Exodus 9:17

As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(17) As yet exaltest thou thyself?—Heb., Dost thou still exalt, or oppose, thyself against My people?—i.e., Art thou not tired of the contest? Dost thou still, in thy folly, continue it?

Benson Commentary

Exodus 9:17-18. As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people? — Against me, acting for my people. God takes what is done for or against his people as done for or against himself. Behold, tomorrow — The time is precisely marked, that it might not be said to have fallen out by chance. Besides, God hereby demonstrates, that there is no part of nature but he commands, — that the fire, hail, thunder, and storm obey his will. Since the foundation thereof — Since it was a kingdom.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

9:13-21 Moses is here ordered to deliver a dreadful message to Pharaoh. Providence ordered it, that Moses should have a man of such a fierce and stubborn spirit as this Pharaoh to deal with; and every thing made it a most signal instance of the power of God has to humble and bring down the proudest of his enemies. When God's justice threatens ruin, his mercy at the same time shows a way of escape from it. God not only distinguished between Egyptians and Israelites, but between some Egyptians and others. If Pharaoh will not yield, and so prevent the judgment itself, yet those that will take warning, may take shelter. Some believed the things which were spoken, and they feared, and housed their servants and cattle, and it was their wisdom. Even among the servants of Pharaoh, some trembled at God's word; and shall not the sons of Israel dread it? But others believed not, and left their cattle in the field. Obstinate unbelief is deaf to the fairest warnings, and the wisest counsels, which leaves the blood of those that perish upon their own heads.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Have I raised thee up - See the margin. God kept Pharaoh "standing", i. e. permitted him to live and hold out until His own purpose was accomplished.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

10. Moses took ashes from the furnace—Hebrew, "brick-kiln." The magicians, being sufferers in their own persons, could do nothing, though they had been called; and as the brick-kiln was one of the principal instruments of oppression to the Israelites [De 4:20; 1Ki 8:51; Jer 11:4], it was now converted into a means of chastisement to the Egyptians, who were made to read their sin in their punishment.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Against my people, i.e. against me acting for my people. The gracious God takes what is done to or against his people as done to or against himself. See Zechariah 2:8 Matthew 25:40,45 Ac 9:4,5.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? And so against God himself, disobeying his commands, despising his messengers, and slighting his miracles, and hardening his heart against him, and refusing to let Israel go, after all; thereby showing the most intolerable pride and insolence not only against the Lord's poor people, but against himself, for what is done to them he takes as done to himself; or "dost thou still tread upon my people?" (e) trample them under foot, and make an highway or causeway of them.

(e) "adhuc tu calcas populum meum?" some in Drusius; so Jarchi.

Geneva Study Bible

As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

17. exaltest thyself] A peculiar word, found only here. The root means to cast up a way (Isaiah 57:14; Isaiah 62:10); and the Heb. words for ‘Siege-mound,’ and ‘high-way’ (properly, a ‘raised way’), are derived from it; hence the meaning seems properly to be, ‘raisest thyself up as a mound (or obstacle) against my people,’ to oppose their release.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 17. - As yet. Rather "still." And the whole verse should be rendered - "Dost thou still oppose thyself against my people, so as not to let them go." The verb translated "oppose" - ("exalt" in the A.V.) - is strictly "to raise a mound, or bank," thence "to obstruct," "oppose." Exodus 9:17

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The seventh plague. - To break down Pharaoh's opposition, Jehovah determined to send such a Hail as had not been heard of since the founding of Egypt, accompanied by thunder and masses of fire, and to destroy every man and beast that should be in the field. מסתּולל עודך: "thou still dammest thyself up against My people." הסתּולל: to set one's self as a dam, i.e., to oppose; from סלל, to heap up earth as a dam or rampart. "To-morrow about this time," to give Pharaoh time for reflection. Instead of "from the day that Egypt was founded until now," we find in Exodus 9:24 "since it became a nation," since its existence as a kingdom or nation.