Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 8. Handfuls of ashes of the furnace] As one part of the oppression of the Israelites consisted In their labour in the brick-kilns, some have observed a congruity between the crime and the punishment. The furnaces, in the labour of which they oppressed the Hebrews, now yielded the instruments of their punishment; for every particle of those ashes, formed by unjust and oppressive labour, seemed to be a boil or a blain on the tyrannic king and his cruel and hard-hearted people.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 8-12 - When the Egyptians were not wrought upon by the death of their cattle God sent a plague that seized their own bodies. If lesser judgments d not work, God will send greater. Sometimes God shows men their sin in their punishment. They had oppressed Israel in the furnaces, and no the ashes of the furnace are made a terror to them. The plague itsel was very grievous. The magicians themselves were struck with thes boils. Their power was restrained before; but they continued to withstand Moses, and to confirm Pharaoh in his unbelief, till they wer forced to give way. Pharaoh continued obstinate. He had hardened his own heart, and now God justly gave him up to his own heart's lusts permitting Satan to blind and harden him. If men shut their eye against the light, it is just with God to close their eyes. This is the sorest judgment a man can be under out of hell.
Original Hebrew ויאמר559 יהוה3068 אל413 משׁה4872 ואל413 אהרן175 קחו3947 לכם מלא4393 חפניכם2651 פיח6368 כבשׁן3536 וזרקו2236 משׁה4872 השׁמימה8064 לעיני5869 פרעה׃6547
