CHAPTER VIII _The plague of frogs threatened_, 1, 2. _The extent of this plague_, 3, 4. _Aaron commanded to stretch out his hand, with the rod, over the_ _river and waters of Egypt, in consequence of which the frogs came_, 5, 6. _The magicians imitate this miracle_, 7. _Pharaoh entreats Moses... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:2. _IF THOU REFUSE_] Nothing can be plainer than that Pharaoh had it still in his power to have dismissed the people, and that his refusal was the mere effect of his own wilful obstinacy. _WITH FROGS_] צפרדעים _tsepardeim_. This word is of doubtful etymology: almost all interpreters... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:3. _THE RIVER SHALL BRING FORTH FROGS ABUNDANTLY_] The river Nile, which was an object of their adoration, was here one of the instruments of their punishment. The expression, _bring_ _forth abundantly_, not only shows the _vast numbers_ of those animals, which should now infest the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:5. _STRETCH FORTH THINE HAND - OVER THE STREAMS, OVER THE_ _RIVERS_] The streams and rivers here may refer to the grand _divisions_ of the Nile in the Lower Egypt, which were at least _seven_, and to the _canals_ by which these were connected; as there were no other streams, c., but w... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:6. _THE FROGS CAME UP, AND COVERED THE LAND OF EGYPT._] In some ancient writers we have examples of a similar plague. The Abderites, according to _Orosius_, and the inhabitants of Paeonia and Dardania, according to _Athenaeus_, were obliged to abandon their country on account of the g... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:7. _THE MAGICIANS DID SO_] A little juggling or dexterity of hand might have been quite sufficient for the imitation of this miracle, because frogs in abundance had already been produced; and some of these kept in readiness might have been brought forward by the magicians, as proofs o... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:9. _GLORY OVER ME_] התפאר עלי _hithpaer alai_. These words have greatly puzzled commentators in general; and it is not easy to assign their true meaning. The _Septuagint_ render the words thus: Ταξαι προς με ποτε, c., _Appoint unto me when I shall_ _pray, c_. The _constitue mihi quan... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:14. _THEY GATHERED THEM TOGETHER UPON HEAPS_] The killing of the frogs was a mitigation of the punishment; but the leaving them to rot in the land was a continual proof that such a plague _had_ taken place, and that the displeasure of the Lord still continued. The conjecture of _Cal... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE_ THIRD _PLAGUE _- LICE Verse Exodus 8:16. _SMITE THE DUST OF THE LAND, THAT IT MAY BECOME LICE_] If the vermin commonly designated by this name be intended, it must have been a very dreadful and afflicting plague to the Egyptians, and especially to their priests, who were obliged to shave the... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:18. _THE MAGICIANS DID SO_] That is, They tried the utmost of their skill, either to _produce_ these insects or to _remove_ this plague; _but they could not_, no _juggling_ could avail here, because insects must be produced which would _stick to_ and _infix_ themselves in man and beas... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:19. _THIS_ IS _THE FINGER OF GOD_] That is, The power and skill of God are here evident. Probably before this the magicians supposed Moses and Aaron to be _conjurers_, like themselves; but now they are convinced that no man could do these miracles which these holy men did, unless God... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE_ FOURTH _PLAGUE _- FLIES Verse Exodus 8:21. _SWARMS_ OF FLIES _UPON THEE_] It is not easy to ascertain the precise meaning of the original word הערב _hearob_; as the word comes from ערב _arab_, he _mingled_, it may be supposed to express a multitude of various sorts of insects. And if the con... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:22. _I WILL SEVER IN THAT DAY_] הפליתי _hiphleythi_, has been translated by some good critics, _I will miraculously_ _separate_; so the Vulgate: _Faciam mirabilem_, "I will do a marvellous thing." And the Septuagint, παραδοξασω, _I will render_ _illustrious_ the land of Goshen in that... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:23. _AND I WILL PUT A DIVISION_] פדת _peduth, a redemption_, between my people and thy people; God hereby showing that he had redeemed them from those plagues to which he had abandoned the others.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:24. _THE LAND WAS CORRUPTED_] Every thing was spoiled, and many of the inhabitants destroyed, being probably stung to death by these venomous insects. This seems to be intimated by the psalmist, "He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which DEVOURED them," Psalms 78:45. In ancien... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:25. _SACRIFICE TO YOUR GOD IN THE LAND._] That is, Ye shall not leave Egypt, but I shall cause your worship to be tolerated here.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:26. _WE SHALL SACRIFICE THE ABOMINATION OF THE EGYPTIANS_] That is, The animals which they hold sacred, and will not permit to be slain, are those which our customs require us to sacrifice to our God; and should we do this in Egypt the people would rise in a mass, and stone us to dea... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:27. _AND SACRIFICE TO THE LORD - AS HE SHALL COMMAND US._] It is very likely that neither Moses nor Aaron knew as yet in what manner God would be worshipped; and they expected to receive a direct revelation from him relative to this subject, when they should come into the wilderness.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:28. _I WILL LET YOU GO ONLY YE SHALL NOT GO VERY FAR AWAY_] Pharaoh relented because the hand of God was heavy upon him; but he was not willing to give up his _gain_. The Israelites were very _profitable_ to him; they were _slaves_ of the state, and their hard labour was very producti... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:31. _THE LORD DID ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF MOSES_] How powerful is prayer! God permits his servant to prescribe even the manner and time in which he shall work. _HE REMOVED THE SWARMS_] Probably by means of a strong wind, which swept them into the sea.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 8:32. _PHARAOH HARDENED HIS HEART AT THIS TIME ALSO_] See Exodus 8:15. This hardening was the mere effect of his self-determining obstinacy. He preferred his _gain_ to the will and command of Jehovah, and God made his obstinacy the means of showing forth his own power and providence in... [ Continue Reading ]