Commentary on Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 10
CHAP. X.
Verſe 1. AND the LORD ſaid unto Moſes, Go in unto Pharaoh.] Perhaps Moſes might think, that after ſeven Meſſages delivered to him, and as many Plagues for his Refuſal, and God's Declaration that he had hardned his heart, it was to no purpoſe to make any new Addreſs unto him. Which it is likely he would have forborn, if he had not received this expreſs Command from God, to go to him again.
For I have hardned his heart, &c.] This is rather a Reaſon why he ſhould not go; and therefore the Particle ki is not to be tranſlated for, but although, as it many times is uſed in theſe Books, and then the ſenſe is clear, Although I have hardned his heart, yet let not that hinder thy going to him, but ſtill importune him; becauſe I intend to take occaſion from his Refuſing to obey me, to work greater Signs and Wonders, for your benefit (as it follows in the next Verſe) and for his Ruin.
That I might ſhew theſe my Signs before him.] The Signs, he ſpeaks of, were thoſe already done ſince he hardned him, and thoſe which were to follow. For he had threatned, when he ſaid he would harden Pharaoh's heart (VII. 3.) to multiply his Signs and Wonders in the Land of Egypt.
Ver. 2. And that thou mayest tell.] The LXX. tranſlate it, that ye may tell: for he ſpeaks to Moſes, as ſuſtaining the Perſon of the whole People of Iſrael.
In the ears of thy Son, and thy Sons ſon.] All future Poſterity.
What things I have wrought in Egypt.] This may refer to the Ten Plagues, which he inflicted on the Egyptians.
And my Signs which I have done among them.] The turning of his Rod into a Serpent, and two other Miracles, mentioned at his firſt Miſſion, are called Signs, IV. 8, 9. and ſee VII. 9, 10.
That ye may know how that I am the LORD]. That there is no other God but me.
Ver. 3. And Moſes and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh.] As God had commanded Moſes, v. 1.
Thus ſaith the LORD God of the Hebrews.] This is the ſtile wherein they began to deliver their Meſſage to him, and which they continued all along, V. 1, 3. VII. 16, &c.
How long wilt thou refuſe to humble thy ſelf before me?] We meet not with this chiding Queſtion in any of the former Meſſages; which was moſt proper now that he had ſo often refuſed to yield; or, inſtantly revolted from his ſeeming Submiſſions.
Ver. 4. Behold, to morrow.] This word behold, denotes the ſpeedy Execution of a remarkable Judgment. See IX. 3. And according to the Computation before mentioned, it was threatned on the ſeventh day of the Month Abib, to be executed the next day.
I will bring the Locuſts into thy Coaſts.] The Hebrew word Arbeh comes from rabah, which ſignifies to be multiplied. For there is no living Creature multiplies more than this. Whence they are ſaid (in the next Verſe) to cover the face of the Earth: and the Pſalmist, ſpeaking of them, ſaith they came without number, CV Pſal. 34.
Ver. 5. And they ſhall cover the face of the Earth, &c.] So that nothing could be ſeen but Locuſts. See v. 15.
And they ſhall eat.] How devouring they are and deſtructive to the Fruits of the Earth, Voſſius ſhows at large, L. IV. de Orig. & Pr. Idol. c. 19. and Bochartus P. I. L. IV. Hieroz. c. 3. whole Countries having been laid ſo bare by them, in a few hours, that it hath brought a Famine upon the Inhabitants. See Pliny L. XI. Hist. Nat. c. 29.
The reſidue of that which is eſcaped, &c.] By this it appears, that the Wheat and the Rye eſcaped the ſtroke of the Hail, IX. 31. ſo the Trees were not to be broken, but ſome Boughs remained.
And ſhall eat every Tree, &c.] Theſe Creatures ſpare not the very Bark of the Trees; eating all things that come in their way, as Pliny teſtifies in the forecited place, Omnia morſu erodentes, & fores quoque tectorum.
