The second plague is of frogs: Pharao promiseth to let the Israelites go, but breaketh his promise. The third plague is of sciniphs. The fourth is of flies. Pharao again promiseth to dismiss the people, but doth it not.
The second plague is of frogges. 7. the enchanters make the like. 8. Pharao promiseth to let the Israelites goe and sacrifice, so the frogges be taken away 13 which being donne he breaketh promise. 16. The third plague is of sciniphes. 18. which the enchanters can not make. 21. The fourth is of flies. 29. Pharao againe promiseth to dismisse the people of God, but doth it not.
1And the Lord said to Moses: Go in to Pharao, and thou shalt say to him: Thus saith the Lord: Let my people go to sacrifice to me.Disse ancora a Mosè il Signore: Va' a trovar Faraone, e gli dirai: Queste cose dice il Signore: Lascia andare il mio popolo ad offerirmi sacrifizio.OVR Lord also said to Moyses: Goe in to Pharo, and thou shalt say vnto him: This saith the Lord: Dismisse my people, for to sacrifice vnto me.Dixit quoque Dominus ad Moysen: Ingredere ad Pharaonem, et dices ad eum: Hæc dicit Dominus: Dimitte populum meum, ut sacrificet mihi: 2But if thou wilt not let them go, behold I will strike all thy coasts with frogs.Che se nol lascerai andare, ecco che io flagellerò tutti i tuoi paesi colle ranocchie.but if thou wilt not dismisse them, behold I wil strike al thy coastes with frogges.sin autem nolueris dimittere, ecce ego percutiam omnes terminos tuos ranis, 3And the river shall bring forth an abundance of frogs; which shall come up and enter into thy house, and thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the houses of thy servants, and to thy people, and into thy ovens, and into the remains of thy meats:E il fiume ne darà un bulicame: ed entreranno nella tua casa, e nella camera, dove dormi, e nel tuo letto, e nelle case de' servi tuoi, e tra 'l tuo popolo, e ne' tuoi forni, e tra gli avanzi de' tuoi cibi:And the riuer shal bubble with frogges: which shal come vp, and enter into thy house, and thy bed chamber, and vpon thy bedde, and into the houses of thy seruantes, and vnto thy people, and into thy ouens, and into the remaines of thy meates:et ebulliet fluvius ranis: quæ ascendent, et ingredientur domum tuam, et cubiculum lectuli tui, et super stratum tuum, et in domos servorum tuorum, et in populum tuum, et in furnos tuos, et in reliquias ciborum tuorum: 4And the frogs shall come in to thee, and to thy people, and to all thy servants.E in casa tua, e nelle case del popol tuo, e in casa di tutti i tuoi servi entreranno le ranocchie.and vnto thee, & to thy people, and to al thy seruantes shal the frogges enter.et ad te, et ad populum tuum, et ad omnes servos tuos intrabunt ranæ. 5And the Lord said to Moses: Say to Aaron: Stretch forth thy hand upon the streams, and upon the rivers and the pools, and bring forth frogs upon the land of Egypt.E disse il Signore a Mosè: Tu dirai ad Aronne, che stenda la sua mano sopra i fiumi, e sopra i rivi, e le paludi, e ne faccia uscir fuora le rane nella terra d'Egitto.And our Lord said to Moyses: Say vnto Aaron: Stretch forth thy hand vpon the floudes, and vpon the riuers and the pooles, and bring forth frogges vpon the Land of Aegypt.Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen: Dic ad Aaron: Extende manum tuam super fluvios ac super rivos et paludes, et educ ranas super terram Ægypti.
6And Aaron stretched forth his hand upon the waters of Egypt, and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt.E Aronne stese la sua mano verso le acque d'Egitto, e ne usciron ranocchie, le quali copriron la terra d'Egitto.And Aaron stretched forth his hand vpon the waters of Aegypt, and the frogges came vp, and couered the Land of Aegypt.Et extendit Aaron manum super aquas Ægypti, et ascenderunt ranæ, operueruntque terram Ægypti. 7And the magicians also, by their enchantments, did in like manner, and they brought forth frogs upon the land of Egypt.E i maghi fecero il simile co' loro incantesimi, e fecero uscir fuori ranocchie sopra la terra d'Egitto.And the enchanters also by their enchantments did in like maner, and they brought forth frogges vpon the Land of Aegypt.Fecerunt autem et malefici per incantationes suas similiter, eduxeruntque ranas super terram Ægypti. 8But Pharao called Moses and Aaron, and said to them: Pray ye to the Lord to take away the frogs from me and from my people; and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.E Faraone chiamò a sé Mosè e Aronne, e disse loro: Pregate il Signore, che tolga da me, e dal popol mio le ranocchie; e io lascerò, che vada il popolo ad offerire sacrifizio al Signore.And Pharao called Moyses & Aaron, and said to them: Pray ye to the Lord to take away the frogges from me & from my people: and I wil dismisse the people to sacrifice vnto the Lord.Vocavit autem Pharao Moysen et Aaron, et dixit eis: Orate Dominum ut auferat ranas a me et a populo meo, et dimittam populum ut sacrificet Domino. 9And Moses said to Pharao: Set me a time when I shall pray for thee, and for thy servants, and for thy people, that the frogs may be driven away from thee and from thy house, and from thy servants, and from thy people; and may remain only in the river.E disse Mosè a Faraone: Determina tu a me il tempo, in cui debba pregar per te, e pe' tuoi servi, e pel tuo popolo, affinché sien discacciate le ranocchie lungi da te, e dalla tua casa, e da' tuoi servi, e dal tuo popolo: e restino solo nel fiume.And Moyses said to Pharao: Appoint me when I shal pray for thee, and for thy seruantes and for thy people, that the frogges may be driuen away from thee and from thy house, and from thy seruantes, and from thy people: and may remaine only in the riuer.Dixitque Moyses ad Pharaonem: Constitue mihi quando deprecer pro te, et pro servis tuis, et pro populo tuo, ut abigantur ranæ a te, et a domo tua, et a servis tuis, et a populo tuo: et tantum in flumine remaneant.
10And he answered: To morrow. But he said: I will do according to thy word; that thou mayest know that there is none like to the Lord our God.Rispose egli: Domane. E quegli disse: Farò, come tu domandi, affinché tu conosca, che non havvi chi sia come il Signor Dio nostro.Who answered: To morow. But he said: According to thy word wil I doe: that thou maist know that there is not the like to the Lord our God.Qui respondit: Cras. At ille: Juxta, inquit, verbum tuum faciam: ut scias quoniam non est sicut Dominus Deus noster. 11And the frogs shall depart from thee, and from thy house, and from thy servants, and from thy people; and shall remain only in the river.E se ne andranno le ranocchie lungi da te, e dalla tua casa, e da' tuoi servi, e dal tuo popolo; e resteran solamente nel fiume.And the frogges shal depart from thee, and from thy house, and from thy seruantes, and from thy people: and shal remaine only in the riuer.Et recedent ranæ a te, et a domo tua, et a servis tuis, et a populo tuo: et tantum in flumine remanebunt. 12And Moses and Aaron went forth from Pharao: and Moses cried to the Lord for the promise, which he had made to Pharao concerning the frogs.E Mosè, e Aronne si partiron da Faraone: e Mosè alzò le grida al Signore per la promessa fatta a Faraone intorno alle ranocchie.And Moyses and Aaron went forth from Pharao: and Moyses cried to our Lord for the promise, concerning the frogges, which he had agreed to PharaoEgressique sunt Moyses et Aaron a Pharaone: et clamavit Moyses ad Dominum pro sponsione ranarum quam condixerat Pharaoni. 13And the Lord did according to the word of Moses: and the frogs died out of the houses, and out of the villages, and out of the fields:E il Signore fece, come avea domandato Mosè: e morirono le ranocchie delle case, delle ville, e delle campagne.And our Lord did according to the word of Moyses: and the frogges dyed out of the houses, and out of the villages, and out of the fieldes:Fecitque Dominus juxta verbum Moysi: et mortuæ sunt ranæ de domibus, et de villis, et de agris. 14And they gathered them together into immense heaps, and the land was corrupted.E ne raunarono mucchi immensi, e la terra ne fu infettata.and they gathered them together into huge heapes, and the earth did rotte.Congregaveruntque eas in immensos aggeres, et computruit terra. 15And Pharao seeing that rest was given, hardened his own heart, and did not hear them, as the Lord had commanded.Ma Faraone veggendo, che gli era dato respiro, si ostinò in cuor suo, e non gli ascoltò, conforme avea ordinato il Signore.And Pharao seing that rest was geuen he hardned his owne hart; and heard them not, as our Lord had commanded.Videns autem Pharao quod data esset requies, ingravavit cor suum, et non audivit eos, sicut præceperat Dominus.
