mh_parser/vol_split/2 - Exodus/Chapter 10.xml

<div2 id="Ex.xi" n="xi" next="Ex.xii" prev="Ex.x" progress="35.55%" title="Chapter X">
<h2 id="Ex.xi-p0.1">E X O D U S</h2>
<h3 id="Ex.xi-p0.2">CHAP. X.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="Ex.xi-p1">The eighth and ninth of the plagues of Egypt, that
of locusts and that of darkness, are recorded in this chapter. I.
Concerning the plague of locusts, 1. God instructs Moses in the
meaning of these amazing dispensations of his providence, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.1-Exod.10.2" parsed="|Exod|10|1|10|2" passage="Ex 10:1,2">ver. 1, 2</scripRef>. 2. He threatens the
locusts, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.3-Exod.10.6" parsed="|Exod|10|3|10|6" passage="Ex 10:3-6">ver. 3-6</scripRef>. 3.
Pharaoh, at the persuasion of his servants, is willing to treat
again with Moses (<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.7-Exod.10.9" parsed="|Exod|10|7|10|9" passage="Ex 10:7-9">ver.
7-9</scripRef>), but they cannot agree, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.10-Exod.10.11" parsed="|Exod|10|10|10|11" passage="Ex 10:10,11">ver. 10, 11</scripRef>. 4. The locusts come,
<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.12-Exod.10.15" parsed="|Exod|10|12|10|15" passage="Ex 10:12-15">ver. 12-15</scripRef>. 5. Pharaoh
cries Peccavi—I have offended (<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.16-Exod.10.17" parsed="|Exod|10|16|10|17" passage="Ex 10:16,17">ver. 16, 17</scripRef>), whereupon Moses prays for
the removal of the plague, and it is done; but Pharaoh's heart is
still hardened, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p1.7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.18-Exod.10.20" parsed="|Exod|10|18|10|20" passage="Ex 10:18-20">ver.
18-20</scripRef>. II. Concerning the plague of darkness, 1. It is
inflicted, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p1.8" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.21-Exod.10.23" parsed="|Exod|10|21|10|23" passage="Ex 10:21-23">ver. 21-23</scripRef>.
2. Pharaoh again treats with Moses about a surrender, but the
treaty breaks off in a heat, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p1.9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.26-Exod.10.29" parsed="|Exod|10|26|10|29" passage="Ex 10:26-29">ver.
26</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<scripCom id="Ex.xi-p1.10" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10" parsed="|Exod|10|0|0|0" passage="Ex 10" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ex.xi-p1.11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.1-Exod.10.11" parsed="|Exod|10|1|10|11" passage="Ex 10:1-11" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.10.1-Exod.10.11">
<h4 id="Ex.xi-p1.12">The Plagues of Egypt. (<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p1.13">b. c.</span> 1491.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xi-p2">1 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh: for I have hardened his heart,
and the heart of his servants, that I might show these my signs
before him:   2 And that thou mayest tell in the ears of thy
son, and of thy son's son, what things I have wrought in Egypt, and
my signs which I have done among them; that ye may know how that I
<i>am</i> the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.2">Lord</span>.   3 And
Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.3">Lord</span> God of the Hebrews, How
long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? let my people
go, that they may serve me.   4 Else, if thou refuse to let my
people go, behold, to morrow will I bring the locusts into thy
coast:   5 And they shall cover the face of the earth, that
one cannot be able to see the earth: and they shall eat the residue
of that which is escaped, which remaineth unto you from the hail,
and shall eat every tree which groweth for you out of the field:
  6 And they shall fill thy houses, and the houses of all thy
servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; which neither thy
fathers, nor thy fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that
they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned himself, and
went out from Pharaoh.   7 And Pharaoh's servants said unto
him, How long shall this man be a snare unto us? let the men go,
that they may serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.4">Lord</span> their
God: knowest thou not yet that Egypt is destroyed?   8 And
Moses and Aaron were brought again unto Pharaoh: and he said unto
them, Go, serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.5">Lord</span> your God:
<i>but</i> who <i>are</i> they that shall go?   9 And Moses
said, We will go with our young and with our old, with our sons and
with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go;
for we <i>must hold</i> a feast unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.6">Lord</span>.   10 And he said unto them, Let the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.7">Lord</span> be so with you, as I will let
you go, and your little ones: look <i>to it;</i> for evil <i>is</i>