Ver. 6. And they ſhall fill thy Houſes, &c.] The Author of the Book of Wiſdom, XVI. 9. ſeems to think that they killed Men and Women. But that miſtake, it is likely, aroſe from v. 17. which may have another Interpretation. See there. Though if the Locuſts died in their Houſes, the ſtench of their dead Bodies was ſo offenſive, that it often bred the Peſtilence, as Bochartus obſerves, P. I. Hieroz. L. IV. c. 3, 5.
Which neither thy Fathers, &c.] They exceeded all that had been ſeen (and they were a frequent Plague in thoſe Countries) either in bigneſs, or in in number, or in both. That is, all that had been ſeen in Egypt: For in other Countries, perhaps there might have been as large; if Pliny may be believed, that in India there had been ſome ſeen three foot long. The Jews in the Book called, The Life and Death of Moſes, fancy theſe to have been of ſuch a vaſt Bulk, that their Jaw-teeth were like thoſe of Lions. But it's likely Moſes ſpeaks here only of their multitude. For the Prophet Joel hath ſuch an Expreſſion, when he ſpeaks alſo of their being without number, I Joel 6. Whoſe Teeth are the Teeth of a Lion: i. e. they devoured all things greedily and ſpeedily.
And he turned himſelf, and went out from Pharaoh.] Either Moſes did not ſtay for an Anſwer, knowing he would give him none better than formerly; or Pharaoh anſwered ſo churliſhly, that Moſes haſtily turned about (as the words ſeem to import) and went away in ſome indignation.
Ver. 7. And Pharaoh's Servants ſaid.] Some of his Counſellors, or Courtiers, who feared the word of the LORD, IX. 20. Or, perhaps the whole Court began now to be ſenſible of their Danger.
How long ſhall this Man.] They ſeem to ſpeak contemptibly of Moſes, to pleaſe Pharaoh: who they were afraid would not like their Counſel, unleſs they flattered him.
Be a Snare to us?] The LXX. and the Vulgar tranſlate it, be a ſtumbling-block: i. e. lay before us the Occaſion of our falling into one Calamity after another. Or, involve and intangle us in ſo many Miſchiefs.
Knoweſt thou not yet, that Egypt is deſtroyed?] Doſt thou not conſider, that ſo many Plagues have ruined our Country?
Ver. 8. And Moſes and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh, &c.] Upon this Advice, he commanded them to be called back again: and conſented to let them go, with ſome Limitations; to which Moſes could not agree.
But who are they that ſhall go?]. In the Hebrew the words are, but who and who? that is, Name the particulars. For his Covetouſneſs would not ſuffer the whole Nation to go; but he would keep ſome faſt in his hands, as a Pledge for the Return of the reſt.
Ver. 9. And Moſes ſaid, we will go with our young and our old, &c. with our Flocks and with our Herds, &c.] The reaſon of this large Demand is given in the end of this Verſe. They did not know what and how often they muſt Sacrifice to the LORD: and therefore it was neceſſary their Flocks and Herds ſhould go with them. And they being to hold a Feast unto the LORD, none of them were to be abſent from the Solemnity.
Hold a Feast unto the LORD.] It appears from V. 1, 3. that it was to be a Feast upon a Sacrifice: of which every one was to be a partaker.
Ver. 10. And he ſaid unto them, Let the LORD be ſo with you, as I will let you go, &c.] Moſt take this for a form of Imprecation; as if he had ſaid, I wiſh you may proſper no better, than I will accord to your deſire. But ſome look upon it as an Irriſion or Jeer; as if he had ſaid, you truſt in the LORD, let him do all he can to deliver you, as I am reſolved to keep you here. This juſtifies the truth of their Obſervation, who ſay, that Pharaoh at the firſt behaved himſelf like a proud Phantaſtick Humorist, who ſlighted all that Moſes ſaid or did; but ſince the Plague of Murrain on the Cattle, and Blains upon the Egyptians, like a fantaſtick diſtracted Bedlam, who raved, as if his Brains had been blaſted (to uſe Dr. Jackſon's Phraſe) with the Fumes of his ſeared Conſcience.
