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The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:5
To-morrow. God may have interposed the interval in order that such as believed the announcement might save their animals by bringing them in out of the fields. All the cattle died—i.e, all that were "in the field" (Exod…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:7
And Pharaoh sent. This time the king had the curiosity to send out and see whether the Israelites had been spared. Though he found the fact correspond to the announcement, he was not seriously impressed. Perhaps he thou…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 9:8-12
When the Egyptians were not wrought upon by the death of their cattle, God sent a plague that seized their own bodies. If lesser judgments do not work, God will send greater. Sometimes God shows men their sin in their p…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 9:8-12
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…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:8-12
Sin punished by physical suffering, but such suffering not always a punishment for sin. God has many weapons in his quiver wherewith to chastise sin. One of them is physical pain. He can cause the limbs to ache, the tem…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:8-12
EXPOSITION THE SIXTH PLAGUE. The sixth plague was sent, like the third, without notice given. It was also, like the third, a plague which inflicted direct injury upon the person. There was a very solemn warning in it; f…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:8
Ashes of the furnace. Rather "soot from the furnace." The word commonly used in Hebrew for "ashes" is different. Many recondite reasons have been brought forward for the directions here given. But perhaps the object was…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:8-13
The plague of boils and blains. This plague, like the third, was unannounced. God varies his methods. There was need for some token being given of God's severe displeasure at Pharaoh's gross abuse of his goodness and fo…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:8-12
The sixth plague-the boils and blains. Only the barest conjectures are possible as to why these ashes of the furnace were taken as materials whence to draw this sixth plague. If we look at the first two plagues we see t…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:8-12
I. The Sixth Plague. THE MEANS USED. Ashes were taken from the brick-kiln in which the Israelites toiled, and in Pharaoh's presence sprinkled in mute appeal toward heaven. The memorials of oppression lifted up before Go…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:9
It shall become small dust. Rather, "It shall be as dust." No physical change is intended by the expression used, but simply that the "soot" or "ash" should be spread by the air throughout all Egypt, as dust was wont to…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:10
The furnace. It is perhaps not very important what kind of "furnace" is meant. But the point has been seriously debated. Some suppose a furnace for the consumption of victims, human or other; some a baking oven, or cook…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:11
The magicians could not stand. It is gathered from this that the magicians had, up to this time, been always in attendance when the miracles were wrought, though they had now for some time failed to produce any counterf…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:12
And the Lord hardened Pharaoh's heart. Up to this time the hardening of Pharaoh's heart has been ascribed to himself, or expressed indefinitely as a process that was continually going on—now for the first time it is pos…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 9:13-21
Moses is here ordered to deliver a dreadful message to Pharaoh. Providence ordered it, that Moses should have a man of such a fierce and stubborn spirit as this Pharaoh to deal with; and every thing made it a most signa…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 9:13-21
Here is, I. A general declaration of the wrath of God against Pharaoh for his obstinacy. Though God has hardened his heart (Exodus 9:12), yet Moses must repeat his applications to him; God suspends his grace and yet dem…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:13-26
EXPOSITION THE SEVENTH PLAGUE. The sixth plague had had no effect at all upon the hard heart of the Pharaoh, who cared nothing for the physical sufferings of his subjects, and apparently was not himself afflicted by the…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:13
Rise up early. Compare Exodus 7:15, and Exodus 8:20. The practice of the Egyptian kings to rise early and proceed at once to the dispatch of business is noted by Herodotus. It is a common practice of oriental monarchs.…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:13-19
The method of the Divine Rule over bad men illustrated by God's message to Pharaoh. The message illustrates, 1. THE LONG-SUFFERING OF GOD TOWARDS SINNERS. "For now might I have stretched out my hand and smitten thee and…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:13-35
The plague of hail. This plague was introduced with ampler remonstrance. Moses was commanded to proceed to Pharaoh, and to warn him in stronger and more decisive language than he had yet employed of the folly of this in…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:13-16
The earth is the Lord's and the fulness of it. In this comprehensive message from Jehovah, standing as it does about midway in the course of his judgments upon Pharaoh, we have a peculiar and impressive application of t…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:13
Harden not your hearts. Our position in considering the dealings of God with men, resembles the position of scholars in some school observing and criticizing the conduct of the master. Certain inferences cannot be drawn…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:13-21
Mercy in Judgment. I. GOD'S PURPOSE IN DEALING WITH THE WICKED BY CHASTISEMENT AND NOT BY JUDGMENT (13-16). God might have desolated the land, and let Israel pass unquestioned through the midst of it. But in Pharaoh and…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:14
I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart. A very emphatic announcement. At this time contrasts the immediate future with the past, and tells Pharaoh that the hour of mild warnings and slight plagues is g…