How does Exodus 9:26 connect with God's covenant promises to Israel?

Scripture Focus

“Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites lived, did no hail fall.” (Exodus 9:26)

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Setting the Scene

• Seventh plague: devastating hail mixed with fire (Exodus 9:18–25).

• Egypt reels under judgment, yet Goshen—Israel’s dwelling—remains untouched.

• This striking distinction is not incidental; it showcases the God who keeps covenant.

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God’s Covenant Protection Displayed

• Covenant faithfulness in action—God shelters His chosen people exactly as promised (cf. Genesis 15:13–14).

• Separation underscores ownership: Israel is “My firstborn son” (Exodus 4:22).

• Visible mercy amid widespread judgment foreshadows later deliverance at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:29) and the Passover (Exodus 12:13).

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Echoes of Earlier Promises

• Genesis 12:2–3—Blessing, protection, and distinction promised to Abraham’s offspring.

• Genesis 17:7–8—An everlasting covenant: “to be God to you and to your descendants.”

• Exodus 2:24—God “remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,” setting the stage for the plagues.

• Exodus 9:26 proves that remembrance is practical, not theoretical.

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Foreshadowing Future Fulfillment

• Protection in Goshen anticipates Israel’s safe passage through the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:2–4).

• The same principle resurfaces in conquest: walls of Jericho fall while Rahab (joined to Israel) is spared (Joshua 6:22–25).

• Prophets use similar language to describe ultimate restoration (Isaiah 41:8–10; Jeremiah 31:35–37).

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Why This Matters Now

• The covenant-keeping God does what He says, in real space and time.

• His promises to Israel stand as a testimony that every word He speaks—past, present, future—can be trusted (Numbers 23:19).

• Believers today, grafted in through Messiah (Romans 11:17–20), rest in the same unfailing faithfulness.