before you.   11 Not so: go now ye <i>that are</i> men, and
serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p2.8">Lord</span>; for that ye did
desire. And they were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p3">Here, I. Moses is instructed. We may well
suppose that he, for his part, was much astonished both at
Pharaoh's obstinacy and at God's severity, and could not but be
compassionately concerned for the desolations of Egypt, and at a
loss to conceive what this contest would come to at last. Now here
God tells him what he designed, not only Israel's release, but the
magnifying of his own name: <i>That thou mayest tell</i> in thy
writings, which shall continue to the world's end, <i>what I have
wrought in Egypt,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.1-Exod.10.2" parsed="|Exod|10|1|10|2" passage="Ex 10:1,2"><i>v.</i> 1,
2</scripRef>. The ten plagues of Egypt must be inflicted, that they
may be recorded for the generations to come as undeniable proofs,
1. Of God's overruling power in the kingdom of nature, his dominion
over all the creatures, and his authority to use them either as
servants to his justice or sufferers by it, according to the
counsel of his will. 2. Of God's victorious power over the kingdom
of Satan, to restrain the malice and chastise the insolence of his
and his church's enemies. These plagues are standing monuments of
the greatness of God, the happiness of the church, and the
sinfulness of sin, and standing monitors to the children of men in
all ages not to <i>provoke the Lord to jealousy</i> nor to
<i>strive with their Maker.</i> The benefit of these instructions
to the world sufficiently balances the expense.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p4">II. Pharaoh is reproved (<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p4.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.3" parsed="|Exod|10|3|0|0" passage="Ex 10:3"><i>v.</i> 3</scripRef>): <i>Thus saith the Lord God of
the</i> poor, despised, persecuted, Hebrews, <i>How long wilt thou
refuse to humble thyself before me?</i> Note, It is justly expected
from the greatest of men that they humble themselves before the
great God, and it is at their peril if they refuse to do it. This
has more than once been God's quarrel with princes. Belshazzar did
not humble his heart, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p4.2" osisRef="Bible:Dan.5.22" parsed="|Dan|5|22|0|0" passage="Da 5:22">Dan. v.
22</scripRef>. Zedekiah humbled not himself before Jeremiah,
<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p4.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.12" parsed="|2Chr|36|12|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:12">2 Chron. xxxvi. 12</scripRef>. Those
that will not humble themselves God will humble. Pharaoh had
sometimes pretended to humble himself, but no account was made of
it, because he was neither sincere nor constant in it.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p5">III. The plague of locusts is threatened,
<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p5.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.4-Exod.10.6" parsed="|Exod|10|4|10|6" passage="Ex 10:4-6"><i>v.</i> 4-6</scripRef>. The hail
had broken down the fruits of the earth, but these locusts should
come and devour them: and not only so, but they should fill their
houses, whereas the former inroads of these insects had been
confined to their lands. This should be much worse than all the
calamities of that king which had ever been known. Moses, when he
had delivered his message, not expecting any better answer than he
had formerly, <i>turned himself and went out from</i> Pharaoh,
<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p5.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.6" parsed="|Exod|10|6|0|0" passage="Ex 10:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. Thus Christ
appointed his disciples to depart from those who would not receive
them, and to <i>shake off the dust of their feet for a testimony
against them;</i> and ruin is not far off from those who are thus
justly abandoned by the Lord's messengers, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p5.3" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.15.27" parsed="|1Sam|15|27|0|0" passage="1Sa 15:27">1 Sam. xv. 27</scripRef>, &amp;c.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p6">IV. Pharaoh's attendants, his ministers of
state, or privy-counsellors, interpose, to persuade him to come to
some terms with Moses, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.7" parsed="|Exod|10|7|0|0" passage="Ex 10:7"><i>v.</i>
7</scripRef>. They, as in duty bound, represent to him the
deplorable condition of the kingdom (<i>Egypt is destroyed</i>),
and advise him by all means to release his prisoners (<i>Let the
men go</i>); for Moses, they found, would be a snare to them till
it was done, and it were better to consent at first than to be
compelled at last. The Israelites had become a burdensome stone to
the Egyptians, and now, at length, the princes of Egypt were
willing to be rid of them, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:Zech.12.3" parsed="|Zech|12|3|0|0" passage="Zec 12:3">Zech. xii.
