Exodus 9:10-20

10 So they got some ashes and stood before the king; Moses threw them into the air, and they produced boils that became open sores on the people and the animals. 1
11 The magicians were not able to appear before Moses, because they were covered with boils, like all the other Egyptians.
12 But the Lord made the king stubborn and, just as the Lord had said, the king would not listen to Moses and Aaron.
13 The Lord then said to Moses, "Early tomorrow morning meet with the king and tell him that the Lord, the God of the Hebrews, says, "Let my people go, so that they may worship me.
14 This time I will punish not only your officials and your people, but I will punish you as well, so that you may know that there is no one like me in all the world.
15 If I had raised my hand to strike you and your people with disease, you would have been completely destroyed.
16 But to show you my power I have let you live so that my fame might spread over the whole world. 2
17 Yet you are still arrogant and refuse to let my people go.
18 This time tomorrow I will cause a heavy hailstorm, such as Egypt has never known in all its history.
19 Now give orders for your livestock and everything else you have in the open to be put under shelter. Hail will fall on the people and animals left outside unprotected, and they will all die.' "
20 Some of the king's officials were afraid because of what the Lord had said, and they brought their slaves and animals indoors for shelter.

Exodus 9:10-20 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 9

This chapter relates the plague of murrain upon the cattle, and which yet was not upon the cattle of the Israelites, Ex 9:1-7 and the plague of boils and blains on man and beast, Ex 9:8-11 and Pharaoh's heart being hardened, Moses is sent to him with a message from the Lord, threatening him that all his plagues should come upon him, and particularly the pestilence, if he would not let Israel go; and signifying, that to show his power in him, and declare his name throughout the earth, had he raised him up, and a kind of amazement is expressed at his obstinacy and pride, Ex 9:12-17, and he is told that a terrible storm of hail should fall upon the land, and destroy all in the field; wherefore those that regarded the word of the Lord got their cattle within doors, but those that did not took no care of them, Ex 9:18-21 and upon Moses's stretching out his hand, when ordered by the Lord, the storm began, and destroyed every thing in the field throughout the land, excepting the land of Goshen, Ex 9:22-26 upon which Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron, acknowledged his sin, and the justice of God, begged they would entreat for him, which Moses did; but when the storm was over, Pharaoh's heart was still more hardened, and he refused to let the people go, Ex 9:27-35.

Cross References 2

  • 1. 9.10Revelation 16.2.
  • 2. 9.16Romans 9.17.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.