Commentary on Exodus, Commentary · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Verſe 1. AND the LORD ſpake unto Moſes.] Who attended upon the Divine Majeſty, we may reaſonably ſuppoſe, every day, to know his Pleaſure. And after the ſeven days (mentioned v. laſt, of the foregoing Chapter) were fulfilled; the LORD commanded him to Addreſs himſelf again to Pharaoh: and to threaten him with a new Puniſhment; which was inflicted upon the XXVth day of the ſixth Month; and taken away the day after, v. 10.
Go unto Pharaoh, and ſay unto him, Thus ſaith the LORD, &c.] The very ſame Meſſage, in effect, which he had delivered to him before, V.I. VII. 16, 17.
Ver. 2. And if thou refuſe to let them go, behold, &c.] He again threatens the Plague before he inflicts it; both that Pharaoh might know it came not by chance, but by the determinate Counſel of God; and that he might prevent it by Repentance and Submiſſion to God's Command.
I will ſmite.] This word commonly ſignifies in the Scripture Language, to kill; but here only to afflect grievouſly. See LXXVIII Pſalm 45. where to deſtroy them, ſignifies to annoy them.
All thy Borders.] Every part of his Country, to the utmoſt extent of it, i.e. in all places where the Egyptians dwelt. For it is not likely the Iſraelites were infeſted with them. See v. 4.
With Frogs.] The Hebrew word Tſaphadéa ſignifies, as Eben Ezra thinks, an Egyptian Fiſh: which ſome will have to be a Crocodile: As Gaulmyn obſerves in his Annnotations on the Life and Death of Moſes, p. 256. But this is undoubtedly falſe; for they could not infeſt them in that manner, as is deſcribed in the next Verſe.
Ver. 3. And the River ſhall bring forth.] Under the Name of the River, is comprehended all the Streams, Ponds, Lakes, and other Waters in Egypt, (as appears from v. 5.) For moſt of them came, one way or other, out of the River: they having little Rain in Egypt.
Frogs abundantly.] The Nile naturally produced Frogs, but ſuch great abundance of them as ſilled the Country, was miraculous; eſpecially being produced on a ſudden; and their going out of the River and Fields, into the Cities and Houſes, &c. was ſtill more miraculous.
Which ſhall go up.] Out of the River: which lay lower than the Land.
And come into thine Houſe, &c.] This explains, what he meant by ſmiting in the foregoing Verſe: viz. inflicting a ſore Plague, more grievous than the former. For that ſpoiled only their Water, but not their other Liquors: whereas this made them uneaſie Day and Night, in every place; whether they ſate, or walkt, or lay down, or did eat and drink. For their very Dough (as we tranſlate the word of this Verſe, in the Margin) was infeſted with them, as ſoon as they had kneaded it; and ſo was their Drink in all likelyhood, as ſoon as it was poured into their Cups. Nay, they got into their Ovens: ſo that for the preſent, I ſuppoſe, they could not bake their bread.
Ver. 4. And the Frogs ſhall come up both upon thee, and upon thy People, &c.] They came not meerly into their Houſes, but crawled upon their Perſons. And here it is obſervable, that this Plague is limited to the Egyptians (Pharaoh, his People, and Servants) the Iſraelites, one would think by theſe words, being exempted from it.
Ver. 5. And the LORD ſpake unto Moſes, ſay unto Aaron, &c.] No doubt, Moſes delivered the foregoing Meſſage unto Pharaoh; but he, it ſeems, turned away, and would give no Anſwer: For here immediately follows a new Order (which God perhaps gave Moſes upon the ſpot, as we ſpeak, before he returned home) to inflict the Plague he had bid him threaten.
Ver. 6. And Aaron ſtretched forth his hand.] He, as the Miniſter of Moſes (who was to him as God, IV. 16.) inflicted this Plague upon Egypt.
Over the Waters.] He did not go to every place, where there was Water, but ſtood by the River, and ſtretcht his Rod over it, towards every part of the Country (as Eben Ezra rightly explains it) and immediately God effected what Moſes had denounced.
