1耶和華H3068吩咐摩西H4872說H559：你進去H935見法老H6547，對他說H1696：耶和華H3068希伯來人H5680的神H430這樣說H559：容我的百姓H5971去H7971，好事奉我H5647。 2你若不肯H3986容他們去H7971，仍舊強留H2388他們， 3耶和華H3068的手H3027加在H1961你田間H7704的牲畜H4735上，就是在馬H5483、驢H2543、駱駝H1581、牛H1241群、羊群H6629上，必有重重的H3966,H3515瘟疫H1698。 4耶和華H3068要分別H6395以色列H3478的牲畜H4735和埃及H4714的牲畜H4735，凡屬以色列H3478人H1121的，一樣H1697都不死H4191。 5耶和華H3068就定了H7760時候H4150，說H559：明天H4279耶和華H3068必在此地H776行H6213這事H1697。 6第二天H4283，耶和華H3068就行H6213這事H1697。埃及H4714的牲畜H4735幾乎都死了H4191，只是以色列H3478人H1121的牲畜H4735，一H259個都沒有死H4191。 7法老H6547打發H7971人去看，誰知以色列人H3478的牲畜H4735連一H259個都沒有死H4191。法老H6547的心H3820卻是固執H3513，不容百姓H5971去H7971。 8耶和華H3068吩咐摩西H4872、亞倫H175說H559：你們取H3947幾捧H2651,H4393爐H3536灰H6368，摩西H4872要在法老H6547面前H5869向天H8064揚H2236起來。 9這灰要在埃及H4714全地H776變作塵土H80，在人H120身上和牲畜H929身上成了H6524起泡H76的瘡H7822。 10摩西、亞倫取了H3947爐H3536灰H6368，站H5975在法老H6547面前H6440。摩西H4872向天H8064揚H2236起來，就在人H120身上和牲畜H929身上成了H6524起泡H76的瘡H7822。 11行法術的H2748在摩西H4872面前H6440站立H5975不住H3201，因為在他們H2748身上和一切埃及人H4714身上都有這瘡H7822。 12耶和華H3068使法老H6547的心H3820剛硬H2388，不聽H8085他們，正如耶和華H3068對摩西H4872所說H1696的。 13耶和華H3068對摩西H4872說H559：你清早H1242起來H7925，站H3320在法老H6547面前H6440，對他說H559：耶和華H3068希伯來人H5680的神H430這樣說H559：容我的百姓H5971去H7971，好事奉H5647我。 14因為這一次H6471我要叫H7971一切的災殃H4046臨到你H3820和你臣僕H5650並你百姓H5971的身上，叫你知道H3045在普天下H776沒有像我的。 15我若伸H7971手H3027用瘟疫H1698攻擊H5221你和你的百姓H5971，你早就從地H776上除滅H3582了。 16其實H199，我叫你存立H5975，是特要H5668向你顯H7200我的大能H3581，並要使我的名H8034傳H5608遍天下H776。 17你還向我的百姓H5971自高H5549，不容他們去H7971麼？ 18到明天H4279約在這時候H6256，我必叫重大H3966,H3515的冰雹H1259降下H4305，自從H4480埃及H4714開國H3117,H3245以來，沒有這樣H3644的冰雹。 19現在你要打發H7971人把你的牲畜H4735和你田間H7704一切所有的催H5756進來；凡在田H7704間不收回H622家H1004的，無論是人H120是牲畜H929，冰雹H1259必降H3381在他們身上，他們就必死H4191。 20法老H6547的臣僕H5650中，懼怕H3373耶和華H3068這話H1697的，便叫他的奴僕H5650和牲畜H4735跑H5127進家H1004來。 21但那不把耶和華H3068這話H1697放在心上H7760,H3820的，就將他的奴僕H5650和牲畜H4735留H5800在田裡H7704。 22耶和華H3068對摩西H4872說H559：你向天H8064伸H5186杖H3027，使埃及H4714遍地H776的人H120身上和牲畜H929身上，並田H7704間各樣菜蔬H6212上，都有冰雹H1259。 23摩西H4872向天H8064伸H5186杖H4294，耶和華H3068就打H5414雷H6963下雹H1259，有火H784閃H1980到地H776上；耶和華H3068下H4305雹H1259在埃及H4714地H776上。 24那時，雹H1259與火H784,H3947攙雜H8432，甚是H3966利害H3515，自從埃及H4714成國H1471以來，遍地H776沒有這樣的。 25在埃及H4714遍地H776，雹H1259擊打H5221了田間H7704所有的人H120和牲畜H929，並一切的菜蔬H6212，又打壞H7665田H7704間一切的樹木H6086。 26惟獨以色列H3478人H1121所住的歌珊H1657地H776沒有冰雹H1259。 27法老H6547打發H7971人召H7121摩西H4872、亞倫H175來，對他們說H559：這一次H6471我犯了罪H2398了。耶和華H3068是公義H6662的；我和我的百姓H5971是邪惡H7563的。 28這雷轟H6963和冰雹H1259已經夠H7227了。請你們求H6279耶和華H3068，我就容你們去H7971，不再H3254留住H5975你們。 29摩西H4872對他說H559：我一出H3318城H5892，就要向耶和華H3068舉H6566手H3709禱告；雷H6963必止H2308住，也不再有冰雹H1259，叫你知道H3045全地H776都是屬耶和華H3068的。 30至於你和你的臣僕H5650，我知道你們H3045還是不懼怕H3372,H6440耶和華H3068神H430。 31（那時，麻H6594和大麥H8184被雹擊打H5221；因為大麥H8184已經吐穗H24，麻H6594也開了花H1392。 32只是小麥H2406和粗麥H3698沒有被擊打H5221，因為還沒有長成H648。） 33摩西H4872離了法老H6547出H3318城H5892，向耶和華H3068舉H6566手H3709禱告；雷H6963和雹H1259就止住H2308，雨H4306也不再澆H5413在地上H776了。 34法老H6547見H7200雨H4306和雹H1259與雷H6963止住H2308，就越發H3254犯罪H2398；他和他的臣僕H5650都硬著H3513心H3820。 35法老H6547的心H3820剛硬H2388，不容以色列H3478人H1121去H7971，正如耶和華H3068藉著H3027摩西H4872所說H1696的。
