Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Exodus
Book: Exodus
Chapter: 8
Overview:
The
Plague of frogs.
(1-15) The
Plague of
Lice.
(16-19) The
Plague of flies.
(20-32)
1-15 Pharaoh is plagued with frogs; their vast
Numbers made
them sore plagues to the Egyptians.
God could have plagued
Egypt
with
Lions, or bears, or wolves, or with birds of prey, but he
chose to do it
By these despicable creatures.
God, when he
pleases, can
Arm the smallest parts of the
Creation against us.
He thereby humbled
Pharaoh. They should neither eat, nor
Drink,
nor sleep in quiet; but wherever they were, they should be
troubled
By the frogs.
God's
Curse upon a
Man will pursue him
wherever he goes, and
Lie heavy upon him whatever he does.
Pharaoh gave way under this
Plague. He promises that he will let
the people go. Those who bid defiance to
God and
Prayer, first
or last, will be made to see their need of both. But when
Pharaoh saw there was respite, he hardened his
Heart. Till the
Heart is renewed
By the
Grace of
God, the thoughts made
By
affliction do not abide; the convictions wear off, and the
promises that were given are forgotten. Till the state of the
Air is changed, what thaws in the
Sun will freeze again in the
shade.
16-19 These
Lice were produced out of the
Dust of the
Earth;
out of any part of the
Creation God can fetch a scourge, with
which to correct those who rebel against him. Even the
Dust of
the
Earth obeys him. These
Lice were very troublesome, as
Well
as disgraceful to the Egyptians, whose priests were obliged to
take much pains that
No vermin ever should be found about them.
All the plagues inflicted
On the Egyptians, had reference to
their national crimes, or were rendered particularly severe
By
their customs. The
Magicians attempted to imitate it, but they
could not. It forced them to confess, This is the finger of
God!
The check and restraint
Put upon us, must needs be from a Divine
power. Sooner or later
God will force even his enemies to
acknowledge his own power.
Pharaoh, notwithstanding this, was
more and more obstinate.
20-32 Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the
River;
and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any
service to the
Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the
Hebrews
were to be marked in the
Plague of flies. The
Lord knows them
that are his, and will make it appear, perhaps in this world,
certainly in the other, that he has set them apart for himself.
Pharaoh unwillingly entered into a treaty with
Moses and
Aaron.
He is content they should
Sacrifice to their
God, provided they
would do it in the land of
Egypt. But it would be an
Abomination
to
God, should they offer the Egyptian sacrifices; and it would
be an
Abomination to the Egyptians, should they offer to
God the
objects of the
Worship of the Egyptians, namely, their calves or
oxen. Those who would offer acceptable
Sacrifice to
God, must
separate themselves from the wicked and profane. They must also
retire from the world.
Israel cannot keep the
Feast of the
Lord,
either among the brick-kilns or among the
Flesh-pots of
Egypt.
And they must
Sacrifice as
God shall command, not otherwise.
Though they were in slavery to
Pharaoh, yet they must obey
God's
commands.
Pharaoh consents for them to go into the
Wilderness,
provided they do not go
So far but that he might fetch them back
again. Thus, some sinners, in a pang of conviction, part with
their sins, yet are loath they should go very far away; for when
the fright is over, they will turn to them again.
Moses promised
the removal of this
Plague. But let not
Pharaoh Deal deceitfully
any more. Be not deceived;
God is not mocked: if we think to
cheat
God By a sham
Repentance and a false surrender of
ourselves to him, we shall
Put a fatal cheat upon our own souls.
Pharaoh returned to his hardness. Reigning lusts break through
the strongest bonds, and make men presume and go from their
Word. Many seem in
Earnest, but there is some reserve, some
beloved, secret
Sin. They are unwilling to look upon themselves
as in danger of
Everlasting misery. They will refrain from other
sins; they do much, give much, and even punish themselves much.
They will leave it off sometimes, and, as it were, let their
Sin
depart a little way; but will not make up their minds to part
with all and follow
Christ, bearing the
Cross. Rather than that,
they venture all. They are sorrowful, but depart from
Christ,
determined to keep the world at present, and they
Hope for some
future season, when
Salvation may be had without such costly
sacrifices; but, at length, the
Poor sinner is driven away in
his wickedness, and left without
Hope to lament his folly.