Exodus 9:9

Translation
King James Version
And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.
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KJV (with Strong's)
And it shall become small dust H80 in all the land H776 of Egypt H4714, and shall be a boil H7822 breaking forth H6524 with blains H76 upon man H120, and upon beast H929, throughout all the land H776 of Egypt H4714.
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Complete Jewish Bible
They will turn into fine dust over all the land of Egypt and become infected sores on men and animals throughout Egypt."
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Berean Standard Bible
It will become fine dust over all the land of Egypt, and festering boils will break out on man and beast throughout the land.”
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American Standard Version
And it shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.
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World English Bible Messianic
It shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking out with boils on man and on animal, throughout all the land of Egypt.”
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Geneva Bible (1599)
And they shall be turned to dust in all the land of Egypt: and it shalbe as a scab breaking out into blisters vpon man, and vpon beast, thorow out all the land of Egypt.
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Young's Literal Translation
and it hath become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and it hath become on man and on cattle a boil breaking forth with blains, in all the land of Egypt.'
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See also
Revelation 16:2Deuteronomy 28:27Job 2:7Deuteronomy 28:35Leviticus 13:18Leviticus 13:20
See on the biblical-era map
The Kingdom of Egypt in the Time of Moses
The Kingdom of Egypt in the Time of Moses View full PDF

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In the KJVVerse 1,752 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Exodus 9:9 describes the immediate and painful manifestation of the sixth plague upon Egypt: a severe outbreak of boils and blains. This verse details how the ashes, thrown by Moses as commanded by God, transformed into fine dust that spread throughout the land, causing a debilitating and disfiguring skin affliction on both people and animals, demonstrating God's direct and inescapable judgment upon Pharaoh and his kingdom.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: The plague of boils marks a significant escalation in the series of divine judgments against Egypt, following the plagues of blood, frogs, gnats, flies, and the death of livestock. Unlike previous plagues that primarily affected the environment or indirectly impacted animals, this sixth plague directly inflicts painful physical suffering upon both Egyptians and their remaining animals. It immediately precedes the devastating plague of hail, further intensifying God's confrontation with Pharaoh. The command for Moses to take "ashes from the furnace" and throw them into the air (Exodus 9:8) sets the stage for the immediate and visible manifestation described in this verse, underscoring the direct link between the divine action and the resulting affliction. The subsequent verse (Exodus 9:10) confirms the instantaneous nature of the plague, while Exodus 9:11 highlights the severity by noting that even the Egyptian magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, a stark testament to God's unparalleled power.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: Ancient Egypt was a land rich in deities, many of whom were associated with healing, protection, and fertility. Gods like Sekhmet (goddess of healing and disease), Imhotep (god of medicine and healing), and Thoth (god of magic and wisdom, often invoked in medical texts) were central to Egyptian beliefs about health and well-being. The plague of boils directly challenged the efficacy and authority of these deities, demonstrating their utter impotence in the face of Yahweh's power. Furthermore, the act of taking "ashes from the furnace" may have held symbolic weight. Furnaces were common in Egyptian industry, and their ashes, typically inert waste, were transformed into an instrument of pervasive judgment, turning a symbol of Egyptian productivity into a source of their affliction. The widespread nature of the "dust" affecting "all the land of Egypt" would have been particularly impactful in a society that relied heavily on the fertile dust of the Nile for agriculture and life, now experiencing it as a source of disease.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully contributes to several overarching themes in the book of Exodus. Firstly, it underscores the Sovereignty of God over all creation, including human health and disease. By inflicting such a widespread and debilitating affliction, God demonstrates His absolute control, challenging the perceived power of Egyptian gods and Pharaoh himself. Secondly, it highlights Divine Judgment and Justice against Pharaoh's persistent defiance and the systemic oppression of Israel. Each plague serves as a consequence for Pharaoh's hardened heart, with the boils marking a significant escalation in direct physical suffering, as forewarned in earlier passages about God's intent to bring plagues upon Egypt Exodus 7:3-5. Thirdly, the plague reinforces the Distinction Between Israel and Egypt, as the Israelites were spared from these afflictions, a theme consistently emphasized throughout the plague narrative, such as in the plague of flies Exodus 8:22-23 and the death of livestock Exodus 9:4. This distinction serves to demonstrate God's covenantal faithfulness to His people and His unique relationship with them.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • boil (Hebrew, shᵉchîyn', H7822): From an unused root probably meaning to burn; inflammation, i.e., an ulcer. This term denotes a painful, inflammatory skin eruption, often associated with divine judgment. It highlights the severe, burning, and agonizing nature of the affliction that spread throughout Egypt.
  • blains (Hebrew, ʼăbaʻbuʻâh', H76): (by reduplication) from an unused root (meaning to belch forth); an inflammatory pustule (as eruption). This word refers to the widespread, disfiguring blisters and pustules that covered the skin, emphasizing the visible, incapacitating, and repulsive aspect of the disease, rendering both humans and animals utterly miserable.
  • dust (Hebrew, ʼâbâq', H80): From root of אָבָק; light particles (as volatile); (small) dust, powder. This term describes the fine, pervasive powder into which the furnace ashes were transformed, indicating the comprehensive and inescapable spread of the plague throughout the land, affecting every corner and every living being.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt": This clause describes the miraculous transformation of the handful of furnace ashes thrown by Moses and Aaron into a fine, pervasive dust. The phrase "small dust" emphasizes its minute, airborne, and inescapable nature, indicating that the source of the plague would permeate every part of the land, making it impossible to avoid. This transformation underscores God's absolute control over creation, turning an ordinary substance into an instrument of extraordinary judgment.
  • "and shall be a boil breaking forth [with] blains upon man, and upon beast": This section details the immediate and painful consequence of the dust. The "boil breaking forth with blains" describes a severe, eruptive skin disease characterized by painful, inflammatory ulcers and widespread pustules. The inclusion of "upon man, and upon beast" highlights the comprehensive scope of the affliction, affecting all living creatures in Egypt, from the highest-ranking officials to the lowliest animals, demonstrating the universality of God's judgment across the kingdom.
  • "throughout all the land of Egypt.": This concluding phrase reiterates and emphasizes the pervasive and inescapable nature of the plague. The repetition of "all the land of Egypt" from the first clause reinforces that no one and no place within the nation was exempt from this divine affliction, leaving no room for escape or mitigation by human or pagan means.

