Exodus 10

Exodus 10:1

FOr I have hardened] Vers. 20. 27. & Chap. 4. 21. & 11. 10. Deuteronomy 2:30. The wicked must be admonished, though there be no hope they will be amended, Isa. 6. 9, 10. Ezek. 2. vers. 3, 4, 5. For if they turne not, God will whet his sword, Psalms 7:12. and be glorified in his justice upon them, who made no account of his mercy.

Exodus 10:2

eares of thy sonne] Chap. 13. 8. The miracles were so great that they should be spoken of for ever: where also we see the dutie of parents towards their children, which is to teach, and instruct them in the Word and Workes of the Lord, Deut. 6. vers. 6, 7. Psal. 71. vers. 15. 18. Joel 1. 3. Ephesians 6:4.

Exodus 10:3

humble thy selfe] The end of affliction is to humble our selves, with true repentance, under the hand of God: and so it is a mercy to be afflicted, but if it doe not take effect, it is sometimes withdrawne in judgement, as Isaiah 1:5. and so it was in Pharaoh and his peoples case, from whom one plague was removed, that another might succeed it.

Exodus 10:4

locusts] The Hebrew word Arbe signifieth both a Locust, and a multitude of Locusts: for the word Haba, whence it is derived, signifieth to be many, and their multitude is significantly set downe in the next verse.

Exodus 10:5

the face] Heb. the eye. Not able to see the earth, (in many places) they shall swarm, in such numbers, that they shall cover the ground from mans sight, though they most abound where most abundance of greene fruit, or food is to be devoured, See Plin. lib. 11. 100: 29.

and they shall eate] Devouring vermine are Gods scourge on man, for mans contumacie and contempt of God and his Word, Joe 1:4.

the residue] From the plague of Haile, the Wheat and the Rye were preserved, because they were not then growne up, Chap. 9. vers. 32. Heb. They were hidden or darke, out of sight, and out of hurt: whereby it appeares there was an intermission betwixt this and the precedent plague, whereby the contumacie of Pharaoh was increased, and occasion given for more miracles.

every tree] That is, the fruit of every tree, though these being such as were never seen before, vers. 6. they might be such, as might eate into the wood, as well as devoured the fruite: for that is reported of some Locusts, Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 11. 100: 29. and these were worse, not onely then any that were before, but then any that come after, vers. 14.

Exodus 10:6

neither thy fathers fathers have seene] That is, they have not seene such for number, nor any in effect so hurtfull as these: but they and their fathers had seene Locusts before, for Egypt had her part of such kind of creatures, as well as other Countries, and more then some others.

Exodus 10:7

a snare unto us] Or an offence, as some read: or an occasion of all these evils: so are the godly charged, as Elias by Ahab: the sinne and the blame should goe together; but the wicked procure judgement on themselves, and impute their plagues to the godly, who would reclaime them, and secure them, Chap. 23. 33. Joshua 23:13. 1 Samuel 18:21.

Exodus 10:8

who are they] Heb. who and who, &c.

Exodus 10:9

with our young] Young and old (being comprehended in the Covenant) were to have their parts, both in the deliverance from servitude, and in the service of their deliverer.

our flocks and our berds] Both for sacrifice to God, and sustenance for our selves.

Exodus 10:10

Let the LORD be so with] The words of Pharaoh savour of much distemper, and little sense: the passion of anger is said to be a short furie: he was long angry, and so did (a great while) like a furious mad-man: and as he did so, so he sometimes spake, he knew not what: and what he meant in this speech is hard to say: it may be he wished that God had no more good will to them, then himselfe had, that as he was unwilling to let them goe, so God would be unwilling to goe with them: or it may be, he might (by way of derision) taunt them for their trust in God, for their deliverance, as if he would doe no more for them, then himselfe would doe: and he would not let them goe with their little ones (but with their men onely at the most, vers. 11.) and therefore that God either would not or could not, worke their full deliverance out of his hands. This was either his hope, or the desire of his heart.

for evill is before you] That is, though you make a pretence of sacrifice, you have some evill plot, or purpose to effect; or some evill is before you to way-lay you, and light upon you: at least he thought they meant wholly to quit themselves from his service, as Chap. 1. 10. and therefore he would have kept their little ones as pledges for their returne: and he threatens them, if they persist in such a purpose, to prevent the performance of it, by some surprisall of their persons.