16And the Lord said to Moses: Say to Aaron: Stretch forth thy rod, and strike the dust of the earth; and may there be sciniphs in all the land of Egypt.E il Signore disse a Mosè: Di' ad Aronne, che stenda la sua verga, e percuota la polvere della terra: e nascano mosconi per tutta quanta la terra di Egitto.And our Lord said to Moyses: Speake to Aaron: Stretch forth thy rodde, and strike the dust of the earth: and be there Sciniphes in the whole Lord of Aegypt.Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen: Loquere ad Aaron: Extende virgam tuam, et percute pulverem terræ: et sint sciniphes in universa terra Ægypti. 17And they did so. And Aaron stretched forth his hand, holding the rod; and he struck the dust of the earth, and there came sciniphs on men and on beasts: all the dust of the earth was turned into sciniphs through all the land of Egypt.E fecer così. E Aronne stese la mano, e colla verga percosse la polvere della terra, e ne nacquer mosconi infesti agli uomini, e ai giumenti: tutta la polvere della terra si cambiò in mosconi per tutta la terra d'Egitto.And they did so. And Aaron streched forth his hand, holding the rodde: and he stroke the dust of the earth, and there were made sciniphes on men and on beastes: al the dust of the earth was turned into sciniphes through the whole Land of Aegypt.Feceruntque ita. Et extendit Aaron manum, virgam tenens: percussitque pulverem terræ, et facti sunt sciniphes in hominibus, et in jumentis: omnis pulvis terræ versus est in sciniphes per totam terram Ægypti. 18And the magicians with their enchantments practised in like manner, to bring forth sciniphs, and they could not: and there were sciniphs as well on men as on beasts.E tentaron similmente i maghi co' loro incantesimi di far nascere mosconi, e non poterono: e i mosconi erano tanto sugli uomini, come sugli animali,And the enchaunters with their enchauntmentes practised in like maner, to bring forth sciniphes, and they could not: and there were sciniphes as wel on men as on beastesFeceruntque similiter malefici incantationibus suis, ut educerent sciniphes, et non potuerunt: erantque sciniphes tam in hominibus quam in jumentis. 19And the magicians said to Pharao: This is the finger of God. And Pharao’s heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them, as the Lord had commanded.E i maghi dissero a Faraone: V'ha qui il dito di Dio: e lì cuore di Faraone s'indurò, e non gli ascoltò, conforme il Signore avea ordinato,And the enchaunters said to Pharao: This is the finger of God. And Pharaoes hart was indurate, and he heard them not as our Lord had commanded.Et dixerunt malefici ad Pharaonem: Digitus Dei est hic; induratumque est cor Pharaonis, et non audivit eos sicut præceperat Dominus.
20The Lord also said to Moses: Arise early, and stand before Pharao; for he will go forth to the waters: and thou shalt say to him: Thus saith the Lord: Let my people go to sacrifice to me.E il Signore disse ancora a Mosè: Alzati di buon mattino, e presentati a Faraone: perocché egli andrà alle acque e dirai a lui: Queste cose dice il Signore: Lascia andare il mio popolo, affinché mi offerisca sacrificio.Our Lord also said to Moyses: Arise early, and stand before Pharao: for he wil goe forth to the waters: and thou shalt say to him: This saith our Lord: Dismisse my people to sacrifice vnto me.Dixit quoque Dominus ad Moysen: Consurge diluculo, et sta coram Pharaone: egredietur enim ad aquas: et dices ad eum: Hæc dicit Dominus: Dimitte populum meum ut sacrificet mihi. 21But if thou wilt not let them go, behold I will send in upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy houses, all kind of flies: and the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with flies of divers kinds, and the whole land wherein they shall be.Che se tu nol lascerai andare, ecco che io manderò contro di te, e contro i tuoi servi, e contro il tuo popolo, e contro le tue case ogni specie di mosche: e le case degli Egiziani, e tutti i luoghi, dov'ei faranno dimora, si riempiranno di mosche di vario genere.And if thou wilt not dismisse them, behold I wil send in vpon thee, and vpon thy seruantes, and vpon thy people, and vpon thy houses al kind of flies: and the houses of Aegypt shal be filled with flies of diuers kindes, and the whole land wherein they shal be.Quod si non dimiseris eum, ecce ego immittam in te, et in servos tuos, et in populum tuum, et in domos tuas, omne genus muscarum: et implebuntur domus Ægyptiorum muscis diversi generis, et universa terra in qua fuerint. 22And I will make the land of Gessen wherein my people is, wonderful in that day, so that flies shall not be there: and thou shalt know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.E mirabile renderò in quel dì la terra di Gessen, dove stà il mio popolo, perché ivi non saranno mosche: affinché tu conosca, che io il Signore sono nel mezzo di quella terra.And I wil make the Land of Gessen merueilous in that day, wherin my people is, so that flies shal not be there: and thou shalt know that I am the Lord in the middes of the earth.Faciamque mirabilem in die illa terram Gessen, in qua populus meus est, ut non sint ibi muscæ: et scias quoniam ego Dominus in medio terræ. 23And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to morrow shall this sign be.E farò distinzione tra il popol mio, e il popol tuo: domane avverrà questo prodigio.And I wil put a diuision betwene my people & thy people: to morow shal this signe be.Ponamque divisionem inter populum meum et populum tuum: cras erit signum istud.
24And the Lord did so. And there came a very grievous swarm of flies into the houses of Pharao and of his servants, and into all the land of Egypt: and the land was corrupted by this kind of flies.E così fece il Signore. E venne la mosca molestissima nelle case di Faraone, e dei suoi servi, e in tutta la terra d'Egitto: e la terra fu guasta da tali mosche.And Our Lord did so. And there came a very greuious flie into the houses of Pharao and of his seruantes, and into al the Land of Aegypt: and the Land was corrupted by such kind of flies.Fecitque Dominus ita. Et venit musca gravissima in domos Pharaonis et servorum ejus, et in omnem terram Ægypti: corruptaque est terra ab hujuscemodi muscis. 25And Pharao called Moses and Aaron, and said to them: Go and sacrifice to your God in this land.E Faraone chiamò Mosè, ed Aronne, e disse loro: Andate, e sacrificate al vostro Dio in questo paese.And Pharao called Moyses and Aaron, and said to them. Goe and sacrifice to your God in this land.Vocavitque Pharao Moysen et Aaron, et ait eis: Ite et sacrificate Deo vestro in terra hac. 26And Moses said: It cannot be so: for we shall sacrifice the abominations of the Egyptians to the Lord our God: now if we kill those things which the Egyptians worship, in their presence, they will stone us.Ma disse Mosè: Ciò non può farsi: perocché al Signor Dio nostro sacrificheremo quello che tra gli Egiziani è sacrilegio l'uccidere; e se noi immoleremo al cospetto degli Egiziani quelle cose, che essi adorano, ci lapideranno.And Moyses said: It can not so be done: for if we shal offer the abominations of the Aegyptians to the Lord our God: and we kil those thinges which the Aegyptians doe worshippe before them: they wil beate vs downe with stones.Et ait Moyses: Non potest ita fieri: abominationes enim Ægyptiorum immolabimus Domino Deo nostro: quod si mactaverimus ea quæ colunt Ægyptii coram eis, lapidibus nos obruent. 27We will go three days’ journey into the wilderness; and we will sacrifice to the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us.Noi faremo tre giorni di strada nella solitudine: e farem sacrifizio al Signor Dio nostro, conforme egli ci ha ordinato.We wil goe forth three dayes iourney into the wildernes: and we wil sacrifice vnto the Lord our God, as he hath commanded vs.Viam trium dierum pergemus in solitudinem: et sacrificabimus Domino Deo nostro, sicut præcepit nobis. 28And Pharao said: I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness, but go no farther: pray for me.E Faraone disse: Io vi lascerò andare a far sacrifizio al Signor Dio vostro nel deserto: ma non andate più lontano; fate orazione per me.And Pharao said: I wil dismisse you to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the desert: but goe noe farder: pray for me.Dixitque Pharao: Ego dimittam vos ut sacrificetis Domino Deo vestro in deserto: verumtamen longius ne abeatis, rogate pro me.
29And Moses said: I will go out from thee, and will pray to the Lord: and the flies shall depart from Pharao, and from his servants, and from his people to morrow: but do not deceive any more, in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.E Mosè disse: Partito che sarò da te, io pregherò il Signore: e domane se n'anderanno lungi da Faraone, e dai suoi servi, e dal suo popolo le mosche: ma non voler più ingannare rattenendo il popolo dall'andare a far sacrifizio al Signore.And Moyses said: Being gone forth from thee, I wil pray to our Lord: and the flie shal depart from Pharao, and from his seruantes, and from his people to morow: but deceiue no more so, that thou wilt not dismisse the people to sacrifice vnto our Lord.At ait Moyses: Egressus a te, orabo Dominum: et recedet musca a Pharaone, et a servis suis, et a populo ejus cras: verumtamen noli ultra fallere, ut non dimittas populum sacrificare Domino. 30So Moses went out from Pharao, and prayed to the Lord.E partitosi da Faraone Mosè pregò il Signore.And Moyses being gone forth from Pharao, prayed our Lord.Egressusque Moyses a Pharaone, oravit Dominum. 31And he did according to his word: and he took away the flies from Pharao, and from his servants, and from his people: there was not left so much as one.Il quale fece quello che gli avea domandato; e tolse via d'intorno a Faraone, e d'intorno a' suoi servi e al suo popolo le mosche: non ne restò neppur una.Who did according to his word: and he tooke away the flies from Pharao, and from his seruants, and from his people: there was left not so much as one.Qui fecit juxta verbum illius, et abstulit muscas a Pharaone, et a servis suis, et a populo ejus: non superfuit ne una quidem. 32And Pharao’s heart was hardened, so that neither this time would he let the people go.E s'indurò il cuore di Faraone in guisa, che neppur questa volta lasciò, che il popolo partisse.And Pharaoes hart was hardned, so that neither this time would he dismisse the people.Et ingravatum est cor Pharaonis, ita ut nec hac quidem vice dimitteret populum.
8:3
Calmet
Frogs, not by a new creation; but the spawn was miraculously brought to maturity. (Calmet)
Menochius
Angels, or a divine instinct, brought them to infest all places; and thus they became a more grievous plague than that of blood. (Menochius)
8:4
Calmet
Servants. The Abderites and Dardanians were formerly obliged to abandon their country by such a plague. (Orosius 3:23; Pliny, Natural History 8:29.) (Calmet)
8:7
Menochius
Frogs, few in number, and brought by the ministry of devils. (Menochius)
8:8
Pray ye to the Lord, etc. By this it appears, that though the magicians, by the help of the devil, could bring frogs, yet they could not take these away: God being pleased to abridge in this the power of Satan. So we see they could not afterwards produce the lesser insects; and in this restraint of the power of the devil, were forced to acknowledge the finger of God.