And the Frogs came up, and covered the Land of Egypt.] That is, there were vaſt numbers of them came up: for they did not ſo cover the Land, but there was room for more; which the Magicians counterfeited. The Jews think here was, Menſura pro Menſura, like for like, as we ſpeak. For they ſay it was a piece of their Bondage, that the Egyptians, when they pleaſed, ſent them a fiſhing: and now God made the River ſpawn nothing but Frogs. Whoſe very croaking, others of them think, put the Egyptians in mind of the Cries of the poor Children whom they barbarouſly murdered.
Ver. 7. And the Magicians did ſo with their Inchantments, &c.] They ſhould rather have ſhown their skill in removing the Frogs, or deſtroying thoſe which Moſes had brought. Which one would think Pharaoh expected from them; for they being unable to do this, he betook himſelf to Moſes, whom he intreats to take them away: which he would never have done, if their power had not quite failed, and been unable to give him any relief. So Aben Ezra obſerves, he called for Moſes; becauſe he ſaw the Magicians had only added to the Plague, but could not diminiſh it.
Ver. 8. Then Pharaoh called for Moſes and Aaron, and ſaid, intreat the LORD, that he may take away the Frogs, &c.] He that had proudly ſaid not long ago, Who is the LORD? &c. V. 2. now ſays, Intreat the LORD, &c. This was an acknowledgment that the LORD ſent them; and that he only had power to remove them. In the former Plague, he did enough to make Pharaoh know he was the LORD, VII. 17. but this had that effect upon him for the preſent: which made him earneſtly intreat thoſe, whom he had ſcorned, to become Interceſſors to God for him and his People.
And I will let the People go, that they may do Sacrifice unto the LORD.] This was not his ſetled Reſolution, but the preſent Danger made him conſent to it: For if the Frogs had continued long, there had been no living in the Country. As appears from what we read in Athenaeus, out of Heraclides Lembus (Lib. VIII. Deipnoſ. Cap. 2.) who ſays the whole Country of Paeonia and Dardania were covered with Frogs, which God rained down from Heaven in ſuch abundance, that the Houſes and High-ways were full of them. They ſpent ſome time in killing of them; and, by keeping their Doors ſhut, they made a ſhift for a while to bear this Calamity: but when it did no good, but foreign, &c. all their Veſſels were full of them, and they mingled themſelves with their Meat, whether boil'd or roaſt; and they could tread no where but upon Frogs, they left their Country; being forced to it alſo, by the ſtench of the Frogs when they died.
They that would ſee more of this, out of ſeveral other Authours, may conſult Bonfrerius upon this very place: and Bochartus in his Hierozoic. P. 2. L. V. Cap. 2. p. 661, &c.
Ver. 9. And Moſes ſaid unto Pharaoh, Glory over me, when ſhall I intreat for thee.] Do thou appoint the time when I ſhall pray for thee, as St. Hierom tranſlates it; and ſo doth the Syriack, and Onkelos, and the LXX. who differ from the Hebrew Text in words only, not in ſenſe. For by adding the word ſaying (as we do in VII Judg. 2. where there is the ſame expreſſion) this Paraphraſe of Bochart is very proper, (Hierozoic. P. 2. L. V. Cap. 2.) though it belongs not to thee to determine the time of thy Deliverance, which depends wholly upon the Will and Pleaſure of God; yet I, who am his Miniſter, give thee leave to take ſo much upon thee, as to preſcribe what time thou pleaſeſt, for the removal of this Plague. For thus he thinks Moſes his words are to be tranſlated, Glory over me, by telling me, when I ſhall intercede for thee, &c. Moſes ſaw perhaps that Pharaoh was much addicted to Aſtrologers, who fancied all things here below to be governed by the Motion and Influence of the Stars: and therefore would have him name the time; that he might be ſatisfied there was no day nor hour under ſuch an ill Aſpect, but he could prevail with God, at any Moment he thought good to pitch upon, to Deliver him.
