Exodus 9:16

16 But I have let you live for this reason: to show you my power so that my name will be talked about 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 If you don't, this time I will punish you, your officers, and your people, with all my power. Then you will know there is no one in the whole land like me.
15 By now I could have used my power and caused a terrible disease that would have destroyed you and your people from the earth.
16 But I have let you live for this reason: to show you my power so that my name will be talked about in all the earth.
17 You are still against my people and do not want to let them go.
18 So at this time tomorrow, I will send a terrible hailstorm, the worst in Egypt since it became a nation.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.