Look you to it, for evil is before you.] It is uncertain, whether he meant evil, that they deſigned againſt him; or, which he deſigned againſt them. The former beſt agrees with what follows; as if he had ſaid, you intend a Rebellion; therefore I will let none but the Men go. Or, more plainly, it is viſible you deſign ſome evil: i. e. you have conſpired to be gone, and make a Revolt. Or, it is plain and manifeſt by your very Countenances, that you intend ſome evil. If we take it the other way, for evil which he threatned to them, the meaning muſt be, Mark what I ſay, I will take a courſe with you, unleſs you be content to go and Sacrifice upon my terms; i. e. the Men only.
Ver. 11. Not ſo.] You ſhall not have your will.
Go now ye that are Men and ſerve the LORD, for that you did deſire.] So he Interprets their Demand, V. 1. pretending that Women and Children needed not to attend upon Sacrifices.
And they were driven out from Pharaoh's preſence.] It is likely he ſaid, I have no more to ſay to you; or, you know my mind, and therefore get you gone: and then commanded his Officers to thruſt them out of Doors; which they did with ſome violence. This ſhows he was in a fury; which made him neither regard God, nor Man: but reject the good Counſel his own Servants had given him, (v. 7.) as well as the Commands which Moſes from God had delivered to him.
Ver. 12. And the LORD ſaid unto Moſes, ſiretch out thine hand, &c.] Upon this, the Lord immediately ordered Moſes to Execute the Judgment he had denounced. Which, as I ſaid before, was threatned about the ſeventh day, and inflicted upon the next; and removed on the ninth day of Abib. Compare v. 4, 13, 19.
Ver. 13. And Moſes ſtretched forth his Rod over the Land of Egypt.] See VIII. 6.
And the LORD brought an East wind, &c.] Though the Hebrew word kadim doth properly ſignifie the East, yet it is ſometimes uſed for the South, as Boehart hath demonſtrated, P. II. Hieroz. L. I. c. 15. and ſo the LXX. here underſtood it. For though in Arabia, which lay East of Egypt, there were great ſtore of Locuſts, yet not ſuch Numbers as were in Ethiopia, which lay South of it; and abounded with them more than any Country in the World. Some People there, lived upon nothing elſe but Locuſts; which were brought thither in the Spring, about the Vernal Aequinox, in vaſt quantities; partly by the Weſtern, and partly by the Southern Winds, as the ſame Bochart ſhows out of good Authors, L. IV. c. 3. And now it was about that time of the year, when by a Wind blowing from thoſe parts, they were brought into Egypt. See LXXVIII Pſal. 26.
Ver. 14. And the Locuſts went up over all the Land of Egypt.] Being lifted up by the Wind (as Pliny ſpeaks) they ſly in the Air in a great Cloud; which now it ſeems ſpread it ſelf over all the Land of Egypt, ſolicitè ſpectantibus populis, &c. (as the ſame Author ſpeaks) People looking on them in great fear, leſt they fall down and cover their Country; as the words following tell us they did here in Egypt.
And reſted in all the Coaſts of Egypt.] After they had hovered a while in the Air over the whole Country, they came down and ſetled upon the Ground in every part of it.
Very grievous were they.] By their vaſt Numbers. For ſo the word Caved, I have often obſerved, ſignifies: and ſo the Vulgar Latin here tranſlates, innumerable.
Before them there were no ſuch Locuſts.] See v. 6.
Neither after them ſhall be ſuch.] i. e. Not in the Land of Egypt; though in other Countries there might; particularly in Judea, when God brought this Plague upon it, I Joel 2.
