Exodus 9

In Exodus 9, God continues His series of plagues on Egypt, showcasing His power and authority over Pharaoh and the gods of Egypt. This chapter highlights the fifth, sixth, and seventh plagues: a severe pestilence, painful boils, and a devastating hailstorm. Through these plagues, God intensifies His judgment on Egypt and Pharaoh's hardened heart, further demonstrating His desire for the Israelites' release from slavery.

Exodus 9:1-3 (NKJV)
1 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and tell him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
2 For if you refuse to let them go, and still hold them,
3 behold, the hand of the Lord will be on your cattle in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the oxen, and on the sheep—a very severe pestilence."

God sends Moses to Pharaoh once again, with a direct command: release the Israelites to serve the Lord. This consistent message of freedom for the Israelites is central to God's plan. If Pharaoh continues to refuse, God warns of a pestilence that will strike Egypt’s livestock, including horses, donkeys, camels, oxen, and sheep. This plague targets their economic resources and agricultural strength, showing God's power over Egypt’s prosperity.

Exodus 9:4-5 (NKJV)
4 And the Lord will make a difference between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt. So nothing shall die of all that belongs to the children of Israel.
5 Then the Lord appointed a set time, saying, “Tomorrow the Lord will do this thing in the land.”

God establishes a clear distinction between His people, the Israelites, and the Egyptians. None of the livestock belonging to the Israelites would be harmed. This division highlights God’s protection of His covenant people and the judgment upon Egypt. By appointing a set time, God reinforces the certainty and precision of His actions. The Egyptians are given a clear warning, but their disobedience will lead to inevitable destruction.

Exodus 9:6 (NKJV)
6 So the Lord did this thing on the next day, and all the livestock of Egypt died; but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died.

God follows through on His warning with immediate action. The next day, a devastating pestilence kills all of Egypt’s livestock. However, as promised, the livestock of the Israelites remained unharmed. This miraculous preservation demonstrates God’s sovereignty and His faithful protection over His people. For the Egyptians, the plague represents both a loss of wealth and a clear sign that Pharaoh’s resistance is futile against God’s power.

Exodus 9:7 (NKJV)
7 Then Pharaoh sent, and indeed, not even one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh became hard, and he did not let the people go.

Pharaoh’s inquiry into the condition of Israel's livestock confirms God’s distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites. Despite witnessing this clear sign, Pharaoh's heart remains hardened. His refusal to let the Israelites go reflects a continued defiance against God’s authority. This hardening of Pharaoh’s heart is a recurring theme in the plagues, demonstrating the stubbornness that leads to Egypt’s downfall.

Exodus 9:8-10 (NKJV)
8 So the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Take for yourselves handfuls of ashes from a furnace, and let Moses scatter it toward the heavens in the sight of Pharaoh.
9 And it will become fine dust in all the land of Egypt, and it will cause boils that break out in sores on man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt.”
10 Then they took ashes from the furnace and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses scattered them toward heaven. And they caused boils that break out in sores on man and beast.

God instructs Moses to take ashes from a furnace, symbolizing the labor and suffering of the Israelites, and scatter them into the air before Pharaoh. As the ashes spread, they cause painful boils to erupt on both man and beast throughout Egypt. This sixth plague not only afflicts the Egyptians physically but also serves as a reminder of their oppression of the Israelites. It strikes both humans and animals, indicating the pervasiveness of God's judgment.

Exodus 9:11-12 (NKJV)
11 And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils were on the magicians and on all the Egyptians.
12 But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had spoken to Moses.

The Egyptian magicians, who previously attempted to replicate some of the plagues, are now incapacitated by the boils. Their inability to stand before Moses demonstrates their powerlessness against God's judgment. Yet, despite the suffering of his people and even his advisors, Pharaoh’s heart remains hardened. The text emphasizes that God is allowing Pharaoh's heart to remain hard as part of His overarching plan, as foretold to Moses.

Exodus 9:13-15 (NKJV)
13 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise early in the morning and stand before Pharaoh, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord God of the Hebrews: “Let My people go, that they may serve Me,
14 for at this time I will send all My plagues to your very heart, and on your servants and on your people, that you may know that there is none like Me in all the earth.
15 Now if I had stretched out My hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, then you would have been cut off from the earth.

Once again, Moses is instructed to confront Pharaoh with the message to release the Israelites. This time, God escalates His warning, stating that the upcoming plagues will strike Egypt even more personally, affecting Pharaoh and his people. The goal is for Pharaoh to recognize that God is unmatched in power and authority. God also reminds Pharaoh that He could have completely destroyed Egypt with pestilence, but instead, He has shown restraint, giving Pharaoh opportunities to repent.

Exodus 9:16 (NKJV)
16 But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.

This verse reveals God’s purpose behind Pharaoh's continued resistance: to display His power and make His name known throughout the earth. By allowing Pharaoh to remain in power, God is setting the stage for a greater demonstration of His authority, one that would become a testimony to all nations. This highlights God's sovereignty over even the most powerful rulers and His plan to use every situation for His glory.

Exodus 9:17-18 (NKJV)
17 As yet you exalt yourself against My people in that you will not let them go.
18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Egypt since its founding until now.

