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<title>Blue Letter Bible: Text Commentaries</title>
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<h2><a onclick="return mV('Exd',9,'all');">Exd 9</a> - More Plagues Upon Egypt</h2>
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<p>A. The fifth plague: Disease on livestock.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Exd',9,'1-4');">1-4</a>) God tells Moses to warn Pharaoh.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then the <span class="c6">Lord</span> said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh and tell him, 'Thus says the <span class="c6">Lord</span> God of the Hebrews: "Let My people go, that they may serve Me. For if you refuse to let <i>them </i>go, and still hold them, behold, the hand of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> will be on your cattle in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the oxen, and on the sheep; a very severe pestilence. And the <span class="c6">Lord</span> will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all <i>that </i>belongs to the children of Israel."' "</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Go in to Pharaoh and tell him</span></b>: In mercy, God told Moses to give another warning, so that Pharaoh would have opportunity to repent; but Pharaoh ignores this next opportunity also.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Let My people go, that they may serve Me</span></b>: In this appeal, it is clear that God wants Pharaoh to let the children of Israel go for the sake of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> Himself, not even so much for the sake of the children of Israel.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. We must treat each other well not only for the sake of our fellow brother or sister, but also for the sake of the <span class="c6">Lord</span>. We owe it to Him even more than we owe it to them.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Exd',9,'5-7');">5-7</a>) The death of the diseased livestock.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then the <span class="c6">Lord</span> appointed a set time, saying, "Tomorrow the <span class="c6">Lord</span> will do this thing in the land." So the <span class="c6">Lord</span> did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of Egypt died; but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died. Then Pharaoh sent, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh became hard, and he did not let the people go.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">All the livestock of Egypt died</span></b>: This plague was directed against the Egyptian god <i>Hathor</i> who was thought to be a mother goddess was in the form of a cow. In addition, Egyptian religion considered cattle sacred and the cow was often a symbol of fertility. God shows Pharaoh and all of Egypt that He is mightier than this imagined pagan god.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. There is a ancient record of a battle the Egyptians lost because their enemies put a herd of cattle in front of their advancing troops. It worked because the Egyptian soldiers would not shoot at the opposing army for fear of accidentally killing the "sacred" cattle.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">The Pharaoh sent, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead</span></b>: Moses told Pharaoh that the Israelites would be spared, and he cared enough to confirm this. Nevertheless, he did not change his heart when it was proven that Moses and his God were exactly right.</p>
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<p>B. The sixth plague: Boils.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Exd',9,'8-10');">8-10</a>) The plague of boils comes without previous announcement.</p>
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<p class="c2">So the <span class="c6">Lord</span> said to Moses and Aaron, "Take for yourselves handfuls of ashes from a furnace, and let Moses scatter it toward the heavens in the sight of Pharaoh. And it will become fine dust in all the land of Egypt, and it will cause boils that break out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt." Then they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses scattered <i>them </i>toward heaven. And <i>they </i>caused boils that break out in sores on man and beast.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">They caused boils that break out in sores on man and beast</span></b>: As the third plague in this second set of three, this plague comes without warning. This time, God chose to not mercifully give Pharaoh a previous opportunity to turn.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Boils that break out in sores</span></b>: The idea behind the ancient Hebrew word for <i>boil</i> is "to burn." It has the idea of a swelling, painful, skin inflammation, and as with some of the previous plagues, this one also affects people and animals.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Exd',9,'11-12');">11-12</a>) The effect of the boils on the magicians of Egypt.</p>
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<p class="c2">And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians. But the <span class="c6">Lord</span> hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the <span class="c6">Lord</span> had spoken to Moses.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils</span></b>: This plague was probably directed against the Egyptian god <i>Imhotep</i>, who was said to be the god of medicine; even those who would be thought of as closest to the Egyptian gods (the court magicians) were stricken with this plague.</p>