Ver. 15. For they covered the Face of the whole Earth, &c.] The word in the Hebrew which we tranſlate Face, ſignifying properly the Eye, it induced Onkelos to tranſlate this Paſſage, they covered the Sun; which is the Eye of the Earth: That is, there was ſuch a thick Cloud of them before they fell, that they darkned the Sun; as when they were fall'n, they darkned the Land, as it here follows. Or, the meaning is, there were ſuch Numbers that they not only covered the Earth, but the Sun alſo. For many Authors mentions ſuch prodigious Clouds of them, as have ſo thickned the Sky, that the Day hath been turned into Night. See Bochart. P. II. Hieroz. L. IV. c. 5.
And they did eat every Herb of the Land, &c.] See v. 5.
Ver. 16. Then Pharaoh called for Moſes and Aaron in haſte.] This Dr. Jackſon not improperly calls, another raving ſit, or phrenetical ſymptom; into which this new Calamity threw him.
I have ſinned against the LORD your God, and against you.] Whom he had lately cauſed to be driven out of his Preſence, (v. 11.) but now humbles himſelf before them, more than he had done at any time before. For this was ſuch a Plague as all Men accounted, a manifeſt Token of the Divine Diſpleaſure. According to that of Pliny, L. XI. c. 29. Deorum irae peſtis ea intelligitur. This is taken for a Plague of the Anger of the Gods: or, as ſome Copies have it, Mira peſtis, a wonderful Plague ſent from above.
Ver. 17. Now therefore, forgive, I pray you, my ſin only this once, &c.] Nothing could be ſpoken more humbly, and ſeemingly penitent, than this Supplication; which includes in it alſo a Promiſe never to offend again. But there was no Sincerity in it, being the effect only of a great fright, which extorted this Confeſſion and Submiſſion from him, without any ſerious meaning to continue in this Reſolution. Thus we all naturally think of Repenting (as Pellicanus here piouſly reſlects) when we are in great ſtraits; nay, and promiſe it too, till we are out of danger: when we perform little of what we promiſed, as our whole Life teſtifies.
That he may take away from me this death only.] We cannot gather from hence, that the Locuſts killed Men and Women, as the Hail did: for the Fields, and the Trees, &c. are ſaid to die, as well as Men, XLVII Gen. 19. XIV Job 8, &c. But the Locuſts, deſtroying the Supports of Life (by eating up the Corn, and the Graſs, &c.) might, by conſequence, be ſaid to kill the People. In both which regards, Pharaoh might call them deadly Locuſts.
Ver. 18. And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.] Both Moſes and Aaron were called to Pharaoh; and therefore now went both out: But one only is mentioned, viz. Moſes, becauſe by his Prayers this Plague was removed.
Ver. 19. And the LORD turned.] This is ſuppoſed to be done the next day, as I obſerved v. 12. according to what is ſaid VIII. 29.
A mighty ſtrong Weſt-wind.] Strong Winds are the only Remedy to free a Country from this Plague, as Pliny hath obſerved. For if they die in thoſe Fields on which they ſettle, the Air is ſo corrupted by the ſtench, that it breeds Peſtilential Diſeaſes.
Which took away the Locuſts, and cast them into the Red-ſea.] That which we call the Red-ſea, the Hebrews call the Sea of Suph, i. e. of Flags; as we tranſlate the word Suph, in the ſecond Chapter of this Book, v. 3. becauſe it was full of a certain Weed (which the Latines call alga, and the Greeks foreign) which ſome Travellers have affirmed to be of a red Colour, and to make the Water appear as if it were red alſo: from whence ſome fancy it was called the Red-ſea. Certain it is, it had the Hebrew Name of Suph from hence; there being ſuch abundance of this Weed in that Sea, that the Inhabitants of the Coaſt, plucking it up out of the Water, and laying it in heaps to be dried by the Sun, it becomes ſo compact, that they build Houſes of it, as Bochartus hath obſerved in his Phaleg. L. IV. c. 29. But it is moſt likely to have had the Name of the Red-ſea from this: that what the Hebrews called the Sea of Suph, the nearer Neighbours called the Sea of Edom, from the Country which it waſhed, viz. Idumaea, 1 Kings IX. 26. XXI Numb. 4. From whence, the Greeks, who knew not the reaſon of the Name, called it foreign, the Red-ſea; becauſe Edom, in Hebrew, ſignifies red, as we find XXV Gen. 29. Now this Sea (which late Writers call Sinus Arabicus) lies Eaſt of Egypt: and therefore a Weſt wind was moſt proper to drive the Locuſts thither.
