Exodus 9:20

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.

He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh,.... Who, if they had not the true fear of God, and were not sincere proselytes, yet had a servile fear of him, and dreaded his word, his threatening, his denunciations of judgments and predictions of future punishments; of which they had had many instances wherein they were fulfilled, and therefore had reason to fear that this also would, even the word that had been just now spoken: made his servants and cattle flee into the houses; called home his servants, and drove his cattle in great haste out of the fields, and brought them home as fast as he could, and housed them; in which he acted the wise and prudent part, and showed a concern for his servants and his cattle, as well as believed the word of the Lord.

Exodus 9:20 . He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh — By this time it appears that these terrible judgments had not been executed entirely in vain. A few, at least, were hereby brought to stand in awe of God and perhaps truly to turn to him. Such persons, believing the discoveries which he had given of his displeasure at the slavery and oppression of his people, and not concurring in this part of the national crimes, regarded the notice God had given, and saved their servants and the remnant of their cattle.

(20, 21) He that feared . . . — Some impression, we see, had been made by the preceding plagues, and the warning was taken to some extent; but it was otherwise with many. So in Gospel times, “Some believed the things which were spoken, and some believed not” ( Acts 28:24 ). The result was death, both to the cattle and their keepers ( Exodus 9:19 ). (Comp. Joshua 10:11 .)

Verse 20. - He that feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh . It is a new fact that any of the Egyptians had been brought to "fear the word of Jehovah." Probably, the effect of the plagues had been gradually to convince a considerable number, not so much that Jehovah was the one True God as that he was a great and powerful god, whose chastisements were to be feared. Consequently there were now a certain number among the "servants of Pharaoh" who pro-fired by the warning given (ver. 19), and housed their cattle and herdsmen, in anticipation of the coming storm. Exodus 9:20

20, 21 . How the Pharaoh’s servants—i.e. his courtiers and minister—act in consequence. 22, 23a (E). The hail comes at the signal given by Moses with his rod. The rod in Moses ’ hand is a mark of E: see on Exodus 4:17 . 23a. sent thunder ] lit. gave voices. ‘Voices’ is a common expression in Heb. for ‘thunder’ ( vv. 29, 33, 34, Exodus 19:16 , Exodus 20:18 , 1 Samuel 12:17-18 [with ‘gave,’ as here], Job 28:26 ; Job 38:25 ; cf. Revelation 4:5 ; Revelation 8:5 ; Revelation 11:15 , &c.): in a thunderstorm the Hebrews imagined Jehovah, enveloped in light, to be borne along in the dark thunder cloud; the flashes of lightning were glimpses of the brilliancy within, caused by the clouds parting; and the thunder was His voice. See especially Psalm 18:10-13 ; Psalm 29:3-9 (where ‘the voice of Jehovah’ means the thunder), Job 36:29 ; Job 37:2 . With ‘gave voices’ here, cf. ‘gave (i.e. uttered) his voice’ (in thunder), Psalm 18:13 ; Psalm 46:6 ; Psalm 68:33 al. 23b (J). The sequel of v. 18 [ vv. 19–21 being parenthetic) in J.

20, 21. He that feared the word of the Lord … regarded not, &c.—Due premonition, it appears, had been publicly given of the impending tempest—the cattle seem to have been sent out to graze, which is from January to April, when alone pasturage can be obtained, and accordingly the cattle were in the fields. This storm occurring at that season, not only struck universal terror into the minds of the people, but occasioned the destruction of all—people and cattle—which, in neglect of the warning, had been left in the fields, as well as of all vegetation [Ex 9:25]. It was the more appalling because hailstones in Egypt are small and of little force; lightning also is scarcely ever known to produce fatal effects; and to enhance the wonder, not a trace of any storm was found in Goshen [Ex 9:26].

The good advice to be given by Moses to the king, to secure the men and cattle that were in the field, i.e., to put them under shelter, which was followed by the God-fearing Egyptians ( Exodus 9:21 ), was a sign of divine mercy, which would still rescue the hardened man and save him from destruction. Even in Pharaoh's case the possibility still existed of submission to the will of God; the hardening was not yet complete. But as he paid no heed to the word of the Lord, the predicted judgment was fulfilled ( Exodus 9:22-26 ). "Jehovah gave voices" (קלת); called "voices of God" in Exodus 9:28 . This term is applied to the thunder (cf. Exodus 19:16 ; Exodus 20:18 ; Psalm 29:3-9 ), as being the mightiest manifestation of the omnipotence of God, which speaks therein to men ( Revelation 10:3-4 ), and warns them of the terrors of judgment. These terrors were heightened by masses of fire, which came down from the sky along with the hail that smote man and beast in the field, destroyed the vegetables, and shattered the trees. "And fire ran along upon the ground;" תּהלך is a Kal, though it sounds like Hithpael, and signifies grassari, as in Psalm 73:9 .

[Reformed Biblical] takes what is done to or against his people as done to or against himself. See Zec_2:8 Mat_25:40,45 Acts 9:4,5. Exodus 9:18 Since they were a kingdom or a nation. Exodus 9:19 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 exp edition, Exo 14; partly, to show the justice of God in punishing so wicked and obstinate people, as would take no warning neither from God’s words, nor from his former works; and partly, to make a difference between the penitent and the incorrigible Egyptians. Exodus 9:20 Exodus 9:21 Exodus 9:22 ## Upon man, i.e. upon those men that presumed to continue in the field after this admonition. Exodus 9:23 ## The fire ran along upon the ground, devouring both herbs and cattle which were upon it, Psa_78:47,48 105:32,33 Exodus 9:24 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. Exodus 9:25 ## i.e. Most of them; or herbs and trees of all sorts, as appears from Exo_10:12,15. See Poole " Exo_9:6 " . Exodus 9:26 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