3</scripRef>. Note, It is a thing to be regretted (and prevented,
if possible) that a whole nation should be ruined for the pride and
obstinacy of its princes, <i>Salus populi suprema lex—To consult
the welfare of the people is the first of laws.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p7">V. A new treaty is, hereupon, set on foot
between Pharaoh and Moses, in which Pharaoh consents for the
Israelites to go into the wilderness to do sacrifice; but the
matter in dispute was who should go, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.8" parsed="|Exod|10|8|0|0" passage="Ex 10:8"><i>v.</i> 8</scripRef>. 1. Moses insists that they should
take their whole families, and all their effects, along with them,
<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p7.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.9" parsed="|Exod|10|9|0|0" passage="Ex 10:9"><i>v.</i> 9</scripRef>. Note, Those
that serve God must serve him with all they have. Moses pleads, "We
must hold a feast, therefore we must have our families to feast
with, and our flocks and herds to feast upon, to the honour of
God." 2. Pharaoh will by no means grant this: he will allow the men
to go, pretending that this was all they desired, though this
matter was never yet mentioned in any of the former treaties; but,
for the <i>little ones,</i> he resolves to keep them as hostages,
to oblige them to return, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p7.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.10-Exod.10.11" parsed="|Exod|10|10|10|11" passage="Ex 10:10,11"><i>v.</i>
10, 11</scripRef>. In a great passion he curses them, and threatens
that, if they offer to remove their little ones, they will do it at
their peril. Note, Satan does all he can to hinder those that serve
God themselves from bringing their children in to serve him. He is
a sworn enemy to early piety, knowing how destructive it is to the
interests of his kingdom; whatever would hinder us from engaging
our children to the utmost in God's service, we have reason to
suspect the hand of Satan in it. 3. The treaty, hereupon, breaks
off abruptly; those that before went out from Pharaoh's presence
(<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p7.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.6" parsed="|Exod|10|6|0|0" passage="Ex 10:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>) were now
driven out. Those will quickly hear their doom that cannot bear to
hear their duty. See <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p7.5" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.25.16" parsed="|2Chr|25|16|0|0" passage="2Ch 25:16">2 Chron. xxv.
16</scripRef>. <i>Quos Deus destruet eos dementat—Whom God intends
to destroy he delivers up to infatuation.</i> Never was man so
infatuated to his own ruin as Pharaoh was.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ex.xi-p7.6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10" parsed="|Exod|10|0|0|0" passage="Ex 10" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="Ex.xi-p7.7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.12-Exod.10.20" parsed="|Exod|10|12|10|20" passage="Ex 10:12-20" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.10.12-Exod.10.20">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xi-p8">12 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p8.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand over the land of Egypt for
the locusts, that they may come up upon the land of Egypt, and eat
every herb of the land, <i>even</i> all that the hail hath left.
