(Vers. 12.). Similarly therefore all, that is, the greater and the lesser and the middling, namely King Pharaoh and the other lords and their servants: had innumerable dead, all the firstborn, dead, I say, by one manner of death, namely by one kind, because it was a divine plague. And he well says: all, because "there was no house in which there did not lie one dead," as is found in Exodus twelve. For neither etc. And I well said: innumerable: for neither for burying, namely the dead, did the living suffice: Jeremiah sixteen: "The small and the great shall die, and they shall not be buried" etc. Since in one moment, namely in one hour of the night, that which was the more noble offspring of theirs, that is, the whole body of the firstborn, who surpass the remaining sons in dignity: was destroyed, that is, slain by the destroying Angel, as is clear from Exodus twelve.
(Vers. 13.). For concerning all, as if to say: and rightly were the firstborn thus slain: for concerning all, that is, on account of all the plagues previously inflicted, not believing, namely the Egyptians, on account of the benefits, namely those done to them in the relaxation of each of the plagues, as is clear from Exodus seven, eight, nine, ten, and twelve. Then when first there was the destruction of the firstborn, namely in the last plague, they pledged that they were the people of God, that is, they promised to carry out God's command, which was concerning the release of the children of Israel: for then they released them, as is clear from Exodus twelve. Or: they pledged etc., that is, they promised to believe in the God of the Hebrews, if they were delivered: Isaiah twenty-six: "Lord, in distress they sought you"; in the Psalm: "When he slew them, they sought him."
For when quiet etc. After he has determined concerning the affliction of those who were awake on account of the death of the firstborn, here he treats of the affliction of those who were sleeping: and first the cause of the affliction is touched upon: second, the punishment: Then immediately.
(Vers. 14. 15.). I well said: Then when first there was the destruction: for, in the sense of because: when quiet silence held all things: silence, namely of the night, which was given for resting, just as the day for working: whence First Thessalonians five: "Those who sleep, sleep at night." And the night in its course had reached its midpoint, that is, when it was the middle of the night: whence Exodus twelve: "And it came to pass in the middle of the night"; and this on account of their lack of foresight.
Your almighty word, O Lord, that is, your ordinance and command: whence Hebrews 4: "The word of God is living and effective," namely because of the impossibility of resisting, leaping from heaven, leaping he says because of the swiftness, from heaven, that is, in the destroying Angel, from the royal thrones, namely yours, that is, from the company of Angels, among whom you reign and sit enthroned: in the Psalm: "You who sit upon the Cherubim." Or: leaping from heaven, namely sent by you, who sit enthroned in heaven: "For they are all ministering spirits sent forth for service on behalf of those who shall inherit salvation," Hebrews 1: came harsh, that is, implacable, a warrior, namely against the Egyptians because of their obstinacy; into the midst of the land of destruction, that is, into the land of Egypt to be destroyed by the death of the firstborn; he leaped forth, namely suddenly.
(Vers. 16.). A sharp sword, that is, about to fulfill the office of a sharp sword through the slaying of the firstborn: Hebrews 4: "The word of God is living and effective and more piercing than any two-edged sword"; likewise Ephesians 6: "The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." A sword, therefore, sharp, because of the ready facility for harming, bearing your unfeigned command, that is, not a fictitious but a true command and power of yours, because "there is no power except from God," Romans 13. Unfeigned therefore command is said because of the divine authority, and standing, because of the immovability of the sentence. He filled all things with death, that is, the whole land of Egypt with dead firstborn. "For there was no house in which there did not lie one dead," as is clear from Exodus 12. He says therefore: He filled all things etc., because of the universality of this plague.
But an objection is raised, because in Exodus 12 it is said: "I will pass through the land of Egypt that night and I will strike every firstborn" etc.; therefore he was not standing: therefore it is poorly said here: And standing etc.
But it must be said that this standing, of which he speaks here, is opposed to departure from the land of Egypt, not to movement through the land itself. Whence he means to say that the Angel, executing the word or command given concerning the slaying of the firstborn, stood in the land of Egypt, so that outside Egypt no one was slain: but he does not mean to say that he did not pass through Egypt from house to house.
And he reached even to heaven while standing on earth, that is, he seemed to reach, namely because of the inevitability, namely lest anyone should escape; in the Psalm: "If I ascend into heaven, you are there." Or: even to heaven etc., he says this because that Angel was contemplating in heaven while ministering on earth, according to that saying of Bede: "They run within God, wherever they are sent"; likewise Matthew 18: "Their Angels"; namely the ministers, "in heaven always behold," through contemplation, "the face of my Father" etc.