8:9
Menochius
A time. Moses thus prevents the king from attributing their departure to natural causes. Pharao was perhaps inclined to suspect this would be the case, and therefore had a mind to wait till the morrow. (Menochius)
8:14
Calmet
Corrupted. This helped to produce the ensuing plague of flies, etc. (Calmet)
Haydock
The Egyptians might then recollect the putrid carcasses of the children, whom they had drowned. (Haydock)
8:15
Challoner
Pharao hardened his own heart. By this we see that Pharao was himself the efficient cause of his heart being hardened, and not God. See the same repeated in ver. 32, Pharao hardened his heart at this time also; likewise Exodus 9:7, 35, and Exodus 13:15. (Challoner)
This is the constant doctrine of the holy fathers, St. Augustine, ser. 88, de Temp. q. 18, 28, 36; St. Basil, orat., "that God is not the author of evil;" St. Chrysostom, hom. 67, in Jo.; etc. Hence Origen, periar. 3, says, "The Scripture sheweth manifestly that Pharao was hardened by his own will; for God said to him, thou wouldst not: if thou wilt not dismiss Israel." Even the priests of the Philistines were so well convinced of this, that they said, (1 Kings 6:6,) Why do you harden your hearts? God therefore hardened them only by not absolutely hindering their wickedness, and by punishing them with less severity, as they did not deserve to be corrected like dear children, Hebrews 12.
Worthington
Perdition is from thyself, Osee 13:9. As cold naturally congeals water, so we of ourselves run to evil. Thus God cast Pharao into the sea, by permitting, not by forcing, him to enter, Exodus 15:4. How shocking must then the blasphemous doctrine of Zuinglius, (ser. de provid. 5,) Calvin, (Instit. 8, 17,) etc., appear, who attribute every wicked deed to God, though they pretend at the same time that he is not unjust, even when he commands and impels a man to commit murder or adultery. Idem facinus puta adulterium...quantum Dei est auctoris, motoris, impulsoris opus est, crimen non est; quantum hominis est, crimen ac scelus est. (Zuinglius, sup.) The light of reason may suffice to confute such absurdity. (Worthington)
8:16
Challoner
Sciniphs, or Cinifs, Hebrew Cinnim, small flying insects, very troublesome both to men and beasts. (Challoner)
Like midges. (Origen, hom. 4.) Others think they were lice. (Bochart) Pharao is not forewarned of this plague.
8:18
Haydock
Practiced, fecerunt; the same expression as ver. 7: whence some argue, that the former were delusions, not real changes. (Haydock)
Tirinus
God was pleased to shew here the vanity of their attempts, and the imbecility of the devil, who could not even bring a single animalcule or insect, though he had before appeared to work great wonders. (Tirinus)
8:19
Calmet
Finger, the spirit, (Luke 11:20; compare Matthew 12:28,) or power of God, Isaias 40:12. The magicians here confess, that Moses is something more than themselves. (Calmet)
Worthington
Thus God interferes, whenever a contest of miracles, real or apparent, might lead any sincere seeker astray. He caused the priests of Baal to be confounded; (3 Kings xix,) and Simon Magus, flying in the air, was hurled down at the prayer of St. Peter. (Hegesip.) Cyrola, the Arian patriarch, attempting to deceive the people, by giving sight to a man whom he bribed to feign himself blind; and Calvin, who wished to have the honour of raising a man to life, at Geneva, by the like imposition, were both deservedly covered with confusion; while, of those unhappy men who joined in the collusion, one lost his sight, and the other his life. (Gregory of Tours, 2:Hist. 3; Bolsec.) On such occasions, we are admonished to be on our guard, and to adhere to the old religion. (Deuteronomy xiii.; Matthew xxiv.) (Worthington)
The magicians, though fully convinced, were not still converted.
8:21
Calmet
Flies. Hebrew heharob. Septuagint, "dog-flies." Some include under this plague all sorts of wild beasts. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] 2:13; Wisdom 11:9, 16, 18.) Insects are very troublesome, and the pagans honoured Jupiter with the title of Apomuios, because he delivered them from flies. Beelzebub, "the god-fly," got his name for the same reason, 4 Kings 1:1. (Calmet)
8:22
Gessen, where the Hebrews dwelt. The Egyptians who lived among them would not, however, escape this plague.
8:23
Haydock
Be. Here again the Samaritan copy observes, that Moses told this to Pharao. (Haydock)
8:24
Menochius
The Lord, without the intervention of the rod, lest any inherent power might be supposed to rest in it. (Menochius)
Corrupted, ravaged; men and beasts being destroyed by their bite or sting. (Psalm 77:45; Wisdom 16:9.)
8:26
Challoner
The abominations, etc. That is, the things they worship for gods: oxen, rams, etc. It is the usual style of the Scriptures to call all idols and false gods, abominations; to signify how much the people of God ought to detest and abhor them. (Challoner)
Calmet
The Egyptians adored the stars, and even the vilest creatures, on account of some advantage which they derived from them. (Cicero, N. Deor. I.) They sometimes sacrificed animals; though, at first, "they offered only prayer and incense." (Macrobius, Satur. 1:7; Genesis 43:16.) Their belief in the transmigration of souls, perhaps, induced them to abstain from the immolation of beasts. (Calmet)
8:32
Menochius
Hardened. Hebrew and Septuagint, "Pharao hardened his heart this time also." (Menochius)
8:8
Pray ye to the Lord, etc.... By this it appears, that though the magicians, by the help of the devil, could bring frogs, yet they could not take them away: God being pleased to abridge in this the power of Satan. So we see they could not afterwards produce the lesser insects; and in this restraint of the power of the devil, were forced to acknowledge the finger of God.
8:15
Pharao hardened his own heart.... By this we see that Pharao was himself the efficient cause of his heart being hardened, and not God.—See the same repeated in ver. 32. Pharao hardened his heart at this time also: likewise chap. 9.7, 35, and chap. 13.15.
8:16
Sciniphs.... Or Cinifs, Hebrew Chinnim, small flying insects, very troublesome both to men and beast.
8:26
The abominations, etc.... That is, the things they worship for Gods: oxen, rams, etc. It is the usual style of the scriptures to call all idols and false gods, abominations, to signify how much the people of God ought to detest and abhor them.
8:2
If Pharao had not freewil threatning of punishmēt were vniust. Origen. li. 3. Per•ar. c. de. lib albeit. He that can not do otherwise doth not sinne, as both lerned and vnlerned cōfesse. S Aug. de very Relig. c. 14.
8:5
The 2. plague Multitude of frogges.
8:8
The Enchā ters could bring more frogges, but not take these away.
8:15
Pharaos induration ascribed to himself
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The 3. plague Sciniphes, smale flying beastes, especially molesting mens eyes. Philo l. 1. de vita Moysi.
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The diuels powre. limited by God Iob. 1. 2
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The enchanters conuinced in their vnderstanding, confessed the power of God, but not changed in affection, persisted in malice against the truth.
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The 4 plague Abundance of al sortes of flies.
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Aegyptians worshipping beasts thought it intolerable abomination to kil, or eate, or burne them in sacrifice ••n. 43. v. 32. 46. v. 34.
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In the Hebrew: Pharao hardned his o••n• hart, also this time.
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Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on Matthew 11.16
… and according to the proportion of faith one comes out from the borders among the Gentiles, which “when the Most High divided the nations He set up according to the number of the sons of Israel,” and prevented their further advance. Here, then, certain borders are spoken of as the borders of Tyre and Sidon, but in Exodus the borders of Pharaoh,
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 78.27
27. And if such be the case, if through evil angels God did inflict those plagues upon the Egyptians, shall we dare to say that the water also was turned into blood by means of those same angels, and that frogs were created by means of the same, the like whereunto even the magicians of Pharaoh were able to make by their enchantments;
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 78.27
… I dare not to say so. For whence was it that the magicians of Pharaoh could by no means make lice?
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St Irenaeus of Lyons † AD 202 Against Heresies 3.21.8
8. Wherefore also Moses giving a type, cast his rod upon the earth, in order that it, by becoming flesh, might expose and swallow up all the opposition of the Egyptians, which was lifting itself up against the pre-arranged plan of God;
Tertullian † AD 220 The Five Books Against Marcion 4.26
… and that He might make this understood, He adds: “But if I with the finger of God cast out demons, is not the kingdom of God come near unto you?” For the magicians who stood before Pharaoh and resisted Moses called the power of the Creator “ the finger of God .”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Letters of St. Augustin 55.29
… But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest to all men, as theirs also was.” For because through this corruptness of mind they were utterly disquieted, they failed at the third miracle, confessing that the Spirit of God which was in Moses was opposed to them: for in owning their failure, they said, “This is the finger of God.”
St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 Expositions on the Book of Psalms 8.7
… we understand consistently with this, that, in this place, the books of both Testaments are called “the heavens.” Now it is said too of Moses himself, by the magicians of king Pharaoh, when they were conquered by him, “This is the finger of God.”
Pseudo-Clement The Recognitions of Clement 3.55
… For truly he ought to have understood from their very name that they were not workers of truth, because they were not called messengers of God, but magicians, as the tradition also intimates. Moreover, they seemed to maintain the contest up to a certain point, and afterwards they confessed of themselves, and yielded to their superior.
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Origen † AD 254 Origen's Commentary on the Gospel of John 10.11
… A similar way of speaking is that in Exodus with regard to the people; it is said by God to be His own people, when it does not sin; but in the section about the calf He abjures it and calls it the people of Moses.
John Cassian † AD 435 The Conferences of John Cassian 7.5
… “Appoint for thee rulers of thousands, and of hundreds, and of fifties and of tens.”
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Tertullian † AD 220 On Baptism 9
How many, therefore, are the pleas of nature, how many the privileges of grace, how many the solemnities of discipline, the figures, the preparations, the prayers, which have ordained the sanctity of water? First, indeed, when the people, set unconditionally free,
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St Athanasius of Alexandria † AD 373 Festal and Personal Letters of Athanasius 11
… for he who is defiled with the pollutions of the wicked is not able to sacrifice the Passover to the Lord our God. Hence, the people who were then in Egypt said, ‘We cannot sacrifice the Passover in Egypt to the Lord our God
St Ephrem the Syrian † AD 373 Ephraim Syrus: Three Homilies 1.32
… But they remembered not the signs on their garments, and in the signs of the body they greatly erred. The fathers who saw the glory of Moses, did not obey Moses; nor did the sons who saw the blindness of Paul believe Paul. But three times in the desert they threatened to stone Moses and his house with stones as dogs.