  13 And Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt,
and the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p8.2">Lord</span> brought an east wind
upon the land all that day, and all <i>that</i> night; <i>and</i>
when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.   14
And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in
all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous <i>were they;</i> before
them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall
be such.   15 For they covered the face of the whole earth, so
that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the
land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and
there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of
the field, through all the land of Egypt.   16 Then Pharaoh
called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned
against the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p8.3">Lord</span> your God, and
against you.   17 Now therefore forgive, I pray thee, my sin
only this once, and intreat the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p8.4">Lord</span>
your God, that he may take away from me this death only.   18
And he went out from Pharaoh, and intreated the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p8.5">Lord</span>.   19 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p8.6">Lord</span> turned a mighty strong west wind, which
took away the locusts, and cast them into the Red sea; there
remained not one locust in all the coasts of Egypt.   20 But
the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p8.7">Lord</span> hardened Pharaoh's heart,
so that he would not let the children of Israel go.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p9">Here is, I. The invasion of the land by the
locusts—<i>God's great army,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p9.1" osisRef="Bible:Joel.2.11" parsed="|Joel|2|11|0|0" passage="Joe 2:11">Joel
ii. 11</scripRef>. God bids <i>Moses stretch out his hand</i>
(<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p9.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.12" parsed="|Exod|10|12|0|0" passage="Ex 10:12"><i>v.</i> 12</scripRef>), to beckon
them, as it were (for they came at a call), and he <i>stretched
forth his rod,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p9.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.13" parsed="|Exod|10|13|0|0" passage="Ex 10:13"><i>v.</i>
13</scripRef>. Compare <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p9.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.9.22-Exod.9.23" parsed="|Exod|9|22|9|23" passage="Ex 9:22,23"><i>ch.</i>
ix. 22, 23</scripRef>. Moses ascribes it to the stretching out, not
of his own hand, but the <i>rod of God,</i> the instituted sign of
God's presence with him. The locusts obey the summons, and fly upon
the wings of the wind, the east wind, and <i>caterpillars without
number,</i> as we are told, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p9.5" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.34-Ps.105.35" parsed="|Ps|105|34|105|35" passage="Ps 105:34,35">Ps.
cv. 34, 35</scripRef>. A formidable army of horse and foot might
more easily have been resisted than this host of insects. Who then
is able to stand before the great God?</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p10">II. The desolations they made in it
(<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p10.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.15" parsed="|Exod|10|15|0|0" passage="Ex 10:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>): They
<i>covered the face of the earth,</i> and <i>ate up the fruit</i>
of it. The earth God has <i>given to the children of men;</i> yet,
when God pleases, he can disturb their possession and send locusts
and caterpillars to force them out. Herbs grow <i>for the service
of man;</i> yet, when God pleases, those contemptible insects shall
not only be fellow-commoners with him, but shall plunder him, and
eat the bread out of his mouth. Let our labour be, not for the
habitation and meat which thus lie exposed, but for those which
<i>endure to eternal life,</i> which cannot be thus invaded, nor
thus corrupted.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p11">III. Pharaoh's admission, hereupon,
<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.16-Exod.10.17" parsed="|Exod|10|16|10|17" passage="Ex 10:16,17"><i>v.</i> 16, 17</scripRef>. He had
driven Moses and Aaron from him (<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.11" parsed="|Exod|10|11|0|0" passage="Ex 10:11"><i>v.</i> 11</scripRef>), telling them (it is likely) he
would have no more to do with them. But now he calls for them again
in all haste, and makes court to them with as much respect as
before he had dismissed them with disdain. Note, The day will come
when those who set at nought their counsellors, and despise all
their reproofs, will be glad to make an interest in them and engage
them to intercede on their behalf. The foolish virgins court the
wise to <i>give them of their oil;</i> and see <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p11.3" osisRef="Bible:Ps.141.6" parsed="|Ps|141|6|0|0" passage="Ps 141:6">Ps. cxli. 6</scripRef>. 1. Pharaoh confesses his fault:
<i>I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you.</i> He
now sees his own folly in the slights and affronts he had put on
God and his ambassadors, and <i>seems</i> at least, to repent of
it. When God convinces men of sin, and humbles them for it, their
contempt of God's ministers, and the word of the Lord in their
mouths, will certainly come into the account, and lie heavily upon
their consciences. Some think that when Pharaoh said, "The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p11.4">Lord</span> <i>your</i> God," he did in effect
say, "The <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p11.5">Lord</span> shall not be
<i>my</i> God." Many treat with God as a potent enemy, whom they