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 Here is, I. Warning given of another plague, namely, the murrain of beasts. When Pharaoh's heart was hardened, after he had seemed to relent under the former plague, then Moses is sent to tell him there is another coming, to try what that would do towards reviving the impressions of the former plagues. Thus is the wrath of God revealed from heaven, both in his word and in his works,
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. 1. Moses puts Pharaoh in a very fair way to prevent it:
Let my people go, Exod 9:1. This was still the demand. God will have Israel released; Pharaoh opposes it, and the trial is,
whose word shall stand. See how jealous God is for his people. When
the year of his redeemed has come, he will
give Egypt for their ransom; that kingdom shall be ruined, rather than Israel shall not be delivered. See how reasonable God's demands are. Whatever he calls for, it is but
his own: They are my people, therefore let them go. 2. He describes the plague that should come, if he refused,
Exod 9:2,
Exod 9:3.
The hand of the Lord immediately, without the stretching out of Aaron's hand,
is upon the cattle, many of which, some of all kinds, should die by a sort of pestilence. This was greatly to the loss of the owners: they had made Israel poor, and now God would make them poor. Note, The hand of God is to be acknowledged even in the sickness and death of cattle, or other damage sustained in them; for a
sparrow falls not to the ground without our Father. 3. As an evidence of the special hand of God in it, and of his particular favour to his own people, he foretels that none of their cattle should die, though they breathed in the same air and drank of the same water with the Egyptians' cattle:
The Lord shall sever, Exod 9:4. Note, When God's judgments are abroad, though they may fall both on the righteous and the wicked, yet God makes such a distinction that they are not the same to the one that they are to the other. See
Isa 27:7. The providence of God is to be acknowledged with thankfulness in the life of the cattle, for he preserveth man and beast,
Pss 36:6. 4. To make the warning the more remarkable, the time is fixed (
Exod 9:5):
Tomorrow it shall be done. We know not what any day will bring forth, and therefore we cannot say what we will do tomorrow, but it is not so with God.
II. The plague itself inflicted. The cattle died,
Exod 9:6. Note, The creature is made subject to vanity by the sin of man, being liable, according to its capacity, both to serve his wickedness and to share in his punishment, as in the universal deluge.
