Exodus 9:22 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven, so that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man and beast and every plant of the field, in the land of Egypt."

NIV: Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that hail will fall all over Egypt—on people and animals and on everything growing in the fields of Egypt."

NASB: Now the Lord said to Moses, 'Reach out with your hand toward the sky, so that hail may fall on all the land of Egypt, on every person and animal, and on every plant of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.'

CSB: Then the Lord said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward heaven and let there be hail throughout the land of Egypt—on people and animals and every plant of the field in the land of Egypt."

NLT: Then the Lord said to Moses, 'Lift your hand toward the sky so hail may fall on the people, the livestock, and all the plants throughout the land of Egypt.'

KJV: And the Lord said unto Moses, Stretch forth thine hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, upon man, and upon beast, and upon every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.

NKJV: Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward heaven, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt—on man, on beast, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt.”

Moses and Aaron are used as conduits for God's power (Exodus 4:21; 7:19; 8:5, 16; 9:8–9), though they have no innate power of their own. As promised, the Lord is about to send a catastrophic hailstorm against Egypt (Exodus 9:18). This will begin when Moses gestures with his staff. The result will be a vicious storm of hail and lightning which eradicates anything left out in the open (Exodus 9:24–25).

Not every person or animal will be killed, however. God spares the lands occupied by Israelites (Exodus 9:26). He also delivered a warning for Egyptians to bring animals and servants under shelter (Exodus 9:19). Those Egyptians who wisely followed that advice preserve their resources (Exodus 9:20–21). Crops, which cannot be moved, are still lost (Exodus 9:25, 31).

God used this plague to make a distinction between the people of Egypt and the people of Israel. When Israel finally leaves, it seems that many Egyptians came along, as well (Exodus 12:38, 43, 45; Leviticus 22:25; Deuteronomy 14:21; 15:3). The Lord doesn't judge based on ethnicity, or race, or culture—only whether a person expresses trusting faith.

Exodus 9:13–26 explains the seventh plague on Egypt (Exodus 3:20). Because Pharaoh has stubbornly resisted the Lord (Exodus 5:2; 7:13–14, 22; 8:15, 19, 32; 9:7), God has begun to harden Pharaoh's heart as a means of judgment (Exodus 9:12). Moses offers a warning for Egyptians to take shelter against a coming storm. Some listen, others do not. God sends a terrifying, brutal storm of hail and lightning that kills everything and everyone in the open fields. Only the Hebrew land of Goshen is spared.

After four devastating plagues, Pharaoh continues to resist God's command to free the Hebrew slaves. Through Moses, the Lord sends two more: death of Egyptian livestock and an epidemic of skin lesions. Pharoah refuses to respond to the first, and God makes him stubborn after the second. This leads to the most terrifying sign yet: the seventh plague of hail and fire. Pharoah claims to repent. Yet as soon as the hail stops, he again chooses obstinance. After this, the Lord will use Pharaoh as a tool to demonstrate divine judgment.

Moses and Aaron brought the Lord's command that Pharaoh should release Hebrew slaves (Exodus 5:1–4). Over and over, Egypt's king was obstinate. This resulted in divine plagues meant to demonstrate God's power and authority (Exodus 7:20; 8:6, 17, 24). In this chapter, God sends three more disasters: a plague on livestock, an epidemic of skin sores, and an obliterating storm of hail and lightning. Pharaoh will once again choose stubbornness, passing a point of no return (Proverbs 29:1). For the remaining plagues (Exodus 10—12) and after (Exodus 14:4), Pharaoh will be a living example of the Lord's divine judgment (Exodus 4:21).

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.