Bonfrerius, I think, hath expreſſed in ſhort the literal ſenſe of the Hebrew words, Tibi hunc honorem defero, ut eligas quando, &c. I will do thee the honour, that thou may'ſt aſſign the time. And our Dr. Jackſon ſtill ſhorter, Glory over me, that is, ſaith he, you ſhall command me.
Ver. 10. And he ſaid, to morrow.] But why not on that very day? all Men naturally deſiring to be inſtantly relieved from their Sufferings. Perhaps he thought (as we ſaid before) to try Moſes his Power; believing the next day not to be ſo lucky as the preſent, on which Moſes had condeſcended to his Requeſt. Or it might now be towards night, when he called for Moſes: who, he thought, would expect ſome time to pray to God, for what he deſired.
Be it according to thy word.] Thou ſhalt have thy deſire.
That thou mayeſt know there is none like unto the LORD our God.] Mayeſt no longer depend upon thy Magicians and their Gods: being convinced, that our God alone, whom we call JEHOVAH, can wound and heal.
Ver. 11. And the Frogs ſhall depart from thee, &c.] This demonſtrated the power of Moſes with God, that he could as certainly foretel the removal of the Frogs, as he had done the bringing them upon the Land.
Ver. 12. And Moſes and Aaron went out from Pharaoh.] To the place, it is likely, where Moſes was wont to attend upon the Divine Majeſty.
And Moſes cried unto the LORD becauſe of the Frogs.] In the Hebrew the words are, Cried to him about the buſineſs, or the matter, of the Frogs, which God had ſent upon Pharaoh. Or, as Aben Ezra underſtands it, concerning the Frogs, which he had promiſed Pharaoh ſhould be removed: as if the words ſhould be tranſlated thus, He cried unto the LORD concerning what he ſaid about the Frogs, and appointed unto Pharaoh. For ſo the word Sham in XV. 25. ſignifies to appoint or propoſe, and ſo the LXX. here tranſlate the words (which we render had brought against Pharaoh) foreign, as he had appointed to Pharaoh.
Ver. 13. And the LORD did according to the word of Moſes.] So powerful was he with God in Prayer, as the Heathens themſelves obſerved, from this Story. See what I obſerved out of Numenius, VII. 12.
And the Frogs died, &c.] The Egyptians could not kill them; but God took away their breath: yet not removing them from the places where they were, but leaving them dead there. As appears by what follows:
Ver. 14. And they gathered them together on heaps.] That they might carry them, it is likely, into the River; and ſo they might go down into the Sea. God could have diſſolved them into Duſt (if he had pleaſed) or ſwept them into the River from whence they came; or made them quite vaniſh in an inſtant. But he would have them lye dead before their eyes; as a Token they were real Frogs, and no Illuſion of their ſight.
And the Land ſtank.] This was a further ſenſible Evidence, that they were real Frogs.
Ver. 15. But when Pharaoh ſaw that there was reſpite.] That he was freed from the great ſtrait, in which he was. For the Hebrew word for reſpite, ſignifies breathing or inlargement; and makes the ſenſe to be this: that when the burden that preſſed him was taken off, ſo that he could take his breath, he was of another mind, &c.
He hardned his heart, and hearkned not unto them, &c.] Was not ſo good as his word, (v. 8.) but returned to his former Reſolution, not to let Iſrael go. Which Reſolution grew ſo much more ſtubborn and obſtinate, than it had been before; by how much the Plague of the Frogs had ſoftned his heart, and inclined it to yield to God, more than the two former Miracles had done.
Ver. 16. And the LORD ſaid unto Moſes, ſay unto Aaron.] The LORD ſeems to have given Pharaoh no warning of this Plague; but to have inflicted it immediately upon the removal of the Frogs, viz. on the Twenty ſeventh day of the ſixth Month. For his breach of Faith, was ſuch an high Provocation, that he deſerved no other Treatment, but a more notable Judgment.