God confronts Pharaoh's pride, pointing out that he continues to exalt himself against God’s people by refusing to let them go. Despite the repeated warnings and signs, Pharaoh remains defiant. God now announces the next plague: an unprecedented storm of hail. This plague is set to strike the next day, further demonstrating God's control over nature and His ability to bring unparalleled disaster upon Egypt if they continue to resist His command.

Exodus 9:19 (NKJV)
19 Therefore send now and gather your livestock and all that you have in the field, for the hail shall come down on every man and every animal which is found in the field and is not brought home; and they shall die.”

In His mercy, God provides a warning to the Egyptians, allowing them a chance to protect their livestock and servants from the coming storm. The severity of the plague is made clear—anyone or anything left outside will be struck by the hail and die. This act of grace gives Pharaoh and the Egyptians an opportunity to take action and avoid some of the damage, showing that even in judgment, God offers a chance for repentance and survival.

Exodus 9:20-21 (NKJV)
20 He who feared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his livestock flee to the houses.
21 But he who did not regard the word of the Lord left his servants and his livestock in the field.

Here we see a distinction among the Egyptians. Some feared God's word and took the warning seriously, bringing their servants and livestock inside for protection. Others, however, ignored the warning, leaving their possessions and people vulnerable. This division shows that the Egyptians were beginning to recognize God’s power, yet some still refused to believe, foreshadowing how their defiance would bring about their ruin.

Exodus 9:22-23 (NKJV)
22 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.”
23 And Moses stretched out his rod toward heaven; and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and fire darted to the ground. And the Lord rained hail on the land of Egypt.

In obedience to God's command, Moses stretches out his hand, and the devastating plague begins. Thunder, hail, and even lightning strikes accompany the storm, signifying the extreme and supernatural nature of this judgment. This combination of natural and divine forces, including the unusual spectacle of fire darting to the ground, wreaks havoc across Egypt, serving as a terrifying display of God’s control over the elements and a direct judgment against the land and its inhabitants for their continued rebellion.

Exodus 9:24-25 (NKJV)
24 So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, so very heavy that there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.
25 And the hail struck throughout the whole land of Egypt, all that was in the field, both man and beast; and the hail struck every herb of the field and broke every tree of the field.

The storm's intensity is unlike anything Egypt had ever experienced. The hail, mixed with fire, devastates the land, killing both people and animals left in the open and destroying crops and trees. This catastrophe highlights God’s unparalleled power to bring destruction on Egypt, emphasizing the futility of resisting His will. The severity of the plague also threatens Egypt’s food supply and overall stability, amplifying the consequences of Pharaoh’s defiance.

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

Once again, God makes a clear distinction between the Egyptians and the Israelites. While the rest of Egypt is being ravaged by the storm, the land of Goshen, where the Israelites live, remains untouched. This divine protection underscores the special relationship between God and His people, serving as a reminder of His faithfulness and the fact that His judgments are directed toward Egypt alone for their oppression and disobedience.

Exodus 9:27-28 (NKJV)
27 And Pharaoh sent and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “I have sinned this time. The Lord is righteous, and my people and I are wicked.
28 Entreat the Lord, that there may be no more mighty thundering and hail, for it is enough. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer.”

Under the weight of the destruction, Pharaoh appears to repent, confessing that he and his people have sinned, while acknowledging the righteousness of God. He pleads with Moses and Aaron to pray for the hail and thunder to cease, promising to finally let the Israelites go. This moment of supposed repentance, however, is short-lived, as Pharaoh’s words do not lead to genuine change. His confession is driven by fear and desperation rather than a true transformation of heart.

Exodus 9:29-30 (NKJV)
29 So Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the Lord; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the Lord’s.
30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you will not yet fear the Lord God.”

Moses agrees to pray for the storm to stop, but he makes it clear that Pharaoh’s acknowledgment of God’s power is still superficial. By stopping the storm, God would once again reveal His sovereignty over all the earth, but Moses is fully aware that Pharaoh’s heart has not truly softened. The external circumstances may change, but the deeper issue of Pharaoh’s hardened heart remains unaddressed, meaning the cycle of rebellion will continue.

Exodus 9:31-32 (NKJV)
31 Now the flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the head and the flax was in bud.
32 But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they are late crops.

This detail reveals the extent of the damage caused by the hail. The barley and flax crops, which were ready for harvest, were completely destroyed. However, the wheat and spelt, which were planted later in the season, survived the storm. This shows both the selective devastation and the mercy of God, allowing Egypt to still have some crops left for future harvests, even in the midst of severe judgment.

Exodus 9:33-35 (NKJV)
33 So Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh and spread out his hands to the Lord; then the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth.
34 And when Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants.
35 So the heart of Pharaoh was hard; neither would he let the children of Israel go, as the Lord had spoken by Moses.

Moses leaves the city and prays to God, causing the storm to stop, demonstrating God's immediate control over the elements. However, as soon as the danger passes, Pharaoh returns to his previous stubbornness. He hardens his heart once again, along with his servants, choosing to defy God's command. Despite the overwhelming evidence of God's power and the severe consequences of disobedience, Pharaoh’s heart remains unyielding, setting the stage for further plagues.