Shemot 9:1-7

1 Then Hashem said unto Moshe, Go in unto Pharaoh, tell him, Thus saith Hashem Elohei HaIvrim, Let My people go, that they may serve Me.

2 For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still,

3 Hinei, the Yad Hashem is upon thy mikneh (livestock) which is in the sadeh, upon the susim, upon the donkeys, upon the camels, upon the herd, and upon the tzon; there shall be a very grievous dever.

4 And Hashem shall separate between the mikneh Yisroel and the mikneh Mitzrayim; and there shall nothing die of all that belongs to the Bnei Yisroel.

5 And Hashem appointed a mo’ed, saying, Tomorrow Hashem shall do this thing in the land.

6 And Hashem did that thing on the next day, and all the mikneh of Mitzrayim died; but of the mikneh of the Bnei Yisroel died not one.

7 And Pharaoh sent, and, hinei, there was not one of the mikneh Yisroel dead. And the lev Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let HaAm go.

Shemot 9:1-7 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.