Exodus 8:15

15 Soothly Pharaoh saw that rest was given, and he made grievous his heart, and he heard not them, as the Lord commanded. (But when Pharaoh saw that the trouble had ceased, he hardened his heart, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.)

Exodus 8:15 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 8:15

But when Pharaoh saw that there was respite
From his affliction, as the Targum of Jonathan adds; the plague was removed, and he found himself and his people at ease: or there was a "breathing" {c}; before he and his people were so oppressed, that they could scarce breathe, but now being delivered from the judgment on them with which they were straitened, were enlarged and at liberty, and in easy circumstances: he hardened his heart; (See Gill on Exodus 7:14).

and hearkened not unto them;
to Moses and Aaron, to let the children of Israel go, as they had required, and he had promised:

as the Lord had said;
had foretold that he would not hearken to them, nor let Israel go as yet.

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FOOTNOTES:

F3 (hxwrh) "respiratio", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Junius and Tremellius, Piscator, Drusius.

Exodus 8:15 In-Context

13 And the Lord did by the word of Moses; and the paddocks were dead from [the] houses, and from [the] towns, and from [the] fields; (And the Lord did what Moses asked; and the frogs were dead in the houses, and in the towns, and in the fields;)

14 and they gathered them into great heaps, and the land was rotten, or corrupted with stink. [and they gathered them together into great heaps without number, and the earth stank.]

15 Soothly Pharaoh saw that rest was given, and he made grievous his heart, and he heard not them, as the Lord commanded. (But when Pharaoh saw that the trouble had ceased, he hardened his heart, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.)

16 And the Lord said to Moses, Speak thou to Aaron, Hold forth thy rod, and smite the dust of the earth (Say thou to Aaron, Stretch forth thy staff, and strike the dust of the earth), and little flies, or gnats, be in all the land of Egypt.

17 And they did so; and Aaron held forth the hand, and held the rod, and smote the dust of [the] earth; and gnats were made in men, and in work beasts; all the dust of the earth was turned into gnats by all the land of Egypt. (And they did so; and Aaron stretched forth the staff with his hand, and struck the dust of the earth; and gnats came on people, and on the work beasts; yea, all the dust of the earth was turned into gnats in all the land of Egypt.)