Roma 8:20,
Roma 8:22. Pharaoh and the Egyptians sinned; but the
sheep, what had they done? Yet they are plagued. See
Jer 12:4, For the
wickedness of the land, the beasts are consumed. The Egyptians afterwards, and (some think) now, worshipped their cattle; it was among them that the Israelites learned to make a god of a calf: in this therefore the plague here spoken of meets with them. Note, What we make an idol of it is just with God to remove from us, or embitter to us. See
Isa 19:1.
III. The distinction put between the cattle of the Egyptians and the Israelites' cattle, according to the word of God: Not
one of the cattle of the Israelites died, Exod 9:6,
Exod 9:7. Does God take care of oxen? Yes, he does; his providence extends itself to the meanest of his creatures. But it is written also for our sakes, that, trusting in God, and making him our refuge, we may not be
afraid of the pestilence that walketh in darkness, no, not though
thousands fall at our side, Pss 91:6,
Pss 91:7. Pharaoh sent to see if the cattle of the Israelites were infected, not to satisfy his conscience, but only to gratify his curiosity, or with design, by way of reprisal, to repair his own losses out of their stocks; and, having no good design in the enquiry, the report brought to him made no impression upon him, but, on the contrary, his heart was hardened. Note, To those that are wilfully blind, even those methods of conviction which are ordained to life prove a savour of death unto death.
8 Observe here, concerning the plague of boils and blains,
I. When they were not wrought upon by the death of their cattle, God sent a plague that seized their own bodies, and touched them to the quick. If less judgments do not do their work, God will send greater. Let us therefore humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and go forth to meet him in the way of his judgments, that his anger may be turned away from us.
II. The signal by which this plague was summoned was the sprinkling of warm ashes from the
furnace, towards heaven (
Exod 9:8,
Exod 9:10), which was to signify the heating of the air with such an infection as should produce in the bodies of the Egyptians sore boils, which would be both noisome and painful. Immediately upon the scattering of the ashes, a scalding dew came down out of the air, which blistered wherever it fell. Note, Sometimes God shows men their sin in their punishment; they had oppressed Israel in the furnaces, and now the ashes of the furnace are made as much a terror to them as ever their task-masters had been to the Israelites.
III. The plague itself was very grievous - a common eruption would be so, especially to the nice and delicate, but these eruptions were inflammations, like Job's. This is afterwards called the
botch of Egypt (
Deut 28:27), as if it were some new disease, never heard of before, and known ever after by that name, Note, Sores in the body are to be looked upon as the punishments of sin, and to be hearkened to as calls to repentance.
IV. The magicians themselves were struck with these boils,
Exod 9:11. 1. Thus they were punished, (1.) For helping to harden Pharaoh's heart, as Elymas for seeking to ;
pervert the right ways of the Lord; God will severely reckon with those that strengthen the hands of the wicked in their wickedness. (2.) For pretending to imitate the former plagues, and making themselves and Pharaoh sport with them. Those that would produce lice shall, against their wills, produce boils. Note, It is ill jesting with God's judgments, and more dangerous than playing with fire.
Be you not mockers, lest your bands be made strong. 2. Thus they were shamed in the presence of their admirers. How weak were their enchantments, which could not so much as secure themselves! The devil can give no protection to those that are in confederacy with him. 3. Thus they were driven from the field. Their power was restrained before (
Exod 8:18), but they continued to confront Moses, and confirm Pharaoh in his unbelief, till now, at length, they were forced to retreat, and could not stand before Moses, to which the apostle refers (
2Tim 3:9) when he says that their
folly was made manifest unto all men. V. Pharaoh continued obstinate, for now
the Lord hardened his heart,
Exod 9:12. Before, he had hardened his own heart, and resisted the grace of God; and now God justly gave him up to his own heart's lusts, to a reprobate mind, and strong delusions, permitting Satan to blind and harden him, and ordering every thing, henceforward, so as to make him more and more obstinate. Note, Wilful hardness is commonly punished with judicial hardness. If men shut their eyes against the light, it is just with God to close their eyes. Let us dread this as the sorest judgment a man can be under on this side hell.