Smite the Duſt of the Land, that it may become Lice.] Some would have the Hebrew word Cinnim to ſignifie Gnats, or ſome ſuch kind of Creature. Thus many of the Ancients underſtand it; and Artapanus calls it foreign a flying ſort of living Creature: which made ſuch Ulcers by its biting, as no Medicine could cure. See Euſebius, L. IX. Praepar. Evang. p. 425. But Bochartus hath ſufficiently proved that our Tranſlation is right; and that out of the very Text. For Gnats, and ſuch like Inſects, are bred in Fenny places; but theſe were brought out of the Duſt of the Earth.
Ver. 17. Aaron ſtretched out his hand with his Rod.] He ſtill is the Inſtrument to execute all the Judgments which Moſes denounced; as he was his Mouth to deliver all the Meſſages he carried to Pharaoh.
And ſmote the Dust of the Earth, and it became Lice.] This ſhowed the Lice were not a Natural Production; for they come out of the ſweat and filth of Mens Bodies, and of other Living Creatures.
In Man and Beast.] This proves they were Lice; which ſtick faſt both to Men and Beaſts. Whereas Gnats, though they ſting ſorely, cannot be ſaid to be in Man and Beast: for they are a moſt reſtleſs Creature, continually buzzing about, and never ſetling conſtantly in one place. And there were various ſorts of theſe Lice: for Beaſts do not breed the ſame that Men do: nor have all Beaſts alike; but ſome are peculiar to Horſes, others to Oxen, others to Sheep, and others to Swine and Dogs.
All the Dust of the Land became Lice.] That is, Nothing could be ſeen but Lice, where Duſt was before. Or, Lice were mingled every where with the Duſt.
Throughout all the Land of Egypt.] Not of Goſhen (it is very probable) which was inhabited moſtly by Iſraelites.
Ver. 18. And the Magicians did ſo, &c.] Attempted and endeavoured to do ſo; by uſing their wonted Invocations and Rites of Incantation. For the common ſaying among the Jews is very frivolous, That Daemons have no power over Creatures ſo ſmall as Lice. The meaning of which, Gaulmyn thinks, they themſelves did not underſtand; which, according to the Principles of the ancient Magick, was this: That all Animals had a particular Genius preſiding over them, by whoſe Aſſiſtance their Worſhippers could do any thing among that ſort of Creatures. But this is meant only of perfect Animals, not of Inſects (among whom they reckon'd Lice) which had no ſuch heavenly Power waiting on them. But if there had been any ſuch Notions then, theſe Magicians ſure would have underſtood it; and not fruitleſly have attempted that, which they had no hope to produce.
But they could not.] Though they had counterfeited the former Wonders; yet here a ſtop is put to their Power, ſo that they themſelves confeſs their weakneſs.
So there were Lice upon Man, and upon Beast.] This ſeems to ſuggeſt, that ſince they could not produce any new Lice, they attempted to remove thoſe, which Moſes had brought upon the Country. But they failed in that alſo: for notwithſtanding all that they could do, both Men and Beaſts were peſtered with Lice. The Hebrews ſay (in The Life and Death of Moſes) that this Plague was inflicted upon the Egyptians, for another piece of Oppreſſion which they exerciſed on the Iſraelites: to whom they ſaid, Go, ſweep our Houſes, and ſweep our Streets, &c. therefore God made Lice to cover the Earth a Cubit deep. But this favours too much of their fabulous invention. It is more pertinent to obſerve, that though we read of particular Perſons, who, for great Crimes, were puniſhed with the Plague of Lice, (See Huctius L. II. Quaeſt. Cap. XII. n. 12.) yet we do not find in any Story a whole Nation infeſted with them; and that both Men and Beaſts, without Exception: the Magicians themſelves, in all likelyhood, being ſorely aſſlicted with them: which made them cry out as here follows.