There remained not one Locust in all the Land of Egypt.] The Power of God appeared no leſs in ſweeping them all away, than in bringing them upon the Country: for both were done at the inſtance of Moſes.
Ver. 20. But the LORD hardned Pharaoh's heart, &c.] See IX. 12. He left him to himſelf; and did not move him to perſiſt in his late good Reſolution.
Ver. 21. And the LORD ſaid unto Moſes.] He left off now to treat with Pharaoh; and only proceeds in the Execution of the Sentence of utter Deſtruction, which he had decreed againſt him.
Stretch out thine hand towards Heaven.] See IX. 22.
That there may be Darkneſs over the Land of Egypt.] So that they ſhould not ſee any thing at Noonday.
Even Darkneſs that may be felt.] In the next Verſe he calls it thick Darkneſs: which was made, I ſuppoſe, by ſuch clammy Foggs, that they ſenſibly affected the Egyptians.
Ver. 22. And there was thick Darkneſs in all the Land of Egypt three days.] Some think, that during this three days Darkneſs the Iſraelites were Circumciſed; when the Egyptians, by reaſon of the great Horrour they were in all that time, could take no Advantage of them. And ſo Dr. Lightfoot expounds CV Pſal. 28. They rebelled not against his word; but ſubmitted to be Circumciſed. For the words ſeem to ſignifie ſome ſpecial piece of Obedience, which they then performed. The Author of The Life and Death of Moſes, will have it, that they puniſhed and cut off ſeveral wicked People among the Iſraelites themſelves; which they did at this time, that the Egyptians might not know it, and rejoyce at it. But that which is more certain, is, that if the former Plague ended on the ninth day, this Judgment was ordered upon the tenth of the Month Abib. On which day they begun to prepare for the Paſſover, by taking up the Lamb which was to be then ſlain four days after. And God appointed this to be the first Month of the Year, which hitherto had been the ſeventh, XII. 2, 3, 4.
Ver. 23. They ſaw not one another. We may well look upon this, as an Emblem of the Blindneſs of their Minds; which was ſo great, that they had not the leaſt diſcerning of their approaching Deſtruction. Some of the Romans mention ſuch Darkneſs for a ſhort time, as was counted prodigious, by Livy and Julius Obſequens. Particularly at the Death of the Emperour Carus, there was ſuch a Miſt, that one man could not know another, (See more Examples in Huetius, L. II. Alnet. Quaeſt. c. 12. p. 203, &c.) But of ſuch a Darkneſs as this, which continued to obſcure all things three days together, there is no Record, but in this Sacred Story. Which no Man hath the leaſt reaſon to disbelieve; it being as eaſie for God to continue it for three days, as for one hour; there being alſo a very great reaſon for it, both to puniſh the Egyptians, and relieve the Iſraelites.
Neither roſe any from his place.] None ſtir'd out of their Houſes; for they could not ſee one another within Doors: no, not by the help of a Candle, or a Fire, as the Author of the Book of Wiſdom underſtood it, XVII. 5. where he alſo ſuppoſes, that they were affrighted with Apparitions; and their own evil Conſciences were alſo a great Terrour to them, while they remained Priſoners ſo long in diſmal Darkneſs. And the Pſalmist juſtifies him, in part, when inſtead of mentioning this Plague of Darkneſs (as he doth the reſt which were inflicted on the Egyptians) he ſaith, God ſent evil Angels among them, LXXVIII Pſal. 49.
But all the Children of Iſrael had light in their dwellings.] Whereby they were inabled to go about their buſineſs, and get all things ready for their departure, without any notice of the Egyptians, much leſs any hindrance from them; who were in a Miſt, and could not ſee what they were a doing.