Exodus 10:11

Not so] That is, as you demand, for the departure of so many.

Exodus 10:13

over the land] Neither his Rod, nor his Armie could reach over all the Land: the meaning is, (as at other times) that he stretched his Rod over some part, in the name of the whole.

the East wind brought the Locusts] Genesis 8:1. Numbers 11:31. Psalms 78:46. & 105. 34, 35.

Exodus 10:14

neither after them shall] This Moses speaketh by the Spirit of prophecie, which as it shewed him a long retrospect to the beginning of the world, so did it shew him a prospect as long forward to future times. See the like prediction, Chap. 11. Vers. 6.

Exodus 10:15

covered] See Annot. on vers. 5.

darkened] Either by such covering of the earth, as hath been spoken of, Annot. on vers. 5. Or by flying so many together, as (like a cloud) doe darken the Ayre: so it was with swarmes of Locusts in Poland and Silesia, Anno 1575. which for a mile and an halfe obscured the light of the Sunne, Anno 1475. Bucolz Chron. p. 425. The like happened also, Anno 1542. p. 546. Ibid.

did eate] Psalms 78:46. & 105. 34, 35.

Exodus 10:16

I have sinned] Chap. 9. 27. 1 Samuel 26:21.

and against you] (1 Samuel 15:24. Numbers 21:7.) Against you all, whom I have oppressed with grievous servitude; and against you Moses and Aaron in particular, whose persons and miraclous operations, and just requests I have hitherto contemned.

Exodus 10:17

forgive,—my sinne onely this once] He taketh notice of his sinne as the cause of his punishment, and desires the removall of the cause, onely that he may be free from the effect: and he stints his petition to this sinne onely, either out of some hopefull opinion he had of himselfe that he should no more provoke God to plague him as he had done; or he seemeth modest in his request, that he might more easily obtaine it, thereby as it were, threatning himselfe, that if he transgressed so againe, he would desire to be pardoned no more.

intreat] 1 Kings 13:6. Acts 8:24. Romans 15:30.

this death onely] That is, this deadly plague, 2 Corinthians 11:23. for being such Locusts, as the like never were before, nor should be afterward, they might be a deadly annnoyance unto them, as wel as devourers of the fruit of the earth; and so that may well be true, which is said (in the booke of Wisdome, 100: 16. 5: 19.) for them the bitings of the grashoppers and flies killed, neither was there found any remedy for their life: indeed it was easie for God, to make them as perniclous to the persons of men, as to the fruits of the earth; and the devouring of them onely might be called a death, because it was like to produce a famine, and famine is (many times) followed with the pestilence, both which are deadly plagues.

Exodus 10:18

And intreated the Lord] The charitie of the godly must exceed the maliguitie of the wicked, and they pray for them, though they deserve rather cursings, then blessings, Matthew 5:44.

Exodus 10:19

westwind] Heb. a wind of the Sea. Because the Mediterraneum sea is Westward, in respect of Canaan, and of Egypt: hence it is, that the Hebrews signifie the West by the Sea.

cast them] Hebr. fastned.

