27 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
INTRODUCTION TO Exodus 7 Moses and Aaron are ordered to go to Pharaoh, and require the dismission of the people of Israel, but they are told before hand that Pharaoh's heart would be hardened, and would refuse to let them go, until the hand of the Lord was stretched out, and great judgments were brought down upon, Egypt, and then they should come...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord said unto Moses,.... In answer to his objection, taken from his own meanness, and the majesty of Pharaoh, and from his want of readiness and freedom of expression: see; take notice of, observe what I am about to say: I have made thee a god to Pharaoh; not a god by nature, but made so; he was so by commission and office, clothed with...
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary - Matthew Henry
In this chapter, I. The dispute between God and Moses finishes, and Moses applies himself to the execution of his commission, in obedience to God's command, ver. 1-7. II. The dispute between Moses and Pharaoh begins, and a famous trial of skill it was. Moses, in God's name, demands Israel's release; Pharaoh denies it. The contest is between the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thou shalt speak all that I command thee,.... That is, to Aaron his prophet, whatever the Lord made known to him in a private manner as his will to be done: and Aaron thy brother shall speak unto Pharaoh; whatsoever should be told him by Moses, as from the Lord: that he send the children of Israel out of his land; this was the principal thing to...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And I will harden Pharaoh's heart,.... [See comments on Exodus 4:21] and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt; work one miracle and wonderful sign after another, until they are all wrought intended to be wrought; and which he had given Moses power to do, and until the end should be answered and obtained, the letting go of the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you,.... Regard not what they said, nor answer the demand they made, or obey the command of God delivered by them to him: this the Lord apprised them of, that they might not be discouraged, and conclude their labour would be in vain, their attempts fruitless, and they should never gain their point, but spend...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord,.... Jehovah, the one only true and living God; this they should know by the judgments executed upon them, and be obliged to acknowledge it: when I stretch forth mine hand upon Egypt: especially the last time, to destroy the firstborn: and bring out the children of Israel from among them; by which it...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them,.... After this they never showed any reluctance, or made any objection to any message they were sent with, or any work they were ordered to do, but went about it at once, and performed it with all readiness and cheerfulness: so did they; which is not a superfluous and redundant expression, but...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Moses was eighty years old,.... At this time, which is observed partly to show how long Israel had been afflicted in Egypt; for their great troubles and miseries began about the time of the birth of Moses, or a little before, as appears from the above history; and partly to show the patience and forbearance of God with the Egyptians, and how...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron,.... After he had given them their commission, and instructions to go to Pharaoh, and a little before they went in to him: saying, as follows.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, show a miracle for you,.... To prove that they came from God, the Jehovah they said they did, and that they were his ambassadors, and came in his name, and made the demand for him; which when he seriously reflected on things, he would be ready to require, hoping they would not be able to show any, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh,.... Into the palace of Pharaoh boldly, and with intrepidity, clothed with such power and authority, and assured of success; and they did as the Lord had commanded; they demanded in his name the dismission of the children of Israel, and upon his requiring a miracle to confirm their mission, wrought one as...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers,.... The cunning men and wizards, a sort of jugglers and deceivers, who pretended to great knowledge of things, to discover secrets, tell fortunes, and predict things to come, and by legerdemain tricks, and casting a mist before people's eyes, pretended to do very wonderful and amazing...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents,.... That is, they seemed to be so, as Josephus (z) expresses it, but not really, in which he is followed by many; though some think that the devil assisted in this affair, and in an instant, as soon as the rods were cast down, removed them and put real serpents in their room: but...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he hardened Pharaoh's heart,.... Or, "notwithstanding the heart of Pharaoh was hardened" (a); though he saw the rods of his magicians devoured by rod; or "therefore" (b) his heart was hardened, because he saw that the rods of his magicians became serpents as well as Aaron's; in which there was a deception of sight, and which was suffered for...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened,.... Or "heavy" (c), dull and stupid, stiff and inflexible, cannot lift up his heart, or find in his heart to obey the will of God: he refuseth to let the people go; which was an instance and proof of the hardness and heaviness of his heart, on which the above miracle had made no...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning,.... The next morning, a time in which the mind is most composed and sedate, and fit to attend to what may be suggested: lo, he goeth out unto the water; the river Nile, either to take his morning's walk, and to refresh himself at the waterside, as the Jerusalem Targum; or to observe divinations upon the water,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And thou shalt say unto him,.... Upon meeting him: the Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee; still appearing in the character of the ambassador of Jehovah, the God of the children of Israel: saying, let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness; the demand is once more renewed, before any punishment is inflicted for refusal,...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Thus saith the Lord, in this thou shalt know that I am the Lord,.... By the following instance of his power and vengeance: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in my hand; which though in the hand of Moses, Exodus 7:18 yet he being his ambassador, and representing him, is said to be in the hand of the Lord; and with this he threatens to smite...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the fish that is in the river shall die,.... Their element being changed, and they not able to live in any other but water: and the river shall stink; with the blood, into which it should be congealed, and with the putrefied bodies of fishes floating in it: and the Egyptians shall loath to drink of the water of the river; the very colour of...