are willing not to be at war with, but care not for treating with
him as their rightful prince, to whom they are willing to submit
with loyal affection. True penitents lament sin as committed
against God, even their own God, to whom they stand obliged. 2. He
begs pardon, not of God, as penitents ought, but of Moses, which
was more excusable in him, because, by a special commission, Moses
was made a <i>god to Pharaoh,</i> and <i>whosesoever sins he
remitted</i> they were forgiven; when he prays, <i>Forgive this
once,</i> he, in effect, promises not to offend in like manner any
more, yet seems loth to express that promise, nor does he say any
thing particularly of letting the people go. Note, Counterfeit
repentance commonly cheats men with general promises and is loth to
covenant against particular sins. 3. He entreats Moses and Aaron to
pray for him. There are those who, in distress, implore the help of
other persons' prayers, but have no mind to pray for themselves,
showing thereby that they have no true love to God, nor any delight
in communion with him. Pharaoh desires their prayers <i>that this
death</i> only might be taken away, not <i>this sin:</i> he
deprecates the plague of locusts, not the plague of a hard heart,
which yet was much the more dangerous.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p12">IV. The removal of the judgment, upon the
prayer of Moses, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.18-Exod.10.19" parsed="|Exod|10|18|10|19" passage="Ex 10:18,19"><i>v.</i> 18,
19</scripRef>. This was, 1. As great an instance of the power of
God as the judgment itself. An east wind brought the locusts, and
now a west wind carried them off. Note, Whatever point of the
compass the wind is in, it is fulfilling God's word, and turns
about by his counsel. The <i>wind bloweth where it listeth,</i> as
it respects any control of ours; not so as it respects the control
of God: he <i>directeth it under the whole heaven.</i> 2. It was as
great a proof of the authority of Moses, and as firm a ratification
of his commission and his interest in that God who both <i>makes
peace</i> and <i>creates evil,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p12.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.45.7" parsed="|Isa|45|7|0|0" passage="Isa 45:7">Isa. xlv. 7</scripRef>. Nay, hereby he not only
commanded the respect, but recommended himself to the good
affections of the Egyptians, inasmuch as, while the judgment came
in obedience to his summons, the removal of it was in answer to his
prayers. He never desired the woeful day, though he threatened it.
His commission indeed ran against Egypt, but his intercession was
for it, which was a good reason why they should love him, though
they feared him. 3. It was also as strong an argument for their
repentance as the judgment itself; for by this it appeared that God
is ready to forgive, and swift to show mercy. If he turn away a
particular judgment, as he did often from Pharaoh, or defer it, as
in Ahab's case, upon the profession of repentance and the outward
tokens of humiliation, what will he do if we be sincere, and how
welcome will true penitents be to him! O that this goodness of God
might lead us to repentance!</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p13">V. Pharaoh's return to his impious
resolution again not to let the people go (<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.20" parsed="|Exod|10|20|0|0" passage="Ex 10:20"><i>v.</i> 20</scripRef>), through the righteous hand of
God upon him, hardening his heart, and confirming him in his
obstinacy. Note, Those that have often baffled their convictions,
and stood it out against them, forfeit the benefit of them, and are
justly given up to those lusts of their own hearts which (how
strong soever their convictions) prove too strong for them.</p>
</div><scripCom id="Ex.xi-p13.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.21-Exod.10.29" parsed="|Exod|10|21|10|29" passage="Ex 10:21-29" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:Exod.10.21-Exod.10.29">
<p class="passage" id="Ex.xi-p14">21 And the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p14.1">Lord</span>
said unto Moses, Stretch out thine hand toward heaven, that there
may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness <i>which</i>
may be felt.   22 And Moses stretched forth his hand toward
heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt
three days:   23 They saw not one another, neither rose any
from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had
light in their dwellings.   24 And Pharaoh called unto Moses,
and said, Go ye, serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p14.2">Lord</span>;
only let your flocks and your herds be stayed: let your little ones
also go with you.   25 And Moses said, Thou must give us also
sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice unto the
<span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p14.3">Lord</span> our God.   26 Our cattle
also shall go with us; there shall not an hoof be left behind; for
thereof must we take to serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p14.4">Lord</span> our God; and we know not with what we must
serve the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p14.5">Lord</span>, until we come
thither.   27 But the <span class="smallcaps" id="Ex.xi-p14.6">Lord</span>
hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he would not let them go.   28
And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself,
see my face no more; for in <i>that</i> day thou seest my face thou
shalt die.   29 And Moses said, Thou hast spoken well, I will
see thy face again no more.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p15">Here is, I. The plague of darkness brought
upon Egypt, and a most dreadful plague it was, and therefore is put
first of the ten in <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.28" parsed="|Ps|105|28|0|0" passage="Ps 105:28">Ps. cv.