Ver. 19. Then the Magicians ſaid unto Pharaoh, This is the ſinger of God.] The ſame with what is called in other places of Scripture, the hand of God, CIX Pſal. 27. that is, his Power. There are thoſe (particularly Bochartus) who think theſe Magicians did not by theſe words, give Glory to God: but thought to ſave their own Credit with Pharaoh, by telling him, that it was not Moſes or Aaron, who were too hard for them, but a Divine Power ſuperiour to them all. To this purpoſe Jonathan. But they ought then to have been ſenſible that the Power which they dealt withal, was far from being Supream: being unable to aſſiſt them upon all occaſions. And, no doubt, God intended to confound them, by taking that time to diſable them, when they leaſt expected it. For why ſhould not their Power have extended to ſuch a ſmall thing as this, when they had done greater? But God would not let them always abuſe Pharaoh with their Illuſions; and gave them a check, when they thought themſelves moſt ſure of Succeſs.
And Pharaoh's heart was hardned.] One would have rather expected to have heard, that his heart began to relent, when he ſaw his Magicians not only puzzled, but quite bafled; ſo that they owned Moſes acted by a Power above theirs. But this it was, not to ſtick to the good Reſolutions which had lately been wrought in him, v. 8. from which he not only revolted, but grew more reſolute not to yield to God. The effect of which was this further Induration: it being natural for evil Men, who reſiſt the Means of their Cure, to grow worſe and worſe affected.
This Miracle alſo of the Lice, being more loathſom to Pharaoh, than terrible, might haply be the reaſon (as Dr. Jackſon conjectures) that he did not intreat Moſes and Aaron to pray for him: as he had done upon the ſight of the Frogs; and as he ſtraightway did after he felt the next Plague of the Flies.
I cannot but add alſo this further reflection of his, (Book X. on the Creed, Chap. XL.) that though the ſinger of God was very remarkable in producing the Lice, which the Magicians could not, yet it was no way remarkable in hardning Pharaoh's heart. For it is neither ſaid, nor intimated, that the ſinger of God hardned it; but Pharaoh's heart was hardned, that is, remained obſtinate. The Cauſe of which was his not hearkning to them, as it had been before, v. 15.
Ver. 20. And the LORD ſaid unto Moſes, riſe up early in the Morning, and ſtand before Pharaoh.] As he had ordered him to do, before he ſent the ſecond Plague, VII. 15.
Lo, he cometh forth to the Water.] This confirms what was ſaid there, that in the Morning it was uſual with him to walk out by the River; either for his Refreſhment, or for his Devotion. Perhaps, that after waſhing, he might worſhip the Riſing Sun. For Moſes is commanded, to riſe up early in the Morning, and preſent himſelf before him.
And ſay unto him, Thus ſaith the LORD, let my People go, &c.] The ſame Meſſage he had often ſent him (VII. 16, 17. VIII. 1.) together with an Admonition and Warning of his Danger: which God had not given him before the laſt Plague, v. 16.
Ver. 21. Behold, I will ſend ſwarms of flies upon thee, &c.] The Hebrew word Arob, being generally thought to come from a word, which ſignifies to mingle, Interpreters commonly think it denotes a mixture of ſeveral ſorts of Creatures. And ſome take it, as we ſeem here to do, for all manner of Flies: which Aquila calls foreign, all ſorts of Inſects. Others take it, as it is in our Margin, for a mixture of noiſom Beaſts: and ſo the Authour of The Life and Death of Moſes; God ſent Lions, Wolves, Bears, and Leopards, and ſuck like wild Beaſts, which killed not only their Cattle in the Field, but their Children in their Houſes. And ſo Joſephus expounds it, foreign. But Bochartus hath confuted this Notion, by very good Arguments, in his Hierozoicon P. 2. L. IV. Cap. XV. where he ſhows no words have more ſignifications than the Hebrew word Arab: which ſignifies not only to mingle, but among many other things, to obſcure and darken. From whence the Even time is called Ereb. And therefore, with great reaſon, he approves of the LXX. Verſion, who tranſlate it foreign, a Fleſh-ſly, very bold and troubleſome; being not eaſily drove away: which infeſts Dogs very much, eſpecially about the flaps of their Ears. Some take it for that large black fly, which faſtens upon Beaſts, and ſucks their Blood, called Arob from its black colour: as Oreb from thence ſignifies a Crow. And ſo Philo deſcribes this fly, called Cynomya, that it is as impudent as a Dog; and makes its Aſſaults with great Violence, like a Dart: faſtning its Teeth ſo deep in the Fleſh, and ſticking ſo cloſe, that it makes Cattle run mad.
