Exodus 9:18-28

18 So, at this time tomorrow I will send the worst hailstorm that has ever happened in Egypt since the beginning of its history.

19 Now, send [servants] to bring your livestock and everything else you have indoors. All people and animals still outside and not brought in will die when the hail falls on them.'"

20 Those members of Pharaoh's court who listened to the LORD's warning brought their servants and cattle indoors quickly.

21 But those who didn't take the LORD's warning seriously left their servants and animals out in the open.

22 Then the LORD said to Moses, "Lift your hand toward the sky, and hail will fall on people, animals, and every plant in the fields of Egypt."

23 When Moses lifted his staff toward the sky, the LORD sent thunder and hail, and lightning struck the earth. So the LORD made it hail on Egypt.

24 It hailed, and lightning flashed while it hailed. This was the worst storm in all the land of Egypt since it had become a nation.

25 All over Egypt the hail knocked down everything that was out in the open. It struck down people, animals, and every plant in the fields and destroyed every tree in the fields.

26 The only place it didn't hail was the region of Goshen, where the Israelites lived.

27 Then Pharaoh sent for Moses and Aaron. "This time I have sinned," he told them. "The LORD is right, and my people and I are wrong.

28 Pray to the LORD. We've had enough of God's thunder and hail. I'll let you go; you don't have to stay here any longer."

Exodus 9:18-28 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.