A Plague On Livestock (The Murrain Of Beasts) Series

A PLAGUE ON LIVESTOCK (The Murrain of Beasts)

(Ex. 9:1-7)

MURRAIN: A Pestilence Or Plague Especially Affecting Domestic Animals

Exodus 9:1-7 (NIV)

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, so that they may worship me." If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back, the hand of the LORD will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys, camels, and your cattle, sheep, and goats. But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.'"

The LORD set a time and said, "Tomorrow, the LORD will do this in the land." Moreover, the next day the LORD did it: All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one animal belonging to the Israelites died. Pharaoh investigated and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. Nevertheless, his heart was unyielding, and he would not let the people go. (Exodus 9:1-7)

INTRODUCTION

Murrain: (also known as distemper) is an antiquated term for various infectious diseases affecting cattle and sheep. The word originates from Middle English moreine or moryne, as a derivative of Latin Mori, "to die." The word "murrain," much like the word 'pestilence,' did not refer to a specific disease but rather was an umbrella term for what is now recognized as a number of different diseases with a common theme of high morbidity and mortality, such as rinderpest, erysipelas, foot-and-mouth disease, anthrax disease, and streptococcus infections. Some of these livestock diseases could also affect humans. The term murrain also referred to an epidemic of such a disease. There were significant sheep and cattle murrains in Europe during the 14th century, which, combined with the Little Ice Age, resulted in the Great Famine of 1315-1317, weakening the population of Europe before the onset of the Black Death in 1348.

COMMENTARY

1 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go to Pharaoh and say to him, 'This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, so that they may worship me."

2 If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back, the hand of the LORD will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys, camels, and your cattle, sheep, and goats.

3 But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and that of Egypt so that no animal belonging to the Israelites will die.'"

Then the LORD said to Moses, the same day the plague of the flies was removed, go in unto Pharaoh boldly, without any fear of him or his court: and tell him, thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews: speak in the name of Jehovah, the God whom the Hebrews worship, and who owns them for his people, and has a special love for them, and takes exceptional care of them, and is not ashamed to be called their God, as poor and as oppressed as they are: let my people go, that they may worship me; this demand had been often made, and, though so reasonable, was refused.

Then the Lord said unto Moses, and Moses said to Pharaoh: If you refuse to let them go and continue to hold them back, even after Jehovah has so emphatically declared His will), the hand of the LORD will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field—on your horses, donkeys, camels, and your cattle, sheep, and goats. There shall be a very grievous murrain. The hand of the Lord —will Immediately, without stretching out Aaron's hand, be upon the cattle — many of which, (some of all kinds), should die by a sort of pestilence. The hand of God is to be acknowledged even in the sickness and death of cattle or other damage sustained in them, for a sparrow falls not to the ground without our Father knowing it. And his providence is to be acknowledged with thankfulness in the life of the cattle, for he preserveth man and beast, Psalm 36:6

The nature of the fifth plague is evident and admits no dispute. It was rinderpest or murrain upon cattle; however, unlike most similar disorders, it attacked the more significant number of domesticated animals—horses, asses, camels, oxen, and sheep. Thus it was "very grievous" (Exodus 9:3). The Egyptians highly prized horses. They were a comparatively recent importation, having been unknown before the time of the seventeenth or "Shepherd" Dynasty. They were used in war, and by wealthy men in peacetime. They had now, however, it would seem, come to be also employed in agriculture. (Note the words "in the field.”) Asses were the ordinary beasts of burden, and they abounded in Egypt as anciently as they do now. The Egyptian monuments mention cases where a single landowner owned as many as seven or eight hundred. The Egyptian sculptors do not represent camels. However, they are mentioned in the inscriptions and must have been employed in the trade between Egypt and the Sinaitic peninsula. Both oxen and sheep were numerous and constituted a great part of the wealth of individuals. The plague fell upon animals who were "in the field" at the time—i.e., in the open air and not confined in stables or sheds. It was the Egyptian practice to house a considerable portion of their cattle. However, the majority would be in the pastures at the probable season of this plague—December or January. Thus the Egyptian losses were hefty, and the king, no doubt, suffered with the rest, for the Egyptian monarchs were large cattle-owners (Genesis 47:6; Genesis 47:17). The Pharaoh was, however, less impressed by this plague than by the fourth plague, and made no sign of submission.