This Plague the Jews ſay (in the forenamed Book of The Life of Moſes) was ſent upon the Egyptians, becauſe of the hard Service they made the Iſraelites undergo, in feeding their Cattle.
Ver. 22. And I will ſever in that day the Land of Goſhen, in which my People dwell, &c.] Here now the diſtinguiſhing Mercy of God to the Iſraelites is plainly expreſſed; which is to be underſtood in the foregoing Plagues. And the Hebrew word, as well as the Chaldee, ſignifies, I will make a wondrous difference. So Jonathan, in that day I will work a Miracle in the Land of Goſhen: For indeed it was a marvellous thing, that Countries ſo near one another, ſhould be in ſuch a different Condition at the ſame time. And it was the more wonderful, becauſe there was ſuch ſtore of Cattle in Goſhen, whoſe Dung is apt to breed Flies.
That thou mayest know, that I am the LORD in the midst of the Earth.] Who governs all things here below; or that have a ſpecial care of my People. For ſo Bochart underſtood by Earth, the Land of Goſhen. In the midst of which God is ſaid to be, becauſe he defended and delivered them from this ſore Calamity, which their Neighbours ſuffered. For thus this Phraſe is uſed in many places, VII Deut. 22. XXIII. 14. XLVI Pſal. 6, &c. And thus Conr. Pellicanus ſeems to have underſtood this Paſſage, which he interprets, you ſhall know that I am the LORD, and Prince of this Country.
Ver. 23. I will put a diviſion between thy People and my People, &c.] It is repeated again, becauſe it was a remarkable thing, and denoted the Iſraelites to be God's peculiar People; for whom he had a ſingular favour. Which is the reaſon that this Mercy is called here a Redemption (as the word in the Hebrew ſignifies, which we tranſlate diviſion) becauſe God exempted and delivered the Iſraelites from thoſe Flies, which ſorely infeſted all the reſt of Pharaoh's Dominions.
To morrow ſhall this ſign be.] The finger of God was ſo remarkable in the laſt Plague, (v. 19.) that his contemptuous diſregard of it was very provoking: So that God would forbear no longer than till the next Morning, before he ſcourged him with this new Judgment. Which was very grievous and noiſom, as appears by the following words; eſpecially by his willingneſs to grant more than he had done before, that he might be rid of it.
Ver. 24. And the LORD did ſo.] Here is no mention of Aaron's ſtretching out his Rod, (as at other times) but this was done immediately by God himſelf: That the Egpytians might not imagine there was any ſecret Vertue in the Rod; but aſcribe all to the Divine Power.
This Plague was threatned about the XXVIIIth day of the ſixth Month; and inflicted on the XXIXth: and removed on the XXXth.
And there came a grievous ſwarm of Flies, &c.] Or, a vast number of Flies: for ſo the word Caved (which we here tranſlate grievous or heavy) is uſed in L Gen. 9. See there.
And the Land was corrupted by reaſon of the ſwarm of Flies.] We are to underſtand here, by the Land, the Inhabitants of the Land: whoſe Blood theſe Flies ſuckt, and left ſuch a poiſon in it, that their Bodies ſwell'd, and many of them died. So the Pſalmiſt underſtood it, LXXVIII. 45. There is ſomething like this recorded in Heathen Stories; particularly they ſay, that when Trajan made War upon the Agarens, he was ſo aſſaulted with Flies, when he ſat down to eat, that he lookt upon them as ſent by God, and deſiſted from his Enterpriſe. And that whole Countries have been infeſted with them, appears from a number of Gods that were worſhipped, becauſe they were ſuppoſed to have drove them away, at Acaron and ſeveral other places mentioned by the Learned Aretius (in the place above quoted) from whence came the Names of Jupiter, foreign and foreign, and of Hercules, foreign, &c.