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Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 3.1.11
… With respect to the statement that the heart of Pharaoh was subdued by degrees, so that on one occasion he said, “Go not far away; ye shall go a three days’ journey, but leave your wives, and your children, and your cattle,”
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Origen † AD 254 Origen De Principiis 3.1-2.11
… And the brief statement that the heart of Pharaoh was softened, as it were, when he said, “But ye shall not go far: ye will go a three days’ journey, and leave your wives,”
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St Augustine of Hippo † AD 430 A Treatise on Grace and Free Will 45
… For this, too, is said of him, after the removal of the fly-plague from the Egyptians, in these words of the Scripture: “And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also; neither would he let the people go.”
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2. I WILL STRIKE ALL THY BORDERS WITH FROGS. — "Borders," that is, thy regions even to their furthest limits and boundaries: this is a metonymy. After the first plague of blood, which lasted 7 days, soon on the following day, namely the 8th day, there followed this second plague of very many and most troublesome frogs, which God, in His merciful justice, armed as a punishment for the guilty in such a way that by means of them He also admonished them to repentance. They are justly punished with aquatic frogs and their croaking, who had submerged the Hebrew infants in waters and had despised their cries. For infants are compared to frogs both in their movement and in their cries; for they crawl on hands and feet like frogs. Thus Theodoret.
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3. AND THE RIVER SHALL SWARM WITH FROGS. — The Hebrew sharats signifies to proliferate and to multiply offspring like fish and frogs; which Our translator aptly renders, "shall swarm," that is to say, many frogs, like bubbles, shall be born from the Nile and shall come forth.
WHICH SHALL COME UP AND ENTER INTO THY HOUSE. — Behold, here God the avenger changes the place of aquatic creatures, namely frogs, so that by an instinct of their nature contrary to it, divinely implanted in them, they might be carried into a colony of a different element, namely air and earth, so that no place in the land of Egypt would be closed or impassable to frogs, with angels driving the frogs in every direction, or even transferring them. This plague of frogs was more severe than the former one of blood. For the former had only deprived the Egyptians of water, the use of wine and milk remaining untouched: but frogs, spread everywhere, not only by their vocal and discordant music dulled their ears, but also occupied and defiled all foods, vessels, pots, dishes, seats, tables, houses, storerooms, pantries, bedrooms, beds, roads, and everything; and many of them dying, by their slime and stench infected both the waters, roads and houses, as Josephus says. Hear Scripture: "They shall enter, it says, into thy house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the houses of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy ovens, and into the remnants of thy meats, and unto thee, and unto thy people, and unto all thy servants, shall the frogs enter." Hear also Philo: "The frogs, he says, filled the forums and all buildings, both sacred and profane, both private and public; and so, since men could neither go forth on the roads filled with them, nor remain within, with the innermost chambers also filled, and frogs even creeping up to the highest stories, they were reduced to utter despair." Moreover, Scripture signifies that their multitude was immense, when, Moses praying, the frogs died, it adds in verse 14: "And they gathered them together into immense heaps, and the land stank." These frogs therefore tormented all the senses: first, the sight by their size and deformity; second, the hearing by their constant and troublesome croaking; third, the taste, because, sitting upon all foods and drinks, they defiled them, and leaped into the mouths of those eating with the food; fourth, the smell by the most foul stench which they exhaled, especially when dead; fifth, the touch: for they climbed upon tables, seats, beds, and there invaded and occupied the bodies, feet, hands, and faces of those sitting or lying down. Pererius adds that many of the frogs were harmful and venomous. The Hebrews add, or rather fabricate, that these frogs entered the bodies and viscera of the Egyptians through the open mouth of those sleeping, and through other passages. Thus frogs have often devastated entire regions and expelled peoples from them, as Orosius teaches that the Abderites were driven from their homeland by frogs, lib. III, cap. ult.
AND INTO THE REMNANTS OF THY MEATS. — Our translator rightly renders the Hebrew bemisarotecha, which, however, secondly signifies flour sprinkled. Whence the Septuagint renders, "into thy masses, or thy pastes"; the Chaldean renders it, into thy baskets, that is, into the bakehouse and places where bread is made.
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5. STRETCH OUT THY HAND, — with the rod which thou holdest; for the Hebrew expresses the rod: for that was the effectrix and moral cause of all these things; for by this sign of the stretching out of the rod, as by a command, from the waters and their obediential power, frogs were called forth by Moses and God. Allegorically, the rod is the cross, or the wood of the cross. For the cross intervenes in all the wonderful works of our redemption.
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6. AND AARON STRETCHED FORTH HIS HAND OVER THE WATERS. — "Over," that is, towards or against the waters: for he did not touch them, inasmuch as he was far removed from them, and was in the court of Pharaoh. He stretched forth therefore the rod from a distance, by this extension signifying that he would strike the Egyptians, and by his command the plague of frogs would be inflicted. Tropologically, frogs are garrulous and clamorous; for these are troublesome to lovers of quiet, like frogs, and they disturb the peace of a house or community. Whence Pythagoras said, "a swallow ought not to be received in a house," that is, garrulous and verbose men ought not to be admitted into a family, as St. Jerome explains in his Apology against Rufinus. But especially are frogs loquacious philosophers and heretics, who, as St. Augustine says, in book I of On the Agreement of the Ten Commandments with the Ten Plagues, "can have pride and vain contentions, as it were a noise of voices, but cannot insinuate the doctrine of true wisdom: for those who contradict Christian truth, and deceived in their vanity deceive others, are frogs, bringing indeed tedium to the ears, but providing no food to the minds;" and, as Tertullian says, in the book Against Hermogenes, chapter 1, such men "esteem loquacity eloquence, account impudence constancy, and judge it the duty of a good conscience to curse all." Again, just as frogs become silent when a torch is lit at night, so also sophists and heretics when the light of truth is seen. Whence the Poet: Struck by the light, the frogs cease to curse, And the sophist, conquered by the light of truth, is silent. The same St. Augustine, sermon 87 On the Seasons; Origen, Rabanus and Rupertus understand by frogs the inflated, modulated, fabulous and impure songs of poets, which have been the ruin of many. Secondly, Gregory of Nyssa: Frogs, he says, are a type of voluptuous and luxurious life; for first, a frog is an animal of double life, living in waters and on land, dwelling in mud and slime: thus a voluptuous man is ambiguous between man and beast: for he bears the form of a man, but lives the life of a beast. Secondly, a frog is deformed in appearance, and of foul stench, which is not cleansed by waters, but rather defiled: thus foul and stinking are those addicted to belly and Venus, for gluttony and lust stain all their thoughts, words and deeds, mind and body. Thirdly, frogs are loquacious: thus the libidinous exhale shameful things. Fourthly, these frogs penetrated and defiled all things: thus gluttony and lust penetrate and defile all things; it abounds in the tables of the gluttonous, sits in their beds and inner chambers, covers their walls and halls with obscene images, their vessels with foul carvings, their body with putrefaction, their mind with corruption and defiles them. Thus Nyssa.
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7. AND THE MAGICIANS ALSO DID SO BY THEIR INCANTATIONS. — Namely, not as many as Aaron, which would have covered all cities and villages; but they brought forth some few frogs from the waters, which the demons had previously transferred there secretly from elsewhere, or even which they had naturally produced from the waters, by applying active to passive principles: for thus we see that frogs are naturally produced from waters.
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8. PRAY THE LORD, THAT HE TAKE AWAY THE FROGS. — Hence it is clear that this plague of frogs was more severe than the former one of blood. For this compelled Pharaoh to pray Moses for deliverance, which the former had not done.
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9. APPOINT FOR ME, WHEN I SHALL PRAY FOR THEE. — In Hebrew it is: Glory over me when I pray for thee, as if to say, I defer this honor to thee, that thou mayest appoint and define the time when I shall pray, that thou with thy Egyptians mayest be freed from frogs. Note the word "when," as if to say, Lest thou think me to be seeking a certain and natural time of the cessation of frogs from the horoscope, that is from the inspection of the hour, or the rising of a new star, as an astrologer or magician, do thou thyself define the time. Moses knew that he had been given as God to Pharaoh, and as the liberator of Israel: and therefore from the signs necessary for this liberation, from his confidence in God and His promise, he boldly promises Pharaoh that he would remove the frogs at any time; especially because he relied upon such great familiarity with God, and was moved by hidden impulses from God to dare this, as if God were assisting and would certainly help, so that at any time he could remove this plague of frogs: there was therefore no tempting of God here, yet this was a work of great courage and virtue. Whence the Chaldean renders it: Ask for thyself power, that is, a great thing, to accomplish which great strength and power are needed.
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10. WHO ANSWERED, TOMORROW, — not immediately this day and moment, both that I may give thee time to pray for the removal of the frogs, and that I may test whether the frogs naturally fail of themselves, as if brought hither by chance, or rather whether, as induced by divine virtue, they can be removed only by the same being implored through thy prayers.
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12. HE CRIED OUT, — not with voice, but with desire, and with great elevation and straining of his mind towards God: thus in chapter xiv, verse 15, God says to Moses while silent: "Why criest thou to me?"
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14. AND THEY GATHERED THEM TOGETHER INTO IMMENSE HEAPS (the frogs). — The frogs did not immediately vanish when Moses prayed, lest they should be thought to be illusions, and lest Pharao should forget this plague. Whence Philo and Josephus relate that from the dead frogs an intolerable stench was exhaled.
