Bird's-eye view
We are now in the thick of the plagues, and it is essential to remember that this is not a series of unfortunate events for Egypt. This is war. This is Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, systematically dismantling the entire Egyptian worldview, economy, and pantheon. Pharaoh has set himself up as a god, and the true God is making him, and all his subjects, look ridiculous. The fifth plague, the pestilence on the livestock, is a direct assault on Egypt's wealth, its military might, and its religion. Many of the Egyptian gods were represented by livestock, like the Apis bull or Hathor the cow goddess. Yahweh is not just killing their animals; He is executing judgment on their gods (Ex. 12:12).
The central theme in this passage, however, is the great distinction that God makes. This is not an indiscriminate plague. It is a precision strike. God puts a division, a great separation, between His people and the people of Pharaoh. This is a living illustration of the doctrine of election. God knows His own, and He protects His own, even when they are living as a subject people in a hostile land. Goshen becomes a type of the Church, a place of safety in the midst of a world under judgment. And Pharaoh's response to this clear and undeniable miracle is the final piece. He investigates, he confirms the facts, and the undeniable truth only serves to harden his heart further. This is the nature of sin.
Outline
- 1. The Divine Command and Threat (Ex. 9:1-3)
- a. The Unchanging Demand (Ex. 9:1)
- b. The Consequence of Refusal (Ex. 9:2)
- c. The Nature of the Judgment (Ex. 9:3)
- 2. The Divine Distinction (Ex. 9:4)
- a. A Separation Between Herds (Ex. 9:4a)
- b. Absolute Protection for Israel (Ex. 9:4b)
- 3. The Divine Appointment and Action (Ex. 9:5-6)
- a. The Set Time (Ex. 9:5)
- b. The Fulfilled Word (Ex. 9:6)
- 4. The Depraved Response (Ex. 9:7)
- a. The Factual Investigation (Ex. 9:7a)
- b. The Hardened Heart (Ex. 9:7b)
Commentary
The Unchanging Demand (Exodus 9:1-3)
v. 1 The encounter begins as the others have, with a direct command from God. "Then Yahweh said to Moses, 'Come to Pharaoh and speak to him, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, 'Let My people go, that they may serve Me.'"'" The authority is established immediately. This is not Moses's idea. This is a declaration from Yahweh, who pointedly identifies Himself as the God of this slave people, the Hebrews. The central issue is, and always has been, worship. The goal of deliverance is not mere political freedom. It is not so that Israel can go establish a secular democracy and do as they please. The goal is freedom from a false master in order to serve the true Master. Freedom is for service.
v. 2 The terms are clear. "For if you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them..." Pharaoh is presented with a choice, and his continued rebellion is highlighted. He is not just refusing once; he is actively and persistently holding them. His sin is not a momentary lapse but a settled state of defiance. Every time Moses comes, Pharaoh is given another opportunity to repent, and every time he doubles down on his rebellion.
v. 3 And so, the consequence is laid out. "...behold, the hand of Yahweh will come with a very heavy pestilence on your livestock which are in the field..." Notice the personal nature of this. It is the "hand of Yahweh." This is not a random outbreak of disease. This is the direct, personal intervention of God in judgment. The plague is described as "very heavy," indicating its severity and widespread nature. And what does it target? The livestock. The horses, donkeys, camels, herds, and flocks. This is a comprehensive attack on the Egyptian state. Horses were the backbone of the military's chariot divisions. Cattle and other livestock were the heart of their economy and their food supply. And as mentioned, many of them were their gods. God is demonstrating that the entire foundation of Egyptian power is utterly vulnerable before Him.
The Great Divide (Exodus 9:4)
v. 4 This verse is the theological center of the passage. "But Yahweh will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing will die of all that belongs to the sons of Israel." The Hebrew word for "make a distinction" is `palah`, meaning to set apart, to make wonderful or distinct. This is not an accident of geography. This is a sovereign and miraculous separation. God is drawing a line in the sand, or in this case, the pasture. On one side is judgment, and on the other is salvation. This plague is so clearly supernatural that no one could possibly mistake it for a natural occurrence. One field is full of dead animals, and the field next to it, belonging to a Hebrew, is untouched. This distinction demonstrates two things: God's absolute power over creation, and His covenant faithfulness to His chosen people. He protects what is His. This is a foretaste of the final judgment, where God will separate the sheep from the goats.
God's Appointed Time (Exodus 9:5-6)
v. 5 To remove any lingering doubt that this might be a coincidence, God names the time. "Yahweh also set a definite time, saying, 'Tomorrow Yahweh will do this thing in the land.'" God is not just sovereign over plagues; He is sovereign over the clock. By announcing the judgment a day in advance, He is putting His own credibility on the line. He is giving Pharaoh one last night to consider the foolishness of his position. This is God's mercy, holding out a space for repentance even while announcing judgment. But it is also a display of His absolute control. He calls His shot like a master archer.
v. 6 And God is as good as His word. "So Yahweh did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of Egypt died; but of the livestock of the sons of Israel, not one died." The fulfillment is precise and total. The phrase "all the livestock of Egypt died" refers to all the livestock in the open field, as specified in verse 3. It was a catastrophic blow. And the contrast is absolute. Not one of Israel's animals died. The distinction promised was perfectly delivered. God's word of judgment is as certain as His word of salvation.
Facts Don't Save (Exodus 9:7)
v. 7 Here we see the response of the unregenerate heart to a direct manifestation of God's power. "And Pharaoh sent, and behold, there was not even one of the livestock of Israel dead." Pharaoh is no fool in a practical sense. He doesn't just take Moses's word for it. He sends his own men to investigate. He gathers the data. And the report comes back, confirming the miracle in every detail. The evidence is undeniable. The distinction is a hard, verifiable fact. There is no room for doubt. He knows that a supernatural event has occurred, targeting his people and sparing the Hebrews.
And what is his response to this overwhelming evidence? "But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened with firmness, and he did not let the people go." The Hebrew says his heart was "heavy" (kabed). The very evidence that should have crushed his pride and brought him to his knees only makes his heart heavier, more stubborn, more resistant. This is a critical lesson. You cannot argue a man into the kingdom of God. Facts and evidence, no matter how miraculous, cannot convert a heart that is in love with its sin and rebellion. For the reprobate, more light simply results in more hardness. The problem is not in the head; it is in the heart. And so, despite knowing the truth, Pharaoh remains defiant.
Application
First, we must see that the God we worship is a God who makes a distinction. He has set apart a people for Himself, the Church, and He protects us in the midst of a world that is under His judgment. Like Israel in Goshen, we are not immune from trouble, but we are sealed for a different destiny. Our ultimate security does not rest in our circumstances, but in the covenant promises of our God who has separated us unto Himself through the blood of His Son.
Second, we should recognize that God is at war with the idols of our age, just as He was with the idols of Egypt. Our culture places its faith in its livestock, that is, its economy, its technology, its military, and its political saviors. We must not be surprised when God sends plagues upon these things to show them for the weak and impotent gods they are. Our trust must be in Yahweh alone, not in the horses and chariots of this world.
Finally, the story of Pharaoh is a sobering warning about the nature of the human heart. Pharaoh had more empirical evidence for the power of the true God than most people will ever see, and it only served to harden him. We must not think that if only we could provide one more clever argument or one more piece of evidence, our unbelieving neighbors would surely repent. The issue is a rebellious heart, not an uninformed mind. Our task is to faithfully proclaim the truth, as Moses did, and to pray for the miracle of regeneration, which only the Spirit of God can perform. It is God who softens the heart, and it is God who hardens.