Exodus:9

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* Verse 1-7 - God will have Israel released , Pharaoh opposes it , and the trial is , whose word shall stand . The hand of the Lord at once is upon the cattle , many of which , some of all kinds , die by a sort of murrain . This was greatly to the loss of the owners ; they had made Israel poor , and now God would make them poor . The hand of God is to be seen , even in the sickness and death of cattle ; for a sparrow falls not to the ground without our Father . None of the Israelites ' cattle should die ; the Lord shall sever . The cattle died . The Egyptians worshipped their cattle . What we make an idol of , it is just with God to remove from us . This proud tyrant and cruel oppressor deserved to be made an example by the just Judge of the universe . None who are punished according to what they deserve , can have any just cause to complain . Hardness of heart denotes that state of mind upon which neither threatenings nor promise , neither judgements nor mercies , make any abiding impression . The conscience being stupified , and the heart filled with pride and presumption , they persist in unbelief and disobedience . This state of mind is also called the stony heart . Very different is the heart of flesh , the broken and contrite heart . Sinners have none to blame but themselves , for that pride and ungodliness which abuse the bounty and patience of God . For , however the Lord hardens the hearts of men , it is always as a punishment of former sins . * Verse 8-12 - When the Egyptians were not wrought upon by the death of their cattle , God sent a plague that seized their own bodies . If lesser judgments do not work , God will send greater . Sometimes God shows men their sin in their punishment . They had oppressed Israel in the furnaces , and now the ashes of the furnace are made a terror to them . The plague itself was very grievous . The magicians themselves were struck with these boils . Their power was restrained before ; but they continued to withstand Moses , and to confirm Pharaoh in his unbelief , till they were forced to give way . Pharaoh continued obstinate . He had hardened his own heart , and now God justly gave him up to his own heart 's lusts , permitting Satan to blind and harden him . If men shut their eyes against the light , it is just with God to close their eyes . This is the sorest judgment a man can be under out of hell . * Verse 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 . * Verse 22-35 - Woful havoc this hail made : it killed both men and cattle ; the corn above ground was destroyed , and that only preserved which as yet was not come up . The land of Goshen was preserved . God causes rain or hail on one city and not on another , either in mercy or in judgment . Pharaoh humbled himself to Moses . No man could have spoken better : he owns himself wrong ; he owns that the Lord is righteous ; and God must be justified when he speaks , though he speaks in thunder and lightning . Yet his heart was hardened all this while . Moses pleads with God : though he had reason to think Pharaoh would repent of his repentance , and he told him so , yet he promises to be his friend . Moses went out of the city , notwithstanding the hail and lightning which kept Pharaoh and his servants within doors . Peace with God makes men thunder-proof . Pharaoh was frightened by the tremendous judgment ; but when that was over , his fair promises were forgotten . Those that are not bettered by judgments and mercies , commonly become worse . **** Matthew Henry 's Commentary ****

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