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17. AND HE SMOTE THE DUST OF THE EARTH, AND THERE CAME SCINIPHES (gnats) UPON MEN AND UPON BEASTS. — This is the third plague of gnats, by which the Egyptians were punished in the earth and dust, who had oppressed the Hebrews in mud and bricks. Note: This plague was in all the land of Egypt, not simply, but wherever there were Egyptians, or their beasts: for to these alone were the gnats sent to torment. Whence when it is said: "All the dust of the earth was turned into gnats," understand, by hyperbole, "all," that is, much, as if all, which was with men and beasts. And that this is so appears from verse 21. Note secondly: These animals are called sciniphes, and in Greek by the Septuagint and Philo sknipes (which in the singular is said sknips, or knips), from the Hebrew word kinnim, somewhat changed, or rather from the Greek knizein, that is, to prick, to excite itching: for this is what gnats do, which are also called sciniphes. You may ask, what sort of gnats were these? Josephus, the Hebrews, Cajetan and Oleaster translate the Hebrew kinnim as lice, but they err, both because lice are not generated from dust, but from the body; and because the Septuagint, our Vulgate and Philo translate "sciniphes," not lice. Secondly, Torniellus wishes sciniphes to have been fleas, because, if they had been gnats, they would have been produced not by this, but by the following plague, which was of all kinds of flies. But truly fleas do not fly into the eyes, and fleas are called, not sciniphes. Add that gnats properly are not flies, since otherwise there would be various kinds of flies: for there is a fly, one canine, another equine, another bovine, another common, another Spanish, another black, another golden, another yellow, etc. I say therefore that sciniphes were gnats (sknips, says the Greek Etymologicum, is of the kind of gnat) and their infinite swarms (so that, like an extended cloud, they would overshadow all Egypt, as Philo says), which both pierced bodies with stinging barbs, and, as Philo says, penetrated nostrils and ears, and flew into the eyes. Wherefore this animal, although it be most minute, is nevertheless most troublesome. Whence St. James of Nisibis, hurling a curse of gnats against Sapor, king of the Persians, besieging Nisibis, immediately scattered his horses and elephants with them, as Theodoret testifies in the Philotheos. Hence Albert the Great, book XVI On Animals, says that gnats are worms in body, but flies in head and wings, have a sting in the mouth, by which they prick and suck, are born in marshy places, and pursue the spirits of animals, but especially human ones. But these Mosaic ones were more fierce, and as it were miraculous: nor did they fly gyrating in the air, as gnats do, but invaded men and beasts. Tropologically, gnats are the dialectical sophisms of heretics, which with minute and subtle stings of words and arguments pierce souls, and with such cunning circumvent them, that the deceived one neither sees nor understands. Thus Origen and from him St. Augustine, sermon 87 On the Seasons. Diogenes rightly refuted a sophist: for when the latter by his quibbles concluded that Diogenes had horns, Diogenes, touching his forehead and temples with his hand: But, said he, I do not see them. To another arguing thus: What I am, you are not: I am a man; therefore you are not a man, he replied: Begin from me, and you will conclude rightly: What Diogenes is, that a sophist is not: Diogenes is a man; therefore a sophist is not a man. Wherefore Ariston rightly said that the quibbles of dialecticians are like spider's webs, in that they have much artifice, little utility. St. Augustine in the Correspondence of the Ten Commandments with the Ten Plagues, teaches that this plague is opposed to the third commandment, by which we are commanded to sanctify the sabbath, that is, to have rest of mind: for gnats signify restless, contentious and quarrelsome men, who disturb their own peace and that of others.
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18. AND THE MAGICIANS DID IN LIKE MANNER. — "Did," that is, they attempted to do by their incantations. Thus St. Augustine. AND THEY COULD NOT. — Why could the magicians, who had made frogs and greater things, not produce small gnats? The Hebrews answer, according to Lyra, that the cause is that demons cannot produce an animal smaller than a grain of barley, but gnats are smaller than this. But these are trifles: for although by art they can sometimes make very large things, not the smallest, yet by nature and by natural causes (by which demons act) smaller and viler animals are more easily made than larger ones: for the latter need many things, as experience shows. Second, Rupertus thinks the magicians made gnats, but not true ones, namely those that would sting and have stings. But whence did Rupertus learn this? Indeed it contradicts Scripture, which simply says they could not make gnats. Third, Cajetan gives this reason, that those incantations were not suited to such an effect, namely to producing gnats: for it is certain that demons can produce gnats. But it is not doubtful that the demon, who here exerted all his power against Moses, suggested to his magicians incantations proper and suited to such an effect. I say therefore that the demons were prevented by God from being able to make gnats; for the magicians themselves confess this, saying: "This is the finger of God;" and this so that thus the power of God and the weakness of demons might appear more clearly, and that it is not a demon but God whom we ought to fear, who restrains the demon's strength, so that even in small matters he cannot harm unless God permits it. Finally, here the false magicians and demons are convicted of impotence; and it became clear to all that the wonders which they had previously done were not true miracles, and that they were conquered and overthrown by Moses; and consequently that Moses was a true prophet and servant of the true God, while they themselves were servants of the demon. St. Augustine gives an allegorical reason in Questions XXV on Exodus. In the third plague, he says, the magicians failed at the gnat plague, to signify that the philosophers of the Gentiles did not recognize the mystery of the Holy Trinity. For although Plato and others did not keep silent about the Father and the Son, yet they did not recognize the Holy Spirit, who is the finger of God. Morally learn from this: if you resist the demon strongly and constantly with Moses, you will render him most weak, so that he cannot even make a gnat.
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19. THIS IS THE FINGER OF GOD, — namely, who assists Moses and helps him, but invades us and restrains us, and compels us to yield to him. Here God, and Moses from enemies even unwilling, extorts a true confession of true signs of Moses and of those flowing from God. You will ask, what does the finger signify here. Some answer that the finger signifies the plague which God inflicted with a light motion, and as it were with his finger: and just as man has ten fingers, so there were ten plagues of Egypt; whence the Chaldean translator renders it, this plague is from the face of God. Second and more aptly, the finger of God is God's power, virtue and operation: for by arm and fingers, which are instruments of action, the Hebrews signify power and action. For although in God there is one operative virtue, yet it is manifold and multiform by reason of many effects, whence it is called finger or fingers. Hence in Isaiah xl, God is said to suspend the mass of the earth with three fingers, and in Psalm viii: "I will behold thy heavens, the works of thy fingers;" thus Rupertus, Cajetan, Lyra, Lipomanus. Again the finger of God signifies immense power, as if to say, the virtue by which Moses operates is eminent and insuperable; for thus are called mountains of God, cedars of God, that is, the greatest. Mystically, in the mind not of the magicians but of God, the finger of God is the Holy Spirit: for first, as the finger is from the arm and hand, so the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son. Second, as there are many fingers, so there are many gifts of the Holy Spirit. Third, there are as many fingers on the right hand as on the left, because we need equal strength and grace of the Holy Spirit to sustain both prosperity and adversity. Thus Augustine, Jerome and Nyssenus. Hence that Luke cap. xi, vers. 20, Christ is said to cast out demons in the finger of God, Matthew cap. xii, vers. 28, explains this, saying that he does this in the Spirit of God. Lyra wrongly understands here by God a superior demon, who by magic prevented the operation of the magicians and inferior demons. For if, he says, the magicians had known that the true God was present with Moses, they would not have dared to resist him further: yet they did resist him after this, cap. ix, vers. 11. But this is against all interpreters and against the plain words of Scripture itself. Nor is it surprising that the magicians later returned to their purpose and resisted Moses. For thus Pharao, repenting at times, soon returned to his purpose. Add that, as demons resist God, although they know him, so they resist also magicians and other great sinners. THE HEART OF PHARAO WAS HARDENED. — Both from the fact that the magicians said they could do and knew similar things to Moses and would do similar things, had they not been prevented by God; and also because he had seen them do greater things already.
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Vers. 21. I WILL SEND IN UPON THEE, ETC. ALL MANNER OF FLIES. — In Hebrew it is arob, which if you regard the root, signifies mixed or miscellaneous, which some determine to mean beasts, as if God sent forth in this fourth plague various kinds of beasts mixed together upon the Egyptians. Thus Josephus. Whence the Chaldean translator renders it, a mixture of noxious beasts; Pagninus, all manner of beasts; R. Solomon, a swarm of serpents and scorpions; Aben Ezra, an incursion of lions, and leopards, and wolves. Better do St. Jerome, the Septuagint and Aquila interpret arob as a medley of flies, or a swarm of various flies: for Aquila renders it pammuian, that is, all kinds of fly; the Septuagint also render it koinomuian, that is, the common fly, namely all manner of flies. Whence also the Latin Interpreter, retaining the Greek name coenomyiam (for thus it should be read with the Romans, not cynomyiam) renders it in Psalm lxxvii, 45, and Psalm civ, 31. Whence St. Jerome in his epistle to Sunias and Fretella thinks it is read viciously in the Septuagint as kunomuian with upsilon, that is, the dog-fly, instead of koinomuian with omicron-iota, that is, the common fly; yet koinomuian is read by Origen, Augustine and Theodoret, and also by Philo, who says it is called kunomuian from two most shameless animals, namely the dog and the fly, as if Moses said: This fly was like dogs, most shameless, most bold, most biting. Thus the Egyptians, indicating shamelessness, depicted a fly, which, though frequently driven away, yet repeatedly returns shamelessly. Thus Horus Apollo, lib. I, Hieroglyphics 48. Mystically, St. Augustine opposes this fourth plague to the fourth commandment, which is concerning the honoring of parents; for those who do not honor their parents are punished through the dog-fly, that is, through the wickedness of the devil: for it is dog-like not to acknowledge one's parents. Whence the whelps of dogs are born blind. Secondly, St. Augustine in sermon 87, and Origen understand by cynomyiam the sect of the Cynics, on account of their public and shameless use of lust. Others understand heretics, who at first speak piously and flatter, but then snarl and bite, like dogs. Most truly indeed did the Blessed Thomas More say: "Our heretics have removed hypocrisy, but substituted shamelessness, so that those who before simulated religion, now glory in impiety." Thirdly, Pererius compares the cynomyiae to advocates and other litigious men, who like dogs bite and tear one another. Again, cynomyiae are slanderers; for, as Plutarch says in his Morals, just as friends detest a dog running in and separating them: so men should curse dog-like men, who by their slander separate the goodwill of friends. Hence Alcibiades sent a huge dog through the city with its tail cut off: when this seemed to many foolish and absurd, and his friends warned him, recounting the talk that was circulating about him, Alcibiades laughed and said: Thus the matter succeeded as I intended. For I wished to give the Athenians a subject of conversation, so that I might turn them from worse things, which they speak abusively about me and others, to these new things: Plutarch is witness in his Life of Alcibiades. Fourthly, St. Gregory by all manner of flies understands the restless and insolent cares of carnal desires, by which the followers of the world and of pleasures are agitated and struck. See him in lib. XVIII Moral. cap. xxviii.
