Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 105:38
Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.
38. Cp. Exo 12:33.
for the fear &c.] For dread of them had fallen upon them. Cp. Exo 15:16.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Egypt was glad when they departed – They had suffered so many plagues; the land was so utterly desolate, there was so much sorrow in their dwellings, from the calamities which had come upon them for refusing to let the Israelites go, that at last they were glad to have them depart, and they were willing to aid them that they might get rid of them. This will, in part, account for the fact that they were willing to give them what they asked – even silver and gold – if they might thus facilitate their departure.
For the fear of them fell upon them – The fear of them, as being under the protection of God; and the fear of the judgments, which must follow if they continued to oppress them.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Of them, i.e. of the Israelites, lest God for their sakes should destroy them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
38. (Compare Exo 12:33;Deu 11:25).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Egypt was glad when they departed,…. The Egyptians, as the Targum; they were glad when the Israelites were gone, for whose sake they had been so much and so long plagued. So wicked men are glad to be rid of the company of good men, which is very disagreeable to them; so the Gergesenes were glad when Christ departed out of their coasts, which they requested he would. So the inhabitants of the earth will rejoice, be merry, and send gifts one to another, when the witnesses are slain, the two prophets that tormented them with their doctrines and religious lives.
For the fear of them fell upon them; their firstborn being slain, they looked upon themselves as dead men; and feared that, if the Israelites stayed, their lives must go next; and therefore being seized with a panic they were urgent upon them to depart; not out of any good will to them, but through fear of them, Ex 12:33.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
38. Egypt rejoiced at their departure The Psalmist sets forth the power of God from the additional circumstance, that the Egyptians willingly allowed the chosen people to depart, when yet nothing was farther from their intention. Although they wished them destroyed a hundred times, yet they thought that they had the wolf by the ears, as we say; (232) and thus the fear of revenge made them more determined to blot out the memory of that people. Whence it follows, that when they all at once laid aside their former purpose, it was a secret work of divine providence. (233) To the same effect is the statement in the preceding verse, that they were brought forth with gold and silver The Egyptians could never have had the heart voluntarily to strip themselves, to enrich those whom they would have willingly deprived of life. This was then the bounty of God, in whose hand, and at whose disposal, are all the riches of the world. He might have taken by force from the Egyptians what he had given them; but he bowed their hearts, so that of their own accord they denuded themselves. The expression, for their terror had fallen upon them, is to be understood passively; for the Israelites were not afraid of the Egyptians, but, on the contrary, were terrible to them. Nor does the prophet speak of an ordinary fear. A little before fear had stirred them up to cruelty and tyranny; but as even to that day, they had endeavored, with indomitable audacity, to shake off all fear, God suddenly laid them prostrate by the extraordinary terror which fell upon them. It is, therefore, here justly reckoned among the displays of the wonderful power of God, that he subdued the impetuous fury with which the Egyptians boiled before, that they might allow those to depart free, whom they had determined to handle rudely, and to waste in servile employments; which was like rendering sheep terrible to wolves.
(232) The meaning of this proverb is to be in danger, or hard set on every side; for if you hold the wolf, he bites you by the fingers; if you let him go, he may destroy you.
(233) From the heavy and overwhelming judgments inflicted upon Pharaoh and his people, for refusing to allow the Israelites to depart, they came to associate the presence of that people in their land, with the most terrible manifestations of divine displeasure. This at last led them, after all their inveterate impenitence, to hail with gratitude the departure of the hated tribes.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
38. Egypt was glad God had prepared Israel, by their bitter bondage, to leave Egypt without regret; and by his judgments on Egypt had made the Egyptians willing, even glad, that they should depart. Exo 12:31-33. The Egyptian account of the affair was, according to Josephus, ( Con. App. 1: 26, 32,) that the Egyptians expelled them by force of arms on account of their leprosy, their hatred of the Egyptian gods, and their military invasion of the kingdom, and pursued them into Syria. Compare with this, for absurdity, the Pharisees’ story of the resurrection of Jesus, Mat 28:11-15. But, contrariwise, the masses of the people took sympathy with the Israelites. Exo 11:2-3; Exo 12:36. See note on Psa 105:37
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The joy of Egypt, contrasted with the deliverance with Israel, forms a beautiful subject for the mind to dwell upon. Oh! the vast, the inconceivable difference, between the righteous and the wicked, in the great day of account: Isa 65:13-15 . Reader! pray keep up the constant inquiry under every review, and at every pause, to which party do you belong? Can you say, as it is said of Moses, By faith Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of in for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. Heb 11:25-26 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 105:38 Egypt was glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.
Ver. 38. Egypt was glad when they departed ] For they said, We are all dead men, Exo 12:33 . The devil for like cause spake Christ fair to be rid of him, Mar 1:24 .
For the fear of them fell upon them
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Egypt. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6. for Egyptians; the People (rnasc), not “Land” (fem.)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
glad: Exo 10:7, Exo 12:33
for: Gen 35:5, Jos 2:9
Reciprocal: Exo 3:20 – after that Exo 12:31 – Rise up Num 33:3 – with an high Deu 2:25 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
105:38 Egypt was {t} glad when they departed: for the fear of them fell upon them.
(t) For God’s plagues caused them to prefer to depart with the Israelites rather than with their lives.