28</scripRef>, though it was one of the last; and in the
destruction of the spiritual Egypt it is produced by the fifth
vial, which is poured out upon the <i>seat of the beast,</i>
<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:Rev.16.10" parsed="|Rev|16|10|0|0" passage="Re 16:10">Rev. xvi. 10</scripRef>. <i>His
kingdom was full of darkness.</i> Observe particularly concerning
this plague, 1. That it was a total darkness. We have reason to
think, not only that the lights of heaven were clouded, but that
all their fires and candles were put out by the damps or clammy
vapours which were the cause of this darkness; for it is said
(<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.3" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.23" parsed="|Exod|10|23|0|0" passage="Ex 10:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), They <i>saw
not one another.</i> It is threatened to the wicked (<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.4" osisRef="Bible:Job.18.5-Job.18.6" parsed="|Job|18|5|18|6" passage="Job 18:5,6">Job xviii. 5, 6</scripRef>) that the <i>spark
of his fire shall not shine</i> (even <i>the sparks of his own
kindling,</i> as they are called, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.5" osisRef="Bible:Isa.50.11" parsed="|Isa|50|11|0|0" passage="Isa 50:11">Isa. l. 11</scripRef>), and that the <i>light shall be
dark in his tabernacle.</i> Hell is <i>utter darkness.</i> The
light of <i>a candle shall shine no more at all in thee,</i>
<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.6" osisRef="Bible:Rev.18.23" parsed="|Rev|18|23|0|0" passage="Re 18:23">Rev. xviii. 23</scripRef>. 2. That it
was darkness which <i>might be felt</i> (<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.21" parsed="|Exod|10|21|0|0" passage="Ex 10:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>), felt in its <i>causes</i> by
their fingers' ends (so thick were the fogs), felt in its
<i>effects,</i> some think, by their eyes, which were pricked with
pain, and made the more sore by their rubbing them. Great pain is
spoken of as the effect of that darkness, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.8" osisRef="Bible:Rev.16.10" parsed="|Rev|16|10|0|0" passage="Re 16:10">Rev. xvi. 10</scripRef>, which alludes to this. 3. No
doubt it astonished and terrified them. The cloud of locusts, which
had <i>darkened the land</i> (<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.9" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.15" parsed="|Exod|10|15|0|0" passage="Ex 10:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), was nothing to this. The
tradition of the Jews is that in this darkness they were terrified
by the apparitions of evil spirits, or rather by dreadful sounds
and murmurs which they made, or (which is no less frightful) by the
horrors of their own consciences; and this is the plague which some
think is intended (for, otherwise, it is not mentioned at all
there) <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.10" osisRef="Bible:Ps.78.49" parsed="|Ps|78|49|0|0" passage="Ps 78:49">Ps. lxxviii. 49</scripRef>,
<i>He poured upon them the fierceness of his anger, by sending evil
angels among them;</i> for to those to whom the devil has been a
deceiver he will, at length, be a terror. 4. It continued three
days, <i>six nights</i> (says bishop Hall) <i>in one;</i> so long
they were imprisoned by those chains of darkness, and the most
lightsome palaces were perfect dungeons. No <i>man rose from his
place,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.11" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.23" parsed="|Exod|10|23|0|0" passage="Ex 10:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>.
