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The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:32
The wheat and the rie were not smitten, for they were not grown up. In Egypt the wheat harvest is at least a month later than the barley harvest, coming in April, whereas the barley harvest is finished by the end of Mar…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:33
The rain was not poured upon the earth. Rain had not been previously mentioned, as it was no part of the plague, that is, it caused no damage. But Moses, recording the cessation as an eye-witness, recollects that rain w…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:34
He sinned yet more, and hardened his heart. Altogether there are three different Hebrew verbs, which our translators have rendered by "harden," or "hardened"—kabad, qashah, and khazaq. The first of these, which occurs i…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 9:35
As the Lord had spoken by Moses. Compare Exodus 3:19; Exodus 4:21; and Exodus 7:3, Exodus 7:4 HOMILETICS
Matthew Henry on Exodus 10:1-11
The plagues of Egypt show the sinfulness of sin. They warn the children of men not to strive with their Maker. Pharaoh had pretended to humble himself; but no account was made of it, for he was not sincere therein. The…
The Plagues of Egypt. (b. c. 1491.)
THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. (B. C. 1491.) Here, I. Moses is instructed. We may well suppose that he, for his part, was much astonished both at Pharaoh's obstinacy and at God's severity, and could not but be compassionately co…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 10:12-20
God bids Moses stretch out his hand; locusts came at the call. An army might more easily have been resisted than this host of insects. Who then is able to stand before the great God? They covered the face of the earth,…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 10:12-20
Here is, I. The invasion of the land by the locusts—God's great army, Joel 2:11. God bids Moses stretch out his hand (Exodus 10:12), to beckon them, as it were (for they came at a call), and he stretched forth his rod,…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 10:21-29
The plague of darkness brought upon Egypt was a dreadful plague. It was darkness which might be felt, so thick were the fogs. It astonished and terrified. It continued three days; six nights in one; so long the most lig…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 10:21-29
Here is, I. The plague of darkness brought upon Egypt, and a most dreadful plague it was, and therefore is put first of the ten in Psalm 105:28, though it was one of the last; and in the destruction of the spiritual Egy…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 11:1-3
A secret revelation was made to Moses while in the presence of Pharaoh, that he might give warning of the last dreadful judgment, before he went out. This was the last day of the servitude of Israel; they were about to…
The Plagues of Egypt. (b. c. 1491.)
THE PLAGUES OF EGYPT. (B. C. 1491.) Here is, I. The high favour Moses and Israel were in with God. 1. Moses was a favourite of Heaven, for God will not hide from him the thing he will do. God not only makes him his mess…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 11:1-3
EXPOSITION We have here a parenthetic statement of something that had previously happened. Before Moses was summoned to appear in the presence of Pharaoh as related in Exodus 10:24, it had been expressly revealed to him…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 11:1
And the Lord spake unto Moses. Rather, "Now the Lord had said unto Moses." The Hebrew has no form for the pluperfect tease, and is consequently obliged to make up for the grammatical deficiency by using the simple prete…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 11:1-3
Crises bring out men's characters, and cause them to be properly appreciated. It is evident that, as the crisis approached, Pharaoh sank in the estimation of his subjects, while Moses rose. Pharaoh showed himself change…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 11:1-4
The beginning of the end. I. THE STROKE STILL IN RESERVE (Exodus 11:1). God would bring on Pharaoh "one plague more." This would be effectual. It would lead him to let the people go from Egypt. So eager would he be for…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 11:2
Every man … every woman. In Exodus 3:22 only women had been mentioned. Now the terms of the direction were enlarged. It is worthy of notice that gold and silver ornaments—ear-rings, collars, armlets, bracelets, and ankl…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 11:3
And the Lord gave the people favour—i.e. When the time came. See below, Exodus 12:36. Moreover the man Moses, etc. It has been supposed that this is an interpolation, and argued that Moses, being so "meek" as he was (Nu…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 11:4-10
The death of all the first-born in Egypt at once: this plague had been the first threatened, but is last executed. See how slow God is to wrath. The plague is foretold, the time is fixed; all their first-born should sle…
Matthew Henry on Exodus 11:4-10
Warning is here given to Pharaoh of the last and conquering plague which was now to be inflicted. This was the death of all the first-born in Egypt at once, which had been first threatened (Exodus 4:23, I will slay thy…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 11:4
About midnight.—Compare Exodus 12:29. It would add to the horror of the infliction that it should come in the depth of the night. Probably the night intended was not the next night, but one left purposely indefinite, th…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 11:4-10
A finale. These verses end the story of how God wrought with Pharaoh to subdue him to his will. They prepare us for the catastrophe which brought the long conflict to a termination, and forced a way of egress for two mi…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 11:4-8
EXPOSITION The writer returns here to his account of the last interview between Moses and Pharaoh, repeating the introductory words of Exodus 10:29—"and Moses said." Having accepted his dismissal, and declared that he w…
The Pulpit Commentary on Exodus 11:5
All the first-born. The law of primogeniture prevailed in Egypt, as among most of the nations of antiquity. The monarchy (under the New Empire, at any rate) was hereditary, and the eldest son was known as erpa suten sa,…