Literary Devices

Exodus 9:9 employs several powerful literary devices to convey the impact and severity of the sixth plague. Repetition is evident in the phrase "all the land of Egypt," which appears twice in the verse, emphasizing the pervasive and inescapable nature of the judgment. This repetition creates a sense of overwhelming universality, leaving no part of the land untouched. Symbolism is also at play, as the "small dust" originating from furnace ashes likely symbolizes the oppressive conditions endured by the Israelites, who were forced into hard labor, possibly in brick kilns. God turns the very instruments or symbols of Egypt's oppression into the means of their judgment. The description of "boil breaking forth with blains" uses vivid, sensory Imagery to evoke a strong sense of physical suffering and disfigurement, allowing the reader to viscerally grasp the pain and humiliation inflicted upon the Egyptians. Finally, the plague itself represents an Escalation in the divine judgment, moving from environmental disruptions to direct, debilitating physical affliction upon the inhabitants, signifying a climax in the series of plagues before the ultimate judgment.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

The plague of boils in Exodus 9:9 serves as a profound theological statement, demonstrating God's unwavering justice and His absolute sovereignty over all aspects of creation, including human health and disease. This direct, physical affliction on the Egyptians and their animals was a clear and undeniable consequence of Pharaoh's hardened heart and his persistent defiance of God's command to release Israel. It highlighted the futility of Egypt's healing deities and the impotence of its magicians, proving that only Yahweh holds ultimate power over life and death, sickness and health. This plague underscores that rebellion against God's will carries severe and inescapable consequences, a truth that echoes throughout biblical narrative, culminating in the ultimate judgment of sin, yet always pointing to God's redemptive plan.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

Exodus 9:9 stands as a potent reminder of the serious consequences of resisting God's will and defying His authority. It highlights God's active involvement in human history, His unwavering commitment to justice, and His power to deliver His people from oppression. For believers, this passage reinforces trust in God's ultimate sovereignty and His ability to bring about His purposes, even through severe means. It also stands as a timeless warning against stubbornness, pride, and the dangers of hardening one's heart against divine commands, urging humility and prompt obedience to His voice. We are called to recognize God's authority in all areas of life and to respond with reverence and submission, understanding that true freedom and well-being come from aligning our lives with His righteous decrees.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does the severity of this plague challenge our understanding of God's justice and mercy?
  • In what ways might we, like Pharaoh, be prone to hardening our hearts against God's revealed will or the promptings of the Holy Spirit today?
  • How does this passage encourage us to trust in God's ultimate sovereignty over all things, including suffering, disease, and the challenges we face?

FAQ

Why did God inflict such a painful and disfiguring plague?

Answer: The plague of boils was a direct and intensely personal judgment, designed to break Pharaoh's stubborn will and demonstrate God's absolute power over life and health. Earlier plagues affected the environment or animals, but this one brought direct, inescapable physical suffering to the Egyptians, including their magicians, proving the futility of their gods and their own resistance. It served as a clear consequence for Pharaoh's prolonged defiance and the severe oppression of the Israelites, showing that God's patience has limits and His justice will prevail.

What was the significance of Moses and Aaron throwing ashes into the air?