They were all confined to their houses; and such a terror seized
them that few of them had the courage to go from the chair to the
bed, or from the bed to the chair. Thus were they <i>silent in
darkness,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.12" osisRef="Bible:1Sam.2.9" parsed="|1Sam|2|9|0|0" passage="1Sa 2:9">1 Sam. ii. 9</scripRef>.
Now Pharaoh had time to consider, if he would have improved it.
Spiritual darkness is spiritual bondage; while Satan blinds men's
eyes that they see not, he binds them hands and feet that they work
not for God, nor move towards heaven. They <i>sit in darkness.</i>
5. It was a righteous thing with God thus to punish them. Pharaoh
and his people had rebelled against the light of God's word, which
Moses spoke to them; justly therefore are they punished with
darkness, for they loved it and chose it rather. The blindness of
their minds brings upon them this darkness of the air. Never was
mind so blinded as Pharaoh's, never was air so darkened as Egypt's.
The Egyptians by their cruelty would have extinguished the lamp of
Israel, and quenched their coal; justly therefore does God put out
their lights. Compare it with the punishment of the Sodomites,
<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.13" osisRef="Bible:Gen.19.11" parsed="|Gen|19|11|0|0" passage="Ge 19:11">Gen. xix. 11</scripRef>. Let us dread
the consequences of sin; if three days' darkness was so dreadful,
what will everlasting darkness be? 6. The children of Israel, at
the same time, had <i>light in their dwellings</i> (<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.14" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.23" parsed="|Exod|10|23|0|0" passage="Ex 10:23"><i>v.</i> 23</scripRef>), not only in the land
of Goshen, where most of them dwelt, but in the habitations of
those who were dispersed among the Egyptians: for that some of them
were thus dispersed appears from the distinction afterwards
appointed to be put on their door-posts, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.15" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.7" parsed="|Exod|12|7|0|0" passage="Ex 12:7"><i>ch.</i> xii. 7</scripRef>. This is an instance, (1.)
Of the power of God above the ordinary power of nature. We must not
think that we share in common mercies as a matter of course, and
therefore that we owe no thanks to God for them; he could
distinguish, and withhold that from us which he grants to other. He
does indeed ordinarily make his sun to shine on the just and
unjust; but he could make a difference, and we must own ourselves
indebted to his mercy that he does not. (2.) Of the particular
favour he bears to his people: they <i>walk in the light</i> when
others <i>wander</i> endlessly <i>in thick darkness;</i> wherever
there is an Israelite indeed, though in this dark world, there is
light, there is a <i>child of light,</i> one for whom <i>light is
sown,</i> and whom the <i>day-spring from on high visits.</i> When
God made this difference between the Israelites and the Egyptians,
who would not have preferred the poorest cottage of an Israelite to
the finest palace of an Egyptian? There is still a real difference,
though not so discernible a one, between the house of the wicked,
which is under a curse, and the habitation of the just, which is
blessed, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.16" osisRef="Bible:Prov.3.33" parsed="|Prov|3|33|0|0" passage="Pr 3:33">Prov. iii. 33</scripRef>. We
should believe in that difference, and govern ourselves
accordingly. Upon <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.17" osisRef="Bible:Ps.105.28" parsed="|Ps|105|28|0|0" passage="Ps 105:28">Ps. cv.
28</scripRef>, <i>He sent darkness and made it dark, and they
rebelled not against his word,</i> some ground a conjecture that,
during these three days of darkness, the Israelites were
circumcised, in order to their celebrating the passover which was
now approaching, and that the command which authorized this was the
word against which they rebelled not; for their circumcision, when
they entered Canaan, is spoken of as a second general circumcision,
<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.18" osisRef="Bible:Josh.5.2" parsed="|Josh|5|2|0|0" passage="Josh 5:2">Josh. v. 2</scripRef>. During these
three days of darkness to the Egyptians, if God had so pleased, the
Israelites, by the light which they had, might have made their
escape, and without asking leave of Pharaoh; but God would bring
them out <i>with a high hand,</i> and not by stealth, nor in haste,
<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p15.19" osisRef="Bible:Isa.52.12" parsed="|Isa|52|12|0|0" passage="Isa 52:12">Isa. lii. 12</scripRef>.</p>
<p class="indent" id="Ex.xi-p16">II. Here is the impression made upon
Pharaoh by this plague, much like that of the foregoing plagues. 1.