Ver. 24. And Pharaoh called unto Moſes.] He was ſo terrified by the horrible Apparitions he had ſeen, that at the end of the three days of Darkneſs, he ſent a Meſſenger to call Moſes: for before that time none could find their way to him. Or perhaps, the meaning may be, that in his ravening ſit, he called for Moſes, as if he had been near him.
And ſaid.] When Moſes came, he made his former Confeſſion a little larger: but had not the heart to comply intirely.
Go ye, ſerve the LORD; only let the Flocks and the Herds be ſtayed, &c.] It was a perfect infatuation to higgle (as we ſpeak) with Moſes, and ſtill drive his Bargain as low as he could, when he was reduced to ſuch Diſtreſs, that he was upon the brink of Deſtruction. But this was the effect of his Covetouſneſs, which was incurable; and would not ſuffer him to part with them, but ſtill to keep a Pawn for their Return to his Servitude.
Let your little ones go with you.] His Blindneſs made him think this a great Condeſcention, becauſe he had denied it before, v. 10.
Ver. 25. And Moſes ſaid, Thou must give us alſo Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings, that me may Sacrifice, &c.] The difference between Sacrifices, and Burnt-offerings, See XVIII. 12. As they were to Sacrifice to the LORD their God, which was the Service he required, ſo they were to hold a Feast unto him; at which both Sacrifices and Burnt-offerings were neceſſary.
Ver. 26. Our Cattle alſo ſhall go with us.] i. e. Therefore we cannot leave our Cattle here, becauſe we muſt uſe them in Sacrifices, &c.
There ſhall not an Hoof he left behind.] i. e. The ſmalleſt thing. For this was a Proverbial Speech in the Eaſtern Countries, as appears by the like ſaying among the Arabians; which was firſt uſed about Horſes, and afterwards tranſlated to other things; Preſent Money even to an Hoof: That is, they would not part with an Horſe (or any other Commodity) till the Buyer had laid down the price of it, to a Farthing, as we now ſpeak. Or, according to the preſent German Language, the Hoof may be put for the whole Beaſt; and the meaning be, we will not leave ſo much as one behind us. So Conr. Pellicanus.
For thereof must we take to ſerve the LORD our God.] To offer Sacrifice to him.
And we know not with what we muſt ſerve the LORD, &c.] Who was to appoint his own Sacrifices: as he afterwards did, when they came into the Wilderneſs.
Ver. 27. But the LORD hardned Pharaoh's heart, &c.] He did not incline Pharaoh to comply with this motion; but ſuffered him to perſiſt in his Obſtinate Reſolution, not quite to part with them. See v. 20.
Ver. 28. And Pharaoh ſaid unto him, Get thee from me.] This ſounds, as if he intended again to have him driven from his Preſence, (as v. 11.) ſo ſoon did he forget his own humble Confeſſions and Supplications to him, v. 16, 17. and returned to his frantick Rage and Fury againſt him.
Take heed to thy ſelf, ſee my face no more: for in that day thou ſeest my face, thou ſhalt die.] A Speech more fooliſh than proud, (as Dr. Jackſon obſerves) to come from a Man whom the LORD had ſo much impoveriſhed, and ſo often humbled; and given ſufficient Proofs of his Power, not only to bring greater Plagues immediately upon him, but to cut him off.
Ver. 29. And Moſes ſaid, Thou haſt ſpoken well, I will ſee thy face again no more.] That is, unleſs I be called for; as one would think he was; becauſe Moſes did deliver one Meſſage more to him, XI. 4, 8. Though we may ſuppoſe he delivered it now; or, that he did not deliver it himſelf, but by ſome other Perſon. But that doth not agree with the laſt words of v. 8. of the next Chapter. And we read alſo, XII. 31. that Pharaoh called for Moſes and Aaron by night: who perhaps did not go, but only receive his Meſſage.