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Vers. 22. AND I WILL MAKE WONDERFUL IN THAT DAY THE LAND OF GESSEN. — The Hebrew hiphleti can be rendered with the Chaldean as, I will divide the land of Gessen, so that it alone in Egypt be immune from this plague of flies. Whence thirdly, hiphleti can thus be rendered, I will act miraculously with the land of Gessen. For the root pala signifies, he separated, or made wonderful, as if to say, I will make the land of Gessen pele, that is, wonderful, and a marvel of the world. Thus the Angel appearing to Manoah the father of Samson, when he asked by what name he should be called, said: "Why askest thou my name, which is pele, that is, wonderful?" Judges xiii, 14. Thus Christ in Isaiah ix, verse 6, is called pele, that is, admirable. In a similar way appropriately in the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus, when Christians by God's warning went out and escaped to the city Pella, as Eusebius testifies, lib. III, cap. v, that city was appropriately called by Christians, either before or after, namely from this wonderful escape, Pela, or Pella, that is, wonderful separation: because just as of old God made the land of Gessen pele, that is, wonderful, and separated it from the plagues of Egypt: so likewise he separated in Pella the Christians from the plagues of the Jews in Jerusalem destroyed by Titus. Thus Alcazar, Apoc. vii, at the beginning page 468. AND THOU SHALT KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH, — that is, ruling in the wide and broad land. Thus the Hebrews call the midst, or the heart of the sea, the very wide and deep sea itself; add, just as a king residing in the midst of his kingdom looks about and administers the whole kingdom on all sides: so also God, spoken of anthropopathically, is said to reside in the midst of the earth, as a king, and to rule most widely on all sides.
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Vers. 23. AND I WILL PUT A DIVISION. — In Hebrew it is ponam pedut, that is, redemption, as if to say, I will redeem, exempt and free my Hebrews from the common plague, which will afflict all Egypt.
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Vers. 24. AND THERE CAME A MOST GRIEVOUS FLY. — This fourth plague of flies God inflicted by no sensible sign, by no stretching forth of the rod, by himself alone, lest anyone should suspect that some divine power dwelt in the rod, or that he who wrought these things was not God. A Most Grievous Fly. — "Grievous," that is, very many. For thus the Hebrews, by metonymy and by exchange of continuous quantity for discrete, take "heavy" to mean "many" and "abundant." Thus in Psalm xxxiv, verse 18, it is said: "In a heavy people," that is, a great, "I will praise thee." I Maccabees i, 18: "Antiochus entered Egypt in heavy multitude," that is, abundant. Nahum iii, 3: "The voice of heavy ruin," that is, the voice of great slaughter; for it is preceded by "the voice of the multitude of the slain." Thus also the Latins use "heavy," as Varro in Nonius Marcellus, when he says: "Where heavy herds graze and flocks of peacocks are reared; " "heavy," that is, many; and Sallust: "There began to be a heavy price for grain throughout the whole province." Heavy, that is, great and much. Secondly, "most grievous," that is, most troublesome and most harmful, both to men and to beasts. Whence it follows: "And the land was corrupted by such flies." Hence Abulensis thinks these flies were venomous in their bite. Thus Pliny relates that once flies destroyed entire nations and regions, lib. X, cap. xxviii, and therefore, he says, the Eleans worshipped God as myiodes, or myjagrus, as it were Jupiter the fly-god, to drive away the plague of flies; just as the Accronites worshipped Beelzebub, that is, the fly-god, whom many think to be the same as myiodes or myjagrus, that is, Jupiter the fly-god.
8:26
Vers. 26. For the abominations of the Egyptians shall we sacrifice to the Lord our God? — Our Interpreter rendered this interrogatively for emphasis, as also the Chaldean and Pagninus rendered it, as if to say: It is in no way expedient that we should slay and sacrifice sheep and oxen in Egypt before the Egyptians; for these very things they worship. Whence, if we slaughter them, they will stone us; this is evident from what follows. You will ask, what are the abominations of the Egyptians? Note that "abomination" is used for an abominable thing, or an abominated thing. See Can. 21. Now, first, some understand it thus, that "abominations" are called those things which the Egyptians sacrificed to their gods, which were abominable to the Hebrews; for among the ancients the pig was sacrificed to Ceres, the goose to Venus, the ass to Priapus, the dog to Diana, the horse to Phoebus. But it was unlawful for the Hebrews to sacrifice these animals. Secondly and genuinely, as is evident from the Hebrew and from what follows, abominations here are called sacred cattle, the slaughter of which the Egyptians abhorred as almost sacrilegious, inasmuch as they worshipped them as divine or as having something divine. Whence what are here called "abominations" are shortly after called "those things which the Egyptians worship." For thus they worshipped Jupiter Ammonium in the ram, and Apis in the calf and ox. So Philo. For this reason also the Egyptians detested shepherds of sheep, because they themselves were accustomed to slaughter sheep, which the Egyptians worshipped, as has been said in Genesis xlvi. For although the law of Leviticus concerning victims had not yet been given, Moses nevertheless knew, partly from tradition and the example of his ancestors, partly from the instinct of God, that God wished sheep and oxen to be sacrificed to him, not pigs and other unclean animals. Note this against Rupert, who here attempts to exclude the literal sense and to substitute a tropological one in its place. Tropologically, the abominations of the Egyptians are faith, justice, piety, penance, mortification of the flesh and desires, and other virtues whose sacrifice is most pleasing to God, which the impious abhor and turn away from. Hear St. Gregory, lib. X Moral. xxiii: "What does the sinner here hope for with all his thoughts, except to surpass others in power, to exceed all in the multiplication of things, to subject those who resist by dominating them, to become known as admirable to those who obey, to satisfy his anger according to his will; to show himself benign when praised; to offer whatever gluttony desires. Well therefore is their hope called abomination: because those things which the carnal desire, the spiritual likewise abhor by right judgment; and what they esteem as pleasure, these regard as punishment; because as the flesh is nourished by soft things, so the soul is nourished by hard things, and as hard things wound the flesh, so soft things kill the spirit. The hope therefore of the carnal is called abomination of the soul, because from that the spirit perishes forever, from which the flesh lives sweetly for a time; " and cap. xxvii: "What the Egyptians abominate, this the Israelites offer to God: because the simplicity of conscience, which all the unjust despise, this the just turn into a sacrifice of virtue, and cultivating the purity and gentleness of the upright they sacrifice to God, which the wicked abhorring regard as foolishness."
8:32
Vers. 32. And it was hardened. — In Hebrew, and Pharaoh hardened his heart. So also the Septuagint.
Machine translation from the Latin, not reviewed.
8:1
v. 4 « Dixit quoque Dominus ad: Moysen : Ingredere ad Pharaonem et dices ad. eum : Haec dicit Dominus : Dimitte populum mewnm, ut sacrificet mihi ». Cf. 5,3; 1,16.
8:2
v. 2 « Sin autem nolueris dimittere, ecce ego percutiam omnes terminos tuos ranis ». Masor. et LXX exprimunt articulum : quaestio est punctationis, difficultatem habens nullam. « Sic a ranis civitatem in Gallia pulsam ex Varrone scribit Plinius VIII. 29, et Abderitas propter intolerandae multitudinis ranas et mures, relicto patrio solo et antiquis habitaculis, emigrasse novasque sedes quaesiisse Paulus Orosius III. 93 » (Sylv.). Simile quid de Paeonia et Dardania tradit Athenaeus VIII. 6 (Ca£m.). v.3 « Et ebulliet », i. e. « producet in maxima copia » (Vat. et cf. Gen. 1,20), « fluvius » itemque, quod e v. 5 colligitur, canales et paludes, « ranas , quae ascendent » de aquis (Tost.) « et ingredientur. domm tuam », — Sam. LXXinserto iod , sed minus probabiliter, domos tuas —« et cubiculum » (cf. Gen. 43,30; Sam. LXX rursum scribunt pluralem) « Jectuli tui , et super stratum tuum » (Sam. LXX plur.), quae vox Gen. 47,31 stratum designat, in quo aegrotus decumbit; et etiam h. 1l. lectum designat, non vero stratum, in quo quis epulis aecumbat (Tost.), cum Aegyptii sedilibus seu thronis in conviviis uterentur. Habetur ergo his gradatio, ut ranae persecuturae sint Phara- | onem intra domum, in conclave interius, in ipsum lectum. lam plaga ad alia etiam extenditur, sc. ad domos (minus feliciter Hebr. Chald. Syr. domum) servorum universique populi (pro t5z2: LXX verius qms: facile e v. ^ irrepsit 3), ad furnos (wn, quem sensum vox etiam in lingua chald. habet; depictos vero eiusmodi furnos habes Ebers, Aegypten p. 332), et ad mactras (u&xzox) seu alveos pistorios, in quibus massa asservabatur. Hane enim esse vocis D?NV'O (a "NU, massa) significationem et CAald. comprobat semper vertens NmsN, et alii textus suadent: Ex. 12,3^; Deut. 28,5.
8:3
17 — « e! in domos servorum tuorum , et in populum tuum , et in. furnos tuos, et in reliquias [ciborum] tuorum ». Ingratus erat ranarum ubique domorum, imo in ipsis lectis concursus; ingratior in furnos et mactras irruptio, quo et cibi foedarentur, et quandoque ranae emortuae in ipsis cibis reperirentur. Cogita, quam munditiei amantes fuerint Aegyptii.