Allegorically however, the coming of Christ in the flesh is described here, who is called the almighty word of God through eternal generation, according to that passage in John 1: "In the beginning was the Word"; but is said to have come from heaven, from the royal thrones, through the temporal assumption of flesh: in the Psalm: "His going forth is from the highest heaven"; in the silence of midnight, on account of the opportuneness of the time: Galatians 4: "But when the fullness of time came," etc. The first silence was under the law of nature, and this on account of ignorance of infirmity; the second, under the law of Moses, and this on account of despair of healing; the third, under the law of grace, and this on account of the attainment of salvation. As a fierce warrior etc., namely on account of the vanquishing of demons; Luke 11: "When a strong man armed guards his court, all things that he possesses are in peace; but if a stronger one than he comes upon him," etc. Into the midst of the land of destruction, that is, into the midst of the world, on account of the position of the land in which he was born: in the Psalm: "He has worked salvation in the midst of the earth." He carried the dominion of God with him, on account of his Divinity co-omnipotent with the Father: John 1: "And the Word was God," namely, of whom he afterwards adds: "And the Word was made flesh"; likewise the last chapter of Matthew: "All power is given to me," etc. He filled all things with death, on account of the consummation of all things in his death, according to that passage in John 19: "It is consummated." Standing on earth, he touched heaven, because his soul in the state of a wayfarer had continual enjoyment of God; John 3: "No one has ascended into heaven, except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven."
(Vers. 17.). Then immediately, namely at the very hour of the slaying, visions of evil dreams, that is, of terrible ones, disturbed them, namely those sleeping: the Gloss: "So that neither to those awake nor to those sleeping was rest given." And unforeseen fears, that is, sudden ones, came upon them, namely upon them: Job 7: "You will terrify me through dreams, and shake me with horror through visions"; Job 4: "In the horror of a nocturnal vision, when deep sleep is wont to seize men, dread took hold of me."
(Vers. 18.). And one here, another there, namely than the other, cast down half-dead, that is, at the extremity of his life; he showed the cause of death on account of which he was dying, namely by indicating to others, as he was able, namely on account of the hardness of heart rebelling against the God of the Hebrews and against Moses, his servant: Romans 2: "According to your hardness and impenitent heart."
(Vers. 19.). The visions indeed, of dreams, namely, which disturbed them, forewarned these things, namely the cause of their death. Lest they perish unknowing why they suffered evils, and thus be excused on account of ignorance from impenitence: Isaiah 28: "Vexation will give understanding to the hearing"; Gregory: "The eyes which guilt closes, punishment opens."
Third, the grave trial of the Hebrews.
It touched etc. Here is subjoined the grave temptation of the Hebrews in the desert after their liberation: and first is shown the peril on the part of those tempted; second, the manner of liberation on the part of the High Priest: For hastening etc.; third, the cause or power liberating on the part of the pontifical vestment: In the robe etc.; fourth, the effect that followed on the part of the destroying Angel: But to these etc.
(Vers. 20.). But it touched etc. Thus the Egyptians were punished, and not only they: but, for "however": it touched then: then, is taken broadly, so that the sense is: Then, namely at that time when, having gone out of Egypt, they were journeying through the desert, it touched even the just, namely the children of Israel. It touched, he says, because it did not long remain nor was it in all, a trial of death, that is, leading to death. And a commotion of the multitude was made in the desert, namely against Moses and Aaron, so that they fled to the tabernacle of the Lord, as is clear from Numbers 16. But your wrath did not long remain: Habakkuk: "When you are angry, you will remember mercies."
For hastening etc. Here he touches upon the threefold manner of liberation of them, namely by devoutly praying: second, the fathers' promises to be recalled: But he overcame; third, by personally interposing himself: For when already in heaps.
(Vers. 21.). He says therefore: For hastening etc. I have rightly said that your wrath did not long remain: for hastening, a man without reproach, namely Aaron: whence Numbers 16: "When Aaron had heard this and had run into the midst of the multitude, which the conflagration was already devastating" etc.; hastening, in this is intimated the fervor of heart; without reproach, the holiness of conduct; to entreat for the peoples etc. For God hears such a one and not sinners: whence John 9: "God does not hear sinners"; Gregory: "When one who is displeasing is sent to intercede, the mind of the one angered is provoked to worse things"; to entreat for the peoples: entreaty properly concerns the removal of evils, while prayer concerns the obtaining of goods, but commonly one is put for the other. Bringing forth the shield of his service, prayer etc. Prayer is called a shield by reason of protection: Ezekiel 20: "I sought among them a man who would set up a hedge and stand opposed against me." Of his service is said because he was bound to this service by reason of the pontifical office; whence Hebrews 5: "For every high priest, taken from among men, is appointed for men"; and afterward follows: "He ought, just as for the people, so also for himself to offer for sins."
