Exodus 9:17

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 signal instance of the power of God has to humble and bring down the proudest of his enemies. When God's justice threatens ruin, his mercy at the same time shows a way of escape from it. God not only distinguished between Egyptians and Israelites, but between some Egyptians and others. If Pharaoh will not yield, and so prevent the judgment itself, yet those that will take warning, may take shelter. Some believed the things which were spoken, and they feared, and housed their servants and cattle, and it was their wisdom. Even among the servants of Pharaoh, some trembled at God's word; and shall not the sons of Israel dread it? But others believed not, and left their cattle in the field. Obstinate unbelief is deaf to the fairest warnings, and the wisest counsels, which leaves the blood of those that perish upon their own heads.

As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? And so against God himself, disobeying his commands, despising his messengers, and slighting his miracles, and hardening his heart against him, and refusing to let Israel go, after all; thereby showing the most intolerable pride and insolence not only against the Lord's poor people, but against himself, for what is done to them he takes as done to himself; or "dost thou still tread upon my people?" (e) trample them under foot, and make an highway or causeway of them. (e) "adhuc tu calcas populum meum?" some in Drusius; so Jarchi.

Exodus 9:17-18 . As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people? — Against me, acting for my people. God takes what is done for or against his people as done for or against himself. Behold, tomorro w — The time is precisely marked, that it might not be said to have fallen out by chance. Besides, God hereby demonstrates, that there is no part of nature but he commands, — that the fire, hail, thunder, and storm obey his will. Since the foundation thereof — Since it was a kingdom.

Verse 17. - As yet . Rather "still." And the whole verse should be rendered - "Dost thou still oppose thyself against my people, so as not to let them go." The verb translated "oppose" - ("exalt" in the A.V.) - is strictly "to raise a mound, or bank," thence "to obstruct," "oppose." Exodus 9:17

17 . exaltest thyself ] A peculiar word, found only here. The root means to cast up a way ( Isaiah 57:14 ; Isaiah 62:10 ); and the Heb. words for ‘Siege- mound ,’ and ‘high-way’ (properly, a ‘ raised way’), are derived from it; hence the meaning seems properly to be, ‘ raisest thyself up as a mound (or obstacle ) against my people,’ to oppose their release.

10. Moses took ashes from the furnace—Hebrew, "brick-kiln." The magicians, being sufferers in their own persons, could do nothing, though they had been called; and as the brick-kiln was one of the principal instruments of oppression to the Israelites [De 4:20; 1Ki 8:51; Jer 11:4], it was now converted into a means of chastisement to the Egyptians, who were made to read their sin in their punishment.

The seventh plague. - To break down Pharaoh's opposition, Jehovah determined to send such a Hail as had not been heard of since the founding of Egypt, accompanied by thunder and masses of fire, and to destroy every man and beast that should be in the field. מסתּולל עודך: "thou still dammest thyself up against My people." הסתּולל: to set one's self as a dam, i.e., to oppose; from סלל, to heap up earth as a dam or rampart. "To-morrow about this time," to give Pharaoh time for reflection. Instead of "from the day that Egypt was founded until now," we find in Exodus 9:24 "since it became a nation," since its existence as a kingdom or nation.

[Bible] 9:7. And Pharao sent to see; and there was not any thing dead of that which Israel possessed. And Pharao's heart was hardened, and he did not let the people go. 9:8. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Take to you handfuls of ashes out of the chimney, and let Moses sprinkle it in the air in the presence of Pharao. 9:9. And be there dust upon all the land of Egypt: for there shall be boils and swelling blains both in men and beasts, in the whole land of Egypt. 9:10. And they took ashes out of the chimney, and stood before Pharao, and Moses sprinkled it in the air; and there came boils with swelling blains in men and beasts. 9:11. Neither could the magicians stand before Moses, for the boils that were upon them, and in all the land of Egypt. 9:12. And the Lord hardened Pharao's heart, and he hearkened not unto them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses. Hardened, etc... See the annotations above, chap. 4.21, chap. 7.3, and chap. 8.15. 9:13. And the Lord said to Moses: Arise in the morning, and stand before Pharao, and thou shalt say to him: Thus saith the Lord, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go to sacrifice to me. 9:14. For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thy heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayst know that there is none like me in all the earth. 9:15. For now I will stretch out my hand to strike thee, and thy people, with pestilence, and thou shalt perish from the earth. 9:16. And therefore have I raised thee, that I may shew my power in thee, and my name may be spoken of throughout all the earth. 9:17. Dost thou yet hold back my people; and wilt thou not let them go? 9:18: Behold I will cause it to rain to morrow at this same hour, an exceeding great hail; such as hath not been in Egypt from the day that it was founded, until this present time.