Ex. 9 God threatens to smite his cattle with a pestilence, Ex. 9:1–3; but spares Israel’s, Ex. 9:4. Appoints a time for the execution hereof, Ex. 9:5; wherein the Egyptians’ cattle dies, Ex. 9:6. Pharaoh’s obstinacy, Ex. 9:7. God strikes all Egypt with boils, which is the sixth plague, Ex. 9:10.

The hand of the Lord; in an immediate manner, not by my rod, that thou mayst know it is not I, but the Lord, which doth all these things to thee. Thy cattle which they kept for their wool or milk, or manifold uses and services, though not for food and sacrifice.

All the cattle; 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 expressly limited, Ex. 9:3, but not all absolutely, as appears from Ex. 9:9, Ex. 9:19, Ex. 9:25, Ex. 14:23.

Take to you handfuls of ashes, to mind them of their cruel usage of the Israelites in their furnace, of which see Deut. 4:20, Jer. 11:4. Both were to take them up, but Moses only to sprinkle them, as at other times Aaron only did the work, to show that they were but instruments, which God could use…

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.

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.

Could not stand before Moses, as they hitherto had done, both as spies and as adversaries; for though their understandings were convinced of God’s hand and infinite power, yet their hearts were not changed; but for their worldly interest they persisted to rebel against their light., and therefore…

Upon thine heart, 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 only in the skin, as the magicians and others are now smitten, but even to thy heart, such as shall make thy heart sick, Mic.

Pestilence; not properly so called, but largely, as the word is used Hos. 13:14, meaning 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…

Raised thee up; 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.

Against my people, 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, Matt. 25:40, Matt. 25:45, Acts 9:4–5.

Since they were a kingdom or a nation.

This forewarning God gives, partly, to initiate the severity of the judgment; partly, that a considerable number of horses might be reserved for Pharaoh’s expedition, Ex.

Upon man, i.e. upon those men that presumed to continue in the field after this admonition.

The fire ran along upon the ground, devouring both herbs and cattle which were upon it, Ps. 78:47–48, Ps. 105:32–33

Which strange mixture much increased the miracle. That hail and rain did sometimes, though but seldom, fall in Egypt, is attested by divers eye-witnesses.

i.e. Most of them; or herbs and trees of all sorts, as appears from Ex. 10:12, Ex. 10:15. See Poole “Ex. 9:6”.

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, Ex. 12:35.

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 Israel’s dismission.

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.

Or, that this land is the Lord’s, even his whom thou deniedst to have any jurisdiction in it, or over thee, Ex. 5:2. Or the earth is put for the world, the heaven and the earth: q. d.

The flax and the barley were not so necessary for human life as the wheat and rye. Thus God still sends smaller judgments to usher in the greater.

The Hebrew word may be rendered 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.

Moses went out of the city, that, being solitary, he might pour forth his heart in fervent prayers.