Exodus 9:11
in Exodus 9The magicians could not stand before Moses, because the boils had broken out on them and on all the Egyptians.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boils were upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.
KJV
And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.
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This verse in Exodus 9
Commentary
7 notes on this verseThe boil was upon the magicians - They could not produce a similar malady by throwing ashes in the air; and they could neither remove the plague from the people, nor from their own tormented flesh. Whether they perished in this plague we know not, but they are no more mentioned. If they were not destroyed by this awful judgment, they at least left the field, and no longer contended with these messengers of God.
This site's exposition
they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh
on Exodus 9:10-11
The magicians reach the end of their part in three stages. They copied the rod, the blood and the frogs at 7:11, 7:22 and 8:7, they failed at the lice and told Pharaoh this is the finger of God at 8:19, and now they cannot stand in the room because the boils are on them. Egypt's own experts leave the account here and the book does not mention them again.
This site's exposition
The magicians could not stand before Moses
The magicians, who copied the staff, the blood and the frogs and failed at the gnats, now cannot even stand before Moses, because the boils are on them too. John Wesley links their defeat with 2 Timothy 3:9, where their folly is made plain to all. Adam Clarke observes that they are mentioned no more in the account.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
The magicians were forced to retreat, and could not stand before Moses - To which the apostle refers, 2 Tim. iii, 9, when he saith, that their folly was manifested unto all men.
And the magicians could not stand before Moses, because of the boils,....
(2.) For pretending to imitate the former plagues, and making themselves and Pharaoh sport with them. Those that would produce lice shall, against their wills, produce boils. Note, It is ill jesting with God's judgments, and more dangerous than playing with fire.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
This verse seems to imply that the magicians now formally gave way and confessed their defeat.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
They were ashamed, and confounded, and covered their heads. Jeremiah:3. since they were full of boils and could not rescue themselves. Therefore they made no appearance in the royal palace, nor did they appear before Moses in the streets. And so they were imprisoned in their homes.
2 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
It is possible that during the first plagues, the magicians hardened Pharaoh’s heart in order to pride themselves in their wisdom. But now that they did not come before him and there was none to help him and none to uphold him. See Isaiah:5.
Each as earlier noted took handfuls of soot and Moses threw all of it heavenward. 45 As clearly stated in verse.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָכְל֣וּ | yakhelu | they were able | H3201 → | 194 times |
| הַֽחַרְטֻמִּ֗ים | hachartumim | the magicians | H2748 → | 11 times |
| לַעֲמֹ֛ד | laamod | to stand | H5975 → | 521 times |
| לִפְנֵ֥י | lifnei | <to> before | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| מֹשֶׁ֖ה | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| מִפְּנֵ֣י | mipenei | <from> because of | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| הַשְּׁחִ֑ין | hashechin | the boil[s] | H7822 → | 13 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הָיָ֣ה | hayah | it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| הַשְּׁחִ֔ין | hashechin | the boil[s] | H7822 → | 13 times |
| בַּֽחֲרְטֻמִּ֖ם | bachartumim | on the magicians | H2748 → | 11 times |
| וּבְכָל־ | uvekhol- | and on all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| מִצְרָֽיִם׃ | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4713 → | 70 times |
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
יָכְל֣וּthey were able
yakheluH3201 →194 times
הַֽחַרְטֻמִּ֗יםthe magicians
hachartumimH2748 →11 times
לַעֲמֹ֛דto stand
laamodH5975 →521 times
לִפְנֵ֥י<to> before
lifneiH6440 →2123 times
מֹשֶׁ֖הMoses
moshehH4872 →765 times
מִפְּנֵ֣י<from> because of
mipeneiH6440 →2123 times
הַשְּׁחִ֑יןthe boil[s]
hashechinH7822 →13 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
הָיָ֣הit was
hayahH1961 →3559 times
הַשְּׁחִ֔יןthe boil[s]
hashechinH7822 →13 times
בַּֽחֲרְטֻמִּ֖םon the magicians
bachartumimH2748 →11 times
וּבְכָל־and on all
uvekhol-H3605 →5413 times
מִצְרָֽיִם׃Egypt
mitzrayimH4713 →70 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
5 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Revelation 16:2So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and loathsome, malignant sores broke out on those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.
it leads to
- Revelation 8:7
Then the first angel sounded his trumpet, and hail and fire mixed with blood were hurled down upon the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, along with a third of the…
- Revelation 16:11
and curse the God of heaven for their pains and sores; yet they did not repent of their deeds.
- Revelation 13:15–18
The second beast was permitted to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship it to be killed.
- Luke 16:20–22
And a beggar named Lazarus lay at his gate, covered with sores
- Exodus 9:8–11
Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Take handfuls of soot from the furnace; in the sight of Pharaoh, Moses is to toss it into the air.
- Revelation 8:7
About Exodus
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.