Exodus 7

Exodus 7:1

God] The Italian hath it, To be in stead of God] That is to say, to be in my stead, and represent me, as head of this Ambassage: of which Aaron shall be as interpreter and orator under thee.

Exodus 7:3

My wonders] That is to say myracles, not of race; nor for good to them; but of present punishment, and pesages of greater evills to come.

Exodus 7:9

Thy rod] The same which God had ordained, which it seemeth Moses did ordinarily carry about him, and which he should deliver unto Aaron, as the performer of his commands, when there was any miracle to be wrought.

Exodus 7:11

Wise men] Those which were esteemed such; & bear the name of such, though their knowlege was altogether diabolicall: otherwise by the name of wise men were understood those onely which studied naturall arts, and Sciences: and by Magicians those who had made a covenant with the devill, & wrought by his power. See Genesis 41:8. Daniel 2:2 Now Pharaoh his intent was, to take away from the God of the Israelites the honour, and power of working miracles alone: and from Moses the authority of his commands and threatnings.

Exodus 7:12

They became] not by any true change of substance, nor in a moment, in which two poynts consisteth the nature of a true miracle, and is out of the devils power, and the power of all his Ministers, but by some illusion wrought upon the beholders sences, by false impressions in the ayre, or by the putting in of true serpents, insensibly brought in from some other place, taking the rods from the peoples sights, by devillish deceits of the sight Aarons rod] while it was yet a serpent. Here God, to leave Pharaoh in his wilfull error, is contented to shew by this signe that he is too strong in all things as the Devill can any way plot against him.

Exodus 7:14

Is hardned] The Italian hath it, made heavy] That is, obstinate, and firme in his purpose, as things which are very heavy, are also very hard to move.

Exodus 7:15

In the morning] Which sheweth that the Lord appeared unto Moses in the night.

Exodus 7:17

I will smite] That is to say, I Moses will cause Aaron to smite.

Exodus 7:18

Shall loath] The Italian, Shall be wearied] Namely, with endeavouring to purifie the water, eyther by digging in the earth, or by draining of it through the sand, seeing that in Egypt they have no other common water but that of the river Nilus.

Exodus 7:19

Vpon the waters] That is to say upon the waters of Nilus, which divideth it selfe through all the Countrey by channels and streams: Gods operation stretching it selfe from that place where the river was smitten to all the remnant, even to that which successively ran in the river.

Exodus 7:22

Did so] By illusin or supposition, as vers. 12. Now this water whereupon the Magicians did work, was either that in the Land of Goshen, to which the plagues did not reach, Ex. 8. 22. and 9. 26. and 10. 23. Or the water of those wells and ditches which the Egyptians digged, or peradventure the water of Nilus it selfe, which peradventure was not so suddainly changed, but that the Magicians might have time to practice upon it.

Exodus 7:24

Digged] To trie if the water drawn through the earth, could be purified, which also might in part happen to be so.