EXPOSITION. Vers. S-12.-TBE SIXTH PLAGUE. The forward for the directions here given. But sixth plague was sent, like the third, without perhaps the object was simply to show that as notice given. It was also, like the third, a water, and earth (eh. viii. 13) and air (eh. x. 13) could be turned into plagues, so fire could plague which infiicted direct injury upon the be. The " soot of the furnace " might well person. There was a very solemn warning in represent fire, and was peculiarly appropriate it ; for the same power that could afflict the for the production of a disease which was in body with "boils and blains," i.e., with a the main an "infiammation." It is not likely severe cutaneous disease accompanied by pus• that Moses imitated any superstitious practice of the priests of Egypt. Toward the heaven. tulous ulcers---could also (it must have been The act indicated that the plagne would come felt) smit.e it with death. It is uncertain what from heaven-i.e. from God. In the sight ot exactly the malady was. Some have supposed Pha.raoh. Compare eh. vii. 20 It is probable elephantiasis, some "black leprosy," some that the symbolic act which brought the merely an eruptive disease such es is even now plague was performed " in the sight of Pharaoh " in every case, except .where the common m Egypt during the autumn. But it plague was unannounced, though the fo.ct is is, at any rat.e, evident that the malady was not always recorded. exceedingly severe-" the magicians could not Ver. 9.-It shall become small dUBt. sund before Moses" because of it (ver. 11). Bather, "It shall be as dust." No physical If it was " the botch of Egypt " (Deut. xxviii. change is intended by the expression used, 27), es seems probable, since the name in the but simply that the "soot" or "ash" should be spread by the air throughout all Egypt, 118 Hebrew is the same, it was incurable. Pharaoh dust was wont to be spread. And shall be a and his people were warned by it that God's boil breaking forth with blaina. Literally, power would be shown on themselves, not in "an inflammation, begetting pustules." The the way of mere anuoyance--ss with the description would apply to almost any eruptive earlier plagues-but of serious injury-il.lld if disease. The attempts definitely to determine what exactly the ma.lady Wll8, seem to bo so, why not of death? Thus, the sixth plague futile-more especially 118 diseases are con- heralded the t.enth, and, except the tenth, Wll8 tinually changing their forms, and a malady the most severe of all which belongs to the fourteenth or fifteenth Ver. 8.-.bhea of the funlace. Bather century before onr era. is almost certain to "BOOt from the furnace." The word commonly have been different from any now prevalent used iD Hebrew for " eshe11" is different. The word "blains "-now obsolete 11B a sepa• Many recondite rell8ons have been brought rate word-appean in "ehilblaios." OJI, IX, 8-12,J THE BOOK OF EXODUS. 203
Ver 10.-The fume.oe, H is perhaps not hnd now for some time failed to produce nny very importnnt what kind of " furnnce" is counterfeits of them. On this occasion their meant. But the point hllB been seriously persistency was punished by the sudden lulling dab11ted. Some suppose 11 furn1LCe for the of the pestilence upon themselves with such consumption of victims, humnn or other; some severity that they were forced to quit th~ 11 ho.king ovon, or cooking stove ; others 11 royal presence and hasten to their homes to be furnnce for smelting metal ; others again e. nnrsed. limekiln. The ordinnry meaning of the word Ver. 12.-And the Lord hardened Pharaoh'& used, Mbslion, is 11 "brick-kiln;" but bricks heart. Up to this time the hardening of were not often bo.lted in Egypt. Nor is it at Pharaoh's heart has been ascribed to himself, all clear that any victims were ever consumed or expressed indefinitely as a. process that was in furnnces. Probe.bly either 11 brick-kiln or 11 continnnlly going on-now for the first time furn1LCe for the smelting of mete.ls is meant. it is positively stated that God hardened his Ver. 11.-The magicians could not stand, heart, as he had threatened that he wonld (eh. It is gnthered from this that the magicians iv. 21). On the general law of God's dealingg had, up to this time, been always in attendance , , with wicked men, see the comment on the when the miracles were wrought, though they ( above passage