Exodus 9:3
in Exodus 9then the hand of the LORD will bring a severe plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys, camels, herds, and flocks.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
behold, the hand of Jehovah is upon thy cattle which are in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the herds, and upon the flocks: there shall be a very grievous murrain.
KJV
Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.
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This verse in Exodus 9
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
A very grievous murrain - Or “pestilence;” but the word “murrain,” i. e. “a great mortality,” exactly expresses the meaning. This terrible visitation struck far more severely than the preceding, which had caused distress and suffering; it attacked the resources of the nation. The camels - These animals are only twice mentioned, here and Gen 12:16, in connection with Egypt. Though camels are never represented on the monuments, they were known to the Egyptians, and were probably used on the frontier.
This site's exposition
the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle
on Exodus 9:3-4
The phrase the hand of the LORD occurs here for the first time in Scripture, and the word murrain occurs here and nowhere else in the King James Bible. No rod is lifted and no hand is stretched out for this plague, so it is the first stroke that arrives with no visible instrument in front of it. The severing between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt is the second of three such divisions, after the flies at 8:22 and before the hail at 9:26.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
Isidore of SevilleQUESTIONS ON THE OLD TESTAMENT, EX 14:10 · Written before 636.
proposed
In the fifth place, Egypt is struck with the slaughter of animals or cattle. Frenzy is demonstrated here, and the stupidity of men who, like irrational animals, gave worship and the name of god to figures carved in wood or stone—figures not only of men …
The Reformation1 voice
The murrain is appositely called God's "hand," because it arose from His just judgment; for this expression is opposed to natural causes, to the arts and devices of men, and to accidental chances -- as if Moses had said that the hand of God would appear in "the very grievous murrain," that Pharaoh may perceive the Deity to be wroth with him.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
The hand of the Lord immediately, without the stretching out of Aaron's hand, is upon the cattle, many of which, some of all kinds, should die by a sort of pestilence. This was greatly to the loss of the owners: they had made Israel poor, and now God would make them poor.
Behold, the hand of the Lord,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
As he showed no intention of keeping his promise, he was still a mark for the arrows of the Almighty's quiver, and the threatened plague of which he was forewarned was executed.
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The hand of the Lord - The power of God manifested in judgment. Upon the horses - סוסים susim. This is the first place the horse is mentioned; a creature for which Egypt and Arabia were always famous. סס sus is supposed to have the same meaning with שש sas, which signifies to be active, brisk, or lively, all which are proper appellatives of the horse, especially in Arabia and Egypt. Because of their activity and swiftness they were sacrificed and dedicated to the sun, and perhaps it was principally on this account that God prohibited the use of them among the Israelites. A very grievous murrain - The murrain is a very contagious disease among cattle, the symptoms of which are a hanging down and swelling of the head, abundance of gum in the eyes, rattling in the throat, difficulty of breathing, palpitation of the heart, staggering, a hot breath, and a shining tongue; which symptoms prove that a general inflammation has taken place. The original word דבר deber is variously translated. The Septuagint have θανατος, death; the Vulgate has pestis, a plague or pestilence; the old Saxon version, to die, any fatal disease. Our English word murrain comes either from the French mourir, to die, or from the Greek μαραινω maraino, to grow lean, waste away. The term mortality would be the nearest in sense to the original, as no particular disorder is specified by the Hebrew word.
The words behind it
15 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הִנֵּ֨ה | hineh | there! | H2009 → | 843 times |
| יַד־ | yad- | [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| יְהוָ֜ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| הוֹיָ֗ה | hoyah | [is] about to be | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| בְּמִקְנְךָ֙ | bemiknecha | on livestock your | H4735 → | 76 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה | basadeh | [is] in the field | H7704 → | 334 times |
| בַּסּוּסִ֤ים | basusim | on the horses | H5483 → | 140 times |
| בַּֽחֲמֹרִים֙ | bachamorim | on the donkeys | H2543 → | 96 times |
| בַּגְּמַלִּ֔ים | bagemalim | on the camels | H1581 → | |
| בַּבָּקָ֖ר | babakar | on the cattle | H1241 → | 183 times |
| וּבַצֹּ֑אן | uvatzon | and on the sheep | H6629 → | 274 times |
| דֶּ֖בֶר | dever | a pestilence | H1698 → | 49 times |
| כָּבֵ֥ד | kaved | heavy | H3515 → | 41 times |
| מְאֹֽד׃ | meod | very | H3966 → | 300 times |
הִנֵּ֨הthere!
hinehH2009 →843 times
יַד־[the] hand of
yad-H3027 →1618 times
יְהוָ֜הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
הוֹיָ֗ה[is] about to be
hoyahH1961 →3559 times
בְּמִקְנְךָ֙on livestock your
bemiknechaH4735 →76 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה[is] in the field
basadehH7704 →334 times
בַּסּוּסִ֤יםon the horses
basusimH5483 →140 times
בַּֽחֲמֹרִים֙on the donkeys
bachamorimH2543 →96 times
בַּגְּמַלִּ֔יםon the camels
bagemalimH1581 →
בַּבָּקָ֖רon the cattle
babakarH1241 →183 times
וּבַצֹּ֑אןand on the sheep
uvatzonH6629 →274 times
דֶּ֖בֶרa pestilence
deverH1698 →49 times
כָּבֵ֥דheavy
kavedH3515 →41 times
מְאֹֽד׃very
meodH3966 →300 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 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
Exodus 8:19“This is the finger of God,” the magicians said to Pharaoh. But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.
it leads to
- Luke 11:20
But if I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
- Psalms 8:3
When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place—
- Exodus 7:5
And the Egyptians will know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them.”
- Matthew 12:28
But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.
- Luke 11:20
Through
Exodus 5:3“The God of the Hebrews has met with us,” they answered. “Please let us go on a three-day journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the LORD our God, or He may strike us…
it leads to
- Exodus 3:18
The elders of Israel will listen to what you say, and you must go with them to the king of Egypt and tell him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with…
- Exodus 3:18
Through
Acts 13:11Now look, the hand of the Lord is against you, and for a time you will be blind and unable to see the light of the sun.” Immediately mist and darkness came over him,…
it leads to
- Psalms 32:4
For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was drained as in the summer heat. Selah
- Hebrews 10:31
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
- 1 Samuel 5:11
Then the Ekronites assembled all the rulers of the Philistines and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel. It must return to its place, so that it will not kill us…
- Psalms 32:4
About Exodus
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Isidore of Seville, QUESTIONS ON THE OLD TESTAMENT, EX 14:10; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Calvin, Commentaries; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.