SEV Biblia, Chapter 8:26
Y Moisés respondió: No conviene que hagamos así, porque sacrificaríamos al SEÑOR nuestro Dios la abominación de los egipcios. He aquí, si sacrificáramos la abominación de los egipcios delante de ellos, ¿no nos apedrearían?
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Exodus 8:26
Verse 26. We shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians] That is, The animals which they hold sacred, and will not permit to be slain, are those which our customs require us to sacrifice to our God; and should we do this in Egypt the people would rise in a mass, and stone us to death. Perhaps few people were more superstitious than the Egyptians. Almost every production of nature was an object of their religious worship: the sun, moon, planets, stars, the river Nile, animals of all sorts, from the human being to the monkey, dog, cat, and ibis, and even the onions and leeks which grew in their gardens. Jupiter was adored by them under the form of a ram, Apollo under the form of a crow, Bacchus under that of a goat, and Juno under that of a heifer. The reason why the Egyptians worshipped those animals is given by Eusebius, viz., that when the giants made war on the gods, they were obliged to take refuge in Egypt, and assume the shapes or disguise themselves under different kinds of animals in order to escape. Jupiter hid himself in the body of a ram, Apollo in that of a crow, Bacchus in a goat, Diana in a cat, Juno in a white heifer, Venus in a fish, and Mercury in the bird ibis; all which are summoned up by Ovid in the following lines: - Duxque gregis fit Jupiter - Delius in corvo, proles Semeleia capro, Fele soror Phoebi, nivea Saturnia vacca, Pisce Venus latuit, Cyllenius ibidis alis.METAM., l. v., fab. v., 1. 326.
How the gods fled to Egypt's slimy soil, And hid their heads beneath the banks of Nile; How Typhon from the conquer'd skies pursued Their routed godheads to the seven-mouth'd flood; Forced every god, his fury to escape, Some beastly form to take, or earthly shape. Jove, so she sung, was changed into a ram, From whence the horns of Libyan Ammon came; Bacchus a goat, Apollo was a crow, Phoebe a cat, the wife of Jove a cow, Whose hue was whiter than the falling snow; Mercury, to a nasty ibis turn'd, The change obscene, afraid of Typhon mourn'd, While Venus from a fish protection craves, And once more plunges in her native waves.MAYNWARING.
These animals therefore became sacred to them on account of the deities, who, as the fable reports, had taken refuge in them. Others suppose that the reason why the Egyptians would not sacrifice or kill those creatures was their belief in the doctrine of the metempsychosis, or transmigration of souls; for they feared lest in killing an animal they should kill a relative or a friend. This doctrine is still held by the Hindoos.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 20-32 - Pharaoh was early at his false devotions to the river; and shall we be for more sleep and more slumber, when any service to the Lord is to be done? The Egyptians and the Hebrews were to be marked in the plague of flies. The Lord knows them that are his, and will make it appear perhaps in this world, certainly in the other, that he has set the apart for himself. Pharaoh unwillingly entered into a treaty with Mose and Aaron. He is content they should sacrifice to their God, provide they would do it in the land of Egypt. But it would be an abominatio to God, should they offer the Egyptian sacrifices; and it would be a abomination to the Egyptians, should they offer to God the objects of the worship of the Egyptians, namely, their calves or oxen. Those wh would offer acceptable sacrifice to God, must separate themselves from the wicked and profane. They must also retire from the world. Israe cannot keep the feast of the Lord, either among the brick-kilns or among the flesh-pots of Egypt. And they must sacrifice as God shal command, not otherwise. Though they were in slavery to Pharaoh, ye they must obey God's commands. Pharaoh consents for them to go into the wilderness, provided they do not go so far but that he might fetch the back again. Thus, some sinners, in a pang of conviction, part with their sins, yet are loth they should go very far away; for when the fright is over, they will turn to them again. Moses promised the removal of this plague. But let not Pharaoh deal deceitfully any more Be not deceived; God is not mocked: if we think to cheat God by a sha repentance and a false surrender of ourselves to him, we shall put fatal cheat upon our own souls. Pharaoh returned to his hardness Reigning lusts break through the strongest bonds, and make men presum and go from their word. Many seem in earnest, but there is some reserve, some beloved, secret sin. They are unwilling to look upo themselves as in danger of everlasting misery. They will refrain from other sins; they do much, give much, and even punish themselves much They will leave it off sometimes, and, as it were, let their sin depar a little way; but will not make up their minds to part with all an follow Christ, bearing the cross. Rather than that, they venture all They are sorrowful, but depart from Christ, determined to keep the world at present, and they hope for some future season, when salvatio may be had without such costly sacrifices; but, at length, the poor sinner is driven away in his wickedness, and left without hope to lament his folly __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
ויאמר 559 משׁה 4872 לא 3808 נכון 3559 לעשׂות 6213 כן 3651 כי 3588 תועבת 8441 מצרים 4713 נזבח 2076 ליהוה 3068 אלהינו 430 הן 2005 נזבח 2076 את 853 תועבת 8441 מצרים 4713 לעיניהם 5869 ולא 3808 יסקלנו׃ 5619
