Egypt was glad when they departed
The Egyptians, as the Targum; they were glad when the Israelites
were gone, for whose sake they had been so much and so long
plagued. So wicked men are glad to be rid of the company of good
men, which is very disagreeable to them; so the Gergesenes were
glad when Christ departed out of their coasts, which they
requested he would. So the inhabitants of the earth will rejoice,
be merry, and send gifts one to another, when the witnesses are
slain, the two prophets that tormented them with their doctrines
and religious lives.
For the fear of them fell upon them;
their firstborn being slain, they looked upon themselves as dead
men; and feared that, if the Israelites stayed, their lives must
go next; and therefore being seized with a panic they were urgent
upon them to depart; not out of any good will to them, but
through fear of them, ( Exodus 12:33
) .