- for that is an abomination:
- The Chaldee Paraphrast renders this clause, "Because the Hebrews eat the cattle which the Egyptians worship." But, as we learn from "And when Josephª sawª°¹ Benjaminª withª them, he saidª° to the ruler of¹¹ his house,ª Bringª°¹ [these] men²¹ home,ª and slay,ªª° and make ready;ª° for¹ [these] men²¹ shall dineª° with¹ me at noon.ª" {Gen 43:16}, compared with this verse, that the provision for the entertainment of the Egyptians themselves was animal food, this reason cannot be just. The true reason seems to be that assigned by the LXX, Βδελυγμα γαρ εστιν τοις Αιγυπτιοις πας ποιμην προβατων· "For every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians." "That ye shall say,ª° Thy servants'ª trade²¹ hath been¹ about cattleª from our youthª¹ even until¹ now,¹ both¹ we,¹ [and] also¹ our fathers:ª that¹ ye may dwellª° in the landª of Goshen;ª for¹ every¹ shepherdªª° [is] an abominationª unto the Egyptians.ª" {Gen 46:34} + "And Mosesª said,ª° It is not¹ meetª° so¹ to do;ª° for²¹ we shall sacrificeª° the abominationª of the Egyptiansª to the LORDª our God:ª lo,¹ shall we sacrificeª°¹ the abominationª of the Egyptiansª before their eyes,ª and will they not¹ stoneª° us?" {Exd 8:26}
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