Exodus 9:30

30 But I know thee and thy slaves from before ye began to fear the presence of the LORD God.

Exodus 9:30 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 9:30

But as for thee, and thy servants
Notwithstanding the confession of sin he had made, and his earnest request that the Lord might be entreated to remove this plague, and though he had been assured it would be removed: I know that ye will not yet fear the Lord God:
they had not feared him yet; the confession of sin made did not arise from the true fear of God, but from a dread of punishment, and when delivered from this plague, the goodness of God would have no such effect as to cause him and his servants to fear the Lord; or "I know, that before ye were afraid of the face of the Lord God" F14, which Kimchi F15 and Ben Melech interpret thus, ``I know that thou and thy servants, before I pray for you, are afraid of the face of the Lord God, but after I have prayed, and the thunders and rain are ceased, ye will sin again;'' and so they did.


FOOTNOTES:

F14 (Nwaryt Mrj) "priusquam timeretis", Tigurine version.
F15 Sepher Shorash, rad. (Mrj) .

Exodus 9:30 In-Context

28 Intreat the LORD that the thunderings of God and the hail might cease; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay here no longer.
29 And Moses replied unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will extend my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou may know how that the earth is the LORD’s.
30 But I know thee and thy slaves from before ye began to fear the presence of the LORD God.
31 The flax, therefore, and the barley were smitten, for the barley was headed out, and the flax was in stalk.
32 But the wheat and the rye were not smitten; for they were late.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010