- themſelves, nor embrace the ſervice and commands of that God whoſe almighty Power they ſaw and felt. 5 Which was a very grievous Piague to them ; both becauſe it was an eternal diſhonour to their Religion, and becauſe from hence they had both their drink, 'Deut: 11: 10, 11- Jer. :8. and their meat, Numb. 11: 5. for greater and lefſer Catrel they would not eat, Ezod: 8: 26: And it was a very proper puniſhment for them, who had made that River an inſtrument for the execution of their bloody Deſiga againſt the Iraelitiſh Infants, Exod: 1: 22. |
18 And the fith that is in the river ſhall die, and the river ſhall ſtink, and the Egypcians 7 ſhall loath « to drink of the water of the river.
t Therefore the 7/-aelites were free from this plague, and thoſe branches of Nilzs which they uſed were uncorrupted, when all others were tune} into Blood. « Or; ſhall weary themſelves, in run- ning hither and thither in hopes of finding Water 1n ſome parts, or branches of the River. |
19 * And the ] ORD ſpake unto Moſes, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and ſtretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their ſtreams, upon their
+ Heb:ea- rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their +
thering of pools of water x, that they may become blood, and ag ?3- that there may be blood throughout all the land of hs Egypt, both in weſels of wood, and in veſſels of fione. | . | | x Not that he was to gotoevery Pool to uſe this Ceremony there, but he ftretched his Hand and Rod over ſome of them in the name of all the reſt, which he might ſignifie either by his words, or by the various motions of his Rod ſeveral ways.
| 20 And Moſes and Aaron did fo, as the LORD *Chap.1y commanded : and he * lift up the rod, and ſmote the waters that were in the river, in the ſight of Pharaoh, and in the ſight of his Servants : and all the * waters that were in the river, were turned to blood,
Ay.
5- P141:78:; 44. and ,
ts 21 And the filb that as in the river died : and the river ftunk, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river, and there was blood throughout all
' the land of Egypt. * Wiſd: 22 * And the magicians of Egypt did ſo with their 17-7- jnchantments y: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened :
neither did he hearken uato them, as the LORD had ſaid. (
Tt was not difficult for the Devil to convey Blood ſpeedily,and unperceivably, and thart in a. great quantity, which might ſuffice to infe& with a bloody Colour thoſe ſmall parcels of Water which were left for them to ſhe their Arr in. 2«-f. Whence could they have Water, when all their waters were turned into Blood ? Avſw.
= It might be had, either 1. by Rain, which ar that rime God was pleaſcd ro ſend down either for rhis purpyſe,or to mitigate the ex-.
with the rod that is in my hand, upon the waters
EXODUS.
hs —_————_—_
'Room of their Houſe, which their occaſions would oft force them
} ' peculiay-..
tremity of the Plague, or for other reaſons known to him,rhough not to us.For that Rain ſometimes falls in Egypz,though not much, nor ofren, is affirmed by ancient Writers, and late travejlers. Or, 2. From Gojſhey, which was not far from the Court, or from ſome Houſes of the J/raelites, who dwelt amongſt the Egyptions,as appears
Plagues. See Exod. 8: 22. and 9g: 26. and 10. 23, and 12. 13, &c.
Chap. vm}
from many places of this Hiſtory, and who were free from rheſe oh
Or, 3. From the pits which they digged, wverſ? 24. Or, 4. From ſome branch of N/lus,or ſome Veſlels in their Houſes,whoſe Waters were not yet changed : For this change might be wrought not ſud- denly, ( which is not affirmed in this relation ) but by degrees, which God might ſo order for this very end, that the Magic.ans might have matter for the trial of their experiment.
23 And Pharaoh turned, and went into his houſe,
neicher did he ſet his heart to this z alſo.
z He did not ſeriouſly conſider it, nor the cauſes or cure of this Plague, and was not much affeFed with ir, becauſe he ſaw this fact exceeded not the Power of his Magicians.
24 And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink +: for they could nor drink of che water of the river.
T It is ot much material to us,whether they loſt their Labour, and found only Blood there, as Joſephus alfirms ; or whether they ſucceeded and found Water there, which ſeems more probable, be- cauſe theſe come not within the compaſs of Moſes his commithon, verſe 17, 19, 20. or whether they found the Water ſomerhing pu- rified and leſs bloody, though mixed with Blood. Bur it is ob- ſerveable,that though the Devil could do ſomething which might increaſe the Plague, or imitate it, yet he could do nothing ro remove it.
25. And feven days were fulfilled + after that the :
LORD had tmicten the river. | '
T Ere all the Waters of Egypt were perfeQly free from this infe- tion. Ny, How could the Egyptians ſubiiſt ſo long without Water ? A2nſw. 1. Philo tells us that many of them diced of this Plague. 2. Asthe Plague mighr come on, 10 it might go off by de= grees ; and fo the Water, though mixed with Blood, mighr give them ſome relief 3. The juyces of Herbs, and others Liquors which were untouched ' with this plague, might refreſh them. 4. They might have ſome Water, either from their Pirs, or by Rain trom t:eaven, as was faid befote ; or from Goſhen ; for though it be ſaid, that the Blood was in all their Veſſels, verſe 19. yetitis not faid, that all that ſhould afterwards be put into them, thould be turned into Blood. ;
CHAP. VHL
God ſends Moſes to Pharaoh that he might let the people go, 1. He threa« rens his denial with a judgment of frogs, 2, 3, 4. Aarons ſtretching forth his rod, Egypt is covered with frogs, 6. The Magicians do ſo, T. Pharaoh calls Moſes and Aaron to intreat the Lord ro remove the frogs, and promiſes them to let them go, 8. Moſes and Aaron cries to the Lord to take away the frogs, 12, Winch he did, 13. Pharaoh's heart fill hardned, I5. Aaron ſtretching forth his rod ſmites the duſt, which be= comes lice, 17. The magicians attempt rhe ſame, but could nor, 18. Which extorted a confeſſion from them, that this is the finger of God, yee Pharaoh 5 hardened, 19, Swarms of flies threatned, 20, 21, 22, 23. God fulfils his word, 24. Pharaoh ſends for Moſes and Aaron, and j permits a ſacrifice in Egypt, 25, Moſes would go three days into the wil- d derneſs, 27. Pharaoh permits that, but not far, 28. The flies are . removed, 29----31. Pharaoh's harducd, 32.