13 Here is, I. A general declaration of the wrath of God against Pharaoh for his obstinacy. Though God has hardened his heart (
Exod 9:12), yet Moses must repeat his applications to him; God suspends his grace and yet demands obedience, to punish him for requiring bricks of the children of Israel when he denied them straw. God would likewise show forth a pattern of long-suffering, and how he waits to be gracious to a
rebellious and gainsaying people Six times the demand had been made in vain, yet Moses must make it the seventh time:
Let my people go, Exod 9:13. A most dreadful message Moses is here ordered to deliver to him, whether he will hear or whether he will forbear. 1. He must tell him that he is marked for ruin, that he now stands as the butt at which God would shoot all the arrows of his wrath,
Exod 9:14,
Exod 9:15. Now I will send
all my plagues. Now that no place is found for repentance in Pharaoh, nothing can prevent his utter destruction, for that only would have prevented it. Now that God begins to
harden his heart, his case is desperate. I will send my plagues
upon thy heart, not only temporal plagues upon thy body, but spiritual plagues upon thy soul. Note, God can send plagues upon thy soul. Note, God can send plagues upon the heart, either by making it senseless or by making it hopeless - and these are the worst plagues. Pharaoh must now expect no respite, no cessation of arms, but to be followed with plague upon plague, till he is utterly consumed. Note, When God judges he will overcome; none ever hardened his heart against him and prospered. 2. He must tell him that he is to remain in history a standing monument of the justice and power of God's wrath (
Exod 9:16):
For this cause have I raised thee up to the throne at this time, and made thee to stand the shock of the plagues hitherto, to
show in thee my power. Providence ordered it so that Moses should have a man of such a fierce and stubborn spirit as he was to deal with; and every thing was so managed in this transaction as to make it a most signal and memorable instance of the power God has to humble and bring down the proudest of his enemies. Every thing concurred to signalize this, that God's name (that is, his incontestable sovereignty, his irresistible power, and his inflexible justice) might be declared throughout all the earth, not only to all places, but through all ages while the earth remains. Note, God sometimes raises up very bad men to honour and power, spares them long, and suffers them to grow insufferably insolent, that he may be so much the more glorified in their destruction at last. See how the neighbouring nations, at that time, improved the ruin of Pharaoh to the glory of God. Jethro said upon it,
Now know I that the Lord is greater than all gods, Exod 18:11. The apostle illustrates the doctrine of God's sovereignty with this instance,
Roma 9:17. To justify God in these resolutions, Moses is directed to ask him (
Exod 9:17),
As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people? Pharaoh was a great king; God's people were poor shepherds at the best, and now poor slaves; and yet Pharaoh shall be ruined if he exalt himself against them, for it is considered as exalting himself against God. This was not the first time that God reproved kings for their sakes, and let them know that he would not suffer his people to be trampled upon and insulted, no, not by the most powerful of them.
II. A particular prediction of the plague of hail (
Exod 9:18), and a gracious advice to Pharaoh and his people to send for their servants and cattle out of the field, that they might be sheltered from the hail,
Exod 9:19. Note, When God's justice threatens ruin his mercy, at the same time, shows us a way of escape from it, so unwilling is he that any should perish. See here what care God took, not only to distinguish between Egyptians and Israelites, but between some Egyptians and others. If Pharaoh will not yield, and so prevent the judgment itself, yet an opportunity is given to those that have any dread of God and his word to save themselves from sharing in the judgment. Note, Those that will take warning may take shelter; and those that will not may thank themselves if they fall by the overflowing scourge, and the hail which will
sweep away the refuge of lies, Isa 28:17. See the different effect of this warning. 1.
Some believed the things that were spoken, and they feared, and housed their servants and cattle (
Exod 9:20), like Noah (
Hebre 11:7), and it was their wisdom. Even among the servants of Pharaoh there were some that trembled at God's word; and shall not the sons of Israel dread it? But, 2. Others believed not: though, whatever plague Moses had hitherto foretold, the event exactly answered to the prediction; and though, if they had had any reason to question this, it would have been no great damage to them to have kept their cattle in the house for one day, and so, supposing it a doubtful case, to have chosen the surer side; yet they were so foolhardy as in defiance to the truth of Moses, and the power of God (of both which they had already had experience enough, to their cost), to leave their cattle in the field, Pharaoh himself, it is probable, giving them an example of the presumption,
Exod 9:21. Note, Obstinate infidelity, which is deaf to the fairest warnings and the wisest counsels, leaves the blood of those that perish upon their own heads.