It awakened him so far that he renewed the treaty with Moses and
Aaron, and now, at length, consented that they should take their
little ones with them, only he would have their cattle left in
pawn, <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p16.1" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.24" parsed="|Exod|10|24|0|0" passage="Ex 10:24"><i>v.</i> 24</scripRef>. It is
common for sinners thus to bargain with God Almighty. Some sins
they will leave, but not all; they will leave their sins for a
time, but they will not bid them a final farewell; they will allow
him some share in their hearts, but the world and the flesh must
share with him: thus they mock God, but they deceive themselves.
Moses resolves not to abate in his terms: <i>Our cattle shall go
with us,</i> <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p16.2" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.26" parsed="|Exod|10|26|0|0" passage="Ex 10:26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>.
Note, The terms of reconciliation are so fixed that though men
dispute them ever so long they cannot possibly alter them, nor
bring them lower. We must come up to the demands of God's will, for
we cannot expect he should condescend to the provisos of our lusts.
God's messengers must always be bound up by that rule (<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p16.3" osisRef="Bible:Jer.15.19" parsed="|Jer|15|19|0|0" passage="Jer 15:19">Jer. xv. 19</scripRef>), <i>Let them return
unto thee, but return not thou unto them.</i> Moses gives a very
good reason why they must take their cattle with them; they must go
to do sacrifice, and therefore they must take wherewithal. What
numbers and kinds of sacrifices would be required they did not yet
know, and therefore they must take all they had. Note, With
ourselves, and our children, we must devote all our worldly
possessions to the service of God, because we know not what use God
will make of what we have, nor in what way we may be called upon to
honour God with it. 2. Yet it exasperated him so far that, when he
might not make his own terms, he broke off the conference abruptly,
and took up a resolution to treat no more. Wrath now came upon him
to the utmost, and he became outrageous beyond all bounds,
<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p16.4" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.28" parsed="|Exod|10|28|0|0" passage="Ex 10:28"><i>v.</i> 28</scripRef>. Moses is
dismissed in anger, forbidden the court upon pain of death,
forbidden so much as to meet Pharaoh any more, as he had been used
to do, by the river's side: <i>In that day thou seest my face, thou
shalt die.</i> Prodigious madness! Had he not found that Moses
could plague him without seeing his face? Or had he forgotten how
often he had sent for Moses as his physician to heal him and ease
him of his plagues? and must he now be bidden to come near him no
more? Impotent malice! To threaten him with death who was armed
with such a power, and at whose mercy he had so often laid himself.
What will not hardness of heart and contempt of God's word and
commandments bring men to? Moses takes him at his word (<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p16.5" osisRef="Bible:Exod.10.29" parsed="|Exod|10|29|0|0" passage="Ex 10:29"><i>v.</i> 29</scripRef>): <i>I will see thy face
no more,</i> that is, "after this time;" for this conference did
not break off till <scripRef id="Ex.xi-p16.6" osisRef="Bible:Exod.11.8" parsed="|Exod|11|8|0|0" passage="Ex 11:8"><i>ch.</i> xi.
8</scripRef>, when Moses went out <i>in a great anger,</i> and told
Pharaoh how soon he would change his mind, and his proud spirit
would come down, which was fulfilled (<scripRef id="Ex.xi-p16.7" osisRef="Bible:Exod.12.31" parsed="|Exod|12|31|0|0" passage="Ex 12:31"><i>ch.</i> xii. 31</scripRef>), when Pharaoh became a
humble supplicant to Moses to depart. So that, after this
interview, Moses came no more, till he was sent for. Note, When men
drive God's word from them he justly permits their delusions, and
answers them according to the multitude of their idols. When the
Gadarenes desired Christ to depart, he presently left them.</p>
</div></div2>