptions upon the skin and flesh (Le 13:20; 2Ki 20:7; Job 2:7). That this epidemic did not arise from natural causes was evident from its taking effect from the particular action of Moses done in the sight of Pharaoh. The attitude he assumed was similar to that of Eastern magicians, who, "when they pronounce an imprecation on an individual, a village, or a country, take the ashes of cows' dung (that is, from a common fire) and throw them in the air, saying to the objects of their displeasure, such a sickness or such a curse shall come upon you" [Roberts].
10. Moses took ashes from the furnace—Hebrew, "brick-kiln." The magicians, being sufferers in their own persons, could do nothing, though they had been called; and as the brick-kiln was one of the principal instruments of oppression to the Israelites [De 4:20; 1Ki 8:51; Jer 11:4], it was now converted into a means of chastisement to the Egyptians, who were made to read their sin in their punishment.
Ex 9:18-35. Plague of Hail.
18. I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, &c.—The seventh plague which Pharaoh's hardened heart provoked was that of hail, a phenomenon which must have produced the greatest astonishment and consternation in Egypt as rain and hailstones, accompanied by thunder and lightning, were very rare occurrences.
such as hath not been in Egypt—In the Delta, or lower Egypt, where the scene is laid, rain occasionally falls between January and March—hail is not unknown, and thunder sometimes heard. But a storm, not only exhibiting all these elements, but so terrific that hailstones of immense size fell, thunder pealed in awful volleys, and lightning swept the ground like fire, was an unexampled calamity.
20, 21. He that feared the word of the Lord … regarded not, &c.—Due premonition, it appears, had been publicly given of the impending tempest—the cattle seem to have been sent out to graze, which is from January to April, when alone pasturage can be obtained, and accordingly the cattle were in the fields. This storm occurring at that season, not only struck universal terror into the minds of the people, but occasioned the destruction of all—people and cattle—which, in neglect of the warning, had been left in the fields, as well as of all vegetation [Ex 9:25]. It was the more appalling because hailstones in Egypt are small and of little force; lightning also is scarcely ever known to produce fatal effects; and to enhance the wonder, not a trace of any storm was found in Goshen [Ex 9:26].
27-35. Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned—This awful display of divine displeasure did seriously impress the mind of Pharaoh, and, under the weight of his convictions, he humbles himself to confess he has done wrong in opposing the divine will. At the same time he calls for Moses to intercede for cessation of the calamity. Moses accedes to his earnest wishes, and this most awful visitation ended. But his repentance proved a transient feeling, and his obduracy soon became as great as before.
31, 32. the flax and the barley was smitten, &c.—The peculiarities that are mentioned in these cereal products arise from the climate and physical constitution of Egypt. In that country flax and barley are almost ripe when wheat and rye (spelt) are green. And hence the flax must have been "bolled"—that is, risen in stalk or podded in February, thus fixing the particular month when the event took place. Barley ripens about a month earlier than wheat. Flax and barley are generally ripe in March, wheat and rye (properly, spelt) in April.