IX. THE FIFTH PLAGUE. (1-3) The nature of the fifth plague is manifest, and admits of no dispute. It was a _rinderpest,_ or murrain upon cattle; which, however, unlike most similar disorders, attacked _the greater number_ of the domesticated animals — horses, asses, camels, oxen, and sheep. Thus it... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD SHALL SEVER. — Comp. Exodus 8:22. Apparently Israel had been subjected to the first, second, and third plagues, which caused annoyance only, and not loss. Their exemption began with the fourth plague, and then probably continued without intermission, though it is not always mentioned.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD APPOINTED A SET TIME. — As murrain is not uncommon in Egypt, especially in the Delta, and the coming affliction might therefore be ascribed by the Egyptians to natural causes, God took care to mark its miraculous character (1) by appointing a time; (2) by exempting the cattle of Israel; (3)... [ Continue Reading ]
PHARAOH SENT. — The Pharaoh evidently did not believe it possible that there should be such a widespread destruction of the Egyptian cattle without the Hebrew cattle suffering at all. He therefore sent persons to inquire and report on the facts. These persons found the announcement of Moses fulfille... [ Continue Reading ]
ASHES OF THE FURNACE. — Furnaces in Egypt were either for the melting of metal, the preparing of lime, or the baking of bricks. It was probably from a furnace of this last kind that the ashes were now taken. Much of Goshen had been converted into a brick-field (Exodus 1:14; Exodus 5:7); and though m... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SIXTH PLAGUE. (8-10) Here, again, there is little question of what the plague was. Doubts may be entertained as to its exact character, and its proper medical designation, but all agree, and cannot but agree, that it was a visitation of the bodies of men with a severe cutaneous disorder, accompa... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES SPRINKLED IT UP TOWARD HEAVEN. — Presenting it, as it were, to God, in evidence of His people’s wrongs. A BOIL BREAKING FORTH WITH BLAINS. — Heb., _an inflammation, producing pustules._ Diseases of this character are not uncommon in Egypt (comp. Deuteronomy 28:27), but they are not often very... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MAGICIANS COULD NOT STAND BEFORE MOSES. — It is uncertain whether the magicians were present accidentally, or had come for the express purpose of “withstanding Moses” (2 Timothy 3:8). The latter may be suspected, as the plague was made to fall with special violence upon them.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD HARDENED THE HEART OF PHARAOH. — The judicial punitive hardening of Pharaoh’s heart by God Himself now began. As with the heathen in later times, “because they did not like to retain God in their knowledge. God gave them over to a reprobate mind” (Romans 1:28), so now with Pharaoh: because... [ Continue Reading ]
EARLY IN THE MORNING. — Comp, Exodus 7:15; Exodus 8:20.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SEVENTH PLAGUE. (13-19) The plagues fall into triads, or groups of three. This is the first plague of the third group, and presents to us several new features. (1) It is ushered in with an unusually long and exceeding awful message (Exodus 9:13), in which Pharaoh is warned that God is now about... [ Continue Reading ]
I WILL... SEND ALL MY PLAGUES UPON THINE HEART. — The naturally obdurate heart of Pharaoh, which he had further indurated by his own voluntary action (Exodus 8:15; Exodus 8:32), and which God had begun to harden penally (Exodus 9:12), was now to be softened by a repetition of blow after blow, until... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR NOW I WILL STRETCH OUT MY HAND. — The words admit of this translation, but the context will not allow it. Translate — _And now I might have stretched out mine hand, and smitten both thee and thy people with pestilence; and then thou hadst been cut off from the earth; but,_ &c.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IN VERY DEED FOR THIS CAUSE HAVE I RAISED THEE UP. — Rather, _but truly on this account have I made thee stand_ — _i.e.,_ kept thee alive, not for thy deserts, not even in pity, but only “for to show in thee My power.” Thou hast provoked Me so that long since thou wouldst have been “cut off from... [ Continue Reading ]
