Exodus 9: 22-35: “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. 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. 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. 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. Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, was there no hail. 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. Intreat 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. 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. But as for thee and thy servants, I know that ye will not yet fear the LORD God. And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was bolled. But the wheat and the rie were not smitten: for they were not grown up. 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. 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. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, neither would he let the children of Israel go; as the LORD had spoken by Moses.”
The Lord warned Egypt about the hail so that they would have time to bring their animals inside but eventually the time of grace ran out and the hail came. There was fire mixed up with the hail so this was one fearsome storm. Surely someone who saw a storm like this would be afraid. To make this plague more precise the Lord kept the land of Goshen, where Israel lived from the hail. Israel was kept safe from some of the other plagues but there was no doubt about this plague as it was obvious that there was no hail in that part of the land. Pharaoh was afraid and called Moses to intercede on his behalf. He even admitted that he had done wrong. Even in this the Lord was gracious for He saved some of their crops even though other crops were destroyed. When the hail was gone Pharaoh changed his mind and set himself and his nation for another plague.
(The view expressed in this blog are my own and should not be taken as inspired in any way.)
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