Exodus 9:16

16 But for one reason only I've kept you on your feet: To make you recognize my power so that my reputation spreads in all the Earth.

Exodus 9:16 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 9:16

And in very deed, for this cause have I raised thee up
Or but truly or verily F3; instead of smiting thee with the pestilence, and cutting thee off out of the land of the living, "I have raised thee up"; made thee to stand F4, to continue in being; I have preserved thine from perishing by the former plagues, and have reserved thee for greater judgments and sorer punishments. It may take in all that God did to him; the constitution and appointment of him to all this in his eternal mind; his bringing him into being, and raising him up to kingly dignity; preserving him from perishing by the pestilence, boils and blains, and keeping him for future evils, and all upon this account for the following reasons: for to shew in thee my power;
in working miracles, inflicting judgments one after another, and especially in destroying him and his host in the Red sea: and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth;
as it has been more by that last action than by all the rest of the plagues; though, in all, his sovereignty, wisdom, power, patience, longsuffering, and justice, are most visibly displayed and glorified.


FOOTNOTES:

F3 (Mlwaw) "veruntamen", Junius & Tremellius, Psicator, Drusius, Fagius; so Ainsworth.
F4 (Kytdmeh) "stare fecite", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus.

Exodus 9:16 In-Context

14 This time I am going to strike you and your servants and your people with the full force of my power so you'll get it into your head that there's no one like me anywhere in all the Earth.
15 You know that by now I could have struck you and your people with deadly disease and there would be nothing left of you, not a trace.
16 But for one reason only I've kept you on your feet: To make you recognize my power so that my reputation spreads in all the Earth.
17 You are still building yourself up at my people's expense. You are not letting them go.
18 So here's what's going to happen: At this time tomorrow I'm sending a terrific hailstorm - there's never been a storm like this in Egypt from the day of its founding until now.
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.