Matthew Poole and continuators on Exodus 10:23

23 They saw not one another , neither rose any from his place for three dayes: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings .

Because these gross and moist fogs and vapours did not onely quite shut out the light of the heavenly bodies, but also put out their candles or other artificial lights, or at least so darken them that men could have no benefit by them.

Place here may be taken, either ▪1. more strictly and particularly: so the sence is, the horrour of that darkness was so great that they durst not remove at all, but stood or sat where the darkness found them, like men astonished or affrighted, and therefore unmoveable, having their minds disturbed, being terrified with their guilty Consciences, which most affect men in the dark, and with the dreadful noises which they heard, Wisd. 17. 5. and with the apparitions of evil Angels, as may seem from Psal. 78. 49. where the plague of evil Angels is put instead of this plague of darkness, which therefore is omitted in that place where all the rest are reckoned up. Or rather 2. more largely, for their own houses or dwellings, for so the Hebrew word is certainly used, Exod. 16. 29. So the sence is, they did not stir abroad out of their houses upon their most necessary occasions. Obj. He saith not that they could not go, but that they could not rise from their place, which may seem to limit this expression to their particular places. Ans. The word, to rise, is commonly put for going about any business, and here it is a pregnant word, as they call it, and implies going in it, none arose, viz. to go or remove, from his place. And rising cannot be properly taken here for that particular posture, unless we will suppose that this darkness found all men sitting, which is absurd to imagine.

Whereby they might have conveyed themselves and families and goods away, as afterwards they did in haste: but they waited for Moses his orders, and he for Gods command, and God intended to bring them forth not by stealth, but in a more honourable and publick manner, in spight of all opposition.

Marginal references: Wisd. 18. 1. chap. 8. 22.