Holly Bible - KJV with Concise Commentaries by Z Selam - HTML preview
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The Plague of Lice
Here is a short account of the plague of lice. It does not appear that any warning was given of it before. Pharaoh's abuse of the respite granted to him might have been a sufficient warning to him to expect another plague: for if the removal of an affliction harden us, and so we lose the benefit of it, we may conclude it goes away with a purpose to return or to make room for a worse. Observe,
16 And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch out thy
rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
How this plague of lice was inflicted on the Egyptians, Ex 8:16, 17. The frogs were produced out of the waters, but these lice out of the dust of the earth; for out of any part of the creation God can fetch a scourge, with which to correct those that rebel against him. He has many arrows in his quiver. Even the dust of the earth obeys him. "Fear not then, thou worm Jacob, for God can use thee as a threshing instrument, if he please," Isa 41:14, 15. These lice, no doubt, were extremely vexatious, as well as scandalous, to the Egyptians. Though they had respite, they had respite but awhile, Re 11:14. The second woe was past, but behold the third woe came very quickly.
17 And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and
smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man, and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.
18 And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth
lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.
How the magicians were baffled by it, Ex 8:18. They attempted to imitate it, but they could not. When they failed in this, it should seem they attempted to remove it; for it follows, So there were lice upon man and beast, in spite of them. This forced them to confess themselves overpowered: