Exodus 9:4
in Exodus 9But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.’”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Jehovah shall make a distinction between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt; and there shall nothing die of all that belongeth to the children of Israel.
KJV
And the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel.
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This verse in Exodus 9
Commentary
6 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
the hand of the LORD will bring a severe plague
on Exodus 9:3-4
The phrase the hand of the LORD occurs here for the first time in Scripture. The LORD's own hand strikes, and this is the first plague with no visible instrument.
This site's exposition
the LORD will make a distinction
As with the flies, the LORD separates Israel from Egypt, now in the matter of their livestock. John Gill, on verse 7, says Pharaoh's messengers went to Goshen to see whether the plague had touched Israel's cattle.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And the Lord shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt,....
Note, When God's judgments are abroad, though they may fall both on the righteous and the wicked, yet God makes such a distinction that they are not the same to the one that they are to the other.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
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.
The Lord shall sever - See Clarke on Exo 8:22 (note).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְהִפְלָ֣ה | vehiflah | and he will separate | H6395 → | 7 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| בֵּ֚ין | bein | between | H996 → | 407 times |
| מִקְנֵ֣ה | mikneh | [the] livestock of | H4735 → | 76 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וּבֵ֖ין | uvein | and between | H996 → | 407 times |
| מִקְנֵ֣ה | mikneh | [the] livestock of | H4735 → | 76 times |
| מִצְרָ֑יִם | mitzrayim | Egypt | H4714 → | 641 times |
| וְלֹ֥א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָמ֛וּת | yamut | it will die | H4191 → | 839 times |
| מִכָּל־ | mikol | of all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| לִבְנֵ֥י | livnei | [that belongs] to [the] people of | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| דָּבָֽר׃ | davar | anything | H1697 → | 1440 times |
וְהִפְלָ֣הand he will separate
vehiflahH6395 →7 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
בֵּ֚יןbetween
beinH996 →407 times
מִקְנֵ֣ה[the] livestock of
miknehH4735 →76 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וּבֵ֖יןand between
uveinH996 →407 times
מִקְנֵ֣ה[the] livestock of
miknehH4735 →76 times
מִצְרָ֑יִםEgypt
mitzrayimH4714 →641 times
וְלֹ֥אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
יָמ֛וּתit will die
yamutH4191 →839 times
מִכָּל־of all
mikolH3605 →5413 times
לִבְנֵ֥י[that belongs] to [the] people of
livneiH1121 →4930 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
דָּבָֽר׃anything
davarH1697 →1440 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 12:13The blood on the houses where you are staying will distinguish them; when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No plague will fall on you to destroy you when I strike…
it leads to
- Hebrews 11:28
By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, so that the destroyer of the firstborn would not touch Israel’s own firstborn.
- Exodus 12:23
When the LORD passes through to strike down the Egyptians, He will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway; so He will not allow…
- 1 John 1:7
But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
- Hebrews 11:28
Through
Malachi 3:18So you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.”
it leads to
- Matthew 25:46
And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
- Psalms 58:10–11
The righteous will rejoice when they see they are avenged; they will wash their feet in the blood of the wicked.
- Genesis 18:25
Far be it from You to do such a thing—to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Will not the…
- Joshua 24:15
But if it is unpleasing in your sight to serve the LORD, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods…
- Malachi 3:14–15
You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What have we gained by keeping His requirements and walking mournfully before the LORD of Hosts?
- Matthew 25:46
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies3
On this verse
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; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.