28 And Pharaoh H6547 said, H559 I will let you go, H7971 that ye may sacrifice H2076 to the LORD H3068 your God H430 in the wilderness; H4057 only ye shall not go H3212 very H7368 far away: H7368 intreat H6279 for me. H1157
29 And Moses H4872 said, H559 Behold, I go out H3318 from thee, and I will intreat H6279 the LORD H3068 that the swarms H6157 of flies may depart H5493 from Pharaoh, H6547 from his servants, H5650 and from his people, H5971 to morrow: H4279 but H7535 let not Pharaoh H6547 deal deceitfully H2048 any more H3254 in not H1115 letting the people H5971 go H7971 to sacrifice H2076 to the LORD. H3068
30 And Moses H4872 went out H3318 from Pharaoh, H6547 and intreated H6279 the LORD. H3068
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 8
Commentary on Exodus 8 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 8
Three more of the plagues of Egypt are related in this chapter,
Exd 8:1-15
Pharaoh is here first threatened and then plagued with frogs, as afterwards, in this chapter, with lice and flies, little despicable inconsiderable animals, and yet by their vast numbers rendered sore plagues to the Egyptians. God could have plagued them with lions, or bears, or wolves, or with vultures or other birds of prey; but he chose to do it by these contemptible instruments.
Exd 8:16-19
Here is a short account of the plague of lice. It does not appear that any warning was given of it before. Pharaoh's abuse of the respite granted to him might have been a sufficient warning to him to expect another plague: for if the removal of an affliction harden us, and so we lose the benefit of it, we may conclude it goes away with a purpose to return or to make room for a worse. Observe,
Exd 8:20-32
Here is the story of the plague of flies, in which we are told,
Lastly, The issue of all was that God graciously removed the plague (v. 30, 31), but Pharaoh perfidiously returned to his hardness, and would not let the people go, v. 32. His pride would not let him part with such a flower of his crown as his dominion over Israel was, nor his covetousness with such a branch of his revenue as their labours were. Note, Reigning lusts break through the strongest bounds, and make men impudently presumptuous and scandalously perfidious. Let not sin therefore reign; for, if it do, it will betray and hurry us to the grossest absurdities.