Matthew Poole and continuators on Exodus 9

3 Behold the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattel , which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.

In an immediate manner, not by my rod, that thou mayest know, it is not I, but the Lord, which doth all these things to thee.

Which they kept for their wool or milk, or manifold uses and services, though not for food and sacrifice.

6 And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattel of Egypt died, but of the cattel of the children of Israel died not one.

Either of all sorts; or a very great number of them, as the word all is frequently used; or rather, all that were in the field, as it is expresly limited, ver. 3. but not all absolutely, as appears from ver. 9. 19, 25. and chap. 14. 23.

Marginal references: Psal. 78. 48.

8 And the Lord said unto Moses, and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace , and let Moses sprinkle it towards the heaven, in the sight of Pharaoh.

To mind them of their cruel usage of the Israelites in their furnace, of which see Deut. 4. 20. Ier. 11. 4.

Both were to take them up, but M[illegible: 1+ letters]ses onely to sprinkle them, as at other times Aaron onely did the work, to shew that they were but instruments, which God could use as he pleased, and God was the principal Authour of it.

9 And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains , upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.

A burning scab, which quickly raised blains and blisters: whereby they were both vehemently inclined to scratch themselves, and yet utterly disenabled from it by its great soreness.

Marginal references: Rev. 16. 2.

10 And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven: and it became a boil breaking forth with blains, upon man, and upon beast.

God multiplying that dust and heating it and then dispersing it over all the land and causing it to fall and rest upon the bodies of the Egyptians.

Marginal references: Deut. 28. 27.

11 And the Magicians could not stand before Moses , because of the boiles: for the boil was upon the Magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.

As they hitherto had done, both as spies and as adversaries, for though their understandings were convinced of Gods hand and infinite power, yet their hearts were not changed, but for their worldly interest they persisted to rebel against their light, and therefore are justly plagued. It was no favour to Pharaoh, that the plague was not upon him, but onely a reservation to a greater mischief, as it follows.

14 For I will at this time, send all my plagues upon thine heart , and upon thy servants, and upon thy people: that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.

Or, into thy heart: Thou hast hitherto not felt my plagues upon thy own person, or thy body, but I shall shortly reach and wound it, and that not onely in the skin; as the magicians and others are now smitten▪ but even to thy heart, such as shall make thy heart sick, Mic. 6. 13. such as shall give thee a mortal and irrecoverable wound. Some understand it of inward and spiritual judgments upon Pharaohs heart, such as hardness of heart. But that plague had been inflicted upon him, and is recorded before this time. And Pharaohs heart being here opposed to his servants and people seems rather to denote his person, the heart or soul being often put Synecdochically for the whole man.

15 For now I will stretch out mine hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence , and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.

(i. e.) Not properly so called, but largely, as the word is used, Hos. 13. 14. with an utter and irrecoverable destruction. This relates partly to the killing of the first-born, which plague did more immediately and nearly concern both him and his people, and principally to their destruction in the Red Sea.

16 And in very deed, for this cause have I raised thee up , for to shew in thee my power , and that my Name may be declared throughout all the earth.

So the Hebrew word is translated; Rom. 9. 17. I have raised thee up out of thy first nothing into thy being and life and kingdom, and upheld thy being and reign even in the midst of thy tyranny. Heb. I have made thee to stand, i. e. to remain alive and untouched, when thy Magicians could not [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1 word] [illegible: 1+ letters]1. I have preserved thee in life, not for want of power to destroy thee, as thou mayst fancy, nor for want of provocation from thee, but for my own glory.

In those mighty works which have been occasioned by thy rebellion, and obstinacy.

My being and providence, and my manifold perfections, my patience in bearing thee so long, my justice in punishing thee, my power in conquering thee, my wisdom in over-ruling thy pride and tyranny and cruelty to thy own destruction and the redemption of my oppressed people, and my faithfulness in making good my promises to them, and my threatnings to thee.

Marginal references: Heb. made thee stand.

17 As yet exaltest thou thy self against my people , that thou wilt not let them go?

(i. e.) Against me acting for my people. The gracious God takes what is done to or against his people, as done to or against himself. See Zech. 2. 8. Matth. 25. 40, 45. Act. 9. 4, 5.

18 Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof , even until now.

Since they were a Kingdom or a Nation.

19 Send therefore now, and gather thy cattel , and all that thou hast in the field: for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.

This forewarning God gives, partly to mitigate the severity of the judgment; partly that a considerable number of Horses might be reserved for Pharaohs expedition chap. 14. partly to shew the Justice of God in punishing so wicked and obstinare people, as would take no warning neither from Gods words, nor from his former works; and partly to make a difference between the penitent and the incorrigible Egyptians.

22 And the LORD said unto Moses, stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt upon man , and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout all the land of Egypt.

(i. e.) Upon those men that presumed to continue in the field after this admonition.

Marginal references: Rev. 16. 21.

23 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground , and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.

Devouring both Herbs and Cattle which were upon it, Ps. 78. 47, 48. and 105. 32, 33.

24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail , very grievous, such as there was none like it, in all the land of Egypt, since it became a Nation .

Which strange mixture much increased the miracle.

For that Hail and Rain did sometimes, though but seldom, fall in Egypt, is attested by divers eye witnesses.

25 And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt, all that was in the field, both man and beast, and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field .

(i. e.) Most of them or Herbs and Trees of all sorts, as appears from chap. 10. 12, 15. See before ver. 6.

26 Onely, in the land of Goshen , where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.

It seems the Egyptians that dwelt there were spared for the sake of their Neighbours the Israelites: Which great obligation probably made them more willing to lend their jewels to them, chap. 12▪ 35.

Marginal references: chap. 8. 22. and 11. 7.

27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time : the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

I now plainly see and freely acknowledge my sin in striving with God. He seems not to deny that he had sinned before, for even the light of nature would discover his sin in breaking his Faith and the word of a King given to Moses for Israels dismission.

28 Intreat the LORD, (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thundrings and hail, and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.

Or, and let it be enough, (let God content himself that he hath punished me so long, and that I have confessed my sin and promised amendment) that there may be hereafter no more.

Marginal references: Heb. [illegible: 1 word] of God.

29 And Moses said unto him, Assoon as I am gone out of the City, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD, and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail: that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORDS .

Or, that this land is the Lords, even his whom thou deniedst to have any jurisdiction in it, or over thee, Exod. 5. 2. Or the Earth is put for the World, the Heaven and the Earth, q. d. That thou mayst see that he can either cause the Heavens to send forth such Thunders and Hails, or restrain them, as he pleaseth.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 24. 1.

31 And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled.

Which were not so necessary for humane life as the Wheat and Rye. Thus God still sends smaller judgments to usher in the greater.

32 But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up .

The Hebrew word may be rendred either dark or hid, to wit, under the ground, whereby it was secured from this stroke: or late, as divers of the Hebrews and other Interpreters render it. This kind of Corn coming later up, was now tender and hidden either in the ground, or in the Herb: whereby it was in some measure secured both from the fire by its greenness and moisture, and from the hail by its pliableness and yielding to it, whereas the stalks of Barly were more dry and stiff, and therefore more lyable to the Hail and Fire.

Marginal references: Heb. hidden or dark.

33 And Moses went out of the City from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the Earth.

That being solitary he might pour forth his heart in servent prayers.