Exodus 9:3

3 I'm giving you fair warning: God will come down hard on your livestock out in the fields - horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep - striking them with a severe disease.

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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

Exodus 9:3 In-Context

1 God said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and tell him, 'God, the God of the Hebrews, says: Release my people so they can worship me.
2 If you refuse to release them and continue to hold on to them,
3 I'm giving you fair warning: God will come down hard on your livestock out in the fields - horses, donkeys, camels, cattle, sheep - striking them with a severe disease.
4 God will draw a sharp line between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. Not one animal that belongs to the Israelites will die.'"
5 Then God set the time: "Tomorrow God will do this thing."
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.