Red sea] Acts 7:36. Hebrews 11:29. In the Heb. it is the sea of Bulrushes: the Greek and Latine usually render it the Red sea, so called as some think, because the water is red. Adrich. Delph. Theat. pag. 123. Some, because it seemeth red, by reason of the red sand, or gravell; so the Geneva: or from a red mountains neere unto it: but it is rather thought, (by the most Judicious) that it is so called from a King who had his Dominion neere unto it, whose name was Erythras, (Erythros in Greeke signifying red) which may be Edom, that is Esau, the red sonne of Isaac: See 2. Annot. in Gen. 100: 25. 5: 30. and Fulleri Miscellan. lib. 4. cap. 20. & Sixt. Amam. Antibuc. dissertat. de Nom. Jehovah, p. 531.

Exodus 10:21

even darknesse that may he felt] The words are figurative, importing extraordinary black darknesse, as rivers of teares, Psal. 119. 5: 136. extraordinary sorrow: yet God might so thicken the aire, that they might take notice of it, not onely by the eye, but by the hand, when they could rather feele, then see what was next unto them: so that (for three dayes space) they stirred not from their places: This darknesse might be caused by a withdrawment of the light of the celestiall bodies, or by drawing a thicke curtaine of very blacke clouds betwixt mens eyes and them; or by thicke foggy vapours, which were so grosse that (like tangible bodies) they might in a manner be felt: such hyperbolicall expressions are usuall not only in humane authors, but also in the holy Scriptures. See Deuteronomy 1:28.

Exodus 10:23

neither rose any] They were not only (for three dayes space) deprived of the naturall lights & lampes of heaven, but of artificiall also, the vapours might be so thicke and moyst as to put out their candles and any other light that was kindled by them: so they were as blind men, that could not see at all, and as lame men, that could not move from their places; and so they sate still, as under the arrest of this darknesse, because they could not see what to doe, whither to goe.

Israel had light] Esa. 60. 2. Whereby they had opportunitie to have stolne away; these three dayes of darknesse to the Egyptians and of light to the Israelites, would have served for their three dayes Journey, in the wildernesse, Chap. 3. 18. & 5. 3. & 8. 27. in which time they might have removed themselves and their goods: but God had yet more miracles to worke for his owne glory and their saferie, and he would not have them goe out like fugitives at all, but rather to march out of Egypt as by way of honourable and triumphant victory over their enemies.

Exodus 10:24

and your herds be stayed] As a pawne of their return, and a forfeiture if they returned not.

Pharaoh called] After the three dayes darknesse was expired, and light returned.

only let your flocks] As a gage or pawne of their returne, or as a recompence and supply for the losses of their cattell by the plagues of haile and murrain. Chap. 9. 5: 6. 25.

Exodus 10:25

Thou must give us also] Thou must not only give us leave to goe, but permit us to have our cattell also, that we may have wherewith to sacrifice to God.

Exodus 10:26

Not an hoofe be left] The Ministers of God ought not to yeeld one jot to the wicked (as touching their charge) though they would not have him obeyed at all; his word and will must be performed to a tittle.

with what] That is, with what beasts, or how many in particular the laws of sacrifices were punctually set down after their deliverance out of Egypt: yet from Cain and Abels oblations, Genesis 4. the continuall practise of the Patriarchs, and the distinction of beasts, cleane and uncleane, was some direction for this dutie.

Exodus 10:28

thou shalt die] Though before he confessed Moses just, yet (against his own conscience) he threatneth to put him to death: an impudent stubbornnesse, after so many miraculous terrors, by the ministery of Moses, that he should threaten him with death, whose prayers he had so often begged for his deliverance: all wickednesse is folly, but such as this, is no lesse then madnesse, and a wonder of the devils working by divine permission: yet did not discourage Moses from his dutie, Hebrews 11:27.

Exodus 10:29

thou hast spoken well] He approveth not Pharaohs speech in Pharaohs sense, but rather taunts him, turning his words to another intent then he thought of, whereof see 5: 29.

thy face no more] These words are set down here, (by Anticipation) for they were not spoken untill after Moses his last message, Chap. 11. 5: 4. 8. Or else they may be a prophesie of Pharaohs perdition in the sea, that (after their parting) he should be drowned, no more to be seen by him or any else.