Exodus 9:13 to Exodus 35:7°. A Devastating Hailstorm (Exodus 9:13-21 J, Exodus 9:22 f. E, Exodus 9:24-30 J, Exodus 9:31 f. E, Exodus 9:33 f. J, Exodus 9:35 ab E, Exodus 9:35 c R). Into the announcement of the coming storm a short passage (Exodus 9:14-16) has been with impressive effect inserted by an early expander of J. It accounts for the series of partial judgments, instead of one overwhelming doom, by the Divine purpose to illustrate more at length the object lesson of the vanity of human pride and resolution. Since Yahweh speaks of all my plagues, it may have been originally written for some other connexion, and probably should be read, I will. send all these my plagues upon thee, and upon., thine head being a misreading of a letter by a scribe. In Exodus 9:15 it would be clearer to render with Driver, For else I should now have put forth. and thou wouldst have been cut off. In Exodus 9:16 I made thee to stand means I preserved thee, not as Paul, possibly following a late meaning of the Heb. verb, took it, I raised thee up, though the difference does not affect the argument in Romans 9:17. The very power of the Pharaoh makes his subjection to Yahweh's purpose more impressive, and the fame of it more widespread. In Exodus 9:19 the idea is rather, As yet standest thou in the way of my people. A new feature about this plague is the chance given to Pharaoh and his servants of averting its perils by fearing the word of Yahweh, and hastening in the cattle. The repetitions in the description of the hailstorm are due to the combination of sources, as the suggested analysis shows. It was peculiarly the function of Yahweh to send thunder, Exodus 9:23 (Heb. give voices, see Exodus 9:28 mg.), cf. Psalms 29:3-9, etc.: the cloud was His chariot, the lightning His dazzling robe, and the thunder His mighty voice. The fire was mingled with or flashing right through (cf. mg.) the hail, Exodus 9:24. Goshen again escaped. Pharaoh's admission (Exodus 9:27) that he and his were wicked was a politic approach to a powerful but unfriendly deity. He anticipated Nietzsche in the doctrine that weakness is wickedness. Moses in promising to spread abroad his hands in prayer for removal of the plague (Exodus 9:29; Exodus 9:35 *), was under no illusions: Pharaoh had but half learned his lesson. From Exodus 9:31 f. it may be inferred that the hailstorm was dated in January, the flax being in bud and the barley ripe, but the wheat and spelt still immature. Egyptian flax was often very fine; linen was much used by those who could afford it. Sayce refers to a desolating thunderstorm with hail in the Nile valley in the spring of 1895. The presence of the cattle in the field would agree with the January date.
Exodus 9:13-35
13 And the LORD said unto Moses, Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me.
14 For I will at this time send all my plagues upon thine heart, and upon thy servants, and upon thy people; that thou mayest know that there is none like me in all the earth.
15 For now I will stretch out my hand, that I may smite thee and thy people with pestilence; and thou shalt be cut off from the earth.
16 And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
17 As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?
18 Behold, to morrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been in Egypt since the foundation thereof even until now.
19 Send therefore now, and gather thy cattle, and all that thou hast in the field; for upon every man and beast which shall be found in the field, and shall not be brought home, the hail shall come down upon them, and they shall die.
20 He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses:
21 And he that regardeda not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field.
22 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.
23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.
24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
25 And the hail smote throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail smote every herb of the field, and brake every tree of the field.
26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.
27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
28 Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mightyb thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer.
29 And Moses said unto him, As soon as I am gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands unto the LORD; and the thunder shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that thou mayest know how that the earth is the LORD'S.
30 But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God.
31 And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled.
32 But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up.
33 And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.
34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.
35 And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.c