Ver. 25. And Pharaoh called for Moſes and Aaron, &c.] Sent a Meſſenger to call them to him.
Go ye, Sacrifice to your God in the Land.] He had conſented to let them Sacrifice, when he laſt ſent for them, v. 8. But he named no place; and alſo quickly repented of the Conceſſion. But now he determines it to the Land of Goſhen; where he grants them Licence to offer Publick Sacrifice. But this Moſes tells him (in the next Verſe) was not fit for them to accept; nor was it what God demanded.
Ver. 26. And Moſes ſaid, it is not meet ſo to do.] Beſides that this is not the thing that God requires, it is not prudent, becauſe it is not ſafe for us to do it.
For we ſhall Sacrifice the Abomination of the Egyptians to the LORD our God.] There is no Indication, that I can find, of any ſuch Sottiſh Idolatry now among the Egyptians, as was, it is certain, in after Ages, but what ſeems to be ſuggeſted in this place: which Learned Men have generally interpreted, as if the Senſe was this: We must Sacrifice to our God, Oxen, Sheep, and Goats, which the Egyptians Worſhip and Adore: and that would be ſuch an abominable thing in their Account (to kill their Gods) that it would give them the higheſt Provocation. Thus both the Chaldee Interpreters, the Syriack, St. Hierom, and others: which Bochartus himſelf approves of in his Hierozoic. P. 1. L. II. Cap. XXXIV. & LIII. and more largely P. 2. L. IV. Cap. XVII. But there is an Objection lies againſt this Interpretation, that long after Moſes his time the Egyptians themſelves did offer all the fore-mentioned Creatures to their Gods: For Herodotus relates (in his Euterpe, Cap. XLI.) after what manner they Sacrificed an Ox in his time: and though ſome parts of the Country abſtained from Sheep, yet they ſacrificed Goats; as, on the contrary, others abſtained from Goats and ſacrificed Sheep. See upon XLIII Gen. 23. Therefore it may be a Queſtion, Whether theſe words do not refer only to the Rites and Ceremonies of Sacrificing; and to the qualities and condition of the Beaſts which were offered: about which the Egyptians in after Ages were very curious. For the ſame Herodotus tells us (in the ſame Book, Cap. XXXVIII.) how the Sacrifices were examined by the Prieſt, and none allowed to be offered, but thoſe which had his mark upon them. And ſo Plutarch (in his Book de Iſid. & Oſir.) that the Egyptians thinking Typho to have been red, ſacrificed only ſuch Oxen as were of a red colour: making ſuch an accurate Scrutiny, foreign, that if a Beast were found to have one hair Black or white, it was judged unſit for Sacrifice. The forenamed Herodotus indeed ſaith, they would not Sacrifice Cows, becauſe they were ſacred to Iſis: which ſhows that in his time, there was great Superſtition about ſuch Creatures; ſo that none durſt offer the leaſt Violence to them. But, as we have no Evidence, that in the days of Moſes they were infected with ſuch Opinions, ſo their Sacrificing ſuch Creatures, as the Jews did long after his days, and all Mankind had done from the beginning, ſeems to be a prejudice againſt that ſenſe of the words, which is generally put upon them. But there were ſo many various ways of Sacrificing in the World, that it is very probable the Egyptians differed very much from the Iſraelites: who might offer alſo (it's likely) ſuch Creatures as the Egyptians thought unclean; whereby they might be inraged at their Profaneneſs.
Maimonides fancies the Egyptians worſhipped the Sign or Conſtellation called Aries; and that this was the occaſion of this Speech: for which I can ſee no reaſon, More Nevochim, P. III. Cap. XLVI.
