Exodus 10:7

_AND PHARAOH'S SERVANTS SAID UNTO HIM, HOW LONG SHALL THIS MAN BE A SNARE UNTO US? LET THE MEN GO, THAT THEY MAY SERVE THE LORD THEIR GOD: KNOWEST THOU NOT YET THAT EGYPT IS DESTROYED?_ Pharaoh's servants said. Many of his courtiers must have suffered serious losses from the late visitations, and the prospect of such a calamity as that which was threatened, and the magnitude of which former experience enabled them to realize, led them to make a strong remonstrance with the king. Finding himself not seconded by his counselors in his continued resistance, he recalled Moses and Aaron, and having expressed his consent to their departure, inquired 'who were to go.' The prompt and decisive reply, 'all:' neither man nor beast shall remain raised a storm of indignant fury in the breast of the proud king: he would permit the grown up men to go away. But no other terms would be listened to. Verse...

7._And Pharaoh’s servants said unto him. _We have seen, a little above, that they were obstinate in common with their king; nor can it be doubted that by their servile flattery they had blinded him more and more; but now, conquered by their calamities, and fearing something still worse, they seek to mitigate his fury, — not because they had themselves returned to their senses, but because they feel that they are overcome by the hand of God, and that strength to resist had failed them. They say, therefore, that Moses, until he should be dismissed, would be a constant source of evil to them. Whether you translate the word מוקש, (117) _mokesh, _a snare or a stumbling-block, is of little consequence, because it is taken metaphorically for every kind of misfortune or injury. They signify, then, that no end of their troubles was to be expected so long as Pharaoh shall contend

1-11 The plagues of Egypt show the sinfulness of sin. They warn the children of men not to strive with their Maker. Pharaoh had pretended to humble himself; but no account was made of it, for he was not sincere therein. The plague of locusts is threatened. This should be much worse than any of that kind which had ever been known. Pharaoh's attendants persuade him to come to terms with Moses. Hereupon Pharaoh will allow the men to go, falsely pretending that this was all they desired. He swears that they shall not remove their little ones. Satan does all he can to hinder those that serve God themselves, from bringing their children to serve him. He is a sworn enemy to early piety. Whatever would put us from engaging our children in God's service, we have reason to suspect Satan in it. Nor should the young forget that the Lord's counsel is, Remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth; b...

Verse Exodus 10:7. _HOW LONG SHALL THIS MAN BE A SNARE UNTO US?_] As there is no noun in the text, the pronoun זה _zeh_ may either refer to the Israelites, to the plague by which they were then afflicted, or to Moses and Aaron, the instruments used by the Most High in their chastisement. The Vulgate translates, _Usquequo patiemur hoc_ _scandalum?_ "How long shall we suffer this scandal or reproach?" _LET THE MEN GO, THAT THEY MAY SERVE THE LORD THEIR GOD_] Much of the energy of several passages is lost in translating יהוה _Yehovah_ by the term _Lord_. The Egyptians had their gods, and they supposed that the Hebrews had _a god_ like unto their own; that this Jehovah required their services, and would continue to afflict Egypt till his people were permitted to worship him in his own way. Egypt is destroyed?

For the first time the officers of Pharaoh intervene before the scourge is inflicted, showing at once their belief in the threat, and their special terror of the infliction. Also, for the first time, Pharaoh takes measures to prevent the evil; he does not indeed send for Moses and Aaron, but he permits them to be brought into his presence. LET THE MEN GO - i. e. the men only, not all the people. See Exodus 10:8....

EXPOSITION THE EIGHTH PLAGUE. Notwithstanding his self-condemnation and acknowledgment of the righteousness of God in all the judgments that had been sent upon him (Exodus 9:27), Pharaoh no sooner found that the seventh plague had ceased than he reverted to his old obstinacy. He both wilfully hardened his own heart (Exodus 9:34); and God, by the unfailing operation of his moral laws, further blunted or hardened it (Exodus 10:1). Accordingly, it became necessary that his stubbornness should be punished by one other severe infliction. Locusts, God's "great army," as they are elsewhere called (Joel

AND PHARAOH'S SERVANTS SAID TO HIM,.... His courtiers and counsellors, such of them as were not so hardened as others, or however now began to relent, and dreaded what would be the consequence of things, even the ruin of the whole country, the good of which they seem to have had at heart: HOW LONG SHALL THIS MAN BE A SNARE UNTO US? an occasion of ruin and destruction, as birds by a snare; they speak in a contemptuous manner of Moses, calling him "this man", the rather to ingratiate themselves into the good will of Pharaoh, and that their advice might be the better and the easier taken: LET THE MEN GO, THAT THEY MAY SERVE THE LORD THEIR GOD: that is, Moses and his people, grant them their request, that the land may be preserved from ruin; for if things go on long at this rate, utter destruction must ensue: KNOWEST THOU NOT YET THAT EGYPT IS DESTROYED? as good as ruined, by the plagues...

Exodus 10:1. _And the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I might shew these my signs before him: and that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I am the LORD._ God would stamp the early history of Israel with the deep impression of his Godhead. His overthrow of the proud Egyptian king should let Israel know in the very beginning how great a God had chosen her to be his own peculiar portion. Exodus 10:3. And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people go, that they m

CHAPTER 10 THE EIGHTH AND NINTH PLAGUES _ 1. The eighth plague: locusts (Exodus 10:1)_ 2. Pharaoh's renewed confession and refusal (Exodus 10:16) 3. The ninth plague: darkness (Exodus 10:21) 4. Pharaoh's anger (Exodus 10:27) The eighth plague is introduced by another warning; the ninth came without it. As a result of the eighth plague, Pharaoh confessed his sin against God and against Moses and Aaron; but after the ninth plague drove Moses from his presence and threatened the divine messenger with death. Locusts covered the face of the whole earth and every green thing was destroyed. On the

8°. A LOCUST SWARM (Exodus 10:1 J; Exodus 10:12 a, Egypt, E; Exodus 10:13 b J; Exodus 10:14 a E; Exodus 10:14 b and rested to Exodus 10:15 a darkened, J; Exodus 10:15 b E to left; Exodus 10:15 c - Exodus 10:19 J;...