The abominations, etc... That is, the things they worship for Gods: oxen, rams, etc. It is the usual style of the scriptures to call all idols and false gods, abominations, to signify how much the people of God ought to detest and abhor them. 8:27. We will go three days' journey into the wilderness; and we will sacrifice to the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us. 8:28. And Pharao said: I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness, but go no farther: pray for me. 8:29. And Moses said: I will go out from thee, and will pray to the Lord: and the flies shall depart from Pharao, and from his servants, and from his people to morrow: but do not deceive any more, in not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord. 8:30. So Moses went out from Pharao, and prayed to the Lord. 8:31. And he did according to his word: and he took away the flies from Pharao, and from his servants, and from his people: there was not left so much as one. 8:32. And Pharao's heart was hardened, so that neither this time would he let the people go. Exodus Chapter 9 The fifth plague is a murrain among the cattle. The sixth, of boils in men and beasts. The seventh, of hail. Pharao promiseth again to let the people go, and breaketh his word. 9:1. And the Lord said to Moses: Go in to Pharao, and speak to him: Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews: Let my people go to sacrifice to me. 9:2. But if thou refuse, and withhold them still: 9:3. Behold my hand shall be upon thy fields; and a very grievous murrain upon thy horses, and asses, and camels, and oxen, and sheep. 9:4. And the Lord will make a wonderful difference between the possessions of Israel and the possessions of the Egyptians, that nothing at all shall die of those things that belong to the children of Israel. 9:5. And the Lord appointed a time, saying: To morrow will the Lord do this thing in the land. 9:6. The Lord therefore did this thing the next day: and all the beasts of the Egyptians died, but of the beasts of the children of Israel there died not one. All the beasts... That is, many of all kinds. 9:7. And Pharao sent to see; and there was not any thing dead of that which Israel possessed. And Pharao's heart was hardened, and he did not let the people go. 9:8. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: Take to you handfuls of ashes out of the chimney, and let Moses sprinkle it in the air in the presence of Pharao. 9:9. And be there dust upon all the land of Egypt: for there shall be boils and swelling blains both in men and beasts, in the whole land of Egypt. 9:10. And they took ashes out of the chimney, and stood before Pharao, and Moses sprinkled it in the air; and there came boils with swelling blains in men and beasts. 9:11. Neither could the magicians stand before Moses, for the boils that were upon them, and in all the land of Egypt. 9:12. And the Lord hardened Pharao's heart, and he hearkened not unto them, as the Lord had spoken to Moses.