throughout all the land of Egypt. 17. And they did so: for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt. 18. And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man and upon beast. 19. Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God: and Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.
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 deprive us of the benefit of it, we may conclude it goes away with a purpose to return, or to make room for a worse.
Observe, I. How this plague of lice was inflicted on the Egyptians, v. 16, 17. The frogs were produced out of the waters, but these lice out of the dust of the earth; for out of any part of the creation God can fetch a scourge, with which to correct those that rebel against him. He has many arrows in his quiver. Even the dust of the earth obeys him. "Fear not then, thou worm Jacob, for God can use thee as a threshing instrument, if he pleases;" Isa. 41. 14, 15. These lice, no doubt, were extremely vexatious, as well as scandalous, to the Egyptians. Though they had respite, they had respite but a while, Rev. 11. 14. The second woe was past, but, behold, the third woe came very quickly.
II. How the magicians were baffled by it, v. 18. They attempted to imitate it, but they could not; when they failed in that, it should seem they attempted to remove it; for it follows, So there were lice upon man and beast, in spite of them. This forced them to confess themselves overpowered; This is the finger of God, v. 19. that is, "This check and restraint put upon us, must needs be from a divine power." Note. (1.) God has the devil in a chain, and limits him, both as a deceiver and as a destroyer; hitherto he shall come, but no further. The devil's agents, when God permitted them, could do great things; but when he laid an embargo upon them, though but with his finger, they could do nothing. The magicians' inability, in this lesser instance, showed whence they had their ability in the former instances, which seemed greater, and that they had no power against Moses but what was given them from above. (2.) Sooner or later, God will extort, even from his enemies, an acknowledgment of his own sovereignty and over-ruling power. It is certain they must all (as we say) knock under at last, as Julian the apostate did, when his dying lips confessed, Thou hast overcome me, O thou Galilean! God will not only be too hard for all opposers, but will force them to own it.
III. How Pharaoh, notwithstanding this, was made more and more obstinate; (v. 19.) even those that had deceived him, now said enough to undeceive him, and yet he grew more and more obstinate. Even the miracles and the judgments were to him a savour of death unto death. Note, Those that are not made better by God's word and providences, are commonly made worse by them.
20. And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh forth to the water; and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Let my people go, that they may serve me: 21. Else, if thou wilt not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies upon thee, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thy houses; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be full of swarms of flies, and also the ground whereupon they are. 22. And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there: to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth. 23. And I will put a division between my people and thy people: to-morrow shall this sign be. 24. And the Lord did so: and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt; the land was corrupted by reason of the swarms of flies. 25. And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land. 26. And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us? 27. We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the Lord our God, as he shall command us. 28. And Pharaoh said, I will let you go, that ye may sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness: only ye shall not go very far away: entreat for me. 29. And Moses said, Behold, I go out from thee, and I will entreat the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, to-morrow: but let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord. 30. And Moses went out from Pharaoh, and entreated the Lord. 31. And the Lord did according to the word of Moses; and he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people: there remained not one. 32. And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go.
Here is the story of the plague of flies, in which we are told,
I. How it was threatened; like that of frogs, before it was inflicted. Moses is directed (v. 20.) to rise early in the morning, to meet Pharaoh when he came forth to the water, and there to repeat his demands. Note, 1. Those that would bring great things to pass for God and their generation must rise early, and redeem time in the morning. Pharaoh was early up at his superstitious devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service is to be done, which
