Charles Ellicott Commentary Exodus 10:6

Charles Ellicott Commentary

Exodus 10:6

1819–1905
Anglican
Charles Ellicott
Charles Ellicott

Charles Ellicott Commentary

Exodus 10:6

1819–1905
Anglican
SCRIPTURE

"and thy houses shall be filled, and the houses of all thy servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither thy fathers nor thy fathers` fathers have seen, since the day that they were upon the earth unto this day. And he turned, and went out from Pharaoh." — Exodus 10:6 (ASV)

They shall fill your houses. —Says the prophet Joel, They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief. Modern travelers bear abundant witness to the same effect; as Burckhardt states: “They overwhelm the province of Nedjd sometimes to such a degree that, having destroyed the harvest, they penetrate by thousands into the private dwellings, and devour whatever they can find, even the leather of the water vessels” (Notes, vol. ii., p. 90).

And Morier: “They entered the inmost recesses of the houses, were found in every corner, stuck to our clothes, and infected our food” (Second Journey, p. 100). Kalisch is quite correct when he says: “Sometimes they penetrate into the houses; they fly into the mouths of the inmates; they throw themselves on the food; they gnaw leather, and even wood” (Commentary, p. 123).

Which neither your fathers, nor your fathers’ fathers have seen. —Only one notice of locusts has been found in the native records.

He turned himself, and went out. —It seems to be meant that Moses did not on this occasion wait to see what effect his menace would have on Pharaoh. He “knew that Pharaoh would not yet fear the Lord” (Exodus 9:30).