Exodus 9:3

3 beholde, the hande of the Lorde shalbe apo thy catell which thou hast in the feld apon horses asses, camels, oxen, and shepe, with a mightye great morrayne.

Exodus 9:3 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 9:3

Behold, the hand of the Lord
Which was stronger than his, with which he held the Israelites: is upon thy cattle which is in the field:
this takes in all in general, of which the particulars follow, though limited to such as were in the field, and so did not take in what were at home in their out houses and stables: upon the horses:
of which there was great plenty in Egypt, as appears from various places of Scripture: upon the asses;
used for carrying burdens from place to place: and upon the camels;
used the like purposes, and to ride upon, and particularly to travel with through desert places for commerce, being able to proceed on without water for a considerable time: upon the oxen, and upon the sheep;
oxen were for labour to plough with, and sheep for their wool, and all of them to trade with: there shall be a very grievous murrain:
or "pestilence" ^F25, a very noisome one, and which would carry off great numbers; the Targums of Onkelos and Jonathan render it a "death", as the Jews commonly call a pestilence, whether on man or beast, because it generally sweeps away large numbers.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 (rbd) "pestis", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Piscator; "pestilentia", Drusius; so Tigurine version.

Exodus 9:3 In-Context

1 And the Lorde sayde vnto Moses, goo vnto Pharao and tell him, thus sayeth the Lorde God of the Ebrues: sende out my people that they maye serue me.

2 Yf thou wilt not let them goo but wilt holde them styll:

3 beholde, the hande of the Lorde shalbe apo thy catell which thou hast in the feld apon horses asses, camels, oxen, and shepe, with a mightye great morrayne.

4 But the Lorde shall make a deuysion betwene the beestes of the Israhelites, ad the beestes of the Egiptias: so that there shal nothing dye of all that perteyneth to the children of Israel.

5 And the Lorde appoynted a tyme saynge: tomorow the Lorde shall do this thinge in the londe.