The God of Pharao, viz., to be his _Judge; and to exercise a divine power, as God's instrument, over him and people. (Challoner) --- Artapanus says, Moses was afterwards adored by the Egyptians. --- Prophet, or interpreter. Thou shalt reveal my orders to him. (Calmet) --- Moses participated in the d... [ Continue Reading ]
_I shall harden, &c.; not by being the efficient cause of his hardness of heart, but by permitting it; and by withdrawing grace from him, in punishment of his malice; which alone was the proper cause of his being hardened. (Challoner) --- He took occasion even from the miracles to become more obdura... [ Continue Reading ]
_Took, or "threw down," as the Hebrew and Septuagint read._... [ Continue Reading ]
_Magicians. Jannes and Mambres, or Jambres, 2 Timothy iii. 8. (Challoner) --- The pagans represented Moses as the greatest of magicians. (Pliny, Natural History xxx. 1; Justin xxxvi.) --- They also, &c. Hebrew has three terms, "wise men, diviners, and magicians;" but the two last seem to be of the s... [ Continue Reading ]
_Devoured. Thus the superiority remained with Aaron. The rod was then restored to its pristine form, ver. 15. (Haydock)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_My hand. The rod was in the hand of Moses, but he was God's agent. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_River. The Samaritan copy repeats here the very words of God to Pharao, as the other speeches are also twice put at length. "Moses and Aaron went to meet Pharao, and said to him, 'The Lord,'" &c., as ver. 16, 18. See chap. xi. 7. (Calmet) --- This is very agreeable to the style of Homer; and Kennic... [ Continue Reading ]
_All the land, even in that of Gessen, which belonged to the Egyptians; while the Hebrews had good water. (Menochius)_... [ Continue Reading ]
_Like. They got a small quantity of water, either from the sea, from Gessen, (Wisdom xi. 5,) or by digging wells, ver. 24. (Calmet) --- This plague lasted a full week, ver. 25. The water which they found in the mean time in the wells was mixed with blood. (Philo; St. Augustine, in Psalm lxxvii.) Wis... [ Continue Reading ]
CHAPTER VII.... [ Continue Reading ]