[16] And in very deed for
this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that
my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
For this cause have I raised thee up - A most dreadful
message Moses is here ordered to deliver to him, whether he will hear,
or whether he will forbear. He must tell him, that he is marked for ruin:
that he now stands as the butt at which God would shoot all the arrows
of his wrath. For this cause have I raised thee up to the throne at this
time, and made thee to stand the shock of the plagues hitherto, to shew
in thee my power - Providence so ordered it, that Moses should have a man
of such a fierce and stubborn spirit to deal with, to make it a most signal
and memorable instance of the power God has to bring down the proudest
of his enemies; that my name, irresistable power, and my inflexible justice,
might be declared throughout all the earth - Not only to all places, but
through all ages while the earth remains. This will be the event. But it
by no means follows, that this was the design of God. We have numberless
instances in scripture of this manner of speaking, to denote not the design,
but only the event.
[17] As yet exaltest thou thyself
against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people - Wilt
thou not yet submit?
[18] Behold, to morrow about
this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not
been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now. [19]
Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the
field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field,
and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and
they shall die. [20] He that feared
the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and
his cattle flee into the houses: [21]
And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his
cattle in the field. [22] And the LORD
said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may
be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every
herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt. [23]
And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder
and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail
upon the land of Egypt. [24] So there
was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there
was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
[25] And the hail smote throughout all the
land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail
smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.
[26] Only in the land of Goshen, where the
children of Israel were, was there no hail. [27]
And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I
have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
[28] Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that
there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and
ye shall stay no longer.
Since the foundation thereof - Since it was a kingdom.
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