8:4
v. & « E/ ad te, et ad populum tuum , et ad omnes servos tuos intrabunt ranae ». Nemo ab ea plaga immunis erit. Tamen expressio (cf. v. 1 et Gen. 19,5) nequaquam edicit (Kn.) ranas in ipsas personas esse insulturas, quod a ranarum indole potius abborret, sed v. 3 dicta repetit. Ranarum vero in domos ingressus non erat (Tos/.) veri nominis miraculum : ingrediebantur, quia, eum tot essent numero, neque satis spatii neque satis alimenti sub divo reperiebant.
8:5
v. 5 « Dixitque Dominus ad. Moysen : Dic ad Aaron : Extende manum tuam » — reliqui cum virga tua — « super fluvios ac super rivos et paludes, et educ ranas super terram Aegypti ». Addit Sam. : Et dirit Moyses ad Aaron : Extende manum tuam cum virga tua , et ascendant ranae super terram Aegypti.
8:6
v. 6 « Etextendit Aaron manum super aquas Aegypti, et ascenderunt ranae operueruntque terram. Aequypti ».
8:7
v. 1 « Fecerunt autem et malefict per incantationes suas similiter, eduzeruntque ranas super terram Aegypti ».
8:8
v. 8 « Vocavit autem Pharao Moysen et Aaron, et dixit eis : Orate Dominum , ut auferat ranas a me et a populo meo; et dimittam populum, ut sacrificet Domino. ». Forte maleficos rogaverat, iique non potuerant ranas auferre. Qui 5,2 ignorare se Dominum erat professus, iam novit Dominum e portentis (cf. 7,5) ab eoque solo salutem obtineri posse agnoscit. À plaga sanguinis liberari non petiverat, quam rex ef aulici minus senserant, vino usi pro potu : ranae vero tam divites quam pauperes torquebant. Cf. Tost., Sule.
8:9
v. 9 « Dixitque Moyses ad. Pharaonem : Constitue miht, quando deprecer pro te et pro servis twis et pro populo tuo, ut abigantur », seu verius destruantur, « ranae a te et a domo tua et a servis tuis et a populo tuo, et tantum in. flumine remaneant ». « Ut potestatem Dei exterminatis. pro. arbitrio ranis demonstraret Moyses, Pharaoni indixit, ut certam diem ad eas interimendas destinaret; quod ab illo factum est pariter, ne magi sibi gloriam usurparent, virtute sua se bestias illas subduxisse, vel spargerent in vulgus sponte interiisse » "y "NZnn. Significatio constitue mihi, vá&at xpóg us radici haud consonat. Paraphrases potius tradunt Chald. : pete tibi portentum et constitue tibi tempus ; Syr.: pete tibi tempus. Felicius vertunt Ps. Ion. : « Lauda animam tuam propter me », et Targ. Hier. : « confide in me ». Sc. hebraeum vertendum est glorificare super me ; cuius expressionis sensus aut hic esse potest : glorificare seu gloriare contra me (Iud. 7, 2; Is. 10,15); aut: glorificare seu gloriare propter me. Planissima expositio est Munsteri (in opere : Critici Sacri) : gloriare propter me, i. e. bono animo esto, petita perficiam. Cai. censet, eam gloriam a Moyse accipere Pharaonem, ut is ei diem definiendum permittat; Male. moneri Pharaonem autumat, ut non in . magis, sed in Moyse glorietur et confidat. Quae longius petuntur.
8:10
v. 10 « Qui respondit : Cras ». Ubi monet Cai., non huic plagae septiduum (cf. 7,25) permisisse Pharaonem. Quamdiu ea duraverit, non legimus. Aliquos ei dies licebit assignare, « tum ut eius acerbitatem perfectius experirentur omnes Aegyptii, tum quia non est credibile Pharaonem diu distulisse vocare Moysen pro illius ablatione » (Sylv); ne tamen s/íat?m eundem vocaret, repugnasse crediderim Pharaonis superbiam. At eur non s/a/;m. orare Moysen iussit Pharao? Adverte , licet Moyses quaesierit de tempore, quando orandum , quod tamen pro crastina die postulaverit Pharao, fuisse non tam orationem quam plagae cessationem. Hanc autem cirea vesperam Moysen alloquens postulabat, ut efficeretur cras, « ut tempus orandi daret » (Men.). Supponitur Moyses tota nocte Deo esse supplicaturus. « A/ ?//e : Iuxta, inquit , verbum tuum |faciam|, ut scias, quoniam non est sicut Dominus Deus noster », ideoque populum dimittas.
8:11
v. 11 « E/ recedent ranae a te, et a domo tua, et a servis tuis, et a populo tuo : et tantum in flumine remanebunt ».
8:12
v. 142 « Egressique sunt Moyses et Aaron a Pharaone; et clamavit Moyses ad Dominum pro sponsione » seu nego- £o (333) « ranarum, quam. condixerat Pharaoni ».
8:13
v. 13 « Fecttque Dominus tuxta verbum Moysi », non manu nec virga aut Moysis aut Aaronis hae in re usus (Ca?.), « et mortuae sunt ranae de domibus et de villis et de agris », de omnibus praeter flumen locis. v. 1*4 « Congregaveruntque eas in àmmensos aggeres » — Hebr. acervatim, — « et computrutit terra ». « E rananum corruptione ortae varii generis muscae et insecta plurima, quibus tertia in Aegyptum plaga a Deo inflicta. Quamvis enim hae plagae prodigio deputandae sint », inquit Calm., « in illis tamen inducendis Deus usus est apta naturae et causarum secundarum habitudine ».
8:15
v. 15 « Videns autem Pharao , quod data esset requies, ingravavit. cor suum et non audivit eos, sicut praeceperat Dominus », cf. 1,22. Arg. — Maec plaga paucis absolvitur. Portentum erat in culicum infinito numero ad nutum Aaronis pullulantium ; item in eo, quod illud omnes magorum artes excedere indubie agnosceretur. Probabilius, uti prima plaga secundae, ita haec tertia quartae aequalis exstitit, ut nonnisi una tandem cum muscis etiam sciniphes exterminarentur. Pharao immotus permansit. D'22 semper scribit Sam., dum Masor. v. 17 sq. etiam punctent Q22n, de eadem evidenter re loquentes. Cf. Dillm. — Ios. vertit pediculos ; Targumim et Syr. ND5p, quae vox praeter pediculos alia similia animalia exprimit. Talmudicum 522 de variis animaleulis alis carentibus usurpatur : pediculo, pulice, verme. Vulg. vocem mutuata est a LXX cxvtocc. Hoc animaleulum Philo (Vita Moys. p. 97 m.) ait esse permolestum, non cutem solum pungens, sed in nares etiam et aures et oculos involans. Or. (Hom. 4 in Ex.; M. 12. 322) : « Hoe animal », inquit, « pennis quidem suspenditur per aera volitans, sed ita subtile est et minutum, ut oculi visum, nisi acute cernentis, effugiat; corpus tamen, cum insederit, acerrimo terebrat stimulo, ita ut quem volitantem, quis videre non valeat, sentiat stimulantem ». Cum hac virorum, qui in Aegypto vixere, descriptione concordant alii. Teste Swida oxwt) erat Giov xcvy0x00:c, teste Etym. magn. erat ztrvóv zowozottóéc. Alia vide ap. Dillm. Dices, his tantum effici, LXX m'22 interpretatos esse sciniphes. Esto : at LXX in Aegypto diu ante auctores Targumim scribentes et rem penitius poterant perspicere, et veram traditionem certius haurire. Expressio pulveris percussi in sciniphes mutati designat animalia minuta, alata, quae e pulvere nasci videantur. Quod reapse dici ponascantur. Praeterea haee sane, uti praecedentes et sequentes, plaga Aegypti naturae adaptatur : iam vero pediculi Aegyptum haud magis, quam alias regiones infestant, culicum vero infinita est vexatio, maxime mensibus Octobri et Novembri, quando circumvolitantes pulverem imitantur excitatum ; ova etiam humo superiacent. Innumeri cireumfremunt, pungunt, magnos excitant tuberes, ut nemini nisi tenui velo circumvoluto somnum carpere fas sit. Cf. Dillm.
8:16
v. 16 « Dixitque Dominus ad Moysen : Loquere ad Aaron : Extende virgam tuam et percute pulverem terrae, et sint scintphes in universa terra Aegypti ». Quod nihil legatur de praemonito uti v. 1 Pharaone, censet Tos/. ideo monitionem hac vice esse omissam, quia promissis v. 8 non steterat Pharao, dignus qui non praemonitus plecteretur. Advertit tamen Sy/v., etiam 9,28.35 non stare promissis Pharaonem, et nihilominus 10,1 praemoneri. Reapse, fueritne ante tertiam plagam praemonitus Pharao necne , ignoramus.
8:17
v. 17 « Feceruntque ita. Et ezlendit Aaron manum virgam tenens, percussitque pulverem terrae - et facti sunt sciniphes in hominibus et in tumentis , omnis pulvis terrae versus est on scuniphes per totam terram Aegypti ». Haec secundum. oculorum speciem dicuntur, et cum hyperbole quadam (Sylv.).
8:18
v. 18 « Feceruntque similiter malefici incantationibus suis », similiter atque Aaron virga, ipsi suis incantationibus egerunt ( Dillm.), « ut educerent sciniphes, et non potuerunt » ; non ob aliam rationem, quam eam quam ipsi assignarunt, quia Deus eorum maleficia impedivit (Sy/v.) : per se quippe maleficiis non difficilius seiniphes quam ranae producebantur. « Erantque sciniphes tam 1n hominibus quam £n iumentis ».