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<p>C. The seventh plague: Hail.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Exd',9,'13-21');">13-21</a>) Moses warns Pharaoh and the Egyptians of the plague of hail.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then the <span class="c6">Lord</span> said to Moses, "Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, 'Thus says the <span class="c6">Lord</span> God of the Hebrews: "Let My people go, that they may serve Me, for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that <i>there is </i>none like Me in all the earth. Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth. But indeed for this <i>purpose </i>I have raised you up, that I may show My power <i>in </i>you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth. As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go. Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Egypt since its founding until now. Therefore send now <i>and </i>gather your livestock and all that you have in the field, for the hail shall come down on every man and every animal which is found in the field and is not brought home; and they shall die."' " He who feared the word of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses. But he who did not regard the word of the <span class="c6">Lord</span> left his servants and his livestock in the field.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">I will send all My plagues to your very heart</span></b>: In this extended warning, God lets Pharaoh know who is in control. As bad as it has been, it has only been by God's mercy that Pharaoh and Egypt have not been <b><span class="c3">cut off from the earth</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">That I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth</span></b>: In this bold declaration, God tells Pharaoh through Moses that his resistance is being used for God's glory.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. If Pharaoh thinks he is accomplishing anything with his resistance against God, he is dead wrong. All his stubborn rebellion will merely glorify the <span class="c6">Lord</span> more in the end.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Gather your livestock and all that you have in the field</span></b>: God invites Pharaoh and the Egyptians to trust Him by recommending precautions before the plague. Some took God's invitation and spared their livestock, but others did not.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Exd',9,'22-26');">22-26</a>) A plague of hail and lightning bringing fire from the heavens.</p>
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<p class="c2">Then the <span class="c6">Lord</span> said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt; on man, on beast, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt." And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the <span class="c6">Lord</span> sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the <span class="c6">Lord</span> rained hail on the land of Egypt. So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, so very heavy that there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. And the hail struck throughout the whole land of Egypt, all that <i>was </i>in the field, both man and beast; and the hail struck every herb of the field and broke every tree of the field. Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel <i>were, </i>there was no hail.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">There was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, so very heavy that there was none like it</span></b>: This would have been the most frightening plague thus far. The Egyptians must have believed that the wrath of God poured down from heaven in all severity.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">The hail struck throughout the whole land of Egypt</span></b>: This plague was directed against several Egyptian gods. Notable among them would was <i>Nut</i>, the sky goddess.</p>
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<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Exd',9,'27-35');">27-35</a>) Pharaoh falsely repents and his heart grows harder.</p>
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<p class="c2">And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "I have sinned this time. The <span class="c6">Lord</span> <i>is </i>righteous, and my people and I <i>are </i>wicked. Entreat the <span class="c6">Lord</span>, that there may be no <i>more </i>mighty thundering and hail, for <i>it is </i>enough. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer." So Moses said to him, "As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the <span class="c6">Lord</span>; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth <i>is </i>the Lord's. But as for you and your servants, I know that you will not yet fear the <span class="c6">Lord</span> God." Now the flax and the barley were struck, for the barley <i>was </i>in the head and the flax <i>was </i>in bud. But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they <i>are </i>late crops. So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread out his hands to the <span class="c6">Lord</span>; then the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth. And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the <span class="c6">Lord</span> had spoken by Moses.</p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">I have sinned this time. The <span class="c6">Lord</span> is righteous, and my people and I are wicked</span></b>: These are picture perfect words of repentance from Pharaoh, but true repentance hasn't worked its way into his heart. Pharaoh is grieved at the <i>consequences</i> of sin, but not the sin itself.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">I know that you will not yet fear the <span class="c6">Lord</span> God</span></b>: Moses' response to Pharaoh shows that he is starting to learn and to discern. Moses knew the promise to touch Pharaoh's firstborn (<a onclick="return mV('Exd',4,'22-23');">Exd 4:22-23</a>) had not yet been fulfilled.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">He sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart</span></b>: Hardening our hearts against God is sin; failing to repent when God graciously answers our plea is to and to ignore His rich mercy is to sin <b><span class="c3">yet more</span></b>.</p>
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