The Law · Chapter 9 of 40

Exodus 9

The plagues intensify: a deadly pestilence strikes Egypt's livestock while Israel's herds are spared, then festering boils fall on man and beast, and finally a ruinous storm of hail and fire flattens the fields. God warns that these blows aim to show there is none like Him. Pharaoh confesses sin under the hail, yet when it stops he hardens his heart again and refuses to release Israel.

What happens in Exodus 9

The LORD sends Moses to warn Pharaoh, then strikes Egypt's cattle with a grievous murrain while sparing every animal of Israel, a distinction Pharaoh himself verifies before hardening his heart. Next Moses sprinkles furnace ashes toward heaven, and boils break out on the Egyptians and even their magicians, who can no longer stand before him. God then announces the worst hailstorm in Egypt's history, mercifully warning that any who fear His word should shelter their servants and beasts indoors.

Moses stretches his rod, and thunder, hail, and fire ravage everything left in the open, though Goshen stays untouched. Crushed, Pharaoh summons Moses, confesses that the LORD is righteous and he is wicked, and begs relief. Moses spreads his hands and the storm ceases, but once Pharaoh sees the rain stop he sins yet more and again refuses to let the people go.

Exodus 9 in context

Exodus 9 delivers the fifth, sixth, and seventh of the ten plagues that dismantle Egypt's gods and Pharaoh's pride. Egypt worshiped cattle and sky deities, so each blow topples a false god. The narrative repeats a solemn refrain about Pharaoh's hardening, sometimes self willed, sometimes given over by God, tracing how sustained resistance to mercy calcifies a heart.

Israel remains sheltered in Goshen throughout, a living sign of God's covenant care.

Main themes of Exodus 9

Exodus 9 (KJV)

1Then the LORD said unto Moses, Go in unto Pharaoh, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD God of the Hebrews, Let my people go, that they may serve me. 2For if thou refuse to let them go, and wilt hold them still, 3Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain. 4And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel. 5And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land. 6And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one. 7And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go. 8And the LORD said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh. 9And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt. 10And they took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward heaven; and it became a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast. 11And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians. 12And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses. 13And 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. 14For 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. 15For 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. 16And 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. 17As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go? 18Behold, 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. 19Send 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. 20He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: 21And he that regarded not the word of the LORD left his servants and his cattle in the field. 22And 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. 23And 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. 24So 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. 25And 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. 26Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail. 27And 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. 28Intreat the LORD (for it is enough) that there be no more mighty thunderings and hail; and I will let you go, and ye shall stay no longer. 29And 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. 30But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God. 31And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. 32But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up. 33And 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. 34And 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. 35And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.

Verses to carry from Exodus 9

“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.”Exodus 9:16

“Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail.”Exodus 9:26

“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.”Exodus 9:27

Reflection

Where have you felt fear of God only in the storm, then forgotten Him once relief arrived? Pharaoh's tragedy is a heart that softens under pressure but hardens in comfort. Ask the Lord to give you a heart that stays tender in every season, quick to obey His warnings before they must become storms.

A prayer from Exodus 9