AS YET EXALTEST THOU THYSELF? — Heb., _Dost thou still exalt,_ or _oppose, thyself against My people?_ — _i.e.,_ Art thou not tired of the contest? Dost thou still, in thy folly, continue it?... [ Continue Reading ]
SUCH AS HATH NOT BEEN IN EGYPT SINCE THE FOUNDATION THEREOF. — Rain, and even hail, are not unknown at the present day in Lower Egypt, though they are, comparatively speaking, rare phenomena. Thunderstorms are especially uncommon, and when they occur are for the most part mild and harmless. A thunde... [ Continue Reading ]
GATHER THY CATTLE. — The peculiar circumstances of Egypt, where the whole country was overflowed by the Nile during some months of each year, caused the provision of shelter for cattle to be abnormally great. Every year, at the time of the inundation, all the cattle had to be “gathered” into sheds a... [ Continue Reading ]
HE THAT FEARED... — _Some_ impression, we see, had been made by the preceding plagues, and the warning was taken to some extent; but it was otherwise with many. So in Gospel times, “Some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not” (Acts 28:24). The result was death, both to the cat... [ Continue Reading ]
UPON EVERY HERB OF THE FIELD. — The damage that hail can do to crops is well known, and has given rise among ourselves to a special form of insurance. Such a storm as that here described would necessarily have destroyed all vegetation that was more than a few inches high, and must have greatly injur... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FIRE RAN ALONG UPON THE GROUND. — Heb., _fire walked earthwards._ Kalisch and Knobel understand by this mere ordinary lightning, but Aben-Ezra, Canon Cook, and others think that the phenomenon was such as our Version well expresses. There is no doubt that the electric fluid occasionally takes a... [ Continue Reading ]
FIRE MINGLED WITH THE HAIL. — Heb., _a fire infolding itself in the midst of the hail._ (Comp. Ezekiel 1:4; and see the comment on Exodus 9:23.)... [ Continue Reading ]
THE HAIL... BRAKE EVERY TREE OF THE FIELD. — What is meant is, not that the hail “brake the mightiest trees to fragments” (Millington, _Plagues of Egypt,_ p. 135), but that it broke off the small boughs and twigs, so damaging the trees and, if they were fruit-trees, destroying the prospect of fruit.... [ Continue Reading ]
PHARAOH SENT. — It is evident that the Pharaoh was more impressed by this plague than by any preceding one. This may have been partly because it caused destruction of human life, partly on account of its extraordinary and awful character. It must be borne in mind that the storm was still continuing,... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THOU MAYEST KNOW HOW THAT THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S. — Comp, Exodus 9:15. It was the general belief of the Egyptians, as of most ancient nations, that each country had its own god or gods. Pharaoh had already admitted Jehovah’s power (Exodus 8:8), and now regarded Him as the God of the Hebrews (E... [ Continue Reading ]
THE FLAX AND THE BARLEY WAS SMITTEN. — Flax was grown largely in Egypt, since linen garments were very generally worn by the people, and were the necessary attire of the priests (Herod. ii. 37). Mummies also were swathed in linen bandages (Herod. ii. 86); and soldiers wore linen corselets (Herod. ii... [ Continue Reading ]
THE WHEAT AND THE RIE. — “Rie,” or rye, is a wrong translation. It is a grain which has never been grown in Egypt. The only three kinds of grain cultivated were wheat, barley, and the _holcus sorghum,_ or _doora._ There is no doubt that this last is intended by the Hebrew _cussemeth,_ which is a wor... [ Continue Reading ]
MOSES WENT OUT OF THE CITY... AND SPREAD ABROAD HIS HANDS. — Moses did not fear the storm. Though it still raged, he quitted the shelter of the city, and went out into the midst of it, and spread out his hands to God, when lo! at once the rain, and hail, and thunder ceased at his bidding, and soon “... [ Continue Reading ]
PHARAOH... SINNED YET MORE, AND HARDENED HIS HEART. — As Pharaoh had never been so much moved previously, so it now required a greater effort of his will to “harden his heart” than it had ever done before; and thus he now “sinned yet more” than he had as yet sinned. It seems strange that the mercy o... [ Continue Reading ]