Wesley Corpus

Murrain among the cattle, ver. 1 - 7. Boils upon man and beast, ver. 8 - 12. Hail, with thunder and lightning. Warning is given of this plague, ver. 13 - 21. It is inflicted to their great terror, ver 22 - 26. Pharaoh renews his treaty with Moses, but instantly breaks his word, ver 27 - 35. The hand of the Lord - Immediately, without the stretching out of Aaron's hand, is upon the cattle, many of which, some of all kinds, shall die by a sort of pestilence. The hand of God is to be acknowledged even in the sickness and death of cattle, or other damage sustained in them; for a sparrow falls not to the ground without our father. And his providence is to be acknowledged with thankfulness in the life of the cattle, for he preserveth man and beast, Psa 36:6. All the cattle died - All that were in the field. The creature is made subject to vanity by the sin of man, being liable, according to its capacity, both to serve his wickedness, and to share in his punishment. The Egyptians worshipped their cattle; it was among them that the Israelites learned to make a god of a calf; in that therefore this plague meets with them. But not one of the cattle of the Israelites died - Doth God take care for oxen? Yes, he doth, his providence extends itself to the meanest of his creatures. A boil breaking forth with blains - A burning scab, which quickly raised blisters and blains. Ashes of the furnace - Sometimes God shews men their sin in their punishment: they had oppressed Israel in the furnaces, and now the ashes of the furnace are made as much a terror to them as ever their task - masters had been to the Israelites. This is afterwards called the botch of Egypt, Deu 28:27, as if it were some new disease, never heard of before, and known ever after by that name. The magicians were forced to retreat, and could not stand before Moses - To which the apostle refers, 2Tim 3:9, when he saith, that their folly was manifested unto all men.