It should be noted that the shield can spiritually be called faith: whence Ephesians 6: "In all things taking up the shield of faith." Likewise, the word of God: whence Proverbs 30: "Every word" of the Lord, or "of God, is a fiery shield to those who hope in him." Likewise, prayer: whence here: Bringing forth the shield of his service, prayer. Likewise, equity; whence above in chapter 5: "He will take up the impregnable shield, equity." Likewise, almsgiving: whence Ecclesiasticus 29: "Above the shield of the mighty and above the lance, it will fight against your enemy." Likewise, patience: 2 Kings 1: "There the shield of the mighty was cast away," etc. Likewise, obedience, concerning which, 1 Maccabees 14: "This is the golden shield of Simon, of a thousand minas."
And through incense, that is, the offering of incense, presenting a supplication, that is, bringing forward by way of plea: Numbers 16: "He offered incense and standing between the dead and the living, he made supplication for the people." And it should be noted that prayer is set down for the remission of sin, supplication for the removal of the scourge, incense for the reconciliation of the offended judge. Hastening, I say, the man, etc., he withstood the wrath, that is, the divine chastisement. And he put an end to the distress, that is, to the inevitable human affliction. Showing, namely by deed, not only by word, that he is your servant, according to that passage in John 10: "The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep"; Ecclesiasticus 45: "He chose him from among all the living to offer sacrifice to God, incense," etc. On the contrary, the Lord complains about wicked prelates in Ezekiel 13: "You have not gone up against the enemy, nor have you set up a wall for the house of Israel."
(Vers. 22.). But he overcame the throngs, that is, the troubled people, by dividing and penetrating through them, not by the strength of the body, as Samson overcame the Philistines, Judges 15; nor by the armor of power, namely powerful and strong armor, as David overcame Goliath, 1 Kings 17: 1 Maccabees 3: "Not in the multitude of the army is the victory of war." But by the word, namely of devout prayer, he subdued him who was tormenting him, namely the Angel destroying the people, which he reckoned as his own torment, according to that passage: "Who is weak, and I am not weak?" etc., 2 Corinthians 11. The oaths of the Fathers and the covenant, that is, the promise made to the Fathers concerning giving them the land of promise as an inheritance; Genesis 12: "To your seed I will give this land"; recalling them, namely in his prayer.
(Vers. 23.). For when etc., as if to say: rightly did I say that he overcame the multitudes etc.: for when the dead had already fallen in heaps upon one another, that is, when the dead lay in heaps one upon another: he stood between, that is, he stood between the living and the dead: whence Numbers sixteen: "He stood between the dead and the living." And he cut off the assault, namely of the fire consuming them; Hebrews eleven: "They quenched the violence of fire"; and he divided the way that led to the living, namely by placing himself against the fire in the middle of the way, lest the fire should pass from the dead to the living.
For in the robe etc. Here is touched upon the cause of the deliverance, and first on the part of the high priest: second, on the part of the Angel of destruction: But to these.
(Vers. 24.). For in the robe etc., as if to say: therefore he was able to do the aforesaid things: for in the robe reaching to the feet, that is, the ankle-length hyacinth-colored tunic, "on the hem of which were bells and pomegranates," Exodus twenty-eight. Or according to Josephus, the whole pontifical vestment, both interior and exterior, is the poderis, a linen garment descending to the feet, whence it is named from podos in Greek, which means foot in Latin, whence poderis as if clinging to the feet.
in the robe reaching to the feet is understood, which seems truer from what follows. In the robe, I say, reaching to the feet, which he wore, namely Aaron, the whole world was depicted, namely in symbol, because, as the Gloss says, "the Hebrews assign fine linen to the earth, because it is produced from the earth: purple to the sea, because it is dyed from its shellfish: hyacinth to the air on account of the likeness of color: scarlet to fire and the ether, namely so that the High Priest might pray for the whole world; since the world consists of earth, water, fire, and air."