22 The threatened plague of hail is here summoned by the powerful hand and rod of Moses (
Exod 9:22,
Exod 9:23), and it obeys the summons, or rather the divine command; for
fire and hail fulfil God's word, Pss 148:8. And here we are told,
I. What desolations it made upon the earth. The thunder, and fire from heaven (or lightning), made it both the more dreadful and the more destroying,
Exod 9:23,
Exod 9:24. Note, God makes the clouds, not only his store-houses whence he drops fatness on his people, but his magazines whence, when he pleases, he can draw out a most formidable train of artillery, with which to destroy his enemies. He himself speaks of the
treasures of hail which he hath reserved against the day of battle and war, Job 38:22,
Job 38:23. Woeful havoc this hail made in the land of Egypt. It killed both men and cattle, and battered down, not only the herbs, but the trees,
Exod 9:25. The corn that was above ground was destroyed, and that only preserved which as yet had not come up,
Exod 9:31,
Exod 9:32. Note, God has many ways of
taking away the corn in the season thereof (
Hos 2:9), either by a secret blasting, or a noisy hail. In this plague the
hot thunderbolts, as well as the hail, are said to destroy
their flocks, Pss 78:47,
Pss 78:48; and see
Pss 105:32,
Pss 105:33. Perhaps David alludes to this when, describing God's glorious appearances for the discomfiture of his enemies, he speaks of the hailstones and coals of fire he threw among them,
Pss 18:12,
Pss 18:13. And there is a plan reference to it on the pouring out of the seventh vial,
Revel 16:21. Notice is here taken (
Exod 9:26) of the land of Goshen's being preserved from receiving any damage by this plague. God has the directing of the pregnant clouds, and causes it to rain or hail on one city and not on another, either in mercy or in judgment.
II. What a consternation it put Pharaoh in. See what effect it had upon him, 1. He humbled himself to Moses in the language of a penitent,
Exod 9:27,
Exod 9:28. No man could have spoken better. He owns himself on the wrong side in his contest with the God of the Hebrews:
I have sinned in standing it out so long. He owns the equity of God's proceedings against him:
The Lord is righteous, and must be justified when he speaks, though he speak in thunder and lightning. He condemns himself and his land:
I and my people are wicked, and deserve what is brought upon us. He begs the prayers of Moses:
Entreat the Lord for me, that this direful plague may be removed. And,
lastly, he promises to yield up his prisoners:
I will let you go. What could one desire more? And yet his heart was hardened all this while. Note, The terror of the rod often extorts penitent acknowledgments from those who have no penitent affections; under the surprise and smart of affliction, they start up, and say that which is pertinent enough, not because they are deeply affected, but because they know that they should be and that
it is meet to be said. 2. Moses, hereupon, becomes an intercessor for him with God. Though he had all the reason in the world to think that he would immediately repent of his repentance, and told him so (
Exod 9:30), yet he promises to be this friend in the court of heaven. Note, Even those whom we have little hopes of, yet we should continue to pray for, and to admonish,
1Sam 12:23. Observe, (1.) The place Moses chose for his intercession. He went
out of the city (
Exod 9:33), not only for privacy in his communion with God, but to show that he durst venture abroad into the field, notwithstanding the hail and lightning which kept Pharaoh and his servants within doors, knowing that every hail-stone had its direction from his God, who meant him no hurt. Note, Peace with God makes men thunderproof, for thunder is the voice of their Father. (2.) The gesture: He
spread abroad his hands unto the Lord - an outward expression of earnest desire and humble expectation. Those that come to God for mercy must stand ready to receive it. (3.) The end Moses aimed at in interceding for him:
That thou mayest know, and be convinced,
that the earth is the Lord's (
Exod 9:29), that is, that God has a sovereign dominion over all the creatures, that they all are ruled by him, and therefore that thou oughtest to be so. See what various methods God uses to bring men to their proper senses. Judgments are sent, judgments removed, and all for the same end, to make men know that he Lord reigns. (4.) The success of it. [1.] He prevailed with God,
Exod 9:33. But, [2.] He could not prevail with Pharaoh:
He sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, Exod 9:34,
Exod 9:35. The prayer of Moses opened and shut heaven, like Elias's (
James 5:17,
James 5:18), and such is the power of God's two witnesses (
Revel 11:6); yet neither Moses nor Elias, nor those two witnesses, could subdue the hard hearts of men. Pharaoh was frightened into a compliance by the judgment, but, when it was over, his convictions vanished, and his fair promises were forgotten. Note, Little credit is to be given to confessions upon the rack. Note also, Those that are not bettered by judgments and mercies are commonly made worse.
