Éxodo 9:15

15 A estas alturas, bien podría haber ya extendido mi mano y haberte herido a ti y a tu pueblo con una plaga capaz de exterminarlos de la faz de la tierra.

Éxodo 9:15 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 9:15

For now will I stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and
thy people with pestilence
Which yet we never find was done; for though this by many is referred to the slaying of the firstborn, yet it is not certain that this was done by the pestilence: besides, Pharaoh was not then smitten, nor his people, only their firstborn; wherefore these words are to be rendered, not in the future, but in the imperfect or preterpluperfect tense, thus; "for when now I stretched out my hand, or if now I had stretched out my hand to smite thee and thy people with pestilence" ^F1; that is, at the time when he smote the cattle with the murrain or pestilence, when he could as well have smote him and his people with it; there was no want of power in God to do it, and had he done it, it would have been all over with him and them: and thou shall be cut off from the earth;
or "thou hadst been, or wouldest have been cut off from the earth" ^F2 must have perished out of it, and been no more in the land of the living.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 (ytxlv hte yk) "modo enim cum extendi", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius, "vel si extendissem", Fagius, Cocceius; so Jarchi, Gersom, Targ. Onk. & Jon.
F2 (dxktw) "sic fuisses excisus", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius, Cocceius.

Éxodo 9:15 In-Context

13 Plaga de granizo
Luego el Señor
le dijo a Moisés: «Mañana, levántate temprano, regresa a ver al faraón y dile: “Esto dice el Señor
, Dios de los hebreos: ‘Deja ir a mi pueblo para que me adore.

14 De lo contrario, enviaré más plagas sobre ti,
tus funcionarios y tu pueblo. Entonces sabrás que no hay nadie como yo en toda la tierra.

15 A estas alturas, bien podría haber ya extendido mi mano y haberte herido a ti y a tu pueblo con una plaga capaz de exterminarlos de la faz de la tierra.

16 Sin embargo, te he perdonado la vida con un propósito: mostrarte mi poder
y dar a conocer mi fama por toda la tierra.

17 Pero todavía actúas como señor y dueño de mi pueblo, te niegas a dejarlo salir.