8:19
v. 49 « Et — dixerunt malefici ad Pharaonem : Digitus Dei est hic », Chald. plaga a Deo est haec. Cum secus etiam , v. g. Ps. 8,5, « digitus Deli » pro divina potentia seribatur, haec erit etiam h. l. intelligenda. Sed perperam Aug. (M. 35.604) et Vigil. Tapsens. (c. Arianos ete. dialogus II. 38; M. Patrol. lat. 62.222), quod, qui Luc. 11,20 « in digito Dei », iidem Matth. 12,98 « in spiritu Dei » dicantur eiici daemones, inferunt h. 1. « digito Dei » significari S. Spiritum. Verius Lyr. m *»w sine articulo interpretatur de deo aliquo seu daemone, vocesensu Graecorum accepta pro spiritu, superiore et potentiore spiritibus illis, quibus malefici fidebant. A quo vix dissentit Caz. vocem, minus sapienter, interpretatus pluralem. Ergo : numinis cuiusdam, inquiunt, hic manifestatur potentia, cum nostris magicis artibus hoe Moysis nequeamus imitari portentum, qui alia portenta poteramus imitari. « /nduratumque est cor Pharaonis, et non audivit eos, sicut praeceperat Dominus ». Variae hane obdurationem fovebant circumstantiae : post primam plagam obdurabatur cor eius, fortasse quod illa plaga minus ipse afficeretur, usus vino pro aqua; post alteram plagam obdurabatur, « videns quod data esset requies », cum ipsa « patientia Dei secundum corda hominum, quibusdam utilis ad poenitendum, quibusdam inutilis ad. resistendum Deo et in malo perseverandum » sit (Aug.); post tertiam plagam in obduratione perseverabat, licet ipsi malefici praesens numen agnoscerent. Arg. — Plaga, eius gravitas et tempus accurate praenuntiantur; item ab ea exemptum iri terram Gessen. Dum sciniphes videntur potius extra domos se continuisse, muscae similiter atque antea ranae ubique se ingerebant, omnia foedabant. Unde Pharao, rursum Iahve potentiam agnoscere compulsus, sacrificium concedit primum intra, mox etiam extra Aegypti fines offerendum. Mox tamen concessa revocat. EX. 8,20 soo. 91. m 3 significatione radicis nigrum esse. Mixtionem vero illam interpretati sunt fe- rarum Syr., Ps. Ion., Ios. ; et ex eadem derivatione fluxit illud Vulg. omne genus. Non intelliei variorum animalium congeriem, sed unam aliquam speciem suggerit comparatio cum plagis sciniphum et locustarum, atque fere demonstrant textus Ps. 77 (78), 45; 104 (105), 31; Sap. 16,9. Igitur LXX Vulg. Symm. intellexerunt muscas , xuvóptay (Sap. 16,9 uox5vy). Reapse 2125, musca Is. 7,18 symbolum est ipsius Aegypti. Et nota has in Aegypto magnum afferre incommodum, earum quandoque plurimas myriadas ab austro afferri, adoriri homines et pecora. Solent autem illae muscae cirea palpebras hominum considere, loca sc. humidiora, unde frequens nascitur ophthalmia, maxime apud infantes. Sunt etiam aliqua muscarum genera, quorum morsus non solum est molestus, sed hominibus et animalibus perniciosus. Vig. p. 277. Adverte non raro advehi ita, ut in unum pagum irruant, alio abstineant, unde perspicias, etiam quod v. 22 de servanda terra Gessen dicitur, non esse omnino praeter leges naturae factum. 39V autem nunquam plurali scribitur numero, sed singulari collectivo; v. 24 venit 1*V gravis : si a miscendi radice vocem repetas, poteris intelligere examen. — Of. Dillm. — Muscarum plaga alias etiam legitur fuisse intoleranda : quare Accarone colebatur Beelzebub, Baal Muscarum, et apud Graecos Zeus seu Hercules 'Azópotos (Calm.). primitus significat segregare, hine z/lustrare, mirabilem facere. Cum verbum 9,^ et 11,7 construatur cum 1*2, sane cum Cha/d. Syr: praestat vertere segregabo, sc. eximendo a plaga, qua exemptione utique etiam evadet terra Gessen mirabilis. Formula «utscias, quoniam ego lahve » idem sonat, atque « ut scias, quoniam ego et vere exsisto, et is sum quem me esse praetendo, et ea efficere valeo, quae postulo ». Ergo additae voces in medio terrae exprimunt, Iahven, cum talis sit, non posse a finibus Aegypti regia voluntate aut magicis artibus excludi, esse intra Aegyptum, imo in medio Aegypti, loco Phàraonis maxime proprio : est enim simile « ductum a regibus, qui sedem ponunt in medio regni sui » (Drus.). Hoc malefici v. 19 nondum fassi fuerant (Dillm.). LXX : Deus universae terrae. Targ. : dominans £n medio terrae.
8:23
v. 23 « Ponamque divisionem inter populum meum et populum tuum. Cras erit signum istud ». Pro 3n nNn LXX V^N2 DN*. — D'T2 (Hebr. Sam. Chald.) non est divisio, sed redemplio : constructio cum De durior. Annon habetur tautologia inter hanc et praeinter Hebraeos et Aegyptios eandem incolentes, hos affligendos muscis, non illos. Quibus novum effingitur miraculum non satis concordans generali v. 22 affirmationi non fore ibi muscas. Non adstringitur auctor inspiratus generi dicendi, quam maxime fieri possit, conciso.
8:24
v. 9& « Fecitque Domnus ita. Et venit musca gravissima » — LXX xA50cc; 5am. additum habet 7x2, qui etiam ante hune versum Moysen inducit v. 20-23 dicta directa oratione ad Pharaonem proloquentem. Cat. monet, hae vice miraculum fieri a Deo non adhibente neque Moysen neque Aaron neque virgam : vel potius dicamus haec non exprimi, quin fas sit inferre non esse adhibita — « in domos Pharaonis et servorum eius , etin omnem terram Aegypti ». Ultima verba Masor. Chald. trahuntadsequentia; sed verior constructio Vulg. LXX Syr., cui accedit Sam. feliciter ignorans copulam ante 522. Omnes praeter Hebr. Chald. copulam legunt ante nnvn. « Corruptaque est terra ab hutuscemodi muscis ».
8:25
v. 95 « Vocavitque Pharao Moysen et Aaron, et ait eis : [te et sacrificate Deo vestro in terra [hac] ». Recte pronomen addit Vulg. : dimidium eorum, quae Deus exigebat, concedit Pharao, sacrificium sc., sed non in deserto offerendum.
8:26
v. 26 « Et ait Moyses : Non potest ita. fieri * abominationes enim Aegyptiorum immolabimus Do- — sed Vulg. Syr. Chald. explicantes substituunt « ea, quae colunt Aequptii» — « coram eis, lapidibus nos obruent ». Igitur abominationem Aegyptiorum interpretantur Vulg. Syr. Chald. ea, quae Aegyptii colunt; Dilim. ea, quae Aegyptii sacrificarl nefas censent. Adverte, primariam rationem, cur Moyses in Aegypto sacrificare detrectaverit, fuisse Dei mandatum sacrificandiin deserto; rationem vero h. 1. prolatam praetextum fuisse potius, a quo nullum censendus est Moyses sensum exemisse, quo Pharao ad Hebraeos dimittendos moveri potuit : ergo utraque interpretatio supra deseripta retinenda est. Noratne Moyses, cuius generis animalia sibi Deus pro sacrificio esset postulaturus? Merito supponebat, genera fore eadem fere, quae a patriarchis immolabantur. Et nota, plura in deserto oblata esse sacrificia, antequam Deus ritum sacrificii mosaici promulgavit : 17,15; 18,12; 20,24; 24,5. Furor popularis inter Hebraeos iam Moysis aevo (cf. 17,*) lapidationi indulgebat; de qua nondum quidquam Aegyptiorum monumenta nobis prodidere. Sequenti versu pro ?2N' cum Vw/g. LXX legendum est yON.
8:27
v. 97 « Viam trium dierum pergemus in solitudinem, et sacrificabimus Domino Deo nostro sicut praecepit nobis ». v. 28 « Dixitque Arg. — Hae plagae, cariturae ambae in Pharaone effectu, paucis expediuntur. A Moyse praenuntiantur et efficiuntur; a priore et utique etiam a posteriore plaga terra Gessen eximitur. Crediderim, uti primam et tertiam durante secunda et quarta, ita quintam plagam durante sexta perseverasse. Ipsi magi ulceribus foedati regis aspectu excluduntur, dum sacra regis persona servatur intacta. Pecudum pestis in Aegypto non infrequens. 1786 tot boves peste abrepti sunt, ut agri buffalis fuerint procurandi. Similis strages anno 1842 obtigit. Quandoque boves e Syria et insulis accersendi, qui emortuorum locum occupent. Lues erumpit fere, Cap. IX
8:5
… It is mentioned in many passages of the Bible and is indeed often called simply "the river" by antonomasia (Gen. 41:1-3; Ex. 1:22; 2:3; 7:17-22; 8:5-13; 9:9; Ps. 77 [78]:44; Jer. 46:7-8; Is. 19:6-9; 18:2). As is natural, it is always present in the life of the country: the pharaoh dreams of it in Genesis (41:1-3), when he …
8:15
… God, in order to punish the Egyptians, was able to make use of the elements and perhaps of nature, but under such circumstances and with such severity that they became a veritable scourge, and one clearly saw "the finger of God" (Ex. 8:15: Hummelauer, Vigouroux, Mallon, Vaccari, etc.). …
8:16
… numbered about 4000. Characteristics instead contrary to every Jewish mentality are: the exclusion of bloody sacrifice (perhaps because of Is. 1, 11; Hos. 6, 5); the prohibition of any oath; turning toward the sun in prayer, instead of toward Jerusalem (cf. Ex. 8, 16); the belief in the pre-existence of souls and, if righteous, in their return, as soon as they leave the prison of the body, to the stars from which they had descended.
They can, in some manner, be classified into 5 pairs: plagues from water (the river turned red, frogs: Ex. 7:14-8:15); plagues from the earth (gnats, flies: ibid. 8:16-32); plagues from fire (?) (murrain of the animals and outbreak of boils: ibid. 9:1-12); plagues from the air and the wind (hail, locusts: ibid. 9:13-10:20); plagues from the sky …
Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · Vulgata Clementina · original Douay-Rheims (Douay 1609-10), transcription by EEBO-TCP (CC0) · La Sacra Bibbia, tradotta dalla Volgata da Antonio Martini (1769-1781) (LaParola (laparola.net), Martini OSIS text, Public domain (LaParola's electronic edition marks it 'Dominio pubblico')). Public domain.