Answer: The act of Moses and Aaron throwing ashes from a furnace into the air, which then became dust causing the boils, was a symbolic and direct demonstration of God's power. Furnaces were often associated with suffering and judgment (e.g., the "furnace of affliction" in [Deuteronomy 4:20 "Israel as a Furnace of Iron"]). By taking ashes from a furnace, perhaps even one used by the Egyptians in their forced labor, and having them become the instrument of judgment, God turned a symbol of Egyptian industry or even idolatry into a means of their affliction, further highlighting His complete control and turning their own tools against them. This act also visually represented the pervasive nature of the coming affliction, as the dust would settle everywhere.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

While the plague of boils in [Exodus 9:9 "The Sixth Plague: Boils"] represents a physical judgment against Pharaoh's rebellion, it points to a deeper spiritual reality fulfilled in Christ. Humanity, in its rebellion against God, suffers from the "boils" of sin, a spiritual sickness that disfigures, incapacitates, and ultimately leads to death. Just as God demonstrated His power over physical disease and brought judgment upon Egypt, Christ, through His atoning sacrifice on the cross and His glorious resurrection, conquered sin and death, offering ultimate healing from spiritual affliction. He is the divine physician who takes away the "blains" of our sin and delivers us from the judgment we deserve, as prophesied in [Isaiah 53:4 "Christ Bearing Our Sicknesses"] and fulfilled when He healed many, taking on their infirmities Matthew 8:16-17. Through Him, we receive not just temporary physical relief, but eternal spiritual healing and new life 2 Corinthians 5:17, far surpassing any temporary physical deliverance, ushering in an era of grace where true healing and deliverance from the spiritual disease of sin are found in Him, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

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Commentary on Exodus 9 verses 8–12

Observe here, concerning the plague of boils and blains,

I. When they were not wrought upon by the death of their cattle, God sent a plague that seized their own bodies, and touched them to the quick. If less judgments do not do their work, God will send greater. Let us therefore humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, and go forth to meet him in the way of his judgments, that his anger may be turned away from us.

II. The signal by which this plague was summoned was the sprinkling of warm ashes from the furnace, towards heaven (Exo 9:8, Exo 9:10), which was to signify the heating of the air with such an infection as should produce in the bodies of the Egyptians sore boils, which would be both noisome and painful. Immediately upon the scattering of the ashes, a scalding dew came down out of the air, which blistered wherever it fell. Note, Sometimes God shows men their sin in their punishment; they had oppressed Israel in the furnaces, and now the ashes of the furnace are made as much a terror to them as ever their task-masters had been to the Israelites.

III. The plague itself was very grievous - a common eruption would be so, especially to the nice and delicate, but these eruptions were inflammations, like Job's. This is afterwards called the botch of Egypt (Deu 28:27), as if it were some new disease, never heard of before, and known ever after by that name, Note, Sores in the body are to be looked upon as the punishments of sin, and to be hearkened to as calls to repentance.

IV. The magicians themselves were struck with these boils, Exo 9:11. 1. Thus they were punished, (1.) For helping to harden Pharaoh's heart, as Elymas for seeking to ;pervert the right ways of the Lord; God will severely reckon with those that strengthen the hands of the wicked in their wickedness. (2.) For pretending to imitate the former plagues, and making themselves and Pharaoh sport with them. Those that would produce lice shall, against their wills, produce boils. Note, It is ill jesting with God's judgments, and more dangerous than playing with fire. Be you not mockers, lest your bands be made strong. 2. Thus they were shamed in the presence of their admirers. How weak were their enchantments, which could not so much as secure themselves! The devil can give no protection to those that are in confederacy with him. 3. Thus they were driven from the field. Their power was restrained before (Exo 8:18), but they continued to confront Moses, and confirm Pharaoh in his unbelief, till now, at length, they were forced to retreat, and could not stand before Moses, to which the apostle refers (Ti2 3:9) when he says that their folly was made manifest unto all men.

V. Pharaoh continued obstinate, for now the Lord hardened his heart, Exo 9:12. Before, he had hardened his own heart, and resisted the grace of God; and now God justly gave him up to his own heart's lusts, to a reprobate mind, and strong delusions, permitting Satan to blind and harden him, and ordering every thing, henceforward, so as to make him more and more obstinate. Note, Wilful hardness is commonly punished with judicial hardness. If men shut their eyes against the light, it is just with God to close their eyes. Let us dread this as the sorest judgment a man can be under on this side hell.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 8–12. Public domain.
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Isidore of SevilleAD 636
After these plagues came rotten and swollen cysts, along with fever, as the sixth plague. In the ulcers the troubled and purulent evil of this age is signified; in the cysts swollen and inflated pride; in the fevers anger and the madness of rage. Up to this point such punishments as were inflicted on the world were tempered, insofar as its errors were represented by signs. Questions on the Old Testament, Exodus
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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