Exodus 9:29

And Moses said unto him, as soon as I am gone out of the city,.... Zoan or Tanis, for it was in the field of Zoan where these wonders were wrought, Psalms 78:12, the reason why he went out of the

And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked. Pharaoh ... I have sinned.

Or, that this land is the Lord’ s, even his whom thou deniedst to have any jurisdiction in it, or over thee, . Or the earth is put for the world, the heaven and the earth: q. d. That thou mayst see that he can either cause the heavens to send forth such thunders and hails, or restrain them as he pleaseth.

Exodus 9:29 And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; [and] the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth [is] the LORD’ S.Ver. 29. I will spread abroad my hands,] viz., In prayer; holding up and out the palms of the hand, as those do that expect to receive an alms, in a having manner: so did Solomon, 2 Chronicles 6:13 Psalms 143:6 Ezra 9:5. That the earth is the Lord’ s.]

(29) That thou mayest know how that the earth is the Lord’s.—Comp, Exodus 9:15. It was the general belief of the Egyptians, as of most ancient nations, that each country had its own god or gods. Pharaoh had already admitted Jehovah’s power (Exodus 8:8), and now regarded Him as the God of the Hebrews (Exodus 8:28). God desired to have it generally acknowledged that He was the God of the whole earth.

Verse 29. I will spread abroad my hands] That is, I will make supplication to God that he may remove this plague. This may not be an improper place to make some observations on the ancient manner of approaching the Divine Being in prayer. Kneeling down, stretching out the hands, and lifting them up to heaven, were in frequent use among the Hebrews in their religious worship. SOLOMON kneeled down on his knees, and spread forth his hands to heaven; 2 Chronicles 6:13. So DAVID, Psalms 143:6: I stretch forth my hands unto thee. So EZRA: I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the Lord my God; Ezra 9:5. See also JOB Job 11:13: If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thy hands towards him. Most nations who pretended to any kind of worship made use of the same means in approaching the objects of their adoration, viz., kneeling down and stretching out their hands; which custom it is very likely they borrowed from the people of God. Kneeling was ever considered to be the proper posture of supplication, as it expresses humility, contrition, and subjection. If the person to whom the supplication was addressed was within reach, the supplicant caught him by the knees; for as among the ancients the forehead was consecrated to genius, the ear to memory, and the right hand to faith, so the knees were consecrated to mercy. Hence those who entreated favour fell at and caught hold of the knees of the person whose kindness they supplicated. This mode of supplication is particularly referred to in the following passages in Homer: - Τωννυνμινμνησασαπαρεζεο, καιλαβεγουνων. Iliad i., ver. 407. Now therefore, of these things reminding Jove, Embrace his knees. COWPER. To which the following answer is made: - Καιτοτ' επειτατοιειμιΔιοςποτιχαλκοβατεςδω, Καιμινγουνασομαι, καιμινπεισεσθαιοΐω. Iliad i., ver. 426. Then will I to Jove's brazen-floor'd abode, That I may clasp his knees; and much misdeem Of my endeavour, or my prayer shall speed. Id. See the issue of thus addressing Jove, Ibid., ver. 500-502, and ver. 511, c. In the same manner we find our Lord accosted, Matthew 17:14: There came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him γονυπετωναυτον, falling down at his knees. As to the lifting up or stretching out of the hands, (often joined to kneeling,) of which we have seen already several instances, and of which we have a very remarkable one in this book, Exodus 17:11, where the lifting up or stretching out of the hands of Moses was the means of Israel's prevailing over Amalek we find many examples of both in ancient authors. Thus HOMER: - ΕσθλονγαρΔυχειραςανασχεμεν, αικ' ελεησῃ. Iliad xxiv., ver. 301. For right it is to spread abroad the hands To Jove for mercy. Also VIRGIL:- Corripio e stratis corpus, TENDOQUE SUPINAS AD COELUM cum voce MANUS, et munera libo AEneid iii., ver. 176. I started from my bed, and raised on high My hands and voice in rapture to the sky; And pour libations. PITT.

29. spread abroad my hands] The attitude of prayer: v. 33, 1 Kings 8:22; 1 Kings 8:38 al. that thou mayest know, &c.] cf. Exodus 8:10, with the note.

SEVENTH PLAGUE — THE HAIL, Exodus 9:13-35. The third triad of judgments is introduced with unusual formality and solemnity. Pharaoh was now a “vessel of wrath,” fit only for destruction. See note on Exodus 9:12.