And will they not ſtone us?] We cannot gather from hence, that there was ſuch a Puniſhment among the Egyptians, as ſtoning Men to death. For he doth not ſpeak here of Puniſhment by their Laws; but of what might happen from a Popular Fury.
Ver. 27. We will go three days journey into the Wilderneſs, &c.] So God had directed them; and it was not lawful for them to Sacrifice in any place, but where he appointed. Philo gives this reaſon, why they were to go into a Solitary place, there to receive Commands from God about Sacrifice, and all other parts of his Worſhip; becauſe God intended to give them a Law different from thoſe of other Nations, or rather quite oppoſite unto them. In which there were ſo many ſingular Rites, that they would have offended other People, and ſeemed to them Prophane, if they had exerciſed them among them, De Vita Moſis, p. 615. And thus Corn. Tacitus underſtood the deſign of Moſes, not to bring the Iſraelites to as near a Conformity as he could with the Gentiles (which ſome now in theſe days fancy) but to keep them at the greateſt diſtance from other Nations, by oppoſite Rites of Worſhip. His words are remarkable, L. V. Hiſtor. Cap. IV. Moſes quo ſibi in poſterum Gentem ſirmaret, novos ritus, contrarioſque caeteris mortalibus indidit. Profana illis omnia, quae apud nos ſacra: rurſum conceſſa apud illos, quae nobis inceſta.
Ver. 28. And Pharaoh ſaid, I will let you go, that you may Sacrifice to the LORD your God in the Wilderneſs.] He doth not ſay expreſly they ſhould go three days Journey, as was demanded: which hath made ſome think this was but a niggardly Conceſſion of Pharaoh's, who intended to deceive them with general words. But Moſes underſtood it otherwiſe, as appears by his acceptance of the Grant.
Only you ſhall not go very far away.] No further than three days Journey.
Intreat for me.] This indeed is added ſo quickly, and as it were with the ſame breath, that he granted their three days Journey; that it may make one think it was the leaſt part of his intention to permit that, but only to get rid of this Plague. Which if it had continued long, the Egyptians muſt have left their Country, to preſerve themſelves. Several People having been forced by Flies to quit their Habitations, as many ancient Authours inform us, mentioned by Bonfrerius and Bochartus.
Ver. 29. And Moſes ſaid, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will intreat the LORD that the ſwarm of Flies may depart, &c.] He was not more ready to deſire, than the LORD and his Servant Moſes were to grant, the total removal of this Plague: which was ſent for his Reformation, not his Deſtruction; if he would have duly conſidered it.
To morrow.] Yet he would not pray that he might be releaſed from it preſently; but let him lye a while under the ſmart of this Rod: that he might be truly humbled, and deal no more deceitfully with him, as he feared he would.
But let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more, &c.] He had promiſed fair before, v. 8. but broken his word: which made this ſolemn Caution the more neceſſary, leſt he ſhould be guilty of ſuch falſe dealing again.
Ver. 30. And Moſes went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the LORD.] He gave Pharaoh a good Example of Stedfaſtneſs, by making good his Promiſe immediately, which he gave him in the beginning of the foregoing Verſe.
Ver. 31. And the LORD did according to the word of Moſes.] Here was punctual performance on God's part, of what was agreed between him and Pharaoh, in the foregoing Treaty.
There remained not one.] This was a greater Miracle than that of removing the Frogs: for they remained in heaps and ſtank, v. 14. But theſe were all ſwept away (by a mighty wind, perhaps) either into the Sea, or into the Deſerts of Libya.
Ver. 32. And Pharaoh hardned his heart at this time alſo, &c.] This is here made an act of his own; as it was no doubt in all the former Refuſals to let them go, v. 15, 19. And he hardned his heart, by not hearkning, or not regarding what they had done, as the word is uſed and tranſlated IX. 21. That which made him not to hearken, or regard, was his exceſſive Pride and Covetouſneſs; for he thought it a diſhonour to ſubmit to Moſes: and he was very loth to loſe the Service of ſo many Slaves, which was really more worth to